Great Bars 2013: Old Ebbitt Grill

Gaze at gilt-framed paintings of reclining nudes and a mural of the White House alight with fireworks as you sip on a Manhattan or martini in one of Washington’s most legendary taverns. Crowds of tourists often pack the marble entranceway at prime times, but fight it out and you’re likely to score a stool at one of the sprawling restaurant’s four bars—where good drinks and some of the area’s best oysters await. Insider tip: Head to happy hour (weekdays 3 to 6), when the restaurant’s famous raw bar is half off. Open daily.