Dan's Cafe

The place is actually filthy and it was overpacked on the night I went to check it out. To top it off the bartender was rude to me within the first 10 minutes of being there simply because I wasn't aware of the cash only rule. She was unpleasant when answering my questions, said I couldn't have water unless I bought something, and was just antagonistic to me from the beginning. Don't know why people waste their time and cash here, just to squirt liquor in their mouth from an old ketchup bottles

One of the best Dive bars I’ve ever been too. They specialise in ketchup bottle cocktails. $28 for half a of bottle of spirits and mixer. But you get $5 back when you return the bottle. Great value beers here too. Love the hanging plants from the ceiling and faded browning walls, it’s just a fab place. Don’t miss it! And the miniature spirits bar is fantastic!! It’s cash only - ATM next door is pricey, so come prepared! The staff are really funny and friendly too!

A truly unique experience. Horrifying or wonderful depending on your perspective. This is a quintessential dive bar. Squeeze bottles of booze and cheap beer. Sticky floors, cramped booths and a ceiling that looks like it's about to fall in. Worth a visit.

Probably the best dive bar I've ever been in! Fantastic squeeze bottles and cheap drinks, great atmosphere and friendly staff. Great place to spend a weekend night in. Will definitely be back

Possibly my favorite place in DC as a whole. I freaking love this place. Must-visit for all ages. Embrace it for what it is

My friend got her wallet stolen here by the bouncer. Honestly disgusting that they employ people like this. Avoid this place at all costs.

Dirty and Divey just like I like it. Cocktails in squirt bottles. Also cheap beers. Doesn’t look like it’s been cleaned or renovated in like 50 years. Still love the vibe.

It is a wannabe dive bar. Saw the bouncer get slapped around by a homeless woman one night. Best memory of that place 😆

A gem of DC. Just be careful with the ketchup bottles full of liquor. Those can ruin your night if you're not careful

Great atmosphere and super fun drinks. Buy a ketchup bottle and go crazy with your friends! I accidentally handed the bartender 70 bucks and almost tipped him around 40 bucks for 30 dollars of drinks. Did not take advantage of my drunken state and returned the money before I even noticed what I did. We had a good laugh. Super friendly and will be back again!

Great atmosphere for a dive bar. This is the diviest of dive bars and you can't come in thinking anything more. Longtime Dan fan

This place is referred to as a "Dive bar" in social media descriptions and considering it that might be a step up.... We walked in and it was appalling, even on dive bar standards, with sour smells being masked with incense burning throughout and really loud music in such a very small place. We turned around and left.

So here's my confusion: if you're going to drink in a dive bar, the benefit is that it is usually cheap. We came in for shots and spent $35 on 4 of those little nips bottles of alcohol. I'd also argue that this isn't a dive bar. This is like someone's backyard shed that has a single working tap and a toilet. I felt sad for the group of guys in their 20s sharing a squeeze bottle of booze. What is the appeal? There are so many other mediocre bars within walking distance. Try somewhere that also provides a lock on the bathroom door.

Best dive bar is back. Dan's Cafe has reopened after a remodel. Not to worry. It still looks very divey. The smell is still around too. Everyone comes here for the squirt bottles. It's like a ketchup bottle filled with liquor. This is about $30 to get a few rounds of shots. If you want cheaper stuff you can get some well drinks. They pour drinks into regular glasses too. Avoid the bathrooms. It's just horrible. This is the place to take that one friend who wants to find the diviest bar possible. The bar has a few things going on around it. One cool thing is the pool table. This feels like a basement in a crackhouse but in a kind way.

Hot, dirty, cramped, weird. I thought it would be a fun birthday spot to get roughly but it was just not it. Surprised there's always a line. Worst bathroom I've EVER seen.

Rite of passage to do a squirt bottle shot. It's cash only but there's an atm on the main road up near Pitchers. Bathrooms are gnarly - I'd hold it if I were you. They play killer throwback tunes think Titanic & then Country Roads so everyone sings along. The crowd is random & younger but don't let that stop you from coming - it's an experience to have.

