Denson Liquor Bar

Great, slightly hidden but awesome atmosphere bar! Will definitely be back here with friends.

This place is perfect for a date or to grab a drink after work with co-​workers. The cocktails are delicious, service is on point, the décor is beautifully done, and the food is yummy (carnitas tacos and lamb meatballs are very good). What’s not to love?

I can’t say enough about this place. I come here way too often and the staff quickly began to recognize my face. It’s one of my favorite bars in DC and it is run to perfection. The drinks are amazing and if you don’t know what you want the bartenders will offer the best suggestions.

Absolutely. Freaking. Phenomenal.
D.C. lacks high-​end drinking places. There are college-​y places and club-​y places where you overpay for cheap vodka diluted with energy drinks, and there are even hipster beer places with too many IPAs, but there really aren’t many places to go for high-​end alcohol. Denson is a refreshing taste of good drinking in a sea of mediocrity.
Denson is a 50s-​esque liquor bar near the Chinatown metro stop. It’s in a basement, it’s dark, and — thanks to the circular leather booths and modern music — it feels like the child of a speakeasy and a club. You can tell this place probably gets crowded on weekends, which is unfortunate, because it’s likely best when somewhat private. While the prices on the liquor are just high enough to likely drive college students away, they really aren’t unreasonable, particularly for the area.
The liquor selection here is to die for. The cocktails here are good, but given the absolutely out-​of-​this-​world hard alcohol selection, you’d be a fool not exploring around the bottles. The volume of the selection is almost intimidating, which is exactly as it should be.
Frankly, the only thing that could make Denson anything other than awesome would be a crowd. Go at an off time on some weekday and you’ll absolutely love it.

Stopped in for a late night bite. Delicious food and great whiskey. At first I was a little disappointed in the size of the menu but both items I ordered were awesome. I also have rarely seen an Irish whiskey menu this diverse — could have been deeper with aged offerings but there were so many different ones, not just Jameson and Bushmills.

I’ve been to a LOT of cocktail bars and my fair share of speakeasy style places. This place missed the mark slightly for me. Maybe it was because on a Saturday night it seemed kind of «dead». Although there were other people there it just didn’t have that buzz. Bartenders and host were fine, nothing amazing (although they were attractive). The cocktails we had were okay– again nothing I was amazed by. The music was at a decent volume and the décor was also well thought out.

Speakeasy + R&B club = Denson Liquor Bar.
It’s a speakeasy, of sorts, so ambiguity is a key factor. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, you’ll walk right by this place. Just look for the stairs by Fuel and you’ll be on your way to top shelf liquor fun.
It’s small but aren’t most spots in DC? The bar has about ¹⁰⁄₁₂ seats and there are about 6 booths plus one in the back «party» room… if it can be called that based on its size. So, intimate, yeah but not necessarily on a Friday or Saturday. Don’t let the size of the place fool you, on those nights, you can easily feel like a sardine.
The drinks are good and strong and the bar has no rail items. The bartenders, and staff in general, are all welcoming and friendly. The food is pretty good too (although I miss the Cuban sandwich).
Depending on the day of the week, it can serve as a great setting for a fun date night or it can be a great happy hour destination for a group of friends. Choose wisely. Random tip: there’s a DJ on Monday nights. Let’s just say I’ve had a couple lonnnnng Tuesdays as a result. Denson is my friend and could be yours too.

I dig.
I dropped in on an early Saturday evening expecting full-​hipster and was pleasantly surprised.
The outside was so nondescript that I actually had to call and find out exactly where it was (I had actually leaned against the stairwell bars one of the times I passed it).
Unlike some of the other reviewers, I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the atmosphere/​décor to the music. It feels like an after-​hours bar (circa Mad Men) with just enough intimacy that things don’t feel «date-​nightish».
The whiskey/​scotch lover in me delighted at the cocktail menu which offered classic cocktails (manhattans, old-​fashioneds, etc) or you could try them with a more modern twist.
Overall, it comes off a bit «dipster» (divey-​hipster), but in a very enjoyable way.

