Great Bars 2013: Wisdom

First-time visitors often walk past this unshowy Capitol Hill spot. (Hint: Look for the Chinese carryout next door.) Cozy and dim on the inside, Erik Holzherr’s little lounge boasts a wide selection of absinthes and a long cocktail list with a whole page of $10 specialty drinks made with Philadelphia’s Bluecoat gin. The menu’s symbols key—which rates drinks on subtlety, essence, and the like—can be laborious to decipher (especially after a drink or two), so skip it and ask for a First We Take Manhattan, a smooth, not-too-sweet blend of rye whiskey, Wild Turkey Honey, and green Chartreuse. Insider tip: A small crowd of regulars gathers for trivia night each Wednesday. The prizes: for the winners, a $25 bar tab; for the losers, shots (bartender’s choice). So everyone comes out on top—at least until the next morning. Open Tuesday through Sunday.