👀💥 Secret Bars and Other Sips in Adams Morgan 👀💥

The Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington D.C. reminds us of the Lower East Side in New York City – lots of funky shops, great ethnic restaurants, and plenty of cocktail bars. It may be a bit sketchy at times, but there’s always a fun time to be had.

So with the closure of one of our favorite D.C. speakeasies, the Gibson, we decided to venture out to find some suitable replacements in Adams Morgan. 

We start with our quest for a speakeasy … and we found Code Red. It appears as a former storefront along a street that could be in any big city… except for the big iron door with the metal knocker. And yes, when you knock, you have to provide the password to the person behind the sliding panel. Your reward is a classic speakeasy vibe complete with menus that include news clips from prohibition. The presentation is half the fun as we ordered a smoked old fashioned that was in fact “fired up” tableside. It’s a pretty fair replacement for the Gibson and one we will come back to! #tipsypick

Imagine walking past a historic DuPont mansion and you notice a sign that looks like it’s inviting you for a drink. That’s exactly how we found the 1921 Biergarten at Heurich Mansion. We are so glad we entered the garden and followed the path to some tasty beer and wine, including local brews and Senate Beer, a revival of an original recipe by the home’s original owner, a brewery baron. They also have displays detailing the history of the brand and the brewery. The garden area is a welcoming and fantastic place to kick back and enjoy your libation. A #tipsypick for sure!

Take a few steps down from the sidewalk – and a century into the past - and enter The Golden Age… literally. In true “dive bar” fashion (a name for bars below the street level) without the smoke and sticky floors, this basement restaurant also has a great list of cocktails, about 11 pages long to be exact. The speakeasy vibe completes the package. Truly a place to step back into the “golden age.”

Another “dive” spot in similar fashion is Bar Charley. But again, don’t get lost in the fact that you have to go downstairs. This is an excellent spot for tiki drinks, cocktails like old fashioneds and Manhattans, and a not-to-be-missed steak and fries special for happy hour! They also have a great wine list. 

If oak panels and history are more your speed, Round Robin Bar is a must-stop for a true D.C. experience. You can almost imagine the deals being made around the circular bar over a classic Old Fashioned. And that’s what we had. But the signature drink is the Mint Julep. This is a classic stop in the equally classy Willard Hotel.

Here’s a stop for the whiskey lovers! One of the largest whiskey selections in town (and maybe the eastern U.S. with more than 2,700 bottles at last count) is found at Jack Rose Dining Saloon. It’s easy to get lost perusing the selection. But we settled in for a classic Manhattan that did not disappoint. The food is also top notch. 

Walking into our next stop, McClellan’s Retreat, reminded us of some of our favorite watering holes over the years. The bartender was friendly, the drinks were strong and tasty. This corner spot is great for a first stop or a last stop… or hanging out the entire evening. They also have a decent happy hour, in case you need another reason to stop in.

Also, let’s agree to not quibble about the distinction on the map between Adams Morgan and DuPont Circle, shall we?  OK then - here are a couple of stops if you’re closer to the circle than you are the Washington Hilton… 

Teddy & the Bully Bar is a classic new American bistro/bar near the circle with a menu billed as a “reflection of Teddy Roosevelt’s love for comfort food.”  We were comforted by some great cocktails and a nice wine list.  You should check it out.

And finally, The Doyle Bar boasts a panoramic view of DuPont Circle and an upscale classic vibe that reminds you of the 1950’s. The cocktails were fantastic as were the nibbles. The people watching isn’t bad here either. 

We hear tell there are a couple of speakeasies we didn’t make it to this time in Adams Morgan. Do you have any favorites?

🗼 🥐 ☕️ Latin Quarter Libations in Paris 🗼 🥐 ☕️

Let’s just say our first trip to Paris won’t be our last. How can it be, with so many great spots left to discover?  OK, we admit, we might have underestimated how large this city is. So rather than trying to scramble all over to hit the “top” bars and speakeasies, we’ll focus on one of the amazing neighborhoods where we spent most of our time on this trip.

