Quill

Came for drinks and dessert. The cocktails were fun (and strong) and their take on the chocolate lava cake was interesting, and good. Setting is old school — mostly woods and dim lighting. Piano man comes on at 9pm to add to the old school vibe.

Very nice cocktail bar in DC. It really exemplifies the character of the city. If you are looking for a place that is classy and has good cocktails, this is a good choice. I would definitely come back, but keep in mind the cocktails are a bit pricy (15 – 20 each). Interior décor is very quaint. Service is fine.

Quill is the best bar in Washington, DC, and I don’t really want to write about it because I don’t want it to get any busier. But the staff deserves the compliment, so here goes:
My wife and I used to come here when another establishment had failed us. Once on my birthday Founding Farmers made error after error, including forgetting to put a candle in my dessert, so we came to Quill and told the bartender our mini-​sob story. Ten minutes later the manager brought me a huge sundae with a candle in it and the entire staff wished me Happy Birthday. That is how you make a customer for life, folks.
Anyway, since then we’ve stopped trying other places when we want something really special. We just come here. We aren’t regulars; this makes it even nicer when each visit we are treated with care. We do visit enough to know that the high quality is consistent.
The bartenders are friendly, knowledgeable, and creative. (I’ll often say something like «could you make me a drink with gin and lime» and am always amazed with the product.) The atmosphere is genteel (no one is on a smart phone, no one is too drunk, no one is cackling or whooping) but also unpretentious. The bar itself has a classy orange glow, and there is wood paneling all around. A second room has comfy seating and there is also an outdoor patio for warm nights. There is often gentle live piano music in the background and sometimes the game or tennis match is on TV. You get terrific mixed nuts and olives with your order (the olives have pickled carrots and asparagus on top – don’t miss them!).
I’ve never been to the Jefferson’s main restaurant, but most of the items there are available at the bar. I’m from Seattle and am constantly amazed at how often chefs on the East Coast overcook and/​or overdress salmon; the Jefferson’s salmon is hands down the best in DC. (Apparently it comes from a cool sustainable fishery in British Columbia – ask the bartender.) My wife often has the Banh Mi or a chef salad – also terrific.
There are a lot of other nice things about Quill but I don’t want you to come in expecting them so I’ll stay quiet. If you want a classy evening with outstanding food and drink, this is your spot.

Baller-​status bar located within the Jefferson Hotel.
Welcoming…like the Hostess walks you all the way to the bar/​lounge area from the front lobby.
$ 17 cocktails which were tasty and refreshing.
The piano man (no, not Billy Joel) starts playing around 9-​ish.
As far as eats, you HAVE to get the tomato soup and croque monsieur.
This place has such a sweet ambiance for a cozy tête-​à-​tête.
I’m a terrific writer but I don’t use a quill; I use a keyboard.

[+]
— Hands down the best cocktails in the Washington DC area, it’s a few dollar more than average, but totally worth it.
— Not crowded
— Attentive servers/​bartenders
— Complementary bar snacks (nuts, olives).

Sunday Supper at Quill is absolutely the best deal in the city… and it’s absolutely delicious.

This is a super-​fancy, largely unknown bar inside the Jefferson Hotel. How had I not heard of it before now? It even has a cute patio right on 16^th!
We sat in a random back room by ourselves, which sort of reminded me of my dad’s study, if my dad were much richer, but was very intimate. Drinks came with a great selection of nuts as well as olives. The service was impeccable. The cocktail menu is great, and I enjoyed the wine. I wasn’t super excited about the beer selection– I guess it’s not that kind of place but still, Miller Lite? Offensive!
This is a place to impress, but it definitely comes at a price! I could have a whole box of wine for the price of that red. I would like to come back on a night with piano music, I sadly missed it.

Quill is a special occasion bar unless you’re a one-​percenter. The drinks are pricey but you get what you pay for here in terms of quality. The specialty cocktail menu changes regularly, but obviously you can order whatever your heart desires. The bartenders here are some of the best in the city and their service is second to none.
Tucked into the back of the Jefferson Hotel, it oozes a refined ambience. Never too crowded and never dead, this is a place where the entertainment is a good conversation rather than people watching.

Another great DC hidden gem. I knew there was Lincoln Bar, and Teddy Rooselvelt bar, but I never knew there was a Jefferson bar. Tucked away in the Jefferson hotel, this great loungey bar makes pricey, but delicious cocktails, has outrageously good service, and $ 2 fries. Why? Cause Jefferson loved fries, and America. Had the Ruth Bader Gin & Juice and the taste was as good as the name. Bar has great little hideways in alcoves for a more private affair, and comfy feel overall. Great for a splurge. Would definitely return.

