Zach Margolis's Recommendations

Washington, DC

I lived in DC for a year back in 2016–2017 while I was working for the USDS, and really liked it! I lived near Logan Circle, so it probably shouldn’t be too big of a surprise that many of these are walking distance from there. Since moving out, I’ve been back a few times so I try to keep this list as up-to-date as I can.

I've marked a few favorites with a ★. I like pretty much everything on this list, but I love those.

Contents

Bars

• ★ Archipelago (U St.): I love their piña colada, they’re my favorite tiki bar on the planet now. I legit almost went there once a week after I was introduced. Good bar food too! (Except the nachos, they look amazing and tall but didn’t taste as good as I imagined they would) Update: Sadly, this has closed. Thanks for all the good times!

• ★ All Souls (Shaw): Small bar with a nice patio. Their All Souls special is basically made for me: it’s a whiskey and some sparkling rosé. Sometimes can get crowded.

• ★ metrobar (Edgewood): Bar with a repurposed/retrofitted DC metro car! And some repurposed shipping containers as well. Great outdoor space! Naturally, it’s walking distance from the metro red line too.

• Columbia Room (Shaw): Hidden gem, in an alley. Has a fun menu and and super cool interior. Update: this is closed now, RIP.

• Dacha (Shaw): A great beer garden, lots of people bring their dogs.

Food

• Zaytinya (Metro Center): Amazing Greek/Mediterranean. Right by the National Portrait Gallery.

• Le Diplomate (Logan Circle): It’s an institution. French food, really tasty fries, french onion soup.

• Etto (Logan Circle): Great pizza right on 14th St.

• Restaurant Judy (Columbia Heights): Hole in the wall Salvadorian place with amazing pupusas.

• Red White and Basil (Adams Morgan): Adorable pasta place on U St. Update: this is closed now.

• Espita Mezcaleria (Shaw): Mexican food, and you can get tasting flights of mezcal. Update: this has closed.

• Ted’s Bulletin (Logan Circle): I never actually sat down and ate the food but they have some really good pastries and homemade poptarts, which you can get from their bakery. They have multiple locations.

• Mission (Dupont Circle): Mexican restaurant, owned by a friend of a friend. Fajitas and churros are great there.

• Chaia (Georgetown): “Seasonal vegetarian tacos”. Fun space, great food!

• Barcelona (Logan Circle): Fun tapas place on 14th St.

Museums

• Renwick Gallery (Downtown): Free! Right by the White House, super fun kitschy/craft stuff.

• National Portrait Gallery (Metro Center): Great museum, it shares the same building with another museum (the National Gallery of Art) so it’s not just all portraits. Has a stunning atrium in the middle.

• National Postal Museum (Union Station): Neat museum about the historal of the Postal Service (USPS, not the band). There was a fun interactive game in the zipcodes/automation exhibit where you can try to type on the specialized keyboards they used to use to sort mail by zipcode.

Gay Bars

• Dirty Goose (U St.): Another 3-story bar with a roof. The roof has some seating. This has closed now.

• Crush (U St.): Their namesake is their “crush” drinks, flavored vodka sodas. Has a lot of space! Three bar areas and a patio too.

• Her Diner Duplex Diner (Adams Morgan): Recently renamed/reopened! Cute bar/diner with booths, and the current home of the wonderful SmartAss Trivia on Wednesdays.

• Kiki (U St.): 2-story bar with a back patio. When I stopped in here on a Sunday afternoon, it was happening with lots of folks from some of the rec sports leagues.

• Little Gay Pub (Logan Circle): New gay bar with a cute outdoor patio (great people watching) and gorgeous tiled bathrooms famous for selfies on Instagram (and a few dating profiles too).

• Nellie’s (U St.): The sporty gay bar in DC, sometimes it has enough of a mixed crowd that people call it a former gay bar. Love their Wednesday night trivia (Update: the trivia hosts have moved to Duplex Diner). They serve pretty good food. On weekends the upstairs turns into more of a dance space.

• Number 9 (Logan Circe): Two stories, upstairs is a little more of a club feel. They have a great (aka dangerous) 2-for-1 special before 9pm, save the receipt they give you for a free second round. I really like their jalapeño margarita.

• Trade (Logan Circle): Divey bar, feels very neighborhoody. Has a nice patio in the back, and some ballroom/drag events at least on Thursdays and probably other nights too.

• Uproar (U St.): 3-story bar with a great roof.