The 5th Arrondisment is also known as the Latin Quarter. It’s home to the Sorbonne, the Pantheon, and some wonderful shops as well as local bars and restaurants. In some of these places, we were the only non-locals – truly #offthetipsypath.

First, the true craft cocktail bar that we think should be part of any visit to the Latin Quarter. At Solera, the drinks are tasty and the presentation (including the glassware) is over the top! Hint: lots of dry ice! The Artist comes with a genie lamp … the Scorpi On Fire is what it sounds like, with three shots included. This was a fun experience – so much so that we visited more than once. 

It’s not often you go to a foreign country and find a bar dedicated to your home state. Imagine our surprise walking into Le Tennessee Bar! We actually got a heads up from friends, but it was still a surprise to walk in to this space on a side street and be welcomed with shots of Jack Daniel’s. Apparently, this started out as a jazz bar named for Tennessee Williams, but new owners decided to embrace the southern American charm. The bartender also made a fantastic Old Fashioned, both with Jack Daniel’s and one with Scotch, which we will definitely try at home.

The Latin Quarter is also home to a number of jazz clubs, but they fill up fast, so we had to look elsewhere for live music during our visit. That led us to Le Piano Vache. This is very much a locals bar for fantastic live music. It looks like a club we’d find in Greenwich Village in NYC. It’s the kind of place where the owner will seat you with strangers and you get to know them over drinks and music! We had people ask us how we (tourists) found it!

Another one of our favorite “locals” stops is The Confessional. Tucked away off a side street, it’s the kind of place we favor at home, where you can trade jokes with the bartender and get a solid cocktail and glass of wine at the same time. We visited twice and both times had a solid Old Fashioned among other things, including the “dia del spritz”… a tequila spritz! It’s a great stop to unwind after a day seeing the sights!

Have you ever judged a book by its cover and been wrong? In this case… we judged The OakenShield Tavern from the outside as a typical British pub. We are glad we were wrong! This is actually a spot for fans of role-playing games and other activities to come and hang out and play. They have dozens of games lining shelves all around the place. But make no mistake, it’s a bar! They made a fantastic espresso martini and had a large menu of surprisingly tasty shots that were named after the signs of the zodiac. It’s our sign that we’ll come back!

If you’re a fan of the John Wick movies (John Wick 4 was filmed in Paris, BTW), you’ll recognize the name of this locals bar - Baba Yaga Paris. This intimate spot doesn’t lean in too far to the movie theme. It’s just a great little stop with solid cocktails very close to Notre Dame Cathedral! Definitely a place to relax for a while away from the tourist crowds. The square outside is also worth slowing down for.

Now there’s no way we can end a rundown of our first trip to Paris without mentioning wine. Notably, like in most of Europe, wine in Paris is high-quality, inexpensive, and plentiful. In particular, we wanted the experience of wine and caviar service, and champagne and oysters, paired. We found both in the Latin Quarter!

We are big fans of natural and biodynamic wines, so the selection at Les Flacons was perfect! We paired a great natural white wine from the menu with a caviar service that was fantastic. They also have bottles for sale and we recognized a few of them from our adventures. This is a wonderful locally-owned wine bar and shop perfect for date night!

And finally, our first experience with oysters and champagne couldn’t have been better than Ostra. Definitely check them out if that’s the Parisian experience you crave!

Now as we mentioned at the start, this was our first trip to Paris and it won’t be our last. There are so many great places left to explore! What are some of your favorite spots?

🌟 Our Favorite Sips and Tipsy Picks in Seattle 🌟

Seattle, Washington has a rich and diverse history – from a rough and swampy seaport to a tech and medical hub. We also hear they have a pretty good football team. So it should be no surprise that the city’s restaurant and bar scene is equally as diverse and interesting!

For our first time in Seattle, we knew we had to visit Pike Place Market. Yes, we saw a guy throw a fish. Yes, we saw the line outside the original Starbucks. There are dozens of fantastic local shops inside this shopping area. But did you know there are some excellent cocktail and beer options as well?

