Editors' Picks

Best bars for a 'Mad Men' vibe

• By By Julia Beizer and Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 03/20/2012

Capture the spirit of the AMC show and 1960s Manhattan at these evocatively lighted establishments.

Best bars for flying solo

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 01/26/2011

Most of the bars we recommend for solo patrons have a few things in common: bartenders who make small talk and introductions; they offer both tables and barstools where you can relax; and, though this is subjective, they're not sketchy places with reputations as singles bars.

Best bars for fun and games

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 07/16/2010

Sitting in a bar shooting the breeze is a great way to spend a night, but sometimes you want to do something else while you sip your beer -- like bowl on a Wii or turn a spelling bee into a drinking game.

Best bars without televisions

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 09/22/2011

You want to go out and have a drink and gossip with your friends or meet a date for a cocktail, but most of the places you're thinking of will be packed with people watching sports or, worse, political coverage. Here's where to go instead.

Best beer selection

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 01/25/2012

Need a cold, refreshing brew? These bars move beyond the usual mass-market taps and are perfect for beer hunters looking for something new.

Best cocktails

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 07/26/2011

From classic martinis to unusual libations crafted with homemade bitters and exotic liqueurs, these bars will satisfy the most demanding drinkers.

Best dance floor action

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 07/16/2010

When you got ants in your pants and you want to dance, these are some of our favorite options.

Best dive bars

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 07/01/2011

No cover charges, no $10 martinis, no dress codes.

Best fizzy cocktails

• By Fiona Zublin
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• Updated 09/22/2011

From gin fizzes to sours of all kinds, cocktails with an added egg white gain lightness -- and protein.

Best free nightlife events

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 04/23/2012

You don't have to pay a high cover or make bottle service reservations to enjoy the D.C. nightlife scene. Check out some of the area's best DJs for free -- and even score open-bar drinks -- at these hot no-cover parties.

Best gay/lesbian club

• By Fritz
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• Updated 06/02/2011

From stylish lounges to neighborhood bars to all-night dance clubs, these gay and lesbian nightspots have something for everyone.

Best happy hours for impressing a date

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 07/01/2011

Sometimes you want (or need) to meet for drinks at a place that's a little classier than usual your usual after-work joint. These happy hours will make you look good without breaking the bank.

Best Irish pubs

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 09/20/2011

Venues include snug taverns with pints of Guinness and bars that pulse with live music.

Best jazz clubs

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 08/17/2011

When you're looking for hot musicians and a warm atmosphere, these jazz haunts deliver.

Best late-night happy hours

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 03/01/2012

Let's face it: Those 4 to 7 p.m. happy hours don't really mesh with Washington work culture. This means that days when you're working late (which, for some of us, is pretty much always) may not be very happy, or very cheap.

Some bars and restaurants, however, realize that not everyone can make it for discounted drinks at the usual time and offer deals that stretch late into the night. If you find yourself looking for a cheap beer or cocktail after dinner, head for one of the places listed below.

(By the way, Virginia residents: State law makes it illegal to offer happy-hour discounts after 9 p.m., so I'm not ignoring the Commonwealth on purpose.)

Best oyster happy hours

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 04/06/2012

Sweet, briny and fun to eat, these shimmering beauties are more seductive appetizers than, say, chicken wings. No matter your tastes, these raw bar happy hours deliver.

Best people watching

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 08/22/2011

Sometimes, you just want to relax and watch the world go by -- or see what other people are wearing. These are the best places to do it with a cold drink in hand.

Best places to go if you're under 21

• By Erin Williams
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• Updated 09/20/2011

Interns keep Washington humming by day. These places welcome the almost-legal crowd at night.

Best places to smoke cigars

• By Timothy R. Smith
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• Updated 09/20/2011

With strict smoking laws in the area, it can be tough to find a place to have a stogie and a drink.

Best places to watch the game

• By Fritz
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• Updated 01/31/2012

These spots boast the requisite beer, wings and giant televisions.

Best pool halls

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 08/27/2010

Whether you're meeting friends for a game of 9-ball or practicing your English, keep this list of billiards bars in your pocket.

Best rock clubs

• By David Malitz | Washington Post Staff Writer
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• Updated 09/20/2011

For those about to rock, here are the area's best spots for live music. Take a look inside the Fillmore and other local rock venues.

Best rooftop bars

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 05/15/2012

As much as we all love bars with patios from April through September, bars with rooftop decks are a completely different proposition. There's something about the views, the breeze and being away from idling street traffic that makes for a more enjoyable experience.

Best sushi happy hours

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 03/23/2012

On the happy-hour scale, sushi happy hours are close to the top. They're more urbane than the usual wings-and-beer deals, and they seem like a better idea for dates, especially if you're ordering a few rolls or pairs of nigiri and sharing. With the Cherry Blossom Festival upon us, we thought we'd suggest a few of the area's top spots for affordable sushi, beers and cocktails.

Best weeknight nightlife

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 01/11/2012

Weekend DJ nights frequently have long lines and huge crowds. Leave those to the amateurs and check out these events, which run Monday through Wednesday.

Best wine bars

• By Fritz Hahn -- The Washington Post
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• Updated 04/05/2010

Wine bars have exploded in the Washington area in recent years, but the ones that follow offer something extra -- great flight selections, free tastings -- that set them apart.

Breweries that offer beer to go

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 11/30/2011

Growlers have long been a fixture at brewpubs, which almost never commercially release beers outside their own bars. But you can also go to most local breweries and get fresh beer from a tap for far less than you're paying for a pint at local pubs. Here's a quick guide to filling growlers on the burgeoning local brewery scene.

Fail-proof first dates

• The Washington Post Staff
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• Updated 02/09/2012

In the age of Internet dating, the first date has gone casual -- why not have a little fun checking out the area's hottest bars and restaurants while also getting to know someone new?

Favorite dirt-cheap happy hours

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 12/12/2011

Whether you're interning on the Hill or just watching your wallet, it can be expensive to go out on the town. But a lack of funds doesn't have to mean a lack of fun -- there are plenty of ways to enjoy happy hours and nightlife without a lot of cash. Here are a few of our favorites.

If you only go to five happy hours this week...

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 04/25/2012

Where are you going for happy hour tonight? Do yourself a favor and skip same-old $3 Miller Lites and over-fried wings. The difference between a happy hour and a good happy hour is measurable. So starting this week, we'll give you the lowdown on a fun place to go after work to find discount drinks, low-priced (but good) food and a festive atmosphere.

But that's not all: We want to hear about your favorite happy-hour destinations. Send an e-mail to nightlife@washingtonpost.com telling us where you go and why, and you may be featured in this space. You can also submit your favorite happy hour photos to our online gallery.

To begin, we've planned a work week's worth of happy hours for you to explore.