Dan's Cafe

So here's my confusion: if you're going to drink in a dive bar, the benefit is that it is usually cheap. We came in for shots and spent $35 on 4 of those little nips bottles of alcohol. I'd also argue that this isn't a dive bar. This is like someone's backyard shed that has a single working tap and a toilet. I felt sad for the group of guys in their 20s sharing a squeeze bottle of booze. What is the appeal? There are so many other mediocre bars within walking distance. Try somewhere that also provides a lock on the bathroom door.

This place is referred to as a "Dive bar" in social media descriptions and considering it that might be a step up.... We walked in and it was appalling, even on dive bar standards, with sour smells being masked with incense burning throughout and really loud music in such a very small place. We turned around and left.

We had an amazing time, yes the bouncer and bartender were rude but they were friendly after a couple of minutes. Place is awesome, it's dingy and dark and that's the charm. Great music from old jukebox, cheap drinks

Hot, dirty, cramped, weird. I thought it would be a fun birthday spot to get roughly but it was just not it. Surprised there's always a line. Worst bathroom I've EVER seen.

This will be a very long read but I feel like I need to share what happened to me and my group tonight. Short story: the bouncer was rude and physically harassed our friend and we were kicked out for trying to intervene.

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After trying to go and celebrate our friend with a couple of drinks at Dan's, we were left waiting in a line (which is typical for AdMo!) We arrived here first at 11pm and not too long after the bouncer started to yell at our groups that we were too close to the doors and to back-up quite aggressively. We figured this was probably due to dealing with drunk people so we let it slide.

After a few people left the bar, he let the group in front of us in and scoffed at us for getting near the door. Granted, it was rude, but we didn't pay mind and continued to wait. We were now the only people in line (everyone else left) and saw 6 people leave (the size of our group.) Curious about the wait time due to needing to use the bathrooms, two of our friends went to politely ask about the wait time and they were very rudely asked to leave and not to ask any questions.

After about 8 more people left, we were let in to check our IDs. Once in, my friend and I let the bartenders know we didn't quite appreciate the attitude we received from the bouncer, to which they said "He's our cousin, you don't know his story." Not sure what that meant but as soon as this was said, we noticed the bouncer physically handle our friend and pushed her aside as she was showing her ID. Apparently, she moved to the side of the door to let people out as she took out her ID and he mistook that as her trying to sneak in behind him. When he pushed her back the first time, she firmly said "please don't touch me" to which he firmly grabbed her and picked her up.

From there, things almost got physical as we started to confront the bouncer for touching her clearly without her consent and without reasonable prompt. The bouncer and I got into each other's faces as I yelled at him to not touch my friend and he said "what are YOU going to do about it?" From there, the bartenders intervened and things were getting defused. My friend went back to the bouncer to try to explain what happened and he just decided to kick our whole group out and since everyone working in the bar is apparently in the same family (there were also a pair of brothers working the bar who were cousins to the bouncer,) they also proceeded to kick us out. As we were getting kicked out, the bouncer started saying "We didn't want your broke asses in here anyway" and when we had mentioned we were there to celebrate, he then proceeded to say "We don't want your broke money." Of course we were rilled up, not by getting kicked out, but by our friend who was physically harassed and freaking out about what happened to her. The comments as we left also seemed racially directed as we were a diverse group of young adults. We were quite polite and sound up until our friend got manhandled and then we began cussing out the bouncer.
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Before anyone starts thinking we probably deserved it, a majority of our group was sober and the others were barely buzzed. No one was drunk and no one was acting out. We were quite literally just minding our business, waiting in the line until all of this happened. Asking the bouncer for a time estimate isn't rude by any means and we complied with all the directions yelled at us. Even if our friend did pose a threat, the bouncer at minimum was 5'6 and 130 lbs our friend was barely 5ft and probably weighed 90 lbs at best, so there was no need to get physical with her. She also noticed that he got particularly aggressive when she said not to touch her.

Moral of the story: we will not be coming back here and would strongly suggest other fun bars nearby (Pitcher's and League of their Own are classics.) I would stray from supporting a business that has no issues treating their customers as they did us.

Dan's is the definition of a hole-in-the-wall. Chances are walking down the street you wouldn't even notice this place besides an old, unmarked and unassuming door. Inside, it's reminiscent of a college frat house basement: dimly-lit, packed with people, sticky floor, with pool tables and chairs covered in massive tarps to keep everything from being drenched in alcohol. Dan's is probably unlike any other bar you have been to: it's cash only and this gets you liquor and a mixer plus a squeeze bottle to pour them into. You are given shot glasses and you serve yourself (or just go straight from the squeeze bottle). I was sick with the flu for nearly a week about 3 days after visiting this place, so it is questionable how well these shot glasses are really cleaned in between use. The clientele is mostly college-age people, so it that's your thing then great. Otherwise, it's Adams Morgan, so you throw a stick and hit 3 or 4 other bars you could go instead.

Best dive bar is back. Dan's Cafe has reopened after a remodel. Not to worry. It still looks very divey. The smell is still around too.

Everyone comes here for the squirt bottles. It's like a ketchup bottle filled with liquor. This is about $30 to get a few rounds of shots. If you want cheaper stuff you can get some well drinks. They pour drinks into regular glasses too. Avoid the bathrooms. It's just horrible. This is the place to take that one friend who wants to find the diviest bar possible.

The bar has a few things going on around it. One cool thing is the pool table. This feels like a basement in a crackhouse but in a kind way.

Rite of passage to do a squirt bottle shot. It's cash only but there's an atm on the main road up near Pitchers. Bathrooms are gnarly - I'd hold it if I were you. They play killer throwback tunes think Titanic & then Country Roads so everyone sings along. The crowd is random & younger but don't let that stop you from coming - it's an experience to have.

Unbelievably rude, especially the two guys working the front door. 95% sure at least one of them didn't even work there but they were saying racial slurs and being incredibly rude to the patrons waiting to get in. The inside smells awful, i assume it was due to the bathroom, which was atrocious. You're much better off going to madams organ or even shenanigans.

Wow-- what a cool spot. I will definitely be coming back here. This little popular dive bar in the heart of Adams Morgan has so much energy and a college like feel. It's the place to be on a Friday night. The line was a little longer than the other bars and the place was packed. The bouncer was very inviting and charismatic so waiting in line passed by very quickly.