Wow-- what a cool spot. I will definitely be coming back here. This little popular dive bar in the heart of Adams Morgan has so much energy and a college like feel. It's the place to be on a Friday night. The line was a little longer than the other bars and the place was packed. The bouncer was very inviting and charismatic so waiting in line passed by very quickly.

This will be a very long read but I feel like I need to share what happened to me and my group tonight. Short story: the bouncer was rude and physically harassed our friend and we were kicked out for trying to intervene. ~~~ After trying to go and celebrate our friend with a couple of drinks at Dan's, we were left waiting in a line (which is typical for AdMo!) We arrived here first at 11pm and not too long after the bouncer started to yell at our groups that we were too close to the doors and to back-up quite aggressively. We figured this was probably due to dealing with drunk people so we let it slide. After a few people left the bar, he let the group in front of us in and scoffed at us for getting near the door. Granted, it was rude, but we didn't pay mind and continued to wait. We were now the only people in line (everyone else left) and saw 6 people leave (the size of our group.) Curious about the wait time due to needing to use the bathrooms, two of our friends went to politely ask about the wait time and they were very rudely asked to leave and not to ask any questions. After about 8 more people left, we were let in to check our IDs. Once in, my friend and I let the bartenders know we didn't quite appreciate the attitude we received from the bouncer, to which they said "He's our cousin, you don't know his story." Not sure what that meant but as soon as this was said, we noticed the bouncer physically handle our friend and pushed her aside as she was showing her ID. Apparently, she moved to the side of the door to let people out as she took out her ID and he mistook that as her trying to sneak in behind him. When he pushed her back the first time, she firmly said "please don't touch me" to which he firmly grabbed her and picked her up. From there, things almost got physical as we started to confront the bouncer for touching her clearly without her consent and without reasonable prompt. The bouncer and I got into each other's faces as I yelled at him to not touch my friend and he said "what are YOU going to do about it?" From there, the bartenders intervened and things were getting defused. My friend went back to the bouncer to try to explain what happened and he just decided to kick our whole group out and since everyone working in the bar is apparently in the same family (there were also a pair of brothers working the bar who were cousins to the bouncer,) they also proceeded to kick us out. As we were getting kicked out, the bouncer started saying "We didn't want your broke asses in here anyway" and when we had mentioned we were there to celebrate, he then proceeded to say "We don't want your broke money." Of course we were rilled up, not by getting kicked out, but by our friend who was physically harassed and freaking out about what happened to her. The comments as we left also seemed racially directed as we were a diverse group of young adults. We were quite polite and sound up until our friend got manhandled and then we began cussing out the bouncer. ~~~~~ Before anyone starts thinking we probably deserved it, a majority of our group was sober and the others were barely buzzed. No one was drunk and no one was acting out. We were quite literally just minding our business, waiting in the line until all of this happened. Asking the bouncer for a time estimate isn't rude by any means and we complied with all the directions yelled at us. Even if our friend did pose a threat, the bouncer at minimum was 5'6 and 130 lbs our friend was barely 5ft and probably weighed 90 lbs at best, so there was no need to get physical with her. She also noticed that he got particularly aggressive when she said not to touch her. Moral of the story: we will not be coming back here and would strongly suggest other fun bars nearby (Pitcher's and League of their Own are classics.) I would stray from supporting a business that has no issues treating their customers as they did us.

Unbelievably rude, especially the two guys working the front door. 95% sure at least one of them didn't even work there but they were saying racial slurs and being incredibly rude to the patrons waiting to get in. The inside smells awful, i assume it was due to the bathroom, which was atrocious. You're much better off going to madams organ or even shenanigans.