My boyfriend and I decided to treat ourselves to a lunch a bit more classy to the ones we are used to. So we went to Quill.
The atmosphere in Quill is the first thing that really hits you. It is a very classy, old and calming atmosphere, complete with maps as décor and a pianist that plays as you eat.
The price here is pretty darn expensive so my man and I decided to just order some grilled cheese mini sandwiches and Arnold Palmers for each of us. The sandwiches were good, I didn’t think they were anything special, but the Arnold Palmers were great, in terms of Ice tea that is. I feel stupid now that I realize this, but we paid an outrageous price for a meal I could have made at home.
The food was nothing special, so I supposed that the main reason people come here is for the atmosphere. I could definitely imagine some snooty artist type person coming here because the Starbucks nearby is closed and they need a sophisticated ambiance for inspiration. That is all fine and good, just doing my Unilocal duty and letting you know, if you want to eat well this place is a bit over-​priced, but if you want to relax with a beverage while you read or something, this place is just fine.

Came here for lunch on a Sunday. Very intimate setting, just a few tables in a small roon and a bar in the back. Very comfortable, though our table was so unstable I couldn’t put my elbows on it without it nearly tipping over. Otherwise very nice. My girlfriend liked the circular mirrors in a pattern on the far wall and I enjoyed the framed maps of cities/​states.
The ambiance and the setting is what people come for I suppose, because it can’t be the food. I ordered a chicken sandwich with mozzarella cheese, bacon (very burnt) and avocado, light salad on the side. My girlfriend ordered an Arnold Palmer and a tomato soup.
The chicken sandwich was nothing special. Salad had very light dressing that tasted like nothing so it tasted like just eating greens with no dressing. Not necessarily a bad thing.
Tomato soup tasted like it came straight out of a Heinz tomato soup can with nothing else added. The Arnold Palmer was very good though but very small and mostly ice.
Our waiter was very friendly and nice. Great service!
You pay for the ambiance here. If you’re looking strictly to eat, you may want to go to Panera Bread and pay half price for the exact same food.

The Quill is a fine dining restaurant located in The Jefferson, an elegant, classy, and high end hotel in Dupont Circle. The walls were decorated with framed maps and different sized mirrors. There’s a piano in the room but the pianist only plays during the weekdays. The dining room was basically a lounge with a bar area in the back. There are table settings for parties of two or four. The lounge area was pretty busy on a Sunday.
In addition to the still water, I ordered an Arnold Palmer, which consisted of half lemonade and half iced tea unmixed and garnished with a lemon slice on an ice pick. It tasted better than the average Arnold Palmer. It was sweet, light, and refreshing.
For lunch, my boyfriend ordered a Grilled Chicken Sandwich, which consisted of tender grilled chicken breast topped with fresh avocado, crispy burnt bacon, fresh mozzarella cheese in between a buttery and sweet brioche bun. It came with a choice of french fries or a side salad. The side salad was spring mix with a light Italian dressing. The dressing was lacking and was not evenly mixed so he got a salad with basically no or little dressing. I ordered a Roasted Tomato Soup with mini grilled cheese sandwiches. The tomato soup tasted like it came out of a Campbell’s Tomato Soup can and the grilled cheese reminded me of ‘dunkeroos’ as they came in three stripes with the purpose of dunking into the tomato soup. We felt like everything was overpriced as we paid over $ 40 just for a non alcoholic beverage and two entrees.

Came here after dinner in DC.
I highly recommend this place to anyone that loves the combination of good drinks & atmosphere.

Quill is definitely my favorite go-​to bar in my neighborhood. It’s such a quiet and upscale little hidden gem inside the Jefferson Hotel. Most people walking by 16^th Street won’t even notice it, even though there’s an outdoor patio right there.
The cocktail menu features seasonal drinks all year long, and Peter plays the piano five nights a week (Tuesdays through Saturdays) from 9 to midnight. The ambiance is relaxed yet elevated. On a breezy summer night your heart feels content sitting on the patio and sipping a cocktail, somewhat secluded behind the bushes but still feeling very much in the heart of a bustling city.
Soak in the somber but yet understated red velvety upholstery, the mellow live piano music, the well-​clad servers who keep the drinks and complimentary olives and nuts flowing, and good times will be had. There are plenty of watering holes nearby where you can pound a few screwdrivers like no one’s business and lose yourself in the midst of rowdy crowds, but that’s what sets Quill apart.

Super-​classy bar with top-​notch ingredients and a well-​curated cocktail list. My husband and I arrived at Quill around 6:30pm on a Saturday to have drinks before our dinner at Plume and we were not disappointed. I ordered the Robinson Mule and my husband had the Hill Bee. Both were delicious and I really loved the smoked honey in mine.
Bonus — they put bowls of nuts and olives in front of you! Classy touch! There’s also a piano, but we were there early and I don’t think the music starts until later in the evening.
Definitely a fun spot to go to for before– or after-​dinner drinks, and I definitely plan to return and explore more of the menu!

The drinks are so well made and the atmosphere is very classy. Definitely a must try!

