SOST
Category: Live Music Venues, Speakeasies, Rooftop Bars
Neighborhood: U Street
Price:
Address: 1901 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001, United States
✨ Vibe
Sophisticated yet soulful, SOST is a stunningly designed three-story cultural sanctuary that blends Pan-African heritage with elevated jazz-inspired decor and a vibrant community pulse.
🍸 Best For
Immersive vinyl listening sessions, solo dining, chic date nights, Ethiopian coffee breaks, and lively group dinners with a cultural edge.
🔥 Highlights
- The Vinyl Room & Speakeasy: A moody lower-level listening lounge where guests can enjoy expertly crafted smoked cocktails while spinning a curated selection of neo-soul, Afro-piano, and jazz-funk records.
- A Masterful Fusion Menu: Recently recognized for its elevated Pan-African cuisine, the kitchen delivers bold flavors like the Grandma’s Suya platter, spicy sambusas, and the signature sweet potato croquette.
- A Multi-Story Cultural Hub: This celebrated women-owned venue acts as a bridge for the African Diaspora, seamlessly transitioning from a sunny daytime café and art gallery into a vibrant evening resto-lounge and rooftop destination.
ℹ️ Need to Know
- Located in the heart of the U Street corridor, the venue is highly popular for its live music sets and DJ performances; booking a reservation is recommended for the restaurant level.
- The space offers four distinct levels of entertainment, including a hybrid café that serves authentic Ethiopian honey lattes by day before transforming into a wine bar at night.
📰 In the News
The Women-Owned Restaurants in Washington DC
SOST is an international restaurant located in Washington D.C.’s U Street corridor, owned and operated by Mariam Abebe. The venue is recognized as a key women-owned establishment in the city, offering a mid-range dining experience according to Resy's curated guide.
SOST Unites Black D.C. and the African Diaspora
SOST is a three-story cultural hub in D.C.'s Shaw neighborhood that blends African diaspora cuisine with jazz-inspired design. Founded by siblings Siem, Izzy, and Mariam Abebe, the venue features a vinyl record bar, a global menu fusing North and West African flavors with Southern U.S. influences, and diverse community-focused programming.
Sost - Review - Shaw - Washington DC
Sost is a three-story Pan-African wine bar and restaurant in Shaw featuring a lively resto-lounge, a moody vinyl room, and a speakeasy-style basement. The menu highlights bold flavors with dishes like harissa tiger shrimp and a unique suya platter served with Haitian pikliz, complemented by a selection of wine and ginger cocktails.
The Best Vinyl Bars in D.C.
Sost is a three-story social club in Shaw featuring a lower-level listening room that spins neo-soul, Afro-piano, and jazz-funk records while serving smoked cocktails. The multi-functional venue also includes a hybrid Ethiopian coffee cafe that transforms into a wine bar at night, alongside a restaurant and rooftop lounge serving elegant upgrades of traditional African dishes.
An Ethiopian-Eritrean Restaurant and Cultural Space Is Opening in Shaw
SOST is a three-story Ethiopian-Eritrean restaurant and cultural space in Shaw that features a café, wine bar, and dedicated vinyl lounge. The menu, crafted by chef D’Angelo Mobley, offers African-inspired dishes like 'Berber-Q' braised chicken and harissa salmon alongside specialty coffee-based cocktails and South African wines.
Recent Reviews from Google
I have been in DC for work since Wednesday night (staying near the convention center) and this is my favorite spot so far! I was a solo diner and they still let me have a table (I am short and...
I haven’t had the food yet which is why I have it a kind of middle rating, but the atmosphere is dope. Very cultured space and there’s always an art showing which helps with representation that I do...
"SOST is where the Black and African Diaspora thrive—a cultural bridge built on music, flavor, and community," says their website. Part cafe, restaurant, speakeasy, and gallery, it's true. On a block...
I love this place! It's such a neighborhood gem - like a brownstone with four levels of entertainment. 1st floor is the cafe lounge that seems like a great place to get some work done and enjoy a...
Highly anticipated going to Sost for the first time. Sost encompasses stunning/elevated decor consistently throughout its 3 levels--the vinyl room (speakeasy bar), hybrid cafe and resto-lounge. I met...
