Dram & Grain
Permanently Closed
Experimental and classic cocktails, grain-forward drinks, intimate vibe
Experimental and classic cocktails, grain-forward drinks, intimate vibe
"Moody and upscale, this underground drinking den offers classic meets experimental cocktails. Situated below AdMo’s The Imperial, Dram and Grain is a great date night spot. The current menu features six different grain-based cocktails using farro, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, and sorghum for twists on classics like a Manhattan, highball, and Old Fashioned. A comprehensive light bites and sandwich menu features oysters Rockefeller, crispy goat cheese puffs, and garlic and thyme tenderloin skewers." - Abi Newhouse
"At first, Dram & Grain is hard to find. This cocktail den is down a set of dark gray stairs and through the doors of Imperial, a restaurant on the corner of U and 18th. But once inside, you’ll feel transported to a new world, thanks in large part to the purple velvet carpet, the granite bar, and the marble table tops. Dip in here to escape the noise and excitement on U Street, and slide past the front bar into the back room for a secret rendezvous. It’s ideal for late-night drinks with friends or a wind-down after a long day." - omnia saed
"Making a triumphant comeback tonight, Dram & Grain, Adams Morgan’s cult cocktail cellar from the whiskey-loving team behind Jack Rose Dining Saloon, reopens in a new, less secretive space one door down from its original, occupying the lower level of the Imperial (2001 18th Street NW). The revamped bar trades the cramped, wooden speakeasy tropes of its 2014 incarnation for more seating, good tunes, and a soaring, well-stocked bar, and offers a fresh lineup of reimagined classics and offbeat creations that lean into the “grain” side of its name. Overseen by Leighton Bagley—who placed in the top 23 of Bombay Sapphire’s Most Imaginative Bartender competition in 2022 and 2024—the opening "Grain Experiment" menu highlights six grain-forward drinks (from an amaranth-infused gin fizz to a quinoa cachaça caipirinha and an Old Fashioned featuring sorghum, Mexican whiskey, and corn liqueur) and even uses techniques like duck fat–washed barley shochu with plum to create a new-look Manhattan; the bar also keeps a classics section of 15 cocktails (Paper Plane, Vieux Carré, Death Flip). All 21 cocktails are priced at $14. Dram & Grain is launching as a Wednesday–Thursday pop-up from 7 p.m. to midnight (reservations on Resy, walk-ins available) with plans to expand service to additional nights in the coming months." - Travis Mitchell
"At first, Dram & Grain is hard to find. This cocktail den is down a set of dark gray stairs and through the doors of Imperial, a restaurant on the corner of U and 18th. But once inside, you’ll feel transported to a new world, thanks in large part to the purple velvet carpet, the granite bar, and the marble table tops. Dip in here to escape the noise and excitement on U Street, and slide past the front bar into the back room for a secret rendezvous. It’s ideal for late-night drinks with friends or a wind-down after a long day." - Tristiaña Hinton & Omnia Saed
"A second-iteration speakeasy-style cocktail bar, Dram & Grain has moved from Jack Rose to the Imperial's basement and will operate as a tucked-away, speakeasy-style drinking spot as part of the new complex." - Travis Mitchell