Dan's is the definition of a hole-in-the-wall. Chances are walking down the street you wouldn't even notice this place besides an old, unmarked and unassuming door. Inside, it's reminiscent of a college frat house basement: dimly-lit, packed with people, sticky floor, with pool tables and chairs covered in massive tarps to keep everything from being drenched in alcohol. Dan's is probably unlike any other bar you have been to: it's cash only and this gets you liquor and a mixer plus a squeeze bottle to pour them into. You are given shot glasses and you serve yourself (or just go straight from the squeeze bottle). I was sick with the flu for nearly a week about 3 days after visiting this place, so it is questionable how well these shot glasses are really cleaned in between use. The clientele is mostly college-age people, so it that's your thing then great. Otherwise, it's Adams Morgan, so you throw a stick and hit 3 or 4 other bars you could go instead.

In the right situation, "Dirty Dan's" is the right bar, but the place is freaking weird. First, while a middle school child can get a card reader for a lemonade stand these days, Dan's is cash only. And while most cash-only businesses are in it for their cut of the atm fees, there's no atm on site. So, get cash before you come. There are no beers on tap, and there are no liquors on the shelf or in the well. They have beer in bottles, but the concept is based around customers buying pocket sized bottles of liquor and putting them into ketchup squirt bottles and then getting soda by the can (mix them for yourself). So, it's kind of like a liquor store that lets you drink on site. You pay $20 for a flask's worth of liquor, but bizarrely, there's a $5 deposit for the squirt bottle (returned when you give the bottle back)... Because normal people would totally steal plastic condiment bottles for home use if they didn't have a Lincoln on the line. The tables and seats are rickety. The area around the pool table is too crowded for a comfortable game of pool. But when you're in the neighborhood and want to hang out with people who are slumming it at a super divey bar but have $5 for a ketchup bottle deposit, there's a social scene to experience at Dan's.

Dan's Cafe is one of the weirdest places to go drink in DC and also one of my favorite. This place is the definition of divey. You walk in one semi-small and always packed room with tables, chairs, and booths clustered together way too close. There's the bar on the left side with tons of bottles of liquor ready to be poured into a ketchup bottle. Cash only, bring a $20 bill to get a your liquor, mixer, and get $5 back when you return the ketchup bottle back to the bar. This place is what it is and there isn't anything else like it. Great spot to pregame before heading out in AdMo.

This is literally not a safe space for a 20 something young woman. We were sexually harassed by the old man that works at the front of this place. He was screaming in our faces and yelled obscenities at us and commenting on our bodies. Why go to this place w/ angry creepy men when it's already smelly and odd? Better off anywhere else down the street. Specifically, we went to Tiki a few places down the street to cool off and the staff was like a 180 from these guys. So kind to us at Tiki and felt so bad about how we were treated at Dans. DO NOT GO HERE EVER

Blame it on the dI-i-i-I-i-i-I-i-ive, baby. Nthing the suggestion that early or late arrivals are necessities for grabbing a perch anywhere; this place gets packed to the teeth. Cash only establishment tucked into a nondescript corner along Adams Morgan. Take a breath and hold it, because this smells as much of a dive as it seems. The classy jukebox sent Brian B into throes of ecstasy. Before we even touched a third squirt bottle, Justin C was ready to cozy up to the bachelorette party cruising through. Julia, Hue, and Lia thankfully kept me from raging at the bartender. We worked through our poisons by combining the alcohol and mixers displayed on the shelves before us. I think several times our group was tempted to treat the condiment squeeze-bottles as baby bottles or cans of whipped cream. Drinks start off on the strong side since the bartender empties the single-serving minibar bottles over ice, then splashes in mixer until topped off. The cupholders in the bar aren't leak-proof, so any spills will transfer into laps below. Drinkity drinkity drunk indeed, this is where you can go to get trashed.

