"When Prohibition came to D.C. in 1917, three years before it was enacted into law nationwide, all legal bars in the District were shutdown. But Prohibition didn't succeed in eradicating alcohol from the nation's capital. Instead, the 267 licensed saloons became nearly 3,000 speakeasies, disguised in a variety of forms, from a candy shop in the shadow of the Capitol dome to a jazz club in a drugstore basement." - Mark H

"Today, visitors can sample D.C.'s vintage cocktails at several speakeasy-inspired bars, including the The Gibson, Harold Black, and The Columbia Room, a ten-seat, reservation-only cocktail bar located behind an unmarked door in the back of another bar, The Passenger. All feature low lights, '20s-era decor and plenty of strong booze. But for those looking to truly venture into D.C.'s illicit past, the sites of a few authentic speakeasies can still be tracked down. Although most were located in private homes in the city's downtown, many of which have been torn down, a few have since converted into fully-legal restaurants and bars, where visitors can grab a drink and remember D.C.'s roaring past." - Mark H