Located inside the Beaux Arts edifice of the Jefferson hotel, Quill is an upscale lounge and cocktail bar. It is steeped in old money and is super classy and elegant, with tons of Jeffersonian inspiration. Quill’s bar is separate from the hotel’s bar so be sure to ask the concierge or follow signs to Quill.
Quill is actually a series of small rooms. The actual bar itself is a gleaming molded curved glass lit up in an amber hue, a modern touch in an otherwise old-​school room. Quill’s dark wood walls gives off that traditional, sophisticated feel. You can also sit in the parquet floored lounge, where 18^th-​century maps detailing Jefferson’s wineries and circular mirrors line the walls and a baby grand piano sits eagerly (they have a pianist that plays Tuesday through Saturday). There is also what’s called the Book Room which has a fireplace and sofas and you’re surrounded by leather-​bound books on Jeffersonian subjects. The Book Room is big enough to accommodate 30 guests. Lastly, across the hall from the main bar room, there are the East and West Jefferson Cabinet rooms which are small, semi-​private rooms with discreet pocket doors that can accommodate a small group (4 – 5 max seated). The rooms have a sofa, armchair that is a replicate of Jefferson’s favorite armchair at Monticello, and a hidden flat-​screen TV that pops in and out with a press of a button.
My friends and I ended up in one of the cabinet rooms. We ordered plenty of cocktails. I opted for the Autumn Zephyr, which has Bombay Sapphire gin, Sailor Jerry rum, lemon juice, cinnamon syrup, and egg white. If you read any of my reviews for cocktail bars, you’ll know that I’m a huge lover of egg white cocktails. Although I’ve relied on Todd Thrasher, sommelier of Restaurant Eve Group, and his colleagues for perfected egg white cocktails, Quill did not disappoint with their version. It was beautifully light and the consistency of the foam cap was just right. The flavors were balanced and complex. I was loving the whole experience.
Two of my friends got the Eastern Standard, which has Bulleit rye, homericon liqueur, maple syrup, old fashioned bitters, and beets. Beets. I’ve never had a cocktail with beets before but this one was fantastically done. The color of the drink was a gorgeous red and the taste was ideally balanced. Another friend ordered Ichabod’s Bane, which is their second egg white cocktail that contains pumpkin infused Bulleit bourbon, lemon juice, and lime juice. This was a great festive drink and the pumpkin flavor was subtle. All our cocktails were well-​executed. Undoubtedly, this is one of my favorite upscale bars in the city. The servers are all very friendly too, and we had a really great time here. If only the bar was open just a wee bit longer than midnight. House cocktails are at least $ 15.
Quill gives off a very old-​fashioned glamour. They even allow you to indulge in cigars and cognacs on the outdoor terrace (note the cigar box on one of their tables), presenting a very 18^th-​century gentlemen’s club feel. Elegance, luxury, the rich and elite are just some of the words that popped into my mind as I walked through the bar and hotel. You’ll find Washington’s elite here, engaging in tête-​à-​têtes for an intimate, classy night on the town.
You stay classy, Quill.

My wife and I ventured over to Quill after a Unilocal Elite event (Of course, we used Unilocal to find Quill. It only made sense after attending a Unilocal event). Unilocal gave Quill a good review so we ventured over to this hotel bar.
Quill is in The Jefferson, which seems like a more high end hotel in DC and Quill reflected that. It has a fancy ambiance; the type of place out of town business men and Senators frequent.
My wife and I just ordered drinks at the bar. I got the Sugared Skull and Theresa got the Author Cocktail. I like sweeter drinks (As I guy, I have no choice, but to just own that fact) and my wife loves alcohol forward drinks. We ended up switching drinks since the Sugared Skull was surprisingly the less sweet of the two drinks.
The drinks came with a bowl of nuts and a bowl of green olives to snack on free of charge.
If you’re in the area and need a nice respite of a bar, go here, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to go here.

The Quill is a great cocktail bar inside the Jefferson Hotel (Oh man, the Quill? I just got that joke!) just up the road from Obama’s house. They serve up some great drinks, including an awesome bloody mary.
Bartender Jason Swaringen submitted the Quill’s bloody recipe to a Thrillist contest and added a garnish of lump crabmeat to spruce it up, creating the tickled crab bloody mary. The usual fair doesn’t come with the ice cube full of crab, but the people at Quill are happy to oblige if requested.

I visited Quill at the Jefferson on a Wednesday evening after work to get a drink with some friends. The location is convenient (just a couple blocks away from the Farragut metro stations) and the bar is quite nice — it’s dimly lit, classy, and has a cozy, intimate feel to it. I liked the cocktail selections and ended up ordering a Manhattan (quite strong). I also got some food — the croque monsieur sandwich. It was a delicious ham and cheese (gruyère) sandwich, but it was quite pricey — $ 18 — for a relatively small portion! Others in our group got food as well, including the cheese platter (rich in flavor, but small in portion) and the crab tartare (very delicious!).
The reason I’m giving this place 3 stars is that in addition to the 18% mandatory gratuity (since we had a party of 6 or more people), the hotel later charged us an additional 20%! We did not see this charge until we noticed our credit card statements a few days later. Apparently it’s a practice that several area hotels engage in, but I still think it’s very deceitful and tacky. It makes me think twice about visiting Quill, or any area hotel that charges an additional 20% after the fact, ever again.
I was so going to leave 5 stars for my review after leaving the restaurant, but my experience was rather marred by the additional 20% charge (in addition to my already high bill and 18% gratuity).