Dan's Cafe is your destination if you're either trying to bond with co-workers or get secrets out of old friends. Do not meet a new tinder date at this establishment: judging the facade, he might think that you're trying to kill him or make him bet on a cock fight. Once you are inside, however, the atmosphere is the dive bar of all dive bars - no sign except for chicken scratch in the top lefthand corner of the door, red light only, and wet tables. Behind the bar are rows and rows of mini bottles for their famous vessel: the ketchup bottle. The bartender puts ice and a mini bottle of the alcohol of your choice in the ketchup bottle with a splash of your chosen mixer. Then, he gives you the number of shot glasses you would like. It's $25 total - $20 for the alcohol and $5 for the bottle, which you can get back upon returning it. I would definitely come back to Dan's Cafe, just with more questions to ask my friends after we finish two ketchup bottles.

I walked in at 9:30 pm and when I walked through the door a man behind me yelled "what you doin!" when I was walking in the bar, he yelled "where's your id!" I showed it to him and yelled "now go and buy something ok!" I asked why he was yelling at me and if I did anything wrong, he then replied again yelling "you better buy something!" I asked him why do you think I'm not going to buy something then he yelled very rudly "get out my face I was very disappointed how I was treated my first time walking into Dan's Cafe. I lived in the dmv all my life and I never got treated like that by anyone at a bar before. I felt racially discriminated as everyone else who walked were not people of color and not yelled at, but when I walked in I was treated very nasty. Very horrible experience.

My girlfriends and I definitely did not expect our night to end here, but it was a pleasant way to wrap things up. we loved that it has a signature go-to that it's known for - the ketchup squirt bottles filled with alcohol of your choice (20$). We opted for pineapple cranbeerry and tequila.. and ended up befriending people at our table to share. Be sure to carry cash on you because they did not take card! Though the space is very limited, you can tell the spot was hot since almost every seat was taken. Would definitely come back when in AdMo. 5 stars for the experience and the people.

I was brought here by one of my friends who wanted to make sure I got to experience one of the more offbeat drinking establishments that DC has to offer. As you enter what appears to be a bomb shelter, you see a bar lined with mini liquor bottles on your left, and a pool table and chairs on your right. Besides normal beers, all of which are reasonably priced, the signature drink is mixing a canned fruit juice with a type of liquor of your choice and having it served to you in a squeeze bottle. This is a very efficient way of getting yourself (and your friends who open their mouths and allow you to squeeze the bottle into) drunk, as the ratio is usually a slightly less than 1:1 of juice and alcohol. This is the best novelty experience, as it's totally a gimmick, but not one thought of by a multinational dining group but rather a local small business owner, so we should all continue to support the business for their ingenious patented drink delivery machine. Bathroom is in the far back right corner. Don't use the bathroom.

Best dive bar in DC bar! Everyone who likes alcohol in condiment bottles should flock here. Bottles are $26, and you get $5 back when you return the bottle upon finishing. There's a jukebox that offers four songs for $1. Come to Dan's Cafe.

The concept is simple: $25 and you get a squirt bottle of liquor and a mixer. Return the bottle and get $5. This is about as divey as a dive bar gets. The bathroom is nasty, the floor is sticky, and it's always hot as balls in here, but that's what makes it such an amazing experience. To start off, your shots from the squirt bottle are mostly liquor. As you drink and add mixer, they get much more mellow. $20 later, and you're drunk. Be sure to get here earlier on weekends (before 10 pm) or you will be sadly waiting outside.

If I could rate this 0 stars, I would. This is NOT a safe space for women. The first red flag was obvious the minute my friends and I walked through the door. Two of the guys in our group walked right in, but when I went to follow them, one of the workers GRABBED my arm and said "What are you doing - turn the fuck around and get your I.D. checked!" I was already ready to leave. About 45 minutes later I took a trip to the ladies' bathroom, which is absolutely atrocious, maybe a 5x5 space, with no lock on the door. Within a minute as I'm in the middle of using the restroom and trying to hold the door closed, one of the workers KICKS the door in. A man, intruding into the women's bathroom while I was not completely dressed. I come out yelling, absolutely livid and feeling extremely violated, of course, and I am met with no apology. Not only was this older man yelling and swearing back in my face, gaslighting me by saying I was "taking too long" (there was no line and I had been in there for less than a minute), but he SHOVES me out of his way and calls me disrespectful... I'm disrespectful because I confronted a grown man about disrespecting every female in that bar by kicking in the door of the women's bathroom!? Unbelievable. I was upset, uncomfortable, angry and crying, and this man was just as big of a dick to my friends as he was to me. Ladies, do NOT go here. It is not safe and the staff have no boundaries, remorse, or even a shred of fucking kindness or decency. I will absolutely never step in the vicinity of this shit hole again. To the two workers that felt it was ok to touch me in anyway and call me names, I'll repeat what I said last night that you found so "disrespectful" - F YOU.

