The Sheppard

I like coming here for some peace and quiet with a nice mixed cocktail. Great date spot if you’re just looking for some drinks. FYI, the popcorn is addicting or maybe I always come here hungry?

The only reason I’m giving this 2 stars is simply because when we got there after searching for the place there was a sign by the elevator saying it was closed for renovations. :-(This was about 3 weeks ago and while I can’t remember how long it said it would be closed for, I remember it being a little while so I recommend maybe calling or something before taking the trip over there. I’m excited to see what renovations they’re doing though once it’s back up and running!

When they call this a speak easy they mean it. My friend told me to meet her here. I’d never been here before so as the typical twenty something I pulled out my trusty phone to use my GPS. When I got to the location I was so confused because it really is nondescript. Anyway, once inside there were plenty of specialty drinks to choose from that they said they switch out every week. The service is good, our server took great care of us. It’s very dark, very intimate, burgundy velvet and black. No cellphones allowed! They don’t have food there, just some popcorn which was actually quite good and a nice light accompaniment so the drinks remained the star of the show. Great place to go with another person or small group and have some high quality drinks. Can’t wait to go back.

I’m almost hesitant to give this place such a great review because I love the low key vibe, but it’s such a fantastic place, I couldn’t deny it the love it deserves. The entrance is hard to find; the door is for a language learning center. But once you enter and find the guy by the elevator, prepare to be transformed. The staff is incredibly friendly and the retro décor gives it an added edge. It’s not very loud and it’s kind of dark, but exactly what you’d expect from a speakeasy. The cocktails we had were stiff (slightly expensive, but worth paying for). Perfect for a first or second date. I’ll definitely be back

«Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther… And one fine morning– So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.»
What to get from my (somewhat) random inclusion of a quotation?
****FOLLOW THE GREEN LIGHT!****
— You might feel lost and confused when you get to the address posted here on Unilocal or given to you by your friends, but there’s a door to the left of the Gryphon that looks all kind of shady or like it doesn’t belong, but ENTER & at least during my experience, there was someone waiting by the elevator.
Now, I don’t think that the Sheppard has any connection to the Great Gatsby, but I love the concept they use so that you can find the place! This was my first speakeasy and above all my favorite part of it was the vibe and the atmosphere.
It’s a small place with dim lighting and before you even enter or head up on the elevator you’re told that NO PHONE CALLS can be taken while in The Sheppard. So that means no you can’t call your friends, no you can’t IG this place, no no no! But you can text. I mean they have to be a little accommodating, which is nice!
The bartenders were really nice and helpful with recommendations and helped to add my group’s experience.
The drinks were good. I don’t remember what they were called per say, but one was their fruit punch cocktail that was fruity and sweet, essentially a «girly» drink but HEY it was good so no judgment to anyone who orders it. They also had this other drink that was a little spicy and had a kick to it. Not sure what it was called or if I would recommend chugging a few of those down, BUT it was unique and still pretty good despite the unexpected spiciness… however if you did ask me, no I probably wouldn’t order this again. For two drinks, I believe I paid around $ 18ish, which is pretty typical for any cocktail ($ 9/​drink).
I’ve been meaning to review this place for a while now and I was originally only going to give this place 3 Stars, but the service and the ambiance of the Sheppard overall was really pleasing to me and memorable. I just wish I was prepared for it more because long story short… I thought I was just going to a dive bar that night. Unexpected but simple twist to a rainy Fall night last Fall 2014.

This place is great! The drinks are excellent, the staff are friendly but not in a creepy way.
I really really liked it from the entrance to the drinks to the crowd, really awesome!

I found The Sheppard via a localeur article — it was a random find, but I’m so glad we decided to check out their recommendation! The Sheppard is a classic speakeasy but rather than requiring a password, they choose instead to send you on a bit of a wild goose chase. When you get to the listed address, you need to look for the green light signaling that they are open and ready for customers. Then you’ll be confused and think, but that’s the Gryphon? Ignore that, and go instead through the doors to your left. There will be no one to greet you, and no signs, but rest assured, you’re in the right place. If you’re like us and mistakenly end up on the 3^rd or 4^th floor, you’ll be convinced that someone’s playing a practical joke on you because there’s no bar to be found, but rather students studying at the language institute.
Thankfully, we finally found the right floor (2^nd) and entered into a completely different world — cush red walls, intimate seating, and dim lighting. The server was attentive and I loved his recommendation (apparently a little too much because I can no longer remember the name of it… oops). They have a set menu but can pretty much make you anything you’d like. but I would suggest going with their recommendations and trying something new. Apparently they do not allow photography but I was too busy having a good time to remember to document my visit regardless.
Definitely a place I’ll visit again, and one you should check out asap!

