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Pharmacy Bar
Categories: Restaurants Nightlife Bars Dive Bars Restaurants, Dive Bars [Edit]
2337 18th St NW(between N Belmont Rd & N Kalorama Sq)
Washington, DC 20009
Neighborhood: Adams Morgan
(202) 483-1200
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 6 pm - 2 am
Fri-Sat 6 pm - 3 am
Sun 2 pm - 2 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
82 reviews for Pharmacy Bar
Review Highlights
"The jukebox selection is awesome as well."
(in 23 reviews)
"Great laid-back bar that's small and intimate."
(in 6 reviews)
"...reasonably priced drinks, good staff and BIG BUCK HUNTER."
(in 4 reviews)
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82 reviews in English
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Review from Lexie D.
9/16/2011
Great beers (like Prohibition Ale, a personal fave, and something long and German and hefeweizen-y that was delightful and came in a silly glass). Awkwardly tiny bar area. I'm pretty sure the bartender judged me the entire time.
Granted, I was also judging me the entire time, because I was making poor life decisions.Listed in: Amber Waves of Hops
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Review from Jessica L.
Washington D.C., DC
1/21/2012
This is a weird little place. I always wonder how it stays in business because I rarely see other customers while I'm there but I'm glad that it does. I like the dark dive bar atmosphere and I like it even more when they have bizarre decor, plentiful boardgames, and a jukebox with music I've never heard of. The bartenders are always friendly and casual; it's a laid back atmosphere. When my friends and I need a little fun but don't feel like being too put together/social we come here. We chat with anyone who may be around, complain that the old school Battleship used to be simpler, listen to a completely random selection of songs, and drink until the vegetarian(s) can be taunted into playing Buck Hunt. There isn't anything really amazing that makes this particular bar more spectacular than any other one of the many in Adams Morgan but I find myself returning again and again. Check it out.
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Review from Samantha E.
Alexandria, VA
A nice little bar that is very quiet on Monday nights. They had a wide variety of beers to choose from but we ended up going with some strong cocktails instead. I definitely want to come back on a busier night and get a better feel of the atmosphere. Seems pretty chill though.
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Review from Holly C.
12/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
1.5 stars. Maybe the Saturday night I came was a bad night? While bar hopping in Adam's Morgan, we stopped in as it was supposed to be a well known bar. It wasn'ta packed but had a good a good handful of people. Unfortunately we couldn't stand in there for more than a few minutes because it smelled horrible. It looks like it would be a good dive bar to enjoy beer with friends, sit around and chat type of place.
-
Review from Brian K.
U Street Corridor, Washington, DC
11/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ultra low-key bar where you can meet up with a group of friends to drink, laugh, and be left alone. It is dim with interesting pill decor and a decent juke-box that doesn't drown out conversation. AND a great beer selection with a friendly server.
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Review from Amanda B.
4/2/2011
The first time I went to this bar, I walked 2 blocks past it. Talk about hole in the wall. The person checking IDs at the door was reading a french philosopher (in french), so if you think that is at all weird, then you should probably check out Asylum instead.
This bar has a local vibe, and I instantly felt welcome and at home. The bartenders always pour with a heavy hand and are friendly, which is pretty much opposite of every other bar in the area. Every time I go, it's pretty empty (even on a Friday). I enjoy not getting a drink spilled on me or getting pushed into a frat boy that smells like he bathed in vomit and axe deodorant. I guess it's a hipster bar, but it's a low PBR to hipster ratio bar. I even saw someone drinking a martini on my last visit. Long story short, go here if you want to enjoy a drink in a semi-quiet, non-pretentious atmosphere. Skinny jeans optional. -
Review from Jessica F.
Columbia, MD
3/23/2011
I never thought that I could claim to be an Austin girl (Texas that is...) because I didn't feel I had been there long enough to claim the title. However, despite my teasing of all things hipster, I truly miss the place. Coming to Pharmacy Bar was like going back if only for a moment.
I loved the vibe-nice and lowkey-just like I prefer (I have this weird thing about NOT having to yell at my friends when I want to talk to them). Our server was friendly and recommended a tasty brew.
I loved the theme. It was nice to see a place stray so far from the usual array of knick knacks and wall crap. I got some great photos of my friend "passed out" on the pill decorated table and that may have made our trip here all the more worth it.Listed in: Dive on in!
