The evolution of D.C.’s craft beer scene has tracked, perhaps even preceded, the restaurant boom. Indeed, the days when you had to visit a specialized bar to get a decent pint are long gone. Most places offer at least a decent beer list at this point, but they certainly aren’t all created equal. These are the cozy pubs, bustling bars, German-style taverns, and surprising restaurants that we go to when we are in the mood to indulge our inner beer nerds.
Photo by anokarina
BIER BARON: Greater writers than I have waxed poetic about Bier Baron for years, which back in the day was known as The Brickskeller, and it’s easy to see why. #1: it’s underground (always a plus); #2: they have a reasonably priced beer and burger combo for happy hour (although the food’s not winning any awards); #3 the beer list is humongous—50+ rotating taps and 500+ bottles. There are more than just three reasons to visit, including a really great vibe and knowledgable wait staff, but it’s so easy to speak positively about the Bier Baron that it’s better just to keep the list short. If you haven’t been, go at least once. It’s a D.C. institution for a reason.—Jacob Dean
1523 22nd Street NW
HIGHLINE RxR: This is not a typical beer bar. Think of it more as a tap bar with a dozen beers on tap from Belgium, Germany, and Austria to Virginia, Michigan, and California—and many more in bottles. But they also serve eight wines on tap and mix creative cocktails like the Paloma Radlier that bolsters a tequila highball with Stigl Grapefruit Radler. Beer highlights include Germany’s dry Gaffel Kolsch and Belgum’s Duchesse Bourgogne with funky dried fruit flavors. What’s even funkier is the atmosphere. RxR stands for “rust and relaxation,” and while there’s not much rust, the large main hall is stripped down and industrial looking. Concrete floors and steel benches at rough-cut worktables give the place the feel of a workshop. Highline also has that essential element for quality beer drinking: a good view. In warm weather, the entire outer wall is opened up to transform the whole restaurant into a third-story patio with sunset views of Arlington’s Crystal Drive. —Nathan Wilkinson
Highline RxR is located at 2010 Crystal Dr, Arlington, VA
SAUF HAUS BIER HALL: It can get crowded, but its hard to top the location and festive atmosphere of this Dupont Circle bar, which includes multiple floors and a rooftop beer garden. Settle in with a liter of one of many available German draft beers, including multiple styles from Hofbrau, Spaten, and Franziskaner. Should hunger strike, consider gathering some friends to help tackle the monster, two-pound pretzel. —Travis Mitchell, from a previous list
Sauf Haus is located at 1216 18th Street NW
CITY TAP HOUSE: By way of Philadelphia, City Tap House put a craft beer stamp on the corner of 9th and Eye Street NW when it opened there in 2014. An extensive beer list with 40 options on draft and cask, and more by the bottle, is broken down by style. The centrally located spot, not far from the Verizon Center, frequently hosts special beer events. A satisfying gastropub menu ranges from a great plate of ten spice wings to salads, mussels, flat breads, and daily specials like a crispy pork shank with a gluten-free menu to boot.—Josh Novikoff
City Tap House is located at 901 9th Street NW
Photo by Rudi Riet
MERIDIAN PINT: If you order a Budweiser at Meridian Pint, get ready for a rude stare. It’s just not that kind of place. The bar/restaurant focuses on American craft brews, and the many tap handles peeking over the bar serve as a visual reminder of that commitment. Today, for instance, there are 24 beers on tap and 63 different kinds of bottled brews. Plus, if you head to the basement (which also recently got a bevy of arcade games), they also have booths with table taps. That’s right—a direct connection between your booth and the bar that allows you access to up to two of the available draughts. (Caveats: you pay by the ounce and need a reservation.) The bar also hosts a ton of collaborations and tastings with brewing companies.—Rachel Kurzius
Meridian Pint is located at 3400 11th Street NW
THE SALOON: The glasses still have the logo from its Georgetown location, because why get rid of a perfectly good beer delivery device? The sign out front tells potential customers that there is no standing, TV, or music to be had. Comy, the proprietor who is often behind the bar, has a Soup Nazi quality about him. Then you see the photos of the almost two dozen schools he’s built in developing countries during the bar’s annual August hiatus, and you know that there’s a heart of gold somewhere in there. The list of beers on tap is short, but of a very high quality, focusing on tasty, German-style brews. And a more extensive list of bottled beer is available. A glass of suds provides excellent accompaniment to the simple and delicious food menu. Pretense has no place at this joint. As U Street’s rapid gentrification comes with a concomitant douche factor, this is one of the few spots on the strip for which this curmudgeonly jazz writer will brave the crowd on a Friday or Saturday night. —Sriram Gopal, adapted from a previous list
The Saloon is located at 1205 U Street NW
RED DERBY: For the can enthusiasts—and only the can enthusiasts—there is a clear choice. The choices are many, the prices are low (plus everything is $1 less during happy hour), and the beer list is well-curated. But don’t come here looking for a single tap or credit card reader. —Rachel Sadon
The Red Derby is located at 3718 14th Street NW.
