Free State is a cocktail bar in the basement of a Chinatown building right behind the Capital One Arena. You walk down steep stairs, show the bouncer your I.D., and you're in. The space itself is pretty big for a city like Washington, D.C. There are tables and plenty of bar seating. The menu is large with wine, beer, and unique cocktails. I also appreciated they have a sour ale on tap!

Chill place for drinks, cool interior but the orange crushes were highly disappointing- they were watery, weak and not served with a fresh pressed orange, instead a pre-mix was used. For $10, we expected a more high quality drink.

Great craft beer selection and cocktails. The menu rotates frequently which keeps things fresh. Fun ambiance and a wonderful staff.

Tracey is the best bartender- friendly and chill and always ready to serve cool drinks. It's hard to go to another bar once you meet Tracey!!

This place is amazing!! I knew it would be great when I saw the stairs leading down to the basement, and it did not disappoint. 👍 14 taps of local beer! Felix the bartender was so friendly and knowledgeable, and even the security guy was awesome. The staff is so friendly, I'm definitely coming back here again, maybe even tomorrow night!

Private party for our staff and the ambiance was beautiful. Perfect spot to rent out. The sandwiches and potato salad was great. Lots of beverage options. 🍾🍹🍸🍷🥃

Cozy basement bar, all local drafts and spirits made on the east coast from North Carolina and up. No name brand drinks for the most part besides a few limited staples like patron, black label, jack Daniels, etc. Friendly regulars, small but great staff, good place for happy groups. Beer list constantly changes because they try to rotate a lot of local drafts. Stop in for sure if in DC

Had a great time. The bartender Tracy was amazing. He was very knowledgeable about everything they served and also had great recommendations about things to do in the DC area. He was the one who made it a great time. Thank you Tracy.

Fantastic bar and even better bartenders! Great locally sourced cocktails and beers. Would highly recommend if in the Chinatown area.

One of my favorite happy hour spots! Comfortable with friends or even alone (as a female)—bartenders are awesome!

Had a really great night here on Friday. Drinks and bar staff were super friendly even when it was super busy. Met a great guy called Tim who looked after me whilst visiting Washington DC but lost his number ☹️ so if you see this thanks so much for a fun evening and the Uber ride! Would recommend this bar, lively and good vibes x

Had a chance to drop by Free State Bar the other evening and found it to be a nice spot to relax and catch up with friends. The bar has a welcoming ambiance, paired with a diverse drink menu that caters to different preferences. The staff was approachable and provided prompt service. I particularly appreciated the comfortable seating and the background music, which set a good mood without being too loud. It's a place I'd recommend for those looking to have a pleasant time in a laid-back setting. I'll certainly consider returning the next time I'm around.

Nice atmosphere. Wasn't crowded when we went. Tried two specialty cocktails and they were ok, but regular cocktails were perfect.

Nice place So great cocktail And Taxes are included in a drink Great cocktail

The bartender was nice and location was great. Drinks were good and regulars were happy

Bouncer was INCREDIBLY rude, tried to start a confrontation with me because I apparently looked at him too long. Would never go to this bar again, we were so unsettled we left before getting a drink.

Feels like a speak easy. Great place to grab a drink before going to Capital One Arena.

Good place for some drinking sessions with some group of friends. The place is in a basement which is nice (kind of discreet drinking style) if you want to just simply chill out and relax.

In town for the weekend and didn’t know where to go. Honestly the bartenders are so nice and the vibe is warm and inviting. Great for sitting and talking with friends.