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Review from Nina M.
Washington, DC
11/5/2011
A friend took us here after a jaunt in a more... "commercial" bar on the next block.
I LOVED it! I'm not sure if it was the Czech-pharmacy themed decor or the awesome selection of weird beers, or the fact that the doorman was READING, or the fact that my cocktail was knock-your-socks-off strong.
Regardless of what makes me love this place, it's quiet enough to have a conversation and totally homey. Do it! -
Review from Bekkah L.
Lawrence, KS
6/29/2011
I'd had some margaritas elsewhere and I was hankering for a beer and some Buck Hunter... I yelped and this was the closest bar with a machine. THANK GOODNESS. This bar is totally great. It's an awesome little hole in the wall in a neighborhood where you can feel awkward and unwelcome in a lot of bars. The bartender was super nice and friendly, just like they should be at dive bars. The jukebox selection is awesome as well. Funky drug themed decor. ("Pharmacy" Bar, what would you expect?) An older review said the Buck Hunter machine was broken, but there's a new one where I spent a lot of dollars... And DC Brau on tap!
If I still lived in the DC area, I'd plant my ass here all the time. -
Review from Justin L.
Brooklyn, NY
5/8/2011
Its
Cliquey
And needs more
Drafts but love the
Space, jukebox, and people watching window. -
Review from Sky K.
Washington, DC
1/12/2011
"Neighborhood" ultra-dive with lowkey vibe; if your current neighborhood is a Thai sewer.
Expect the usual mix of OG punks, what's left on the non straight edge hardcore scene, flannel shirts, and excessive facial hair.
This is a run down down crap hole that has everything the doctor didn't order. Might want to let the locals have this wave.
Rad:
Your jukebox is for die hard music fans only. Just call me John Mclane, as I force you to listen to all of Isac Hayses' Black Moses.
Giant street-facing windows afford excellent view of hot young girls walking towards district.
Bad:
Giant windows afford excellent view of hot young girls walking towards district instead of inside
Drinks not really that cheap for a place that has limited operating costs other than rent and a very BROKEN buck hunter machine.Listed in: Really Mediocre Places
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Review from Robert S.
Washington D.C., DC
1/5/2011
I enjoyed the tables at this local area pub. With classical medical paraphernalia or creative items embedded into the tables, I could enjoy my pint while scanning the man objects inside my table. Each table boasts a uniqueness that goes with the feel of this bar. Others may not appreciate the dank feel and decor of the Pharmacy, but I enjoyed my time. Its a perfect venue for watching a variety of people from all walks of life and from different backgrounds. Unlike other drinking establishments in the Adams Morgan area, the clientele of this particular place seem different yet genuine.
The drink selection is sufficient to keep me there for a few with a pint of beer being my choice of the night. You may enter and see me at one of the tables, writing frantically in between deep gulps of my poison. Then again you may enter and not see me at at one of the tables, writing frantically in between deep gulps of my poison. I've blended into this place, become part of the crowd - that humming sound that is a collective chatter sometimes interrupted by the clanking of glass on those artistic tables. -
Review from Alana H.
8/9/2011
My friend and I came here to have drinks but also to be able to chat. There is a mellow vibe here and it's not one of those places where you have to sit next to the person you're with but yell at them to make sure they hear what you're saying. We got there around 9:30 so the bar was pretty empty but an hour later it had picked up and there was a fair amount of people but it certainly wasn't crowded. This was my first time in Adams Morgan and compared to some other bars in the area this place isn't overwhelming.
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Review from David S.
Washington, DC
7/4/2010
This is definitely my favorite bar in Adams Morgan! The music is loud enough to be heard, but not so loud that you have to yell to have a conversation with your friends. Their bar has a lot of interesting liquors, but more importantly, the bartenders know what they are and are willing to take the time to find one you really want. I tried probably four different whiskeys one night and the dude only charged me for one. And that bay window is the best people-watching vantage point on 18th.
Yes, it's a hipster bar. But here's the thing about hipsters: they're only pretentious douche bags when you're being an obnoxious douche bag. Of course you're going to get an attitude if you stumble in expecting the place to look like Grand Central or Reef. If you stumbled into Tom Tom and complained about how it's not like the Pharm, you'd get the same attitude. It's not like the other bars, and they like it that way, as do I.
