Off the Record
Bar · Downtown ·
Political caricatures adorn walls & coasters in this cozy bar
![Off the Record by Hay-Adams [official site]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69602051/hayadams2.0.jpeg "Off the Record by Hay-Adams [official site]")
Political caricatures adorn walls & coasters in this cozy bar
"Characterized as an 'only-in-D.C.' spot: the red velvet–wrapped basement bar at the Hay-Adams hotel that 'serves cocktails on political cartoon coasters.'" - Eater Staff
"This classy, old-school haunt in the Hay-Adams beloved by journalists and politicians is a great place for Manhattans starting at 11:30 a.m. every day." - Missy Frederick
"International CBRE real estate executives and a Democratic U.S. Senator are at Off the Record's bar, predicting election outcomes. The historic hotel bar is lively, serving caramelized onion-covered burgers and election-themed cocktails like the Blue Wave and Brat Summer. The bar manager shares anecdotes of recent celebrity visits, adding to the intrigue." - Emily Venezky
"Music lovers, add this to your bucket list. Hidden behind a record store, this speakeasy doubles as a listening lounge with a lineup of resident DJs and a 41-wraparound bar with “hit record” cocktails like its Rolling Stone, made with Grey Goose strawberry and lemongrass vodka, and a Still Tippin’ cocktail, with St. Germain elderflower liqueur and grapefruit vodka and juices. Take in music royalty at its display of 30 gold records, which feature top-selling albums from artists and groups like Nirvana, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Michael Jackson, and Pink Floyd." - Brittany Britto Garley
"Tucked beneath the Hay‑Adams hotel, I found an easygoing, dimly lit underground lounge lined with dramatic red walls and handsome wood paneling where powerful politicians, dealmakers, celebrities, journalists, locals, and tourists mix and decompress. The bar is famous for its collectible cocktail coasters — a tradition started during the Obama administration that has produced about 50 distinct caricature designs by Kevin Kallaugher, Ann Telnaes, and Politico’s Matt Wuerker — and the current rotation even includes a homage coaster to VP Kamala Harris (inspired by her Vogue cover) and caricatures of Biden, Trump, Mike Johnson, and others; staff will even place Harris’s coaster under Doug Emhoff’s glass when he visits. Classics like the pear martini remain, but the menu also changes with the moment: the Midori-fueled “Brat Summer” (originally to be called “Kamala Is Brat”) is bright, summery, and a little spicy/tart/sweet; a sparkly “Blue Wave” flute mixes lychee, soju, lemon, Taittinger Champagne, and blue luster dust; and the “Brooklyn in the House (of Representatives)” riffs on a New York sour with Redemption bourbon, lemon sour, and a lambrusco float as an homage to Hakeem Jeffries. Rachel Sergi, the longtime D.C. mixologist who manages the bar, enforces an old-school no-photos/phone policy to protect A-list patrons (Mark Cuban declined a pic at the bar), encourages guests to steal their coasters as souvenirs, and oversees cheffed-up snacks served on a silver tiered trio — including house-made crispy potato chips, returning wasabi balls, and an incoming spicy nut mix and Old Bay oyster cracker idea — while a back booth called “The Bench” is framed with sketches of the Supreme Court justices. I also learned that regulars like Sean Penn often order the crab claws, and the lounge is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m." - Tierney Plumb