The Bar at Café Riggs
East End, Washington DC
Bar in Washington DC, United States
Book with PearlWhy go
Easy to book and polished without being stiff, The Bar at Café Riggs is a smart Penn Quarter choice for dates, client drinks, low-pressure celebrations. Go for the former bank-hall setting, classic cocktails, the Nitro Espresso Martini, French or American wines by the glass; skip it if the priority is a highly experimental cocktail counter.
About The Bar at Café Riggs
The Bar at Café Riggs is a Washington, D.C. option with a price of $45 per person, smart casual dress, daily hours that begin at 7 AM.
Use it when you want a direct Washington, D.C. bar plan with clear hours and a smart casual standard. It is open Monday through Thursday from 7 AM to 11 PM, Friday and Saturday from 7 AM to 12 AM, Sunday from 7 AM to 11 PM.
A Washington, D.C. bar option with smart casual dress
The confirmed dress code is smart casual, which makes the venue easy to plan for when the occasion calls for a polished but not overly formal approach.
For more bar options across the city, use our full Washington, D.C. bars guide; for pairing the night with dinner, check our full Washington, D.C. restaurants guide.
Plan around the price and hours
The price is $45 per person. The Bar at Café Riggs opens at 7 AM every day, closes at 11 PM Sunday through Thursday, closes at 12 AM on Friday and Saturday.
Use it when the plan needs clear basics
The right reason to choose The Bar at Café Riggs is that its core planning details are clear: Washington, D.C. location, $45 per person, smart casual dress, broad daily hours. For a broader night out, nearby planning can branch through our full Washington, D.C. hotels guide, our full Washington, D.C. experiences guide, or our full Washington, D.C. wineries guide.
Planning details
- Location
- 900 F St NW (ground floor, heart of the hotel)
Venue details
Ambiance
Set in the grand hall of a historic bank building, the bar feels refined and elegant with soaring ceilings, polished classic‑meets‑modern design, and a relaxed lounge atmosphere that becomes more intimate and lively in the evening.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Format
Accessibility
At the Bar
- Bar Category
- Hotel Bar
- Late Night
- Closes by Midnight
Signature Pours
Nitro Espresso Martini
Planning details
Location
900 F St NW (ground floor, heart of the hotel) · Directions
Also consider
If you can't make this work
Try Silver Lyan if the group wants a more cocktail-led night, or Peacock Alley if the goal is another polished hotel-bar setting. For a more casual fallback, Pubkey changes the mood completely and works better when formality is not useful.
Bar context
How it compares in Washington, D.C.
Silver Lyan is the stronger pick for cocktail-focused drinkers who want the bar itself to be the main event. The Bar at Café Riggs is easier to justify for a date or business drink where the room, central location, low-friction logistics matter as much as what is in the glass.
Barmini reads more like a special-occasion cocktail experience, while Peacock Alley competes more directly on polished hotel-lounge energy. Choose Café Riggs when Penn Quarter convenience is useful; choose Peacock Alley when a grander hotel-lobby setting is the priority.
Moon Rabbit by Kevin Tien makes more sense when food is a bigger part of the plan. Pubkey is a different brief entirely: more bar/pub than polished hotel drink. For an occasion, Café Riggs is the safer fit; for a looser pub night, Pubkey is the better match.
Explore Washington DC
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full The Bar at Café Riggs guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare The Bar at Café Riggs
Comparison snapshot
The Bar at Café Riggs sits in the polished hotel-bar lane: easier, central, better for conversation-led occasions than for drink-geek destination planning. Silver Lyan and Barmini are stronger if the cocktail program is the point of the night, while Peacock Alley is the closest hotel-lounge alternative.
For value, choose based on format rather than chasing a bargain: Pubkey fits a casual bar/pub plan, Moon Rabbit by Kevin Tien works better when food should carry the evening, Café Riggs is the cleaner choice for a downtown date or client drink.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best time to go to The Bar at Café Riggs?
The Bar at Café Riggs is open from 7 AM to 11 PM Monday through Thursday and Sunday, from 7 AM to 12 AM on Friday and Saturday. Choose a time based on those hours and the type of outing you are planning.
Is The Bar at Café Riggs open late?
Yes, on Friday and Saturday it is open until 12 AM. Monday through Thursday and Sunday, it closes at 11 PM.
What is The Bar at Café Riggs known for?
The details identify The Bar at Café Riggs as a Washington, D.C. venue with a $45 per person price, smart casual dress code, daily hours.
Where is The Bar at Café Riggs located?
The Bar at Café Riggs is located in Washington, D.C.
