We pretty relentlessly mock lists that involve listing the best of ________ (location, dining establishment, watering hole, venue) in the District. Be it a national publication or even our own Washington Post, sometimes it seems that the rankings reflect what’s easiest rather than what’s actually best. After all, is Starbucks really the best Washington has to offer by way of coffee?

So when we saw that Esquire had published a list of the best bars in America, we were hoping that the magazine had dug deep and really considered some of the local gems across the city. In their view, Capitol Hill’s Hawk ‘n’ Dove is the best the District has to offer. They write:

Low-level congressional staffers head to this political-memorabilia-filled old Irish bar on Capitol Hill for the free happy-hour buffet (because they’re underpaid, not because the food’s that good). And if you listen to them closely, you can learn everything you always wanted to know about concurrent resolutions.

But is it the city’s best? I’ve lived on the Hill for close to five years, and have never thought much of the place. Of course, Charles, our resident classical music expert and himself a Hill resident, differs, arguing, “The decor may not have changed much since 1965, and there may not be much to recommend it gastronomically, but I love that old dive. It’s got character, which is something that is rapidly disappearing from Washington.” That much is true. Put next to the neighboring Tune Inn and the Capitol Lounge just down the street, it’s a no-frills sort of place that isn’t trying to keep up with interior decorating trends or the fanciest martini concoctions. And for a city known best for its federal focus, maybe hearing about a concurrent resolution from a low-level staffer passes for hanging with the locals.

But we’re curious to hear what you think. Did Esquire pick right, or did they pick easy? If it were up to you, what would you pick?