The Rye Bar

This was a beautiful bar in a beautiful hotel, but I was really turned off by the bartender’s attitude. She could not have been more rude my my friend and I. We stayed for one drink and left, because I do not appreciate being treated like I can’t afford a glass of wine in your bar when I most certainly can.

Went here for cocktails for our anniversary. It’s pricey, so I’d save this for special occasions. Beautiful setting and great intricate cocktails. Very good for intimate conversations.

Had drinks and appetizers on Saturday 21 May to celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary. The ambience was traditional, soft lighting, upscale, and you had a sense that Ernest Hemingway would be sitting there having a drink with you. The brown leather high back chairs are more than comfortable. We ordered the Rye 75, which was a delicate infusion of sparkling wine, bitters, top shelf Rye, and various other spirits. It was so delicious that we were compelled to order a second round. To compliment our spectacular cocktails, we ordered the cured meats plate, oysters, and finally a deletable burger and fries. The cured meat platter was substantial and delicious. The oysters tasted like someone had just pulled them from the ocean, fresh and Briney. Our mini burger was perfectly cooked and served with shoestring fries. We mentioned to our wonderfully attentive server Frances, that we were celebrating our sixth wedding anniversary. We were presented with a complementary platter of delectable mini desserts, to include mouthwatering homemade Caramels. Frances informed us that the chef was a former White House chef, and the food definitely reflected that caliber of excellence. I highly recommend the Rye Bar, it is definitely pricey but worth the experience.

Beautiful bar. Amazing bartenders who were on top of their game!
Sat at they bar and ordered the Older Fashioned. Hands down, one of the better Old Fashioneds I have ever had, so I was impressed.
Will definitely be adding to my regular stops when I come back to DC!

Very elegant and fancy place. Good drink and good services. My martini was superb

I’m not a huge bar fan, but this one is quite charming. With the beautiful ambiance to the superb mixologist, this is a great spot for a low-​key night.

I was supposed to head to the Four Seasons Bar to meet my friends, but got sidetracked with another group of friends at the Rye Bar. Needless to say, I stayed at the Rye bar and it was my second time here. The drinks are good and the crowd is varied depending on the hour of the night. I had a blast here with their decent selection of beer and craft mixed drinks.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a swank bar located in a beautiful hotel but these doooshy bartenders (aka mixologists) always irk me.
Bro, I’m already paying $ 18 for your stupid drink, just be normal.
These dudes are one step up from Starbucks baristas.
This ain’t even New York. Pssh

This is a fantastic bar tucked away on one of the side streets in Georgetown! The décor is very Old World, dark wood and big leather chairs. Great for a cocktail with friends.
We were celebrating a friends birthday and, without prompting, the bar tender acknowledged this and gave her a free glass of champagne. Thanks!
The mixed drinks were really good. Our group had the Moral Hazard, Oaxacan Winter, Old (er) Fashioned and The Cure (be warned, it tastes like licorice) and liked them all.
They are a little pricey but the perfect place for a celebratory birthday drink!

If you want to visit a bar that practices the real, true art of mixology, this is your spot.
I was visiting DC for a few days and Unilocaled a couple bars in the Georgetown area and this seemed like it was worth paying a visit. Sure enough, I was right. The drinks are pretty pricey (~$ 15 each) but for how carefully and articulately they are hand-​crafted, I would say it’s worth it.
My friends and I ordered a hot toddy and it was pretty awesome to watch the bartender make them. My drink felt like a royal concoction: Some whole cinnamon sticks submerged in some whisky, topped a dash of cloves. It was super yammmy, too! My friend ordered a whisky sour and we saw the bartender grab an egg from the fridge and crack it in the drink (uhhh wtf). But, we soon learned that REAL whisky sours come with a dash of egg white to add to the foaminess of the drink. Mindblown*
Overall, I’d say this place is pretty badass. It is fancy place with a speakeasy type atmosphere. Pair that with some good drinks and good company and you’re set. I highly recommend this bar, if you’re ever in Georgetown!

