Trade
Gay bar · Logan Circle ·
Huge happy hour cocktails, drag shows, and a back patio
Huge happy hour cocktails, drag shows, and a back patio
"From the same team as Number Nine and in-limbo Town Danceboutique, Trade is best known for its back-alley patio and a “huge” happy hour from opening until 8 p.m., during which oversized drinks are served for the same price as regular pours. More casual and lower-lit lit than its Number Nine sibling, Trade hosts near-daily events, including RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing parties, diva-themed nights, open mic, sapphic parties, a wide range of drag shows and performances, and plays host to the the longstanding CTRL DJ-driven dance party." - Evan Caplan
"With DJ sets, costume parties, a hilariously low-brow food menu, and communal viewings of RuPaul’s Drag Race, this gay dive bar has a little more character than its sibling spot around the block, Number Nine on P Street NW. Order the tasty green tea shots or supersized cocktails during its famous daily happy hour." - Eater Staff
"As a partner in Trade on 14th Street NW, I saw a line to get into Trade while bars that asked customers to mask back up were eerily quiet, demonstrating strong patron support for the vaccination/testing policy that the crowd wanted." - Gabe Hiatt
"I watched a Logan Circle gay bar wink at the absurdity of D.C.'s COVID-era rule requiring a prepared food item with to-go alcohol by selling a $4.99 "three-course meal" that includes admittedly stale popcorn (one or two days old), a still-wrapped slice of American cheese atop the most "budget conscious" white bread they could find (a cheekily labeled "deconstructed cheese toast" and an ode to the infamous Fyre Festival sandwich), and Little Debbie Zebra Cakes, all handed out in a paper bag as part of the bar's self-styled "Restaurant Weak." The five-year-old spot — known for supersized cocktails and live drag shows — started the snack bags as a cheap, tongue-in-cheek offering and, according to marketing manager Aaron Riggins, chose items that are affordable for both the bar and its customers; the special can be discounted by a dollar some nights. Trade remains primarily a drinks-focused operation with strong, batched cocktails (to-go drinks are placed in drink holders inside the paper bag), an XL nightly happy hour (5–8 p.m.) with extra-large cocktails, $5 beer and wine, and $15 pitchers, plus limited dine-in service including a 25-seat patio and 90-minute seatings; reopening for carryout in mid-May and limited dine-in in June has allowed it to operate daily, stream virtual Pride and fundraising events to raise about $10,000 for performers, and attract new patrons, even from nearby closed venues." - Tierney Plumb
"Offering more than 400 coffees from 54 local roasters across 38 states, this service suits both coffee geeks and novices: an easy quiz and algorithm steer you to suitable roast profiles, customer service will replace your first match free if you don’t like it, and the site is built to help you narrow preferences even if all you know is you want decaf with a little milk." - Sal Vaglica
