The 10 Best Bars in Washington DC — 2026

We compared all 319 bars in Washington DC on the data that matters: services offered, posted hours, and how easy each one is to reach. No pay-to-play — this ranking comes straight from the listings data, updated October 2026.

#1 · Death PunchWashington

Mon-Sun 7pm-3am

(202) 450-2151 Website View listing

#2 · Wet Dog TavernWashington Tavern

Mon-Thu 4pm-11pm, Fri 4pm-1am, Sat 2pm-1am

(202) 234-3334 Website View listing

#3 · Eighteenth Street LoungeWashington Lounge

Fri-Sat 9pm-3am, Sun 9pm-2am

(202) 466-3922 Website View listing

#4 · Suzie Q'sWashington

Mon-Tue 5pm-12am, Wed-Thu 5pm-2am, Fri 5pm-3am, Sat 12pm-3am, Sun 12pm-11pm

(202) 505-1793 Website View listing

#5 · Rocket BarWashington Dive barArcadeHappy hour

Mon-Thu 4pm-2am, Fri 4pm-3am, Sat 3pm-3am, Sun 4pm-2am

(202) 628-7665 Website View listing

#6 · JackpotWashington Dive barHappy hour

Mon-Thu 4pm-2am, Fri-Sat 4pm-3am, Sun 4pm-2am

(202) 628-5225 Website View listing

#7 · The Courtyard BarWashington

Mon-Fri 2pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 1pm-10pm

(202) 457-5020 Website View listing

Run one of these businesses? You earned this spot — email [email protected] for your free “Top Bars in Washington DC” badge to put on your site, and we’ll make sure your listing stays accurate.

How we rank: every listing earns points for listed services (saloon, dive bar, bar & grill, lounge, lgbtq+, tavern, karaoke, hookah, arcade, happy hour, live music, dog-friendly, beach, biker, country), posted hours, and working contact details. The ranking is recalculated with every data update.