THE PARTISAN: As the old saying goes, come for the meat on a stick, stay for the sour beers. Or such is the saying at The Partisan, anyway. The extensive beer list is brought to you by Greg Engert of ChurchKey/Blue Jacket fame, which means there’s an obscure gem of a beer for every taste. However, The Partisan’s beer list is where the wild yeasts roam free, with pages on pages of “Tart and Funky” beers, from fruity, puckery goses to earthy saisons. Given the rich, meat-centric menu, the focus on lighter, tart beers is a no-brainer. If you’re new to the suddenly fashionable world of sour beer, be sure to stop in for The Partisan’s Sours Week. You can try out a flight of three, five, or ten sours with charcuterie pairings from now through Sunday. —Alicia Mazzara
The Partisan is located at 709 D Street NW
THE BLACK SQUIRREL: The press releases from The Black Squirrel are continually the wittiest, most well-composed I get in my inbox. I read co-owner Amy Bowman’s prose and sometimes feel a little bad it’s being wasted on catching the attention of a few fickle food bloggers. The thoughtfulness is indicative of an Adams Morgan pub that punches well above its weight-class when it comes to beer. The approaching 50-tap beer list has something for everyone and certainly surpasses the Miller Lite, low-brow partying the 18th Street NW strip has been typically known for. And the frequent beer events and tap takeovers they promote are fantastically enticing. It seems that every week there’s something along the lines of a barrel-aged beer night, Virginia Brew-ridge Trail feature, collaboration release, Christmas in July, Smashing Pumpkin Beer Fest, or what not going on.—Josh Novikoff
The Black Squirrel is located at 2427 18th Street NW.
Photo by Kevin Harber
THE BIG HUNT: Along with the sticky floors and questionable name is a wide selection of rotating beers that caters to variety of tastes. There are flagship favorites, hard-to-find beers, seasonal brews, and local offerings from places like Handsome Brewing and Right Proper. Even the beer drinker who’s seen it all should be able to find something new and interesting here. The bar always pours a couple cask and nitro beers as well. There are also some cheap house beers available for less discerning guests. —Travis Mitchell
The Big Hunt is located at 1345 Connecticut Avenue NW
THIP KHAO: This Laotian restaurant has made a name for itself on both a local and national level, and for good reason: the food is stellar, the service continues to improve, and their redesign has made dining-in a very pleasurable experience. One thing they don’t get enough credit for, though, is their beer list. In addition to the obligatory Beer Lao and good-but-standard offerings from breweries like Victory, Brooklyn Brewery, and Ballast Point (which, tragically, was recently acquired by AB InBev), they also have a nice lineup of Belgian and Trappist beers, some unusual sours, and a pretty great selection of hard cider. Both beer and cider are available in either single-serving or 750ml bottles, so go get some friends together, order something spicy from the jungle menu, and splurge on a big bottle of something interesting.—Jacob Dean
Thip Khao is located at 3462 14th St NW
PIZZERIA PARADISO: There is hardly a more classic combination than pizza and a beer, but rarely does an establishment approach both with the same level of seriousness. At Pizzeria Paradiso, the pies come with a a formidable draft and bottle lists (about 200) and a rotating cask, with a selection that’s heavy on domestic craft brews. The restaurants also regularly host beer-centric events, including a a solid happy hour with $4 drafts and $12 pizzas, and Monday night beer club—a monthly tap takeover at the Georgetown location.—Alicia Mazzara
Pizzeria Paradiso has locations in Georgetown, Dupont Circle, and Old Town Alexandria.
Photo by eviltuna7
CHURCHKEY: At this point, most bars carrying a serious amount of beer will list the alcohol by volume along with the price and size. But ChurchKey provides you even more information. You get the serving temperature and, most helpfully, the draught list is divided up into different flavor profiles like “Crisp” and “Hop,” which then get categorized further. For instance, the “Fruit & Spice” section has a “Bright” and a “Dark” section. Plus, the wait staff knows their offerings and enthusiastically provides suggestions. That means you can make a decision by doing more than just calculating the best deal by comparing the price to the alcohol content (not that you were ever doing that). And the accompanying food menu will ensure you can hold down whatever you ultimately choose to order.—Rachel Kurzius
ChurchKey is located at 1337 14th Street NW.
SMOKE AND BARREL: Usually I’m singing the praises of this Adams Morgan spot’s heavenly vegan wings. But “beer” is the first thing listed in their triumvirate of specialties (“beer, BBQ, bourbon”) for good reason. I am particularly partial to dark beers, and there is always a new porter or interesting stout to try—without a whole lot of fuss. The 24-tap draft list is frequently changing, plus they have a number of uncommon bottled beers.—Rachel Sadon
Smoke and Barrel is located at 2471 18th Street NW.
DONER BISTRO: If you’re not a German ex-pat looking for a moment in a familiar place, you’re probably not familiar with Döner Bistro in Adams Morgan. The food is the very definition of “meh” and, while their outdoor seating is quite nice during the summer, it’s not a particularly comfortable place to hang out. That being said, their all-German beer list is wonderful, priced in tiers for easy identification and drinking, and the service is exceptionally friendly. Best of all, they have a great happy hour. And on Tuesdays after 7 p.m., all of their bottles are $5, which offers some pretty significant savings. If you’re in the mood for a beer that’s been made the same way for a thousand years, swing by and hoist a stein of Schneider Edelweiss (assuming that The Man in the High Castle hasn’t ruined it for you).—Jacob Dean
Döner Bistro is located at 1654 Columbia Rd NW