Welcome to Washington, Dan's Cafetown. The first tavern in America, serving up the best squeeze bottles known to man.

Best bar in DC - can't wait to return once it is safe to do so!! Cheap liquor and fun memories. Normally pretty crowded so be prepared for that. Cash only!

My feet feel sticky just thinking about Dan's. It is a really unique bar, if nothing else. There isn't a sign that identifies it really. It's kind of gross. Cash only. I honestly have a hard time in good conscious even calling it a bar because they don't really operate like one. Getting served here is like being in a weird liquor store that you choose to stay in and to drink. I say that because if you order a mixed drink, they open what seems like mini/airplane sized bottle of liquor and a can. I don't believe that they have anything on tap, nor do I think that they have a soda gun. You know, things that literally every other bar does. But alas, one does not come here to have a classy night. The biggest draw is the squirt bottles, which are glorified old-timey​ ketchup​ bottles which they fill up 9/10 with liquor, 1/10 with your mixer and then give you the rest of the soda can and shot glasses. It costs $20 for one of these premade hangovers and they take a $5 deposit, which they return when you bring back the squirt bottle. If what I have described sounds weird, it is because it objectively is weird. Dan's does not try to kid itself, it does not try to be anything that it is not. It is true to its really weird, kind of gross, but pretty fun self. If you want to feel like you're in college again or something, give Dan's a shot. And by that I mean enjoy drinking out of a ketchup bottle. Or something to that effect

All the hype about Dan's Cafe is true. It is dirty, they serve drinks crazy strong, and it is a good time. I would have never been able to find this place if I didn't have a local with me. Just a blue door, no visible sign, and boarded up windows make it almost unrecognizable. It's a small space with a wood bar and some long tables with a bathroom at the back. I highly recommend sitting at the bar so you can talk to the bartenders. We learned Adams Morgan history and learned that Dan's Cafe has been open since the 1940s with the same owner since 1968 (the bartender's dad!). The bartender has been working at Dan's since he was 18 years old. Lots of stories and lots of laughter. You just don't get the full Dan's experience sitting at a table with your friends. If you order a drink, you get the whole pint, a bucket of ice, and cups to mix your own. If you order a shooter, it comes out in a squeezy condiment bottle with shot glasses. There's something so fun and unique about the way they serve their beverages and I'm cool with it. Remember you pay a deposit on the squeeze bottle, so make sure you return it before you leave to get your $5 back. Cash only. Dirty, dirty bathrooms without working locks. Start or end your night here. Maybe not every weekend or it'll lose it's novelty, but be sure to stop by on occasion!

Dan's Cafe allowing me to mix (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ydHjrBAFpAZVvZ5_A3AKeg?select=ix0epM8rG14BZ5Lqa0Hy8Q) my own drinks (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ydHjrBAFpAZVvZ5_A3AKeg?select=o60oIO8-55tajmi7E1u70w) caused me to eat at Jumbo Slice (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/asHUYVFnZZJr47xMscxsUw?select=lJCP3lkrPrIXOtheAe404A) and pass out on someones couch. If you know anything about me, then you will appreciate the brevity of that statement. Not much else required really. Oh, other than if a bachelorette party table (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ydHjrBAFpAZVvZ5_A3AKeg?select=ggfylyB0aoqKrsR1Wm2L7w) checks off their Most Interesting Man In The World category after meeting you, then just stop there. One check mark is all you need. Trust me.