We needed some place to drink and DC surprisingly has very after hours options. Denson’s was given as an option and the four of us went for a drink there pretty late. A speakeasy place like this I felt like I had no choice to order an Old Fashioned. I like the first one enough-​balanced with the right amount of citrus, sweetness and bourbon. The four of us were able to sit and relax and our bartender came out from behind the bar to let us know that it was last call. He struck up a conversation with us and let us know of a place we could go after it closed.
We followed him back to the bar for one more drink. A relaxed, chill place that has some good drinks. Worth the trip.

I have to say, I love this place. It’s intimacy is only surpassed by its excellent cocktails. Sitting at the bar, you just take it all in. I love a great Manhattan. But fight your urge to drink your usual. Their mix of «old time» cocktails is an adventure.

You know in the ‘Great Gatsby’ when Leo enter’s the speakeasy and there is a sudden surprised look on his face? That was me. We walked down the steps to be stopped by a man dressed in a great navy peacoat. I mention this because it really was a great coat. He asked us to wait a few minutes while the bar cleared inside a bit. We entered. It’s a gorgeous space with a deductive ambiance. The bar area was crowded, but after 15 minutes, a standing table opened up.
I had a the Japanese cocktail and she drank a Tolstoy. Environment is dark and dreamy. The bar is the real show of the venue, proudly showing what it houses. The bartenders are dressed well and friendly. The wait staff too. We ordered glasses of rose and oysters, which were fresh and delightful. I paused often from conversations just to get lost in the space. It’s small and intimate, perfect for conversation and reflection.

My friend decided to kick-​off her birthday weekend here with some pre-​dinner cocktails. I had never been here before, though once she told me where it was located, I couldn’t believe how many times I’d passed it. The place was very cozy and great for a small group if you wanted to just chat on an early Saturday evening. The bartenders were fantastic and made really fantastic cocktails. The bartender we had (unfortunately his name escapes me) made some fantastic off the menu cocktails based on the type of drinks we liked & he nailed the flavors perfectly. I’m not sure I’d like the place very much if it got too crowded, but I’d certainly venture back there for some early evening cocktails.

Love the speakeasy vibe at this a-​bit-​hard-​to-​find spot. You might spot their globe lights down the stairs, but, that’s about it. Once you approach, a suited doorman greets you for entry, which is very classy. We lucked out and scored a cozy booth when we arrived — great for imbibing and people watching. We were impressed by the simple, but, sophisticated menu. The cocktails were classic and strong and the food was tasty. Plenty of options to just snack on or make a meal. We tried the roasted tomato panini and loved the warm olives served in their own mini skillet — hot out of the oven. We ended with a Denson candy bar. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable making it a most enjoyable experience.
I like that they provide house-​made meringues with your check –a nice little treat that really shows all the thought put into the details at this place.

Denson is yet another speakeasy, and they commit to the premise. To find it, look for the stairs directly below Fuel pizza, with Denson written on the lights outside. Otherwise, there is no signage. When you approach the door, a doorman opens it up and welcomes you inside. The décor is great, very dark and sleek, with black wood and lighting behind the bottles on the bar, creating a beautiful glow. It is surprisingly similar to the décor at Brick & Mortar just down the street. It’s a great look, so I can’t blame them both for choosing it, but what are the odds? For a similar concept and similar décor, I can’t help but make comparisons, and I personally think B&M does it better. The drinks at B&M are more complex, tastier, stronger, and cheaper.
That said, it’s still worth a visit here. I had a mint julep. Their version is made with a peach flavor, I’m guessing some sort of syrup. It was very fruity, with nary a taste of bourbon in sight. I like my julep heavy on the bourbon and light on the mint, so I was a little disappointed, but it was light and refreshing nevertheless. My date tried the passion punch, which she enjoyed. That one was fruity and refreshing as well.
One benefit of being located beneath Fuel is that the whole place smells like pizza. I was starving by the time we left. Bonus points because the after drink mint meringues is an awesome touch.

