** “Need a Drink” Monday Special **

Location: Downtown

Summary: The secret is not in the drink, but in the presentation

Although we’ve passed by the stairs leading down Vermont NW and into Stan’s Restaurant, we hadn’t brought it upon ourselves to actually venture down. Needless to say, we wish we had done it long ago. Stan’s byline is “Best Damn Drink in Town”, and while we may have had better cocktails at other places in the District, we’ve never been to a place that was so eager to get us hammered.

Stan’s doesn’t really have happy hours. They have $1 off rail drinks occasionally as a special, but that’s not really why you’re there in the first place. The down stairs atmosphere is both genuine and familiar, as if it was dropped out of Cheers. This is not the place for thumping base or an awkward dance floor.

When you order a drink, you’re really ordering two. That Jack Daniels and Coke comes separately, allowing you to mix the drink yourself but also bear witness to the generosity of the portions. It’s a simple yet novel approach that let’s us know we’re getting our money’s worth and also shows us something different. Ordering a Shocktop draft? Our waiter also recommends a shot of rum to go with it. The food is nothing to sneeze at either, with fresh catfish bites and boasting to have some of the best wings around.

Even though it doesn’t have $1 PBRs or buckets of bottles, Stan’s Restaurant is going to be a place we’ll keep in mind for a drink after work. Sometimes you don’t need cheap beer at a cheaper price or a cocktail that has shaves of ginger & chili in it. Sometimes you want a simple mixed drink and an inviting place to drink in. Plus, as our waiter so enthusiastically told us when our drinks arrived, “We take care of you in here.”