Photo by Sexy Fitsum.

From corpse revivers to boilermakers, there is no shortage of places to get a drink in the District. And while we can argue until last call which haunts are dives or not, this second-tier city has some of the best bars and bartenders in the country. Recently, Esquire magazine put out its annual list of the Best Bars in America and as usual, played it pretty safe and went with ol’ standbys Tune Inn and Hawk ‘n’ Dove. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy those places. The Tune Inn, especially, has the charm of your grandfather’s buddies who drink at the Legion at three in the afternoon: you’re not going to be meeting any women in their presence, but you will always be entertained with good stories, good company and cheap whiskey.

That being said, there are other bars throughout the city earning accolades for trying to push the limits of normal bar conventions. Greg Engert of ChurchKey was named one of the Sommeliers of the Year by Food and Wine Magazine for giving the same attention to craft beer as sommeliers, chefs and artists give wine. Derek Brown and The Passenger/Columbia Room have also won a number of awards, such as being named in Bon Appetit’s Top 10 Best New Cocktail Bars. With a vast array of tinctures and exotic liquors at the bartender’s beckon, they forgo a printed cocktail menu and instead rely on the talents of the person behind the bar to create a personal experience that very few places offer.

Sure, these are the best of the best as far as nationwide lists go. No one argues that. But often, these aren’t the people serving your drinks to you. Many times, these star players are busy doing special events, schmoozing with reps and spending a lot of time honing the craft they love. I can only imagine how much time they spend researching, tasting, and developing their drink programs to be the best they can be.

So what about the bartenders and mixologists who are in the bottle-lined trenches on a daily basis, people like Alexandra Bookless at the Passenger, Rachel Sergi of the soon-to-be-opened Jack Rose, Colin Johnson at Solly’s and Chad America at the Red Room? Is it the mixing prowess that makes a great bartender? Or maybe “he’s quick with a joke and he’ll light up your smoke” makes the best kind? Tell us in the comments who your favorite bartenders are around the city and what they do that has you keep coming back for another round or two.