You may or may not be celebrating Valentine’s Day, but the forced romanticism of the upcoming Hallmark holiday is reason enough to catalogue the bars that are sure to help you woo that special someone. We put our heads together and came up with some of the most romantic spots you could take a date a too.

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HOTEL TABARD INN: Inconspicuously tucked away in Dupont Circle, the Tabard Inn can feel miles away from the bustling city around it. The inn’s English-style living rooms features couches and a fireplace; during the summer, a quiet courtyard is as inviting a place as you could want for eye-gazing. If drinks go well, there’s a great restaurant to be enjoyed, and if that isn’t enough for you and your partner, well—it’s an inn, right?

The Hotel Tabard Inn is located at 1739 N Street NW.

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SPEAKEASIES: Loud and rowdy works for some, but quiet and off-the-beaten path are better for others. If you find yourself in the latter camp, there’s a small contingent of speakeasy-style bars that serve incredible drinks and keep crowds to a minimum (some don’t allow standing at all), often by being hard to find or requiring reservations. Try The Gibson (2009 14th Street NW), Harold Black (212 7th Street SE) or Columbia Room (1021 7th Street NW).

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WINE BARS: Much like speakeasies, the city’s wine bars offer a quiet respite from the usual bar scene—and there’s nothing more romantic than pretending to be a wine connoisseur, right? Try Vinoteca (1940 11th Street NW), Cork (1720 14th Street NW), Veritas (2031 Florida Avenue NW), Ardeo (3311 Connecticut Avenue NW), Sonoma (223 Pennsylvania Avenue SE), or Room 11 (3234 11th Street NW).

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POSTE: The Chinatown/Gallery Place neighborhood is bustling with energy and bars, but the among the best places to enjoy a sophisticated date is Poste. Hidden away in the courtyard of Hotel Monaco’s building on Eighth Street NW, Poste offers an unbeatable outdoor patio during the warmer months and distinguished drinks and dining inside.

Poste Moderne Brasserie is located at 555 Eighth Street NW.

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THE SALOON: Great drinks, an intimate vibe and little to distract you—arcade games, loud drunks or TVs—from engrossing conversation. In fact, The Saloon doesn’t just invite talking—it requires it. Multiple DCist contributors vouched for this U Street watering hole as a great place to meet that special someone, but they added an important caveat—given that you may well end up sharing a table with strangers, The Saloon might not be the best place for that awkward first date getting-to-know-you banter.

The Saloon is located at 1205 U St NW.

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P.O.V. ROOFTOP LOUNGE AND TERRACE: There’s little more romantic than a good view, right? And for the best view in the city, head to the W Hotel’s rooftop bad, the P.O.V. Rooftop Lounge and Terrace, which overlooks the White House, the Washington Monument and the National Mall. For other good views, head to The Beacon Hotel’s roof (1615 Rhode Island Ave NW) or the Skydome Lounge in Crystal City.

P.O.V. is located at 515 15th Street NW.

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THE OTHERS: Sometimes wood paneling and $14 cocktails don’t matter—you just want a relatively quiet place to talk. For that, resident beer guru John Fleury opines: “Old Dominion Brewhouse, Scion or Crios (both on P Street NW), The Pinch, Irish Channel, or the pro-tip: many of the city’s hotel bars. All these places will give you minimal people and a quiet setting to get to know that special someone a little better without having to yell over drunk banter or loud kitchens. Some of these places may not have the best food or beer/wine selections…but hell—that’s simply one more thing to talk about. Other times these spots will have fantastic selections and you’ll talk about how you didn’t know they had such good food and/or beer there.”