I’m currently on a tour of the better Unilocal rated cocktail bars and Denson happened to be on the list this past Saturday. It is Speakeasy-​esque in that you have to walk down a set of stairs but I wouldn’t say it’s too hidden. It has a well designed interior that has a very intimate feel.
I stopped by on Halloween night to get away from the Dupont Circle mad house and check out a real cocktail. It’s nice spot to bring a date, drink well and have a convo.
*Random Sidenote– I have a soft spot in my heart for places that have well kept bathroom and Denson is one of them.
The bar wasn’t very busy and I was able to get a seat right at the bar. The bartender immediately poured me and my group each a glass of water and gave us a few minutes to figure out our drink orders. I can’t remember the name of the cocktail I ordered but it had blended scotch, absinthe and sloe gin. Being able to watch the bartender take the time to make a well crafted cocktail is always worth it. My drink was pretty good and had a nice balance of sour, sweet and was strong without being boozy. I also had a sip of the coffee which was pretty good.
All in all I think Denson is a solid cocktail bar that I’ll be stopping by for time to time whenever I’m in/​around Gallery Place Chinatown. The cocktail was around $ 14 but that’s right about the price of cocktails in DC except this one is handcrafted and don’t have a bunch of rail alcohols.

I really like Denson. It’s a cavey, hip speakeasy, located below street level. It’s under Fuel, the wings place. I walk by on a regular basis because I live in the neighborhood, but hadn’t noticed it until a friend suggested it for drinks. I was thoroughly confused when he told me where we were going — there’s no cocktail bar there! Except, well, it turns out there is.
You go down the stairs and discover a sleek, dark space, with dim lighting and a long back-​lit bar surrounded by intimate booths. The cocktails and snacks are excellent. I particularly like the cheese board (which you can add meat to if you want — we asked) and the French 75. The lamb meatballs and the mint julep were also quite good. However, my final word on a drink called the «Final Word» is «revolting.» My friend loved it, but ick, ick, ick!
I’ve been back several times and never had a bad experience — when I can get in. Reservations are a good move, for sure.
They have main dishes, but I haven’t tried them. It’s too loud/​boisterous/​crowded for me to want to eat there for reals.
The good:
— The fancy cocktails are (mostly) fantastic
— Service
— Ambience
— Excellent snacks
The bad:
— Already too popular — make a rez!
— Happy hour crowd is a little bro-​tastic for my liking. But, I mean, it’s DC, so…
— Music is too loud too early
— Limited menu

Ghostface Killa booming in the background, boisterous patrons and buzzing bartenders… as we sat, making our rounds through meaningless conversation and ways to get the attention of busy waiters, I realized this place was cool. Vampy cool.
Finished with rich, dark booths surrounded by metal, Denson is reminiscent of a place you’d see in Gotham. Filled to capacity, I walked in to see that Denson was merely a hallway, as the bar takes of most of the space in the facility. I came with my girls, but really I should have been with my man, because in order to hear the person next to me required that I snuggle up next to that person.
We came for HH and ordered accordingly. The oysters were good, but that wasn’t surprising. The rest of the food was on a regular menu. So. This speakeasy-​like bar is just that… a bar. Good drinks and more good drinks because… whiskey and bourbon. Come in and enjoy a drink or few before or after dinner reservations and you won’t be disappointed.
I’m giving Denson 3.5 stars based on overall experience and food. The wait staff was few and unfortunately my group repeatedly had to track down servers. The HH food menu is pretty much drinks. The oysters are It’s just enough so that if you play your cards right, you won’t stumble out of the bar and fall on your face.
–speakeasy
–intimate
–drinks
–loud music

