Wisdom

Wisdom, a gay bar in Southeast Washington, DC, does craft cocktails, rare beers, and absinthe better than most places in town, gay or straight.

The place puts a lot of thought into its drinks. You’ll find cocktails made with actual care, plus imported beers you don’t see everywhere, some harder-to-find wines, and a deep list of absinthes. They also make a point of having a full menu of non-alcoholic mocktails, so if you’re not drinking, you’ve still got options beyond soda water.

Sure, it’s a gay bar, and DC has plenty of those. But Wisdom stands out by focusing on serious drinks. It feels like a grown-up cocktail bar that just happens to be LGBTQ+-friendly, rather than a theme bar. If you want a good drink in a relaxed, inclusive space, this is it.

You’ll find Wisdom at 1432 Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast. For hours or whatever else, check dcwisdom.com.