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 06/21/2012

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 near the Convention Center

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 07/20/2012

Whether you need to kick back after a long day of meetings or want to catch up with fellow attendees, these bars fit the bill.

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 07/25/2012

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

Best D.C. Beer Week events

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 08/16/2012

If your beer-loving friends have been canceling dinner plans for next week, don't take it personally. The annual D.C. Beer Week begins Sunday with a booze cruise on the Potomac, and bars and restaurants across Washington and Northern Virginia will celebrate the week with beer tastings, beer-and-cheese pairing classes and meet-the-brewer events. And happy hours. Lots of happy hours.

Some events require reservations and tickets, but most are come-as-you-are affairs where you pay only for food and drink. Just one constant piece of advice: If there's something you'd like to try, arrive early, because kegs will drain quickly. When available, we've added full beer lists; click on the event name for more information.

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 06/21/2012

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 07/22/2012

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 08/15/2012

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 soccer bars

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 08/14/2012

Washington is a town that appreciates soccer, with a tradition dating back to the days of the Washington Diplomats and continuing through to the rowdy D.C. United crowds at RFK Stadium.

With an understanding of the game comes a league of soccer-friendly sports bars that pack in fans cheering for their favorite side, whether it's competing in an afternoon Champions League match, an early-morning English Premier League battle or Spain's legendary "El Classico."

Here are some of our favorite places to watch the beautiful game.

Best sushi happy hours

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 07/22/2012

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 07/19/2012

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.

Intern Guide: Beer for a buck

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 06/25/2012

It's hard to find a pint for less than $5 in most dive bars these days. Unless, that is, you try one of these happy hours, where you'll pay no more than a buck. Just don't forget to tip.

2012 Intern Guide: $1 beers | Two-for-one happy hours | Late night happy hours | Happy hours for dates | Happy hours with food | Free dance parties | Tom Sietsema's Cheap Eats

Intern Guide: Cheap Eats

• The Washington Post Staff
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• Updated 07/06/2012

When you want something beyond the ubiquitous wings and nachos that most bars rely on for their happy-hour snacks, look to these places, known for their discounted food and drinks.

2012 Intern Guide: $1 beers | Two-for-one happy hours | Late night happy hours | Happy hours for dates | Happy hours with food | Free dance parties | Tom Sietsema's Cheap Eats

Intern Guide: Two-for-one happy hours

• By Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 07/20/2012

Half-price drinks are a much better deal than most other discounts. And at beer-centric spots like Pizzeria Paradiso and Brasserie Beck, it's easier to try out a $7 West Coast IPA or Belgian ale you've never heard of when it's just $3.50 per glass. Here are some of the best two-for-one deals in town.

2012 Intern Guide: $1 beers | Two-for-one happy hours | Late night happy hours | Happy hours for dates | Happy hours with food | Free dance parties | Tom Sietsema's Cheap Eats

No-sweat olympics

• By David Malitz, Stephanie Merry and Fritz Hahn
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• Updated 08/01/2012

It takes a hard heart not to have at least a mild case of Olympic fever right now. For the next two weeks the entire world will tune into London, where national pride, the spirit of competition and athletes who have devoted their lives to one incredibly specialized skill will be in the spotlight. It's all very inspiring. But how are ordinary folks supposed to get in on the fun? Watching on TV is nice, but taking part in the action would be better. Of course, pole vault and shot put and canoe slalom aren't exactly the easiest activities to jump into, and, man -- they look difficult.

With that in mind, we have come up with an alternative: the No-Sweat Olympics. The concept is simple -- competition is fierce, but movement is minimal. There will be no perspiration, but there will be imbibition. The following games can be played at local bars, and if a beer isn't in hand, it's close by. So grab some friends and start a new tradition of semi-athletic excellence.