Seriously, try this: go in maybe a little tipsy but not slurring-your-words drunk. Before ordering your drink, ask someone what his/her favorite is there. They'd love to tell you all about it and the fact that you didn't automatically assume they're a pompous ass because they have a bike helmet strapped to their messenger bag will cause them to drop the snobbiness like a hot potato anchor. -
Review from Gideon F.
Washington D.C., DC
2/21/2011
BEST BAR IN TOWN!!!
I really hate going to Adams Morgan, but one of the few places that I really make an exception for is Pharmacy bar. Hands down, no question the best bar in town is Pharmacy bar! They have really great bartenders, large selection of all kinds of beers, great atmosphere, and the best jukebox in the whole city.
If you aren't really the bar going type, or you don't really feel like you fit in with the main stream way of life, Pharmacy is a good place for you to go. It is often filled with colorful nice interesting people. -
Review from Monica B.
Des Plaines, IL
6/2/2011
Awesome. Sit by the window. It gets crazy and hilarious outside. The Adams Morgan district is insane! They have some sort of deer shooting machine which is fun. Fun fact: the tiny little convenience store downstairs and next door has presidential lighters for sale! I got a Garfield :)
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Review from Farzan K.
Washington, DC
11/10/2009
I wanted to hate this place, I really did.
With its crummy location in the heart of Adams Morgan, its annoying pretentious hipster vibe, and gaudy buck hunter game EVERY hipster bar seems to have; Pharmacy had all the inner workings and fix'ins to make a pretty pompous overrated hipster dive bar.
Pharmacy, you let me down, you bastard. You don't suck.
Yes, the bar was a dive, but it worked the grunge theme well and with taste. The drinks were relatively inexpensive and made strong. What the hell, Pharmacy! This was suppose to be a 1 star review!
What I really wanted was tackier décor, slow service, an overpriced menu, awful drinks and a douchey bartender who would judge on me because I've never heard of his friend's band. Instead, all I got was stylish ambiance, attentive service, intelligent conversation with my boys Brian and Sean, and a couple of ice cold brewskis to wash down the overall positive experience.
All this, just to deny me what is rightfully mine - a righteous yelp review filled with witty one-liners, outrageous satire, and impudent, profanity-laced mockery.
Thanks a lot, assholes! -
Review from Sophie U.
7/6/2009
I find it amusing that a place called "Pharmacy Bar" would be partly responsible for one of my worst hangovers in history. There are two things I need to learn:
- how to exercise self-restraint
- how to pace myself
I don't like crowds and I don't like loudness -- at least not in a bar. Call me crazy, but I actually like to hear myself think every so often, as well as my friends when they try to speak to me. So when I noticed a few people sittin' and chillin' by the window, I glanced around to see what the name of the establishment was. "Pharmacy Bar" -- I'd heard that name before. Unlike most other places in Adams Morgan, there was no one queuing up to get in. +1
Things were calm inside. People were sitting at tables, drinking, talking (as opposed to shouting); music was playing at a reasonable volume. +1
It's quite a small place. One end of the bar was being vacated as my friends and I walked up, so we took over some stools. The barman was quick to give us his attention and continued being efficient the entire time we were there. +1
A group of loudsters came in. Something about a wedding. The girl ordering drinks for everyone felt the need to shout, for some reason. Or maybe her voice is just that awful. Right next to my ear awful. My roommate asked me, "So, how's your ear?" -1
We got chips. We had the munchies, and the snacks were tasty. I think they were free. +1
The drinks were good. Not watered down; definitely stiffer than most overrated bars. Only two beers on tap (Yuengling and Hoegaarden, I think) but the drinks make up for it. Someone came up and asked for a Smirnoff Ice. Please note that Pharmacy Bar does not carry Smirnoff Ice (thank god). +1
I'm not sure what the prices are, and I'm too lazy to try and figure them out. All I know is this:
- 1 gin and tonic + 1 screwdriver + 1 Hoegaarden = $16
- 1 gin and tonic + 1 whiskey and coke + 3 shots of tequila + 1 Pabst = $31
Five of those drinks were mine. In about an hour. I never learn :( -
Review from Laura T.
San Francisco, CA
3/31/2008
Now I know where the attractive people hang out. Here, in this calm, dark little oasis of a bar in the loud, anarchic, vomit-spattered neon nightmare that is my neighbourhood on a Saturday night, there be stools in the bay window for peoplewatching (peoplejudging), places for sitting, tabletops for Pacman and a jukebox for great 'choons: Bowie, MBV and the entire Dischord catalogue.