I was super excited to check out The Sheppard because a) I adore Spike Mendelsohn and b) I love The Great Gatsby, so the green light makes me incredibly happy. Overall it is an okay spot. The bar itself is really tiny and dark, and I felt like the décor was actually from the 1920s– as in, run down and kind of grungy because it could have been nine decades old. The drinks were stiff and well-​made, and the bartenders were very friendly, but the vibe is kind of off. Also, I’m not saying I like my bars to be crowded, but after all of the hype about this place I was surprised to find it was really quite empty from 7 – 11 PM on a weeknight.

This place is located right below the «International Language Institute.» I laughed when I saw the lobby. What better place to hide a speakeasy than below a random language school? I love it. The elevator also comes down to you without a guy in it. I thought that the NSA was watching us or something, but oh well.
The inside is pretty typical of a speakeasy. Think a dark, low volume, upscale bar with a nicer crowd than a dive bar. My group of three ended up sitting at the bar, which actually had padding for your wrists. Quite a nice touch. We all got the «Wooooord» or whatever it was called. The bartender said that it had four layers of flavor, which I was actually able to discern upon my first sip. Really cool. The bartender also gave us some popcorn to munch on the side and was really friendly and easy to talk to.
I’d come here again.

The drinks were so good! The punch was sweet and fruity, perfect for a friend who loves to hang out but can’t drink too much –_​– the cocktails overall were strong and unique… even made some random drink for one friend since we ended up trying everything on the menu.
And popcorn with old bay… perfect amt of saltiness and butter that you can’t help but to drink more.
Reservations are recommended but we didn’t and waited 20 mins next door.

Small and intimate with great drinks and very friendly staff.

This place is a great cocktail bar. The downside of a great cocktail bar is it is small and therefore the wait to get a seat can often take a while. They do not allow for standing by the bar to get a drink, everyone has a table.
I arrived with a party of 4 on a Friday evening at around 8pm and since they do not take reservations we had no idea what to expect. The gentleman at the elevator door said there was a birthday party that took half the bar. The manager later came down and told him to take no more folks and that tables would next open up at 10pm. We were very disappointed but the doorman directed us to wait next door and he would call when a table opened up (he was pretty sure it would be well before 10pm). We went next door to Gryphon and were pleasantly surprised to get a call about 15 minutes later telling us we had a nice booth ready for us.
The booth we were seated at was perfect. It was tucked away in a corner but raised acing outward (semi circle) so you could see the whole bar. I highly recommend requesting this spot. I would have posted pics of the drinks and décor but they do not allow phones for calls/​pics, another nice surprise — none of us had our phones out the entire time!
The cocktails were delicious and the waiter was very friendly. He treated us to a couple of bowls of popcorn and told us we could order from the menu or just give him some ideas of what we liked and didn’t like and they would whip something up. We were using a Gilt city deal so we stuck to the menu. Our drinks were all delicious and we had a great time. The décor is very speakeasy and the music is just the right volume to allow for conversation. We were easily able to pay using the voucher and tipped our waiter generously since he was so good.
All in all, a great trip and I would definitely recommend when looking for a great bar to meet friends for conversation in the DuPont area.

Amazing drinks. Very romantic and intimate too. Private elevator and just the right amount of people (never over crowded).

The location itself – the lobby of what looks to be an office building – already brings this a step up in my book of «speakeasys» in D.C. You almost forget that drinks are absolutely legal in the District.
The no phone/​social media/​photos rule was difficult for all of us who work in social media, but I have to say it was a nice relief knowing we could all have a conversation without someone getting distracted and taking the «perfect» Instagram of our drinks.
My only complaint was that our server couldn’t explain what was in our drinks, and the menu was little more than a non-​descriptive name. For $ 14+ drinks, I would like to know what I’m getting… But hey, it was fun for us all to pick something different at random and hope for the best.
I’ll definitely be back!

I came here for drinks last night with some friends. We had several drinks off the menu and a couple of custom drinks. The bartender, Paulie, was very friendly and made an awesome rye whiskey and herbal liqueur drink to cap off my time there. He was very knowledgable about the sourcing and production of some of the eclectic and rarer libations behind the bar. The décor was awesome. Check out the neat bathroom art. The menu changes every week so there’s always reason to come back. I’ll definitely return in the future.

Went to The Sheppard with a few friends to see what all the buzz it out, but overall, this cocktail place is way overhyped and the drinks are far outmatched by places like Passenger and The Gibson.
A few friends were visiting from out of town, and because it was a quiet Tuesday night, I thought it would be easy to get inside here. There was absolutely no wait, and at 11:30, the place was basically deserted except for a friend of the bartender at the bar and three people in the corner. Not exactly the buzz you would think.
The vibe is very dark and intimate. Because of that, we opted to sit at the bar for a more convivial experience as opposed to sitting in one of the alcoves which basically would be for hooking up.
This is the cocktail bar with literally five cocktails on the menu. As a concept, I’m totally fine with that, as long as the bartender can hold his weight. Just like with The Gibson, the best part is going off the menu and being exposed to different concoctions that the bartender makes up for you. The Sheppard was not that place. My friend wanted a «margarita but less sweet,» but for some reason the bartender made some Mezcal drink that was so smoky, the backend flavor was like swallowing a burnt cigarette. I don’t think any of the four of us were impressed with our drinks, either from off the menu or a new concoction. That was the most disappointing aspect to this place.
The inside also was very «meh.» There are nude women and Playboy magazines all over the place. Ok…
Overall, there’s no reason for me to go back to The Sheppard. Maybe if the bartender were different and more skilled at off-​the-​cuff innovations, I would consider going back. But there are so many new and different bars popping up everywhere in DC that is not necessary to return here.