PAIN. PAIN IS WHAT HAPPENS AT DAN'S CAFE. But that's why you're here right? Squeezy bottle full of booze and a soda for $20 is a great place to start the night and a horrible place to end it. If you end it there, it will end you if you've been drinking already. If you start it there, you probably won't need much more to keep the dice rolling. Also when I asked the guy for another soda he said "You don't need another damn soda!" and walked away from me. I'm ok with that.

This place is awful, like really really awful, but you're still going to come anyway. The bar is rundown, there's a bad smell, and the bartenders are about as grumpy as they come. Beers are reasonable at $3.50 and the bottles of liquor are ~$24. It's an interesting concept for sure but I imagine there are better bars elsewhere in DC with similar prices. This isn't one of those cool hip dives, it's essentially a truck stop bathroom turned into a bar.

So many people walked in looking confused and walked out. Haha, and others who stayed seemed perplexed. So read the reviews closely people and know what you're getting yourself into beforehand. You get a squirt bottle for $25, with $5 refunded when you return the bottle. They fill it with ice and dump in a small (250 ml?) bottle of the alcohol of your choice. That's about 5 shots people, let's not get carried away with the exaggerations of how much you're getting. Still, that's a good deal. You get it with a half-shot glass to drink it out of, too, which adds to the mystique. As fun as the concept is, it was very hard for us to get over the STANK. When you walk in, you get slapped in the face by one of the most awful scents I've ever had the misfortune to sniff in a public establishment. And no matter how long you stay, you don't get used to it. The possible culprit: it looks like nothing in this place, including the bathrooms, have been cleaned in at least 3 years. And the signage inside hasn't been replaced in a good 20. Still, it's a must try. Bring unknowing friends here, and you're sure to be remembered forever for creating a memorable night.

Dan's is the diviest dive bar there ever was... genuinely. I don't know how else to describe this place... it's just so darn DIVEY. Dive-alicious. Dive-namite. Dive-naymic. I came here for the ketchup bottle... cause I'm all about the alc, bout the alc, no beer! The bottles seem pricey at $24 (plus the $5 deposit), but think about how much shots would be otherwise? It ain't bad. If you're looking for beer, wine, etc. this is not the place for you. Come for the hard drinking and the unkempt atmosphere. Tip: Avoid the bathrooms. Not the business.

God this place looks like crap. I love it. Just come with low expectations and you'll be pleasantly surprised in a city full of $8 beers. Just bring cash.

If you're looking for a dive bar with a quirky way of serving drinks, then Dan's Cafe is the place for you. Expect to shell out $25 at the get-go; $20 for the alcohol + mixer and $5 for the deposit on the squirt bottle. Also keep in mind that you'll be essentially drinking straight liquor from the squirt bottle before you actually start adding the mixer, so be prepared if you're a lightweight (like me). Finding the place can be a little difficult, but just look for the unmarked green door right next to The Brass Monkey. Overall a great place to bump elbows with friendly strangers looking for a fun time. Make sure to keep your coat on in the winter, though. It gets cold inside! ALSO: no free water. $2 for a bottle. CASH ONLY!!!

This place is dirty as can be. Grime everywhere. Tiles on the bar are cracked. There doesn't appear to be AC, and if there is, it's an ineffective window unit. On a busy Friday night there was only one bartender. There appeared to be another bartender, but, I'm not sure, as I never saw him get up from his seat in the back corner of the bar in the hour plus I was there. And trust me, I watched intently. So far as I can tell, there is one bartender, and one guy who is presumably paid to occasionally turn the dial on the radio. But, somehow all that crap just adds to the charm of this place. The squirt bottles contain a surprisingly large amount of booze and at $24 (with $5 back if you remember to return the squirt bottle) it's a great deal. There is something also fun about taking shots of a mixed drink (its mostly liquor - but they do put a bit of the mixer in the squeeze bottle). Of course there is the typical AdMo crowd of college kids here, but, if you can get past that, this is a great place. Ohh yeah, and it's cash only - but all the other reviews mention that as well. But, cash only always makes me take off a star, because I almost never have cash. Ohh, and this place is in a basement, and I don't really remember a sign, so, you just have to look at house numbers when you first come to this place.