I went here for a special night with a friend, and we stopped by after dinner to grab a drink. We only had one drink so I can’t complain about the expensive prices… we knew what we were getting ourselves into. The space is small and intimate, and if you feel like shelling out some cash for a fancy drink in a fancy bar, this will do the trick. It is inside a hotel and there were some nice hotel patrons in the place as well.

This is quite a nice little kept secret rye bar in Georgetown. I’ve been 3 times now and each time has been quite fun. It is nestled inside the boutique Capella Hotel, which is quite nice to stay in. It’s also is next to their restaurant called the Grill Room…
Be forewarned, the drinks here are very expensive. I don’t see anything on the menu less than $ 15. However, if you do chose to get one of their specialty cocktails, they are a treat. The menu changes every season, so I would advise the more seasonal cocktails.
A little tip: the bartenders here are exceptionally talented mixologists. I asked them to make me a random vodka cocktail. He served it with a mint sprig in a lemon and it was sooo delicious and refreshing…
Anyways, I gave this place 4 stars because the cost is 5 stars, but I wish it was just a tad more lively. A great quiet spot for the night, however…
Additionally sitting in the big leather chairs by the bar gives this place a grand feeling. Def recommend for a date night.

I did enjoy my old-​fashioned, but I found the atmosphere at Rye a bit too uptight and pretentious for my liking. Everyone there looked slightly uncomfortable, including the staff. The drinks are pricy at around $ 20 each, but I was expecting this, and this wasn’t the off-​putting part. I might come back here in the daytime and see if the tone is a little more fluid. Definitely an older crowd.

Oh Rye Bar… I REALLY wanted to like you a lot more than I did. Upon approach, I was greeted by 4 different bellmen happily opening the doors to the hotel for me. 10,000 stars (they were SO nice!).
The bartender ignored us as we stood at the bar waiting to order for 5 minutes while he chatted aimlessly with a group of patrons about how much the bottle of whiskey cost that they were drinking, and then how to make whiskey, and then who knows what else? –10 stars. The bar was not busy, as it was early on a Sunday night. For the money I was about to spend on our two drinks, I better receive 5 star service. Sadly, I did not.
The cocktails all sounded good, and I know they are known for them; however, I was craving a glass of wine and the bf just wanted a beer. After finally being served our drinks, we took a seat on one of the three small tables overlooking the canal. The rest of the patio tables are reserved for dinner patrons, and they don’t mess around. Someone wandered over there and within seconds, the restaurant manager and bartender both were chasing after him (though there was no one out there dining).
Overall, this is a great spot if you are okay with splurging on some before/​after dinner cocktails, minus the service. Hopefully next time we are in DC, we receive better service because this really is a neat place that I would like to visit again.

How is it that I’ve been to Georgetown more times than I can count, passed by this hotel and bar without so much of a second glance, and not have known about the awesomeness that is the Rye Bar? I guess even if you’ve lived in a city for over 20 years, you still can’t know every crevice.
Last night, I finally walked into the Capella Hotel and into the Rye Bar. This hotel overlooks the C&O Canal. As I walked into the bar, I was instantly drawn to the Chesterfield leather armchairs, weathered and antiqued for that Edwardian period ambiance and accompanied by marbled round tables decorated with succulents and flowers. Dark wood surrounds you but floor-​to-​ceiling windows look out to the Canal and to the right, there’s an open Canal terrace that draws in a slight breeze. Up ahead, the gleaming honey-​hued bar brings a modernity to the bar that screams Iggy Azalea’s «Fancy.»
Onward to drinks. As you would expect from a classy bar like the Rye Bar, they serve up barrel-​aged cocktails and rare rye whiskeys. Cocktails range from $ 16 – 22 and consist of names like Gold & Grain, Barrel Aged Manhattan, «Not an Apple» Martini, Old (er) Fashioned, and more. Their cocktail aging program is unique and overall, the bar program has a fascinatingly serious focus on rye whiskey. In addition to cocktails, they have a number of various whiskeys, gins, bourbons, and more for tasting such as the Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve 13 year or the Abraham Bowman. Most are fairly pricey but you’re paying for the distinct bar program and atmosphere too.
I’ve had a couple of cocktails here including the «Not an Apple» martini, Gold & Grain, Barrel Aged Manhattan, and a wonderful wine cocktail the bartender whipped up for me. All the drinks were wonderfully executed and fantastic to the last sip. Your typical cocktails get an unique facelift, such as the Old (er) Fashioned which uses an aged sherry instead of sugar. The Barrel Aged Manhattan is made with Dad’s Hat, vermouth, Byrrh Quinquina, and housemade orange bitters aged for six weeks.
Service is wonderful. We sat at the bar and our bartender, Benedict, was very attentive and accommodating. Highly recommend this bar and would definitely come back again. The hotel is beautiful as well (and guests get access to a rooftop lounge and infinity pool!).

