This 37,000-square-foot bar packs in crowds for regular live music shows. And it slakes their thirst with mint juleps, draft beers, a large selection of wines, and cocktails like the Rickey, named in honor of Colonel Joe Rickey, an influential lobbyist who first popularized the drink at the now-extinct saloon Shoomaker’s. Some consider it the official drink of D.C.—consisting typically of gin, sparkling mineral water, and fresh lime juice on the rocks in a highball glass—and the Hamilton is a great place to try it.