Drinks aren't particularly cheap but there's table service and you can have a conversation. And of course, slender hipster boys with feline cheekbones and girly jeans, whom I sometimes find particularly compelling.Listed in: DON'T WINCE! [DC Nightlife]
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Review from Matthew D.
Washington, DC
9/13/2006
While Adams Morgan has become unpleasantly overcrowded on the weekends Pharmacy Bar is still a tiny oasis. Excellent tunes, excellent beer selection, and far superior service to other bars in the neighborhood. Where else are you going to get a Hoegaarden on draft in appropriate glassware and in a friendly environment?
Pharmacy will be of particular interest to Latvians living in DC as the owner is of Latvian descent and proudly flies the Latvian flag outside.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Brian B.
1/23/2011
Now that Angry Inch is closed down (moment of silence), there are only 2 bars in Adams Morgan that I can tolerate: Toledo Lounge and Pharmacy. The rest of 18th ST is like a shabbier, tackier "Georgetown meets Times Square circa 1991."
My nod for hanging out on H ST was outvoted, so we ventured over to Pharmacy, partially because my friend's date lives in the area and he wanted to be polite (read: he wanted to sleep with her). I used to come here relatively frequently a few years ago and it was never crowded. That appears to remain the case today. A decidedly younger crowd, it's still a nice respite from the endless Jersey Shore episode unfolding around the rest of 18th ST. I like that it's dark and dank, I like that I can hear myself think, I like that I can usually get a table, I like that people here don't stare at a multi-racial group of people unlike the "Stare-orrists" of other more tony DC neighborhoods (including my own, I'm ashamed to say), and I like that people here generally mind their own business, whether they're hipsters, tripsters, posers, tricksters or truckers. I like that I can wear whatever the hell I want to and nobody will tell me I can't come in because I'm not wearing slacks or sporting a Zac Efron 'do. I like that nobody here will ever pick a Miller Lite-fueled fight with me because he hates his life and he's jealous of my girlfriend. I like the fact that every time I come here something completely random happens, like the drunken cougar woman who kept hitting on me despite the fact that I repeatedly introduced her to the young lady with whom I was on a date. She'd go "oh, oh, right, a date, right," and then 5 minutes later she'd be back at our table, pinching my cheeks, calling me "Baby Bear" and asking me to dance with her on her imaginary dance floor. Random shit like this just never goes down in Capitol Hill.
I don't like the location, though, and not because I feel a pathological need to dis AdMo, although it is amusing to do so (heh heh heh). It's because there are always so many people out here on a Friday or Saturday night. Seriously, it's like Mardi Gras meets South Street in Philly, and the red line overflows with so many smelly drunks that you can get a contact buzz just by breathing. Despite all that, I still enjoy coming to Pharmacy because it's a low-key place where you can let your hair down, relax, have a cocktail or twelve and fight off a few cougars along the way.Listed in: Low Douche Factor Bars, Places where waitresses have…
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Review from Ronnie C.
Washington, DC
10/20/2008
Pharmacy Bar is something of an oddity in the Ad-Mo scene. Unlike most other bars in the area, you will not find a huge crowd, a bump-&-grind dance floor or chlamydia.
When I visited, I was impressed by the intimacy of the place and the low-key vibe. My friends, however, apparently need more awfulness in their lives and headed over to TomTom's. Since we usually just chat amongst ourselves, I'm not sure why you'd want to do the same thing in a dirtier, more cramped space, but I think they wanted to show our out of town friends how DC gets down. I didn't even have time to try the jukebox. Maybe next time.
Why only three stars? I don't know... maybe because while I could see it as conducive to "chillaxin," I guess if I'm in Adam's Morgan, a bar should be entertaining/shocking. Tom Tom's never disappoints on that front. -
Review from Jim B.
Washington, DC
12/23/2007
The Pharmacy Bar can be a welcome respite from the overly-crowded, pretentious businesses during a night of 18th street bar-hopping. Or it can (and probably should) be one of the few bars you head to in the area.
Even on Halloween, with most places packed to the gills with slutty witches and dicks with dick-in-box costumes, this place was still comfortably filled. The fact that nearly every patron enthusiastically recognized my Army of Darkness costume let me know I was in the right place.