This review is based on having drinks at the bar ONLY.
I went with a group 11 ppl all from LA to grab drinks. It was waaaay too fancy for us. Pretty but too fancy just to grab drinks in sun dresses & shorts.
The bar bites menu was very disappointing with only 5 items ranging from $ 16 — $ 20.
I ordered The Grill Room Burger and it was just alright. I had to ask for ketchup, mustard, lettuce and tomato so it definitely wasn’t not worth it.
The one thing we appreciated was that they accommodated such a big group in their bar with no problem.

Food was really good. Bartender, is server too, so service a little slow, but we were there at an off hour, but to me it doesn’t matter, I want Good Service, PERIOD. Waiter /​Bartender tried. They need more help. It will only benefit them. Food was excellent. Drinks were great.

We visited Rye bar last Saturday for a drink before dinner on a busy and hot summer evening. If possible I would suggest trying to grab one of the three tables outside near the canal. We posted up for a drink in this spot and it was lovely when the weather is nice out. Not to be outdone however the bar and surrounding space is beautiful. Our stay was short but I will say it would be a place I would like to return before settling in on my overall judgment. The drink prices were a little steep as to be expected but the old fashioned was engineered quite perfectly. Thanks for a great time!

The Rye Bar is one of my favorite cocktail bars in the city. Low key, fancy when you need it to, and great drinks. Being situated in Georgetown also helps since I live up the street. All the bartenders are awesome too; Angel, Andrew, and Radovan are personable and skilled. The price point is a bit higher but I don’t mind since the quality and service is great. The food from the restaurant, the Grill Room, is also equally amazing. I’ve also had the best club sandwich in the city here. Grilled chicken with avocado, a fried egg, lettuce, tomato, and in house baked bread with fries. Definitely get it when you’re at the Capella!

I’m a big fan of artisanal and craft products of all varieties. I have an appreciation for the time, talents, and resources it takes to make these products, and to me, that’s what makes them attractive, intriguing, and interesting. Beyond that, it’s the stories of the producers and how they came to make these products that are equally as appealing, and in America, small batch whiskeys have some of the most unique stories to tell.
The Rye Bar has chosen to focus their attention on developing a beautifully curated collection of American rye whiskey, along with a list of classic cocktails revisited to highlight the spiciness of the spirit. Being on vacation during this visit, and feeling nostalgic hanging with a bunch of great friends from college, I could think of no better time to enjoy a fine whiskey cocktail. I opted for the $ 22 barrel aged Manhattan, which is the house specialty cocktail made with PA Dad’s Hat Rye. Served in an oversized martini glass, this is a big drink, with even bigger flavor. Spicy notes from the whiskey sweetened with hint of vermouth mellowed by the bitters and punched up with citrus and that delicious brandied cherry.
I struggled to order it but had no problems putting it down. This was the perfect nightcap. Sophisticated, subtle, and smooth. I’ll be back Rye Bar. I’ve got much to learn and I think you can teach me!