H Street Martini Lounge

Man! This place is closed? Great. Where will I go when I go to DC again?
I came here in September 09, on a 3-​day vacation with a friend. She and I hunted down various lounges and bars once we finished with the museums, and did not find a single spot we felt we could spend more than ten minutes in… except for this one.
The neighborhood was not great. At all. In fact, we almost made the cabbie take us back where we came from. But we persevered and were rewarded. Once we got in, everyone was nice. Bartenders were friendly and quick with our orders. My girl and I had three drinks each, and all were excellent martinis.
But what I will always mourn, now that it is apparently gone forever, is the BEST chips and salsa I have ever had. Everytime I order any these days, anywhere else, they fall short of H Street’s. I will never truly enjoy chips and salsa again.

2.5 stars.
a friend of mine used to work @ HSML and invited me to come check it out. he was so proud of and excited about this place that i almost felt bad when i finally went b/​c i really didn’t see what the big deal was. it’s uncomfortably TINY and not all that attractive, IMO. it helps that the patrons and staff are very friendly, b/​c otherwise i wouldn’t have lasted an hour. (as it turned out, i wound up staying for several.)
PROS:
–good martinis & wings
–very nice staff
–karaōke [if you go in for that sort of thing]
–live music (it was jazz when i went, and very nice)
–the location
–martinis are very strong (could be a con, depending on your preference)
CONS:
–again, it’s tight up in there. don’t go if you’re the least bit claustrophobic.
–drinks are somewhat overpriced, especially considering the location
–the location
–martinis are very strong (could be a pro, depending on your preference)
worth checking out if you want a laid back night or fun karaōke night and some good drinks. may or may not be worth going back depending on your experience.

Stopped in around 9:00 on a Friday so it was not too busy yet and the crowd was really chill, not the obnoxious wannabe hipsters that seem to have take over most of the other bars in the area.
The staff were very friendly and the prices were decent. It was not the best drink I’ve ever had but the relaxed atmosphere was great for an after dinner drink and the menu was extensive so I’ll try something different the next time.

2.75 Stars
Along with the Argonaut, H Street Martini Lounge was one of the pioneers of H Street’s new nightlife scene. With the onslaught of new openings it no longer seems so novel, especially with the Cosmo and Appletini days (hopefully) behind us; it just seems a bit dated.
With a marble bar and modern, sleek interior, it does however, make for a nice alternative to the beer-​centric joints around it. Service has always been quick and friendly, and while they claim over 60 types of Martini, I haven’t been overly impressed with the mixology. I think they would do well to just focus on making quality cocktails. I’m sure they do sell drinks other than spirits, but why would you come to a Martini Bar for a beer?

I won’t be rushing back, but the night I was there I had a lot of laughs and was out on the dance floor. Also, the owner was very accomodating to me and the people I was with (it might not have had anything to do with me since I was with three beautiful women).

This was one of the first places I went to around the same time that Rock&Roll Hotel jumped off in the same area. This place is cool because each bartender gets to make their own signature drinks and gives them all a creative name. My favorite was the BAMMA-TINI…oh yeah. It was not too sweet and not too dull, just like a BAMMA. If you don’t know what a bamma is, then ask any local MD/​VA or DC native… not the ones that just moved into the area, they won’t know. I thought it was a play on our slang, but it was actually because the bartender was from Alabama… darn. But I still drink it up every time!

I’ve visited on several nights as I’m a «martini» drinker and outside of them being EXPENSIVE… they are good. Let’s see… its small, but its also chill and relaxing and usually bring a friendly crowd. Not too many places to sit, but once you get into the «dancing mode» you’re not really looking to sit down.
I’d go again and surely will enjoy myself.

I like H St Martini because it is one of the few places that reminds me of what H St was like when I was a kid. Super friendly people who cater who the old DC. The drinks are always excellent with a great Happy Hour. We usually go on Tuesday for karaōke which is always a good time. While the food could use some improvement, you hardly notice that it’s so-​so after you’ve knocke back a few yummy martinis.

Well, let’s see; what does one want in a bar?
Drinks: Seriously, incredibly generic, and the staff seem so proud of them…
Food: I didn’t dare, frankly.
Music: Um, I’m fairly sure my school bus driver in HS listened to this stuff. That was over 10 years ago, and it was pretty awful back then.
People: They like the above; realising this, I didn’t really try to get to know them.
I’m never going back. You really oughtn’t bother with this place.

