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Written by DCist contributor Eric Denman
The strip of 18th Street between Kalorama and Columbia is notorious for bars serving cheap beer, takeout joints serving huge slices of pizza, and the resulting explosion of drunken sloppy pizza inhalation. A few places on this strip break the mold, though, and Bourbon is one of them. An outpost of the popular spot in Glover Park, Bourbon is a haven for those seeking to escape the monotony that Adams Morgan can offer. As its name would suggest, the bar has a wide selection of whiskeys: around 140 varieties of bourbons and whiskey, plus 20 varieties of rye whiskey are at your disposal. The offering is far from exclusive to whiskey, though; they also carry eight wines by the glass and have ten beers on tap (including local favorites Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA and Victory Prima Pils). The food isn't bad, either, and their brunch on Saturdays and Sundays is one of the best in the area.
As far as the actual whiskey goes, the rye whiskey is best for most purposes: the spicy edge of rye lends a welcome balance to the sweet vermouth in a Manhattan (try the Rittenhouse 100 proof) and ryes can be stellar neat (or with an ice cube or two; try the Sazerac brand 18-year). Due to the relatively sporadic availability of rye, you may not always see the same bottles at the Glover Park and Adams Morgan locations, but the bartenders can guide you to a winner in any situation.
Bourbon will also be the first in the area to carry a new brand of Kentucky-based bourbon and rye: Willett. A six-year bourbon and a 23-year rye are among the planned offerings, and their arrival (scheduled for seven weeks from now) is just another sign of the dedication that this establishment has to advancing the whiskey culture in the D.C. area. The downside of all of this is that several of the better ryes can run you upwards of $15 per drink. A comfortable compromise is to go during happy hour (until 7:30pm every weekday), when the draft beers are all $3. Due to Bourbon's Adams Morgan location, happy hour is rarely packed, and generally a barstool is not impossible to come by.
Numbers aside, Bourbon has a unique niche as a comfortable mix between local hangout and destination bar. On the average weeknight, patrons are almost as likely to be visitors from outside of Adams Morgan as they are to be people who live or work in the immediate vicinity. Weekday nights tend to be slower and more casual, with weekend nights experiencing a large influx of visitors from outside the neighborhood. Bourbon is still a viable weekend night option, but you might be better served by arriving early if you want to avoid waiting at the door.
Bourbon Adams Morgan
2321 18th St., NW
202.332.0800
Metro: Dupont Circle or Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan
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You forgot to mention one more thing about 18th Street. The beatings that end in death. But Jim Graham won't close down the bars that supplies him with hot youngwhite frat boys that like to top.
The list on their website is all American whiskey, but is that a bottle of Macallan 12 I see in the picture?
To avoid getting a beating, may I advise bringing along a whiskey buddy. A whiskey buddy is a fellow whiskey drinker who shares your tab and cab. If your average whiskey buddy doesn't move you, how 'bout The Man-Thing Whiskey Buddy. You see, the Man-Thing Whiskey Buddy smells fear and buddy, he smells fear all over's ya. 18th street isn't just a haven for beatdowns. You can get beatings everywhere. Even Tienamen Square or Kent State.
The phrase "destination bar" sends a shiver down my spine.
It's worth mentioning that I brought 3 friends from out of town to Bourbon during the early Summer, and the service was absolutely horrid. Everything you could imagine went wrong (spilled OJ, no milk available after ordering coffees, no utensils for one of us, incorrect bill), and they were missing several items from the menu. I'm sure everyone has had these kinds of experiences, but ours happened at Bourbon.
With that all being said, I think it was a one-time deal, and I would try it out again, but haven't as of yet. As for its bar and bourbon tasting, I have no experience whatsoever.
anyways, just fwiw
Where's a monkey gotta go in this town to score some Suntory Whisky? Nobody carries the stuff, Bob-u san. Suntory Time!
Yay Monkey! I've never had Japanese Whiskey myself. I wonder if that store across the street from the Uptown carries it?
Do it slower with more intensity, Monkey.
Politburo: they have a full bar (including scotch) in addition to the Bourbon/Rye list on the website.
I love Bourbon, but it definitely seems like the kind of place to visit during the week if you want any attention or education on the subject. Weekends you're lucky to get the bartender's attention, even when it's not that slammed. So if you know what you want, go any time, but if not, stick to off peak hours.
I'm a snob, but not a whiskey snob. I see from the picture, a guy wearin' a tie and a look of
inexperience in his face. For Chrisake man, take it off. No bourbon, no rye.
But a joint run 'specially for the whiskey folk can't be bad...so I'll wiggle around there and check it out.
There was some sort of Bourbon tasting going on that night (Old Potrero?), and those types of events seem to attract the straight-out-of-the-office, suit and tie types. That certainly isn't the typical dress code there.
Pretty sure Bourbon has Suntory.
There is a manhattan waiting for me as soon as I get home.
as with any decent place in adams morgan, go week-nights or go home.
Stop advertising my local secret! :-)
But seriously, we love this place, sit at the bar, hang out on a weeknight, and chat with the bartenders. We avoid it like the plague on weekends when the 18th St. set descend in droves, and are rapidly worrying about our ability to get a seat at the bar for brunch these days.
For the person that had bad service: from my experience, running out of certain items is rare, but it does happen (the waffle fries are occasionally missing to my horror). Service is never a problem at the bar, but with a new waiter/waitress can be a problem, but I think that's a danger of any restaurant.
Glover Park location bartenders are not the most friendly in the world - don't know whether they are just tired of work or whether they feel obligated to act like jerks because the whisky is so expensive and the clientele looks like they stepped out of a polo catalog.
love the place, but avoid the upstairs 'club' at all costs. and i have had some enjoyable (not too crowded) weekend nights there, though for the most part it can be pretty hectic.
Its your own fault for ordering coffee and at a place called Bourbon. They probably didn't bring it to you on purpose....
Guest 16 said "Stop advertising my local secret! :-)"
Um. No establishment on 18th Street is a secret.
I went to Bourbon on a Sunday last October for brunch/lunch with some friends. It had the worst service I have ever experienced. Our messy table wasn't cleared until quite a while after we had sat down. We waited an hour for food that wasn't that great. Is it always like that on Sundays? I might give it another try on a weekday since everyone else seems to like it.
The dress might have been a little more "straight from work, suit and tie" that particular night because there was a government-worker happy hour...
"as with any decent place in adams morgan, go week-nights or go home."
Words to live by. Adams Morgan is such a great place during the week. The kiddies can have the weekends to themselves.