clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
The Dirty Shirley at Lupo Marino on the Wharf.
Laura Chase de Formigny for Lupo Marino

Dirty Shirley Cocktails to Try in D.C. Right Now

The spiked childhood favorite surges in popularity this summer

View as Map
The Dirty Shirley at Lupo Marino on the Wharf.
| Laura Chase de Formigny for Lupo Marino

Time to scoot over, espresso martini? The Dirty Shirley is the unofficial new drink of summer 2022. While most servers will know what you’re talking about (even if it’s not on the cocktail menu), the standard recipe calls for Sprite, vodka, and grenadine.

Here are 10 bars and restaurants around D.C. serving specialty spins on the classic Shirley Temple.

Read More
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

All Set Restaurant & Bar

Copy Link

The Silver Spring seafood mainstay added a Dirty Shirley to its happy hour menu this summer (Tuesday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.). Cherry-infused vodka joins grenadine and Sprite for $8.

18th & U Duplex Diner

Copy Link

Heading to this Adams Morgan diner for the latest Beyonce album release party or weekly trivia? Sip on a classic Dirty Shirley ($11) made with Tito’s Vodka, grenadine, soda water, and a splash of Sprite.

Lupo Pizzeria

Copy Link

After spotting the New York Times piece calling the Dirty Shirley the hot new summer cocktail, the pizzeria and Italian restaurant started offering the trendy drink at their bars, both at Lupo Pizzeria and at Lupo Marino on the Wharf.

Lupo Pizzeria’s Dirty Shirley cocktail.
Laura Chase de Formigny for Lupo Pizzeria

Boundary Stone

Copy Link

Gin lovers can go to this Bloomingdale bar for the “When Harry Met Shirley,” a cocktail made with Harahorn’s blueberry rhubarb gin, homemade grenadine, a splash of lime, and ginger soda.

Boundary Stone’s spin on a Dirty Shirley subs in gin for vodka.
Boundary Stone

All-Purpose Shaw

Copy Link

At All-Purpose, the Shirley Temple has grown up into a version made with pomegranate juice, orange bitters, lemon-lime soda, Tito’s vodka, and lime. The Dirty Shirley is topped with a Luxardo cherry (think, the tart sister of the Maraschino), and is available on the happy hour menu at the pizzeria’s Shaw and Navy Yard locations.

Unconventional Diner

Copy Link

A $10 Dirty Shirley made its debut appearance at Unconventional Diner this month in tandem with its new happy hour menu (weekdays, 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.). Made with Smirnoff, Sprite and homemade grenadine, it’s a classic twist on the childhood staple.

Wunder Garten

Copy Link

Cool down at this NoMa beer garden and watch a D.C. United game with a no-frills Dirty Shirley ($12.50) made with Stoli Vodka, grenadine and Sprite.

Present Company Public House

Copy Link

The neighborhood pub engineers a frozen Dirty Shirley ($9) with Smirnoff vodka, Sprite, and grenadine.

Clarendon’s new live music attraction offers plenty of sweet and offbeat beverages (cereal milk shooters, anyone?) that includes a Dirty Shirley. The drink is off-menu for now, and the owners told Eater DC the bar keeps it simple with Sprite, grenadine, and vodka.

The blinking bar at B Live. 
Albert Ting/B Live

12 Stories

Copy Link

This upscale rooftop cocktail bar on the Wharf devised a refined, off-menu Dirty Shirley made with Tito’s vodka, fresh muddled raspberries, cointreau, lime, and club soda that’s topped with a pickled raspberry garnish.

All Set Restaurant & Bar

The Silver Spring seafood mainstay added a Dirty Shirley to its happy hour menu this summer (Tuesday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.). Cherry-infused vodka joins grenadine and Sprite for $8.

18th & U Duplex Diner

Heading to this Adams Morgan diner for the latest Beyonce album release party or weekly trivia? Sip on a classic Dirty Shirley ($11) made with Tito’s Vodka, grenadine, soda water, and a splash of Sprite.

Lupo Pizzeria

After spotting the New York Times piece calling the Dirty Shirley the hot new summer cocktail, the pizzeria and Italian restaurant started offering the trendy drink at their bars, both at Lupo Pizzeria and at Lupo Marino on the Wharf.

Lupo Pizzeria’s Dirty Shirley cocktail.
Laura Chase de Formigny for Lupo Pizzeria

Boundary Stone

Gin lovers can go to this Bloomingdale bar for the “When Harry Met Shirley,” a cocktail made with Harahorn’s blueberry rhubarb gin, homemade grenadine, a splash of lime, and ginger soda.

Boundary Stone’s spin on a Dirty Shirley subs in gin for vodka.
Boundary Stone

All-Purpose Shaw

At All-Purpose, the Shirley Temple has grown up into a version made with pomegranate juice, orange bitters, lemon-lime soda, Tito’s vodka, and lime. The Dirty Shirley is topped with a Luxardo cherry (think, the tart sister of the Maraschino), and is available on the happy hour menu at the pizzeria’s Shaw and Navy Yard locations.

Unconventional Diner

A $10 Dirty Shirley made its debut appearance at Unconventional Diner this month in tandem with its new happy hour menu (weekdays, 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.). Made with Smirnoff, Sprite and homemade grenadine, it’s a classic twist on the childhood staple.

Wunder Garten

Cool down at this NoMa beer garden and watch a D.C. United game with a no-frills Dirty Shirley ($12.50) made with Stoli Vodka, grenadine and Sprite.

Present Company Public House

The neighborhood pub engineers a frozen Dirty Shirley ($9) with Smirnoff vodka, Sprite, and grenadine.

B Live

Clarendon’s new live music attraction offers plenty of sweet and offbeat beverages (cereal milk shooters, anyone?) that includes a Dirty Shirley. The drink is off-menu for now, and the owners told Eater DC the bar keeps it simple with Sprite, grenadine, and vodka.

The blinking bar at B Live. 
Albert Ting/B Live

12 Stories

This upscale rooftop cocktail bar on the Wharf devised a refined, off-menu Dirty Shirley made with Tito’s vodka, fresh muddled raspberries, cointreau, lime, and club soda that’s topped with a pickled raspberry garnish.

Related Maps