Well made drinks. Good music. Friendly people. Friendly staff. Pretty darn good stuff. The owner’s a real nice guy too. Well done.
It does get pretty «clubby» once the lights go down, so if you’re not into that, be wary. Keep in mind this is coming from someone who isn’t into clubs and still liked it.

H Street impressed me this trip being that this is down the street from my last entry, lol.
I thought the drinks were delicious and expensive… too damn expensive if you ask me but hey I can’t knock the hustle! The décor is nice, staff okay, bartender is alright with me.
I would give it a second chance

If you want to suck gin in a swanky venue and watch the local cabaret, this is a good spot. I like the old-​school hip-​hop they are usually bumping for the dance floor but this just isn’t the type of place I frequent. Maybe a good place to meet a date and get sauced? Yea, it would be good for that…
Auf.

Oh man, was I happy when this place opened and I don’t even drink martinis. Reasons, not necessarily in order or importance:
1. It, along with the rest of the H Street revitalization, will improve the value of the property I own just a few blocks away.
2. I can walk to this place. Okay, I’m from southern California so I actually drive… but at least I don’t have to go far.
3. I am a karaōke nut. There. I said it. I’m not embarrassed (much). I love Les doing the Tuesday night thing. We throw down.
4. The owner, bartenders, the bus boy (hola) and everyone else at the Lounge are super cool. Love ya!

The drinks are a little expensive, but the dirty martini that I had was stronnngggg. I definitely got my money’s worth. With the weekend cover and everything, it gets a little expensive, but the atmosphere is its selling point to me. The clientèle is really diverse, the service good, the music great and really unassuming.
I also saw a couple munching on some yummy food; I have yet to try it out.
Overall, I would definitely recommend grabbing a couple drinks here to start the night!

This is strictly for the grown ‘n sexy…
And for those with fat wallets and a milkshake that brings all ‘da boys to the yard.
I perused the menu and was impressed with variety of martinis offered, but ouch, have a few of them and watch out. Of course, you can work the calories off on the dance floor, which is where the majority of our «granding» took place. I saw Unilocalers back it on up like a U-​Haul truck! You got to get down to be down, and hunny, we were gettin wayyyy down. And, as evidenced by the photos, people joined in on our fun. Great crowd, cool bartenders, bangin’ music… H Street is where it’s at.
I can’t *wait* to go back to the Martini Lounge!

Not much I can add to what everyone else has said about H Street Martini Lounge; it is a cool place on H Street NE with great but expensive drinks. However, I will say that the $ 10 mojito I had was the bomb and did me in for the night! The bartender kept pouring rum into the shaker, I thought she was making two mojitos at once but I was wrong. It went down spectacularly smooth.
It is unfortunate that they have a cover charge, but the bouncer thankfully gave us two for one (still $ 10).
This place is very narrow but upstairs they have a cool little dance floor if you want to bust a move (count me in!) I want to come back and try the happy hour that Gayle mentioned.

i’d give this place a 5 star if it wasn’t so expensive…
the place is very well decorated, gives the feeling of a high class hang out without being stuffy in the slightest. The bartenders were very friendly indeed and the variety of creative martinis was impressive. I’ll definitely go back and have already recommended it to a friend. I’m really excited to try out Kareoke night one of these Tuesdays…

The other reviews are right about the friendly staff and steep prices. We went on a Friday night and were not charged a cover. The place was hopping, but we successfully staked out bar seats. There was a DJ at the time (and I believe a band was setting up) who played mostly hip-​hop, VERY loud. That might be a turnoff for some people, since the ambiance is otherwise not very clubby.
Jack Daniels Girls were making the rounds giving free vial shots of JD and blue curacao, which somewhat mitigated the $ 10 martinis. But the Canadian Razztini was well worth it! I’d definitely return, maybe for happy hour.

Agree with Alexis and Sean. The prices here made me say «Woah.» However, they do offer a happy hour with buy one get one martinis Monday-​Thursday 5 – 7. The staff here is great. It seems like the owner is always there (I met him also)!
The space is on the small side which gives it a cozy feel. They offer over 50 different kinds of martinis at two full service bars. There is live jazz upstairs on Saturdays. I would come here more often on the weekends if the drink prices were lower.

H Street Martini Lounge is very well-​decorated and the staff is so friendly. They have a great selection of martinis and other drinks, but get ready to drop some serious cash. We went on a Friday night and there was a $ 5 cover charge. There are two long rows of comfortable chairs down here, but the space is narrow and gets crowded quickly.
This is a good place to start off the night, even though there is a cover charge. This isn’t my favorite bar in this up and coming area, and I’m not sure when I will go back — which is why I’m only giving it three stars.