Denson manages to perfectly toe the line of being an exclusive-​feeling speakeasy without being pretentious. I stopped by for happy hour on a Friday evening with three girlfriends, and once we found the correct staircase the door was opened for us by an extremely sexy man in a suit. Good start! The hostess was very pleasant and quickly found us a table even though we didn’t have a reservation. Our waitress was incredibly bubbly and attentive, and did a great job of making sure our needs were met.
This is a popular and very crowded spot but our private booth meant we could easily chat with each other without having to raise our voices, which is sometimes hard to find in the DC happy hour scene. The décor is gorgeous– I love the round black leather booths and little touches like the old fashioned toilets. Drinks were very tasty and $ 5 off during happy hour, which lasts until 7 PM. We also got the nuts and the spreads, and both were delicious! Denson is a great spot to come with a small group to really enjoy some lovely cocktails and conversation.

I stumbled across this place while searching out places to hold my Unilocal monthly happy hour, and boy, am I glad we did have it here. Service, drinks, food, and the ambiance are all wonderful.
My group and I were in a round booth towards one end of the place near the restrooms. It was intimate with dim lighting and we were able enjoy the semi-​private booth without having trouble of hearing each other. The place was EXTREMELY crowded, but not to the point of being over packed.
They offer a limited happy hour menu, and a limited food menu. This is indeed a liquor bar as the name states, however, for what food offerings they do have are solid and very good tasting.
Adrienne and I both ordered their $ 15 happy hour oysters. She ordered the Barron Island oysters whereas I ordered the Blue Point oysters that were more salty and more of my taste than the Barron Island ones. We shared communally. In addition to my oysters, I ordered their tomato and spinach panini with a side of chips that accompany it.
I loved the drinks I had. I tried the Blood and Sand, one of their happy hour house wines, and another drink that the bartender created for me that was a bourbon base and had pineapple in it. I can simply say they were all delicious. The favorite of the table was the Hemingway daiquiri.
Tijean, the manager, is fantastic. I have to give him a shout out because when you are initially trying to find this place, it is not an easy task. It is below Fuel across from Verizon Center. There is no signage as they’re going to for a speakeasy feel. It is easily missed if you don’t phone and ask them where to find it. I actually saw him come up from where the steps were with the phone trying to guide me to where he was located. I saw him as I was approaching. He went the extra length to help bring me in.
Our server Yosef was just as wonderful and adorable as Tijean. He had us cracking up with his sense of humour and wit. There were times where he was busy, and we tracked down other servers to get a few extras we needed, but they were friendly and didn’t hesitate to help out. As mentioned, this place was packed, and tons of activity going on. It was visibly chaotic where they handled the crowd with poise and without incident.
This place is perfect for date night, girl’s night or guy’s night out.
Simply put — I will be returning.

From the moment I walked in I knew this place was neat, it just has that“exclusive” feeling to it that adds to the overall vibe. Down the stairs, under Fuel Pizza, it’s easy to see how this place can be missed by the casual DC tourist which is what I believe they were going for here. The space is small, cozy, dimly lit, with a few booths overlooking the modern bar area.
First off the drinks are great, YES pricey, but mostly justified, atleast for the 2 that I got, just keep that in mind that this isn’t dollar beer night. I started with a Vieux Carre which was stirred. It’s hard to describe, the flavor and alcohol were on the generous side but it wasn’t overpowering, like when sometimes a drink is spiked too much that you cringe a little when you sip it, this wasn’t that… this one was just right.
Also picked up some food when we were seated, we got the cheese plate and crostini with artisanal spreads (smoked trout, black olive with fig, and fav bean & zaatar spreads). Although the food was good and very reasonably priced when compared to the drinks (about the same ballpark actually lol) the main focus here are the classic cocktails.
Overall this is a great place to go to afterwork if you want to chill on some great cocktails without all the touristy, loud, bar scenes in other DC spots. If you want a table, I would recommend maybe making reservations for that beforehand. Can’t wait to come back after a long day in the office!