Ugly Duckling
Bar · Shaw ·

Ugly Duckling

Bar · Shaw ·

Creative cocktails, seasonal small plates, and a dark vibe

creative cocktails
wine selection
small plates
friendly staff
good prices
happy hour
lamb meatballs
intimate atmosphere
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by Eater - Lists + Maps
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null
Ugly Duckling by null

Information

1550 7th St NW ste b, Washington, DC 20001 Get directions

$20–30

See Menu
Restroom
Cozy
Trendy
Good for groups
Credit card accepted

Information

Static Map

1550 7th St NW ste b, Washington, DC 20001 Get directions

+1 202 951 8438
uglyducklingdc.com
@uglyduckling.dc

$20–30 · Menu

Features

•Restroom
•Cozy
•Trendy
•Good for groups
•Credit card accepted
•Debit card accepted
•Contactless accepted
•Gender neutral restroom

Last updated

Jan 5, 2026

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@eater
391,575 Postcards · 10,993 Cities

Best Restaurant Dishes Eater DC Editors Ate This Week, September 24, 2025 | Eater DC

"I just checked out this nearly year-old replacement for Shaw’s La Jambe, and the wine list and cocktails are stellar—props to the choice of reposado tequila over vodka in a frothy espresso martini spiked with Spanish liqueurs. My friend raved over her milky-green Gullywarsher, a playful mix of popcorn-infused gin, coconut, and pandan. An adorable cheese-and-"quackers" section is basically an adult’s Lunchables, presented in a cute takeout tray with compartments for lamb salami, prosciutto di Parma, and Comté, and the "pickle buckets" app carves out cucumber slices to stuff with habanero feta. Overseeing the candle-lit bar is a bronze moose dressed up in fall foliage, proof this place doesn’t take itself too seriously in all the right ways." - Eater Staff

https://dc.eater.com/dining-out-in-dc/163787/best-dishes-dc-restaurants-september-24-2025
Ugly Duckling
@infatuation
132,814 Postcards · 3,235 Cities

DC's New Restaurant Openings - Washington DC - The Infatuation

"Ugly Duckling in Shaw offers seasonal small plates and creative drinks like the Gullywarsher, made with popcorn-infused gin, coconut cream, lime, and pandan. Snack highlights include cheese boards, spicy whipped feta, and beef tartare." - omnia saed

https://www.theinfatuation.com/washington-dc/guides/dc-new-restaurant-openings
Ugly Duckling
@eater
391,575 Postcards · 10,993 Cities

The Best New Bars Around D.C. Right Now | Eater DC

"The Shaw space that formerly housed French wine bar La Jambe got a new life in mid-December as the Ugly Duckling, a cute new cocktail pad from a well-known bar team across the Potomac. Partners Teddy Kim and Ian McGrath of Oglesby Management and director of operations Rob Csonka are the pioneers behind the People’s Drug, King’s Ransom, and Chop Shop Taco in Old Town. The pretty new setup, framed with dark walls, suede curtains, and chandeliers, joins playful decor like a bronze moose, duck, and deer. The 18-seat bar with an intimate wine cellar room also serves a selection of seasonal small plates." - Emily Venezky

https://dc.eater.com/maps/best-new-bars-dc
Eater - Lists + Maps
Ugly Duckling
@infatuation
132,814 Postcards · 3,235 Cities

Ugly Duckling - Review - Shaw - Washington DC - The Infatuation

"Ugly Duckling in Shaw offers seasonal small plates and creative drinks like the Gullywarsher, made with popcorn-infused gin, coconut cream, lime, and pandan. Snack highlights include cheese boards, spicy whipped feta, and beef tartare." - Omnia Saed

https://www.theinfatuation.com/washington-dc/reviews/ugly-duckling
Ugly Duckling
@eater
391,575 Postcards · 10,993 Cities

A Pan-Asian Rooftop Bar Overlooking the National Mall — And More December Openings in D.C. | Eater DC

"A new cocktail pad from the Oglesby Management team (partners Teddy Kim and Ian McGrath, director of operations Rob Csonka) occupying the space that formerly housed a French wine bar and presented with dark walls, suede curtains, chandeliers, and playful decor such as a bronze moose, duck, and deer. The intimate setup features an 18-seat bar, a small wine-cellar room, and a selection of seasonal small plates." - Emily Venezky

https://dc.eater.com/2024/12/18/24324226/a-pan-asian-rooftop-bar-overlooking-the-national-mall-and-more-december-openings-in-d-c
Ugly Duckling

Shari D.

