Free State
Category: Neighborhood Bars, Taproom, Basements
Neighborhood: Gallery Place / Chinatown
Price: $$
Address: 501B G St NW, Washington, DC 20001
✨ Vibe
Free State is a cozy, underground neighborhood gem that offers a relaxed pub atmosphere perfect for low-key conversations and celebrating the best of the Mid-Atlantic’s local craft scene.
🍸 Best For
Craft beer enthusiasts, pre-game drinks before Capital One Arena events, intimate group conversations, and fans of local Maryland and DC spirits.
🔥 Highlights
- An impressive rotation of 14 taps featuring a curated selection of local craft beers, including hard-to-find Maryland brews and unique sour ales.
- Lively weekly entertainment including Sunday Music Bingo with $8 cocktail specials and popular trivia nights that bring a fun, competitive energy to the weekend.
- A sophisticated cocktail program known for its creative recipes, spirit-forward pours, and special seasonal pop-ups like "Sparkling December."
ℹ️ Need to Know
- Located in a spacious basement setting right behind the Capital One Arena; walk-ins are always welcome, but you can email for table reservations for larger groups.
- Don’t miss the "Maryland’s Finest" Happy Hour on weekdays, featuring special brewery releases and local favorites from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
🔄 Weekly Events
🍸 Martini Mondays
$10 Martinis available all night long.
🎶 Music Bingo Sundays
Combining the fun of bingo with the excitement of recognizing popular tunes. Win prizes and enjoy drink specials all game long: $6 Zadie’s Lager and IPA, $8 Cocktails (Gin Rickey, Tom Collins, Greyhound, Americano, Sea Breeze).
🏈 Ravens Game Watch
Free State is the #1 Ravens bar in DC. Sound is on for all games.
🍾 Sparkling December
An annual holiday tradition throughout December. Each week features new selections of bubbly from around the world. Complete a punch card to join the Sparkling December Hall of Fame.
Happy Hour
$6 select wine, beer, and rail drinks (M-F 4-6pm); $10 martinis all night on Mondays; and $6 beer/$8 cocktails during Sunday Music Bingo (7-9pm).
Recent Reviews from Google
It's really hard to find a bar that is good for just sitting and having a convo. Free State has a nice pub atmosphere. They dont really play music too loud so it's a good place to sit and chat. The...
I'm utterly impressed by this place! From the moment I spotted the staircase leading down to the basement, I had a feeling it would be fantastic, and boy, was I right! With a selection of 14 taps...
Chill underground bar. We went on a Monday so it was pretty dead but we had a group of us and there were deals on the drinks, plus they were playing pretty good music so all-in-all, it was a cool...
We frequent Free State at least once a week since we live nearby. It’s got a solid happy hour, chill and friendly staff, and the vibes are always great. Trivia on Sundays is a fun bonus, and overall,...
Free State is a cocktail bar in the basement of a Chinatown building right behind the Capital One Arena. You walk down steep stairs, show the bouncer your I.D., and you're in. The space itself is...