I grabbed a turkey reuben and was greeted with an enormous sandwich that held up to my liking. Great food to eat while I watched the droves of costumed DC'ers.
Meghan G. hit the nail on the head in the jukebox's description - a music dork's wet dream. This is the music that indie music calls indie. -
Review from amber k.
12/16/2009
I felt right at home at this little dive.
The recipe for awesome was simple and can easily be repeated in your hometown:
One cup of grunge mixed with two cups of hipster, blended gently
One cup of entertainment - highlighted by a jukebox and video games
A crap ton of beer and liquor
One saucy bartender
One or two loud regulars
These guys get bonus points too because they refused to sign the release form for The Real World DC to film inside ;)Listed in: Red
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Review from Monica L.
Washington, DC
12/7/2008
The first time I came here was with my friend Mike, and we were met by a jarring scene. The bar was completely dark except for one flickering light from the back bar, pale-faced hipsters were draped over chairs looking like they were about to faint, there was no music, and the only sound came from two people playing Big Buck Hunter. We immediately left, vowing never to return.
A few months later, I was invited to go by another friend and it was completely different. The crack-den vibe was replaced by a lively, yet politely restrained atmosphere, and the lights and jukebox seemed to be working. I can only attribute the first visit's frightening appearance to the fact that it was a Tuesday, or that I hadn't gotten accustomed to living in Adams Morgan yet. In any case, this is a fun place, if not slightly pretentious if you don't know who's on the jukebox.Listed in: Nighthawks
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Review from elisa g.
Los Angeles, CA
1/18/2007
Hmm...How do I say this clearly..
Let's put it this way:
The Pharmacy Bar is the best bar in the world. Reasons include:
1. When you go there you feel SOOO anonymous and the anonymous people who you encounter are soooo sweet
2. The Bartender is Sooo amazing and hot and he gives nice prices for the drinks. I am talking about the infamous glasses man. He rocks. He probably has a lot of girls swooning for him. I wouldn't be surprised. I could be one of them.
3. The diseases and pills theme is pretty funny, you gotta admit.
4. There's this HILARIOUS hunting game where, with a rifle, you can kill animals (deers, antelopes, you name it;)). Animal rights enthusiasts: It's just a game! You aren't killing real animals when you play;) Please dont be mad at me for thinking the game's funny. Don't worry--whenever i try to shoot the animals, i miss. So the fake computer animals, those funny little bots, outsmart me! IT is a triumph of the animal over man, really.
5. The bathroom is funny because there is a design of a jelly fish type thing in it, with tentacles and stuff. Is that some disease organism or something? It's funny, hehehe
6. Whenever I go to the Pharmacy bar i have a great time. THe people there are not full of (you know what, heheheeheheheee), and the place is just unassuming and laid back. It's not for people with sticks in their posterior ends, if you know what i mean...
Yours truly,
EG -
Review from Nelson A.
San Francisco, CA
6/25/2006
Pharmacy Bar. Where you wish the drugs lacquered into the tables were dispensible, so you could have a better time. There are an insanely small number of tables in this place, and each table seems specifically engineered not to actually fit the number of chairs at it. It's always loud, and I've been given the evil eye by the people sitting on the couch on the way to the bathroom too many times to count.
At least the tables are usually sticky. -
Review from Liam D.
Washington, DC
1/7/2009
I've been here once, and the story goes like this:
I was 19 and fresh back to college with my fake Vermont ID that said "This is not a real id" on the back of it. I went to Tom Toms with a fraternity brother of mine (who was 21) and his father. The bouncer said "you 2 are fine, but this shit's fake" "oh....c'mon man.....just let the kid in" "listen, you can either give me $50 to get it back and go elsewhere, or I can call that cop inside to come out and deal with it"
Pause: Screw that guy. And screw TomToms. Yeah yeah, I was underage but c'mon......
Anyways, after I refused to let my (already drunk) buddy convince me to use my REAL ID to try and get into Roxanne/Brass Monkey, we went to Pharmacy Bar w/o even being id'd. We played pool, had some drinks, and I was happy. I can't even remember what the place was like, but evidently people here love it! Perhaps I'll have to return, now that I'm of age and whatnot. -
Review from Gretchen H.