Google
We got the chance to try a few menu items and I'll say without a doubt the lamb kofta meatballs are AMAZING! They are very well flavored, and the right portion, as they pack a punch. We also indulged in the Gullywarsher, the Tom Collins and some olives, all met and exceeded our expectations. Senora was a great bartender, she took very good care of us and was very hospitable

Christine Lopez K

Google
Friendly staff, creative drinks both on menu and that they'll make off menu, insane happy hour deals, and competitive prices overall. The vibe is great and it's nice to hang out there along or with friends. Playlist is fun and eclectic. In 2 weeks, I've visited 4 times and will continue returning regularly, especially as weather improves

Mai D.

Google
I celebrated my birthday here and had a reserved corner for the occasion. I invited about 15 people, and the staff ensured that everyone had plenty of space and felt comfortable. They reserved both the small room and a section of the bar for us, which I really appreciated. I loved how they set up the space—the additional seating (compared to the old bar) made it feel even cozier! Communication with the manager, both over the phone and via email, was excellent—especially considering I planned everything on short notice within a week. I should note that my birthday fell on a Wednesday, which likely made reservations easier.

Eric M.

Google
Great atmosphere, excellent cocktails. Really good wine selection and good beers to choose from. The snacks here are delicious. Get the carrots and the salmon crudo, but you can't go wrong with the charcuterie.

Suzie C.

Google
Loved our happy hour at Ugly Duckling! Really interesting cocktails and small plates all for reasonable prices (by DC standards at least) made for a lovely evening. Especially loved the Gullywarsher cocktail and the meatballs and stuffed mushrooms. Also had the whipped feta, speck, and fiddleheads which were all very good. The bartenders were warm and helpful. Will definitely be coming back and hope to make this a regular spot!

Veronica

Google
This place is amazing.... the drinks were fire. The food was fire.... The vibe was fire....the lamb meatballs with lebnah was crazy.

Chris D.

Google
Great food, creative cocktails, solid happy hour. Small enough to stay quiet -- absolutely works for a date.

Elena V.

Google
Great selection of wines, small plates, good prices, and friendly staff. It wasn't too crowded for a Friday night, and the noise level was low enough to easily converse with the person next to you.
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Naria W.

Yelp
A great new gem and cocktail bar in the lower Shaw area! We came on a Monday around 6:30pm and easily grabbed seats on thr couches on the corner. I broke a glass almost immediately and staff were so friendly and gracious I felt so bad! We each tried a different cocktail and were extremely pleased with them all. The pandan cocktail is a true star with a wonderful buttery vanilla taste with hints of lime and coconut. Each cocktail was extremely well balanced and not too expensive considering their quality. I even had a mocktail that wasn't yet on the menu but was absolutely fabulous with enough complex flavors to feel like something special. Our server was so friendly and attentive and even had us try a dish they were testing which we all loved! Their menu is fairly limited at the moment but it sounds like they're still in their soft launch and will have additional food options including brunch. We shared a cheese board and especially liked the lamb carpaccio. The aestetic was nice and dark, great for a date or friends, and the music was loud enough to hear but not so loud you couldn't talk. Overall a great little cocktail bar and welcome addition to the neighborhood.
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Mitchell A.

Yelp
Ugly Duckling recently opened and is such a gem. A great spot for wine, cocktails, and heavy apps. We had Dennis as our waiter and he was truly fantastic - made some great wine and cocktail suggestions for us when we all gave our likes and dislikes. He also sold the cheese and charcuterie platter by having a deep knowledge of each of the products and talking about why he liked them. The bar is open, moody colors, and perfect for a cozy night or cocktails with friends or on a date! Looking forward to coming back and trying HH there!!
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David H.

Yelp
solid new addition to 7th st. the opening week menu had various small bites (we didn't try any), and a list of 6 or so interesting cocktails. The two we tried were good, not perfect but they were unique and they're priced well. service was friendly and quick. they have a pretty extensive wine menu especially by the glass, nothing super high end just a menu that should have something for everyone
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Chenée T.

Yelp
Believe the hype around this new bar. The cocktails are so imaginative with ingredients Ive never heard before. They had an all night happy hour for New Year's Eve with a popcorn flavored cocktail and an excellent manhattan. The service was really fast and attentive and they had a lot of cute seating areas so you had your pick between a cozy couch area, hightops, or the bar. I didn't try any of their snack foods, but I did try the dessert cake and while it was a little dry, I appreciated that it didn't taste sugary and was a good palette cleanser.
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Just H.

Yelp
Excellent service and very cool and cool ambience. Drinks are impeccable, super tasty unlike anything I've had in dc. Food is tasty love the various small plates, the salad is a regular sized portion!