I’m gonna put it out there: I do not like speakeasies. Can I get arrested for drinking in your establishment? No? Not a speakeasy. SO pretentious and silly.
That said, I’ll go anywhere once and I tried this place out on a date. Our sever was so nice and not at all judgmental about the fact that I almost never drink liquor and had no idea what to order. And my drinks were pretty good. More importantly (to me), it was quiet and intimate. I had a great time and will likely go back.
Also when you try to enter, if you feel like you’re about to awkwardly barge in on a Crossfit class, you’re in the right place.

In typical Speakeasy style, it took us a minute to actually find this place. If it were to have been a snake, it would have bit us. We walk in and it looks like an office building entrance, which makes you question whether you are in the correct place. There were two guys in there and after hesitantly asking if this was The Sheppard, they replied «yes». Phew, sigh of relief.
Barry welcomes us and takes us up in the elevator to a very dark and cozy room. I dig it. We sat at the bar and tried to order a Green Hat cocktail, but they did not have Green Hat anymore. We were a little surprised since we met the chef/​bartenders at the Chefs Behind Bars event, and he was talking about using tons of Green Hat in his cocktails… but oh well. We ordered a drink to share (we had had a long day) and that drink was delicious and strong.
Typical speakeasy prices $ 14 bucks for a drink, but it was a very well made drink. I do think this is a great addition to Dupont Circles more loud scene. I like going to a place where I can whisper and the person next to me can actually hear me.
I wish them luck in making Dupont a little classier.

Perfectly tucked away… The Sheppard is a gem for those that want a refined experience and wish to break away from the typical Dupont/​Connecticut Avenue club strip! The Gatsbian green light outside reaches towards the 1920’s and adds to the experience even before you walk in the door. The Sheppard is dimly lit, the music is minimal and the staff could not have been more helpful.
This place doesn’t try to be anything it isn’t: It’s a speakeasy, not the Ritz. If you want a bar that is overly gaudy and decorated go to Sax… If you want an award winning dinner, there are tons of other places a stones throw away, but when it’s time to truly enjoy a cocktail in an intimate environment, bring your date or your friends to The Sheppard, where you can carry a conversation without shouting. Most importantly, the bartender, Adam, makes some of the best cocktails west of 14^th street.
It’s really hard to beat this place!
Note: Some of the drinks can be a bit sweet.

I fell asleep and had a nightmare… a brightly-​lit shabby office lobby, an old squeaky elevator, a burlesque room full of odd laughter… Luckily it only lasted for an hour…
Even before I walked in I spotted two groups standing right by the obvious door, talking loudly how everyone knows by now that this is the entrance to the hidden treasure. Inside of the said lobby, surrounded by surprisingly casually dressed people, with a host being chatty, telling us every 5 minutes: its just another minute, yep, confirmed, yep, can sit both parties of two… just another moment, they are cleaning the table… or Mr. Smith, I see you have a reservation? How many? 8 — this way please… and back to us — any minute now… 45 minutes… 10 more standing in the elevator — the host guessed right we were about to leave and asked us to step in. Uncomfortable silence — we are standing in the elevator after all… but it’s all worth it, I kept telling myself, it is…
The elevator finally spits us out on the fourth floor. Burlesque room, a-​la 1920s, rather badly designed, with staple mediocre lamps, chandleries, wallpaper, pictures. Needless to say — full. Will you take a spot at the bar? Hm, yeah, is there a choice?
10 more minutes at the bar, a tiny counter that sits 6 — without anyone acknowledging our presence. 10 minutes of puzzled looks at each other — what the hell are we doing here on a Friday night? — and odd laughter and whale screams from two seemingly drunk girls next to us, with a guy in a Hawaiian shirt grabbing their … bottoms… classy.
Tackiness everywhere. Uncreative menu — think your manhattan, gin fizz, old fashioned. 3(!) items on a snack «menu» — devil eggs, a cheese plate and an iberico plate with caviar — quite an odd selection of nothing.
As we get up, the bartender finally notices us. But we are done — on our way out. Still took us painful 5 minutes — no one by the elevator to let us go downstairs. Back to reality, a breath of fresh air… after all, it’s just a bad dream.