Savannah, GA
7/11/2007
Ah...yes...Pharmacy Bar. When we were there last time it was very empty except for regulars, and it's nice being able to ask about an old face that you haven't seen in 3+ years and people know who you are talking about. You don't get that in LA where I am now...not at all!
The drinks are strong, the music not too loud, the windows open up to get fresh air inside. It was very different this time without all the smoke!
The bathroom is fun because of the sea life metal sculptures in the flooring, which is appropriate since the floor is usually wet. :D
I miss places like this. Enjoy it. -
Review from Nate G.
Washington, DC
12/17/2008
Highlights:
1. There's some sort of video game near the bar with a HUGE gun that you shoot virtual deer with or something. It's like Duck Hunt, only the laser gun is as large as a full-sized rain stick (?????)
2. Cool, hip ambiance. Vast and sparkling array of colored alchemical vials and bottles.
3. The bathroom has a concrete floor and cinder block walls, but seemed really clean, as though the minimalist design allows Pharmacy to simply hose it down every night and let the water drain through a grate in the floor, making a drop-drop sound... LIKE A RAIN STICK.
4. I went with a big group, ordered like four pints of Guinness and a mixed drink or two for a friend, and when we finally split up the bill my boy was like "dude, you're in for $20, $25 max... tip included" which just doesn't make any sense, period.
In conclusion Pharmacy is super cool, with a more relaxed atmosphere and crowd than most other Adams Morgan bars. There is also some sort of hunting-themed arcade game and lots of pretty glassware.
...
RAIN STICK -
Review from Tori J.
Washington, DC
10/19/2006
Pharmacy Bar may be the last hole in the wall on 18th Street that has yet to be visited by the plague of drunken collegians and bridge-and-tunnel nonentities that descends upon the area every weekend. Thank god there is still such a haven.
Presumably the aforementioned crowd shuns the place because its bartenders are burdened with personalities, unlike the automatons next door at the Tom-Tom Club. Or perhaps because you can find on the jukebox tunes that Clear Channel would never spin in a million years. Heck, maybe it's because the prescriptions and pills that ornament the establishment remind them too much of their own medicine cabinets. I have no idea.
No problem; I'm just as happy to have it to myself. -
Review from Jess P.
Cambridge, MA
2/10/2009
My friend recommended this bar for a good neighborhood bar to check out on my recent weekend in DC.
What he forgot to mention was that the drinks are STRONG. Like, you practically get two for the price of one kind of strong. I heartily approve. At least I'm pretty sure I did, as the evening was a bit of a blur.
I do remember the chill, hipsterish vibe, cool but nothing too pretentious. Compared to the other bars in the area, each of which seemed too something or other upon peering in, the lower key feel here hit the right spot. By late Saturday night, the place was packed and loud, but my friend and I could still have a good conversation in the corner. I'm told next time (and I'd happily return if I'm in DC again), I need to check out the juke box.
(For what it's worth, I'm well of age and was carded, so I wouldn't go assuming you can drink here underage, that other Yelper's experience to the contrary.) -
Review from Mary S.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2009
Here's what's good:
(1) Decent selection of scotch. (Except when they're out of Balvenie, like they were last night. No big, though.)
(2) Not deafening. If you get a table, you can have a legitimate group conversation.
Tip: If you want a table on a Saturday, you're good if you wander in between 9:45 and 10-ish. -
Review from Angela C.
Washington, DC
9/22/2009
It's another one of those bars where you know the first time you walk in that it is for you.
yes cheap beer
yes the best jukebox in Adam's Morgan
yes Big Buck Hunter (though this is also a drawback...its a narrow bar and the game it right in front of the bar making the people playing really annoying...or maybe the people that come into play are just really annoying. It is Adams Morgan after all.)
The Jukebox may need to be emphasized. Its on par with the Raven jukebox but better (at least what I remember of the Raven jukebox).
good story from my first time there: an old biker bought me a shot from across the bar (I realized after the fact I was wearing a Harley shirt). At some point I get up to use the powder room and of course he's positioned in my pathway there so we chat briefly. And I was talking about my Irish-German heritage and how well I can drink and he insisted that I stay out and get drunk with him. but no go...needed my beauty sleep. He was definitely a regular but I haven't seen him since.
oh and one last note...its not an adams morgan weekend type establishment...thats what makes it special.Listed in: Places I wish I was a regular
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Review from Heather B.