Radiator Whiskey makes the most out of a relatively compact space, which includes a wall of whiskey and cocktails on tap. You can’t miss the giant barrel on the wall! The bourbon selection from the tap is nice, but the batched cocktails from the tap are a wise choice! 

If a touch of Paris or a jazz club is your speed, Zig Zag Café is the answer. They’re a bit #offthetipsypath down the stairs on the side of a building at the market, but your reward is great food, drinks and atmosphere! We enjoyed our time here. Pro tip - check out their Happy Hour. It is where the locals gather.

Down the street from the market is another great classic cocktail spot with a taste of old Seattle, The Diller Room. It’s hard to miss this place with all the neon, which fits the history as a former hotel lobby from 1890. The cocktails are fantastic – think Black Manhattan and Espresso Martini - and they do have an impressive lineup of whiskey!

Just across the street, we felt compelled to do a local whiskey flight at Von’s 1000 Spirits … because why wouldn’t you with a menu that does indeed include that many? We also had a great classic Manhattan and Gin Martini. Just sitting at the bar and staring at the shelves is impressive! It’s popular with the tourists, but we saw plenty of locals here too enjoying their fantastic Happy Hour! That’s always a good sign.

And just down the street is Pioneer Square, Seattle’s “original” downtown. There are a couple of bars on the block that each claim to be the oldest in the city. Look them up and try them for yourself. 

If you’ve heard anything about the Seattle cocktail scene, you probably have heard of Canon. They literally wrote the book – as in a cocktail manual that is found at bars around the country. When you step in the door, it’s easy to see why – three sides of the room lined with bottles from bar to ceiling. Along with the fantastic cocktails, we couldn’t resist trying a flight of the local bourbon, featuring several distilleries in the Seattle area. We liked them all well enough that we will visit some on our next trip!

Tavern Law is an excellent place for cocktails on Capitol Hill. But if you know to ask, you should get on the list for their upstairs speakeasy, Needle and Thread. The name is a nod to the “sewing circles” that disguised brothels in the region over the years, likely in that very space. You get there by making a phone call – enough said. The atmosphere and décor is right out of the Prohibition era and the cocktails are top notch. Make sure to take time to have a drink at both venues – the Smoked Old Fashioned at Tavern Law is a great choice!

Another Capitol Hill spot we really enjoyed is The Doctor’s Office. It’s an intimate tasting room with creative cocktails and excellent service. We sat at the bar and watched the experts make their take on an Old Fashioned and a Black Manhattan. Their food also pairs well with the drinks. And if we could give extra points for a restroom, we would – don’t miss the paint job and space-age toilets WITH a remote control!

One of the more unusual and creative spots for a drink in Seattle is actually under an attraction called the Spheres. Deep Dive is like taking a tunnel to a cool underground theme park and finding excellent cocktails. The décor is a mix of elegant warm leather with a touch of steampunk. This one is worth the visit all the way around!

Speaking of unusual, how about some fantastic cocktails while being eyeballed by an elephant? Yep, that’s Unlisted in a nutshell. This intimate speakeasy just north of the Space Needle stands out for its eclectic décor – and they have an animatronic elephant in the middle of the bar. And yes, it will move its head from time to time. Her name is Ruby and she’s from the 1931 World’s Fair! The cocktails were worth the visit also! It’s a #tipsypick.

The folks at Bathtub Gin & Co lean into their menu with a surprising array of gin cocktails. The space is full of brick and leather, with the required bathtub references spread around. We even trusted our very friendly bartender when we said we like bourbon. She made a cocktail from a dark gin aged with cacao and mushrooms, among other things. It tastes better than it sounds! This is a speakeasy, meaning look for the wooden door.

And finally, if red lights and strong drinks are your vibe, Rich Rich would fit the bill! We ended one of our nights here and they treated us well! Check them out.

One note - the folks here do love their craft beers – there are too many breweries to list, so we decided to save those for another visit. We’ll have to include wineries and distilleries, because there are a number of those within a short drive! That’s our take on Seattle for our first visit! 

What did we miss? Any that excite you?