Ok, I admittedly have a penchant for the dirty, the shady, and the hole in the wall places in this world. If I didn't my review could easily look like Lia's, Colleen's and/or many others. Let me tell you, there is no doubt they are correct; this place is filthy, pretty disgusting, smells like 100 sweaty jock straps dancing in unison, and the purgatory room on the way to the bathroom often has a mote of urine on the floor. But to me it is fun, unique, and unabashedly itself (even if itself is at times revolting to some). Like Bukowski, this bar is the disgusting, vile asshole that many may love anyway. (minus the insight and poignant asides) I may be a sucker for a shtick but I love Dan's style. It's gritty "make your own drinks" is fun and for me makes drinking a bit more interactive. As others have mentioned, you make your own drinks there. Meaning, if you & me went we would say to the bartender, "whiskey, please... umm, Maker's!" Upon which he would grab the fresh pint, rip the top off and dump it into some form of receptacle. I would pay him $16 (not too bad for DC btw and cheaper liquors go even lower). We would then indicate mixer.. "ginger!" ... a fresh can of generic ginger ale would be slid over to us with a tub of ice and some cups. With all our ingredients we would return to the table, make our drinks jostle for refills, philosophize about nothing, and bet upon which meat head will throw up first. Granted, Dan's is not for the weak of stomach, heart, or frankly any of the senses but if you like filthy dive bars you should really at least go. At the very worst you will have a new experience under your belt. Whether you revel in that experience or tuck it deep in with the other forgettable moments and indiscretions of your life I leave that up to you.

We had an unfortunate visit to Dan's. We were not told that the bar was cash only upon arrival, and went up to the bar to get a drink! The bartender told us he "doesn't talk to bitches who don't have cash" and we respectfully walked away from the bar, without saying anything to the bartender. We understood if it was cash only and didn't put up a fight. When we did get cash and pay for a drink, we also asked for water. The bartender pointed at me and said "I'm not serving water to that bitch". All completely unprovoked, and talking about how all women are bitches. Not sure what was in that guys tea that day, but he obviously has some sort of vendetta against young women. I hope he looks into some counseling!

Dive bar indeed. That said, great little hole-in-the-wall, that serves water bottles full of mixed shots for $15-20. Mixed drinks are pints and then the mixer served separately. The place is cash only, and if you do the shot mixes, there's a $5 deposit on the bottles, but it's a great value. I was perhaps a bit too trigger-happy with the squeeze bottle, and regretted it upon standing up. Another great part about Dan's is the jukebox. My friend Tina had an interesting selection of music, but it was a great time.

Just like an empty row on a redeye, Dan's is just what you need right when you need it. Sure, it's basically the dive-iest of dive bars, but they do it in fine style. However, the fact that they let them play Sweet Home Alabama on the jukebox 5 times really begs the question, "why isn't there a limiter on those things?" regardless, amazing night, great for a large group of overdressed semi-drunk friends.

Dan's is pretty gross but if you are just trying to drink a lot of booze, it's the place for you. They serve drinks in a squirt bottle you can share with a group which makes you feel like a 20 year old on spring break, your choice whether that is desirable or not Make sure to bring cash, they don't take cards. Side note, the owner and bartenders are all super nice.