Annapolis, MD
3/18/2010
I'm sorry I must not have gotten the memo.
This bar stinks. Its so existential and overdone that it makes it suck. Lets all show up in a flannel shirt and snootily smirk when the next sorry sam walks in and tries to order a bud light.
"we don't have that here"-nudges, smiles, as they guzzle their $9 imported turkish beers.
Worst bar on the street. Would only come here if all the other bars were closed and those painted pills all over the walls and tables were real.
This bar is perfect for a smug know-it-all who enjoys drinking only the finest beer, while simultaneously playing a game of parcheesi and discussing 1920's russia and giving dirty looks to anyone that looks like they want to let loose and have fun once in a while. -
Review from David B.
Washington, DC
6/22/2008
I'm somewhat new to the city and Pharmacy Bar is already my favorite bar in the area. It draws a super eclectic crowd including some people you really won't find at other bars in the area. If you're someone like me and don't really know anyone in the city it is the perfect place to strike up some conversation, enjoy the best jukebox around, and knock back a few affordable drinks.
I haven't been here many times but it seems to be very asshole and drama free which to me is pretty crucial for a bar. I'm the type of person that dislikes the majority of people that clog up 18th Street and it seems like Pharmacy is free of all of them.
Another great perk is that is roughly right across the street from my two favorite record stores, Crooked Beat and Smash, so if you ever feel like doing some late night record shopping this is a location to check out afterwards. It's also the only place in the area where people may actually recognize that obscure early-mid 90's indie pop LP you just purchased.
I've heard the food is tasty but was told they don't have any vegan options so can't vouch for it personally. -
Review from Meghan G.
Washington, DC
9/8/2007 1 photo
I have a dirty little corner in my heart for all dive bars and this is one of the best. I generally hate the people that flock into Adams Morgan, but being that its a short walk from my house, and I have friends that live in the heart of it, I get sucked into that area every so often. This is the bar that the douches haven't taken over yet, so thats a huge bonus.
The pill theme is pretty awesome, as are the weird murals all over the place. The food here is pretty surprising, i recommend their hummus and the cheese plate (yes a cheese plate in a dive bar!). Currently I am still working off a slight hangover from downing plenty of their fine selection of good beers on tap. The mixed drinks here are strong and the bartenders are cute in a dirty sex sort of way, bonus #2. The jukebox is a music dorks wet dream, completely void of craptastic bar music. They also have an old school table video game console, bonus #3. On busy nights they have a server that bustles around and keeps an amazingly accurate handle on drink orders, bonus #4. I probably would have stopped after a few beers if he wasn't there offering me a re-up when I was down to a few sips at every glass....clever sales strategy Pharmacy, very clever indeed.
The only draw back to this place is the single, uni-sex bathroom that can get pretty YUCK by the end of the night, but it is a great place to stand in line and strike up conversation with total strangers. -
Review from Jess S.
Chicago, IL
11/21/2006
Theme. cool.
Music. good.
Drinks. strong.
Crowd. interesting.
Coming from Chicago, I wouldn't call this a dive. But I'm glad we checked it out while in town - everyone who had spent any time in DC told us to go. -
Review from Mel B.
Washington, DC
2/13/2010
This is a narrow dive with limited space and the theme is that this is where you go to cure your ills- tonic bottles and alka seltzer tablets painted on the walls, and my favorite part is the inlaid pills and capsules in the table tops. I'm a liiiiittle confused about how buck hunter fits in with this theme, but maybe it's just an easy money maker for the bar, and a way to appeal to a bigger crowd, like, uhhh, those who scour the city for buck hunter??
The drinks here, as many other Yelpers have noted, are cheap- rum and cokes and cape cods for $5 (how do they do it??)- and they're great, and by great I mean strong. The bartender (owner, too?) was chill and laid back and so was the crowd.
Liked the laid back atmosphere, cheap drinks, but not such a fan of the unisex bathroom. Yikes. Stay away from THAT one, ladies.
Also really like the juke box. I love places that put the power of that piece of the atmosphere in our hands. I'll go back to this place to either start of end my night. -
Review from Beth K.
Washington, DC
12/24/2008
Meh. Nothing wrong with Pharmacy Bar but nothing special about it. Unless you like video games.
It is stocked with beer, tables & chairs and hipsters.
