Barrel

"Home to an impressive collection of whiskeys, Barrel serves hearty dishes like smoked andouille sausage and spicy peri peri wings. Head downstairs for a fun pop-up bar or head there on Mondays for trivia at 7:30 p.m." - Tim Ebner, Missy Frederick, Tierney Plumb

"This Capitol Hill whiskey bar does more than serve top shelf Kentucky bourbon shots, though that’s what most people are here for. Barrel also makes a juicy, peppery burger that we can’t get enough of. The barrel burger has your typical lettuce, onion, and pickles. But also a fontal cheese and herb mayo that tastes more like a garlic aioli (yes, please). It’s a little bougie, but still pretty basic (just like us), and is one of the few places on the Hill where you can escape both staffers and tourists." - tristiana hinton, omnia saed

"The Deal: $26 for bottomless mimosas There are certain nuggets of information we always keep in our back pocket, like the fact that more people live in Washington, DC than Vermont, and that bottomless brunch at Barrel is really f*cking good (which you might not expect from a lounge known best for its whiskey). The crispy honey butter chicken sandwiches and caramelized bourbon basil waffles are so delicious, you won't even question why you’re eating them in a wood-paneled room that looks like the inside of a giant whiskey barrel. " - tristiana hinton, omnia saed

"Trivia Kings sets up shop in Barrel’s basement bar every Monday at 7:30 p.m. An epic all-night happy hour includes $5 beers, $6 wines and bourbons, $9 Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, and $12 smash burgers." - Travis Mitchell, Tierney Plumb

"Capitol Hill bourbon bar hosts its annual Derby Day party with $9 mint juleps, $9 Old Fashioneds, $9 Bourbon Smashes, and chef Walfer Hernandez’s $9 Kentucky Hot Brown skillet. And because it’s also May 4 — “May the Fourth Be With You — there’s also a couple of Star Wars-themed cocktails for fans of both. The race will be shown on TVs with sound, and the guest donning the best Derby getup will win a $50 gift card to Barrel." - Vinciane Ngomsi, Tierney Plumb