Dan's is so much fun. As the fool in the venue's current main photo, I thought I needed to pay tribute with a review. I like to come here to pregame or just stop by for a few on a Friday or Saturday night. The go-to here is the ketchup bottle that they fill with a fifth, give you a chaser on the side, and your number of shot glasses. You pay $25 to get it and get $5 back if you return the bottle. You buy one then your friend buys one - it makes a great night. It's cash only so stock up before you get there. You can usually catch Dan there himself making change and collecting bottles for a deposit. Prices are fair, ambiance is weird (which in this case is a plus!). As for the food, I'm not even sure they have any, nor have I ever seen anyone eat here. Just come here if you're looking to get juiced up for your night.

Went to DC for a trip and my friend bought us here...... it. was. GREAT. We went directly to the "booths". It's a tight space that is only meant for no more than 4 people... we had five. There is an area between the "booths" and the bar with tables and chairs but they were all taken. Anyway, the squirt bottles are filled up with your choice of liquor about 90-95% of the way and then you get your mixer. So they give you your filled up squirt bottle and the rest of your barely touched mixer. It's great when you order a couple of squirt bottles and start them all at the same time =) SQUIRT BOTTLES. GET'EM.

Looking to not remember the evening? How about an excuse to call that ex that all your friends hate? Or maybe you just REALLY want to pour drinks out of a ketchup bottle? Well look no further, Dan's Cafe is here for you. The first time I walked into Dan's I was horrified by the look of the bar, the air touching my skin, the floor touching my shoes, and to know that this is where my night may end and start all at the same time. For $25 ($20 for drink + $5 deposit for bottle) you will get a ketchup squirt bottle filled of whatever they have available on their shelf. After that, you may continue to refill that bottle for $20 with whatever they have available on their shelf. And as you continue to fill that bottle and you're ready to leave....if you aren't completely intoxicated at this point, you may return your ketchup squirt bottle to receive the $5 deposit you originally paid for. If you're with a large group I would keep an eye on your bottles as there are many little conniving little b@$t@rd$ that try to steal bottles and return them for their own. 5/5 you lucky son of a gun.

So so so many people squeezed in this little bar squeezing alcohol from a ketchup bottle! Lol. We came as a group of 6, all managed to squeeze in a booth for 4 people, and shared shots from a squeeze bottle. With old school music playing in the background, people get drunk with a lot of drinks at a very low price. Interesting experience!

There aren't as many dive bars in DC as other places I've lived so I was stoked to stumble into Dan's the other night but it was just a gimmick. Bartenders being a dick for absolutely no reason other than to try and fit into being a dive bar. Pool table was covered with a tarp to just use as a table for people to put drinks on. I don't care if the felt is shitty let me play pool. Liquor in squirt bottles again just for the gimmick to look like a dive. The patrons are a big part of making a dive bar but the place had a ton of bros and most people looked like they work on the hill but tried to just dress the part to be accepted in a dive bar. The only thing it has going for it is the look and somewhat cheap drinks. Which is the easiest part to get right. Everything else was lame. Fix the bartenders, patrons, and let me play pool and I'll go back.

A sweaty, sticky amazingly cheap and raunchily fun bar. It was my first time, but definitely not my last. What could be more fun then squeezing shots out of a ketchup bottle into shot glasses or directly into your mouth? Or other people's mouths for that matter. This place is dangerous. And awesome.

Words cannot describe this place. Dive bar would be the kindest way to describe it. Ended up here on St. Patties day, but I assume it is still an absolute pigsty 365 days out of the year. Glamor shot of the mayor drinking out of a squeeze container.

Amazing. Get drunk for super cheap every time! Plus the employees are very friendly. It's a Saturday night staple

WHAT. WHAT! WHAT IS THIS PLACE. This place is: -cash only -the smartest pregame known to man/bro -$25 for your first squirty bottle and $20 for each after -DRUNK -sticky -the best -your cool friend in college's living room where you'd drink for what seemed like 5 minutes but then you get up and fall down because you don't even know why and then you go to the clurb and have the greatest night of your life because it's just -down the street from amsterdam falafel -creating the best beginning (nobody cares about the middle) and end of a night out you ever knew could exist -bye P.S. Q: what is this place like in daylight?