I wanted to try this place due to their high ratings. Decided to reserved a big table for my bday dinner. They asked me to RSVP thru email and they even confirmed the day before. It is a small cozy place in U street. The service was great, and the food options were good. The only thing that turned me off is that they charged for cutting the cake that you BRING! Â but Oh well, I guess it is their service. Overall, if you want to get away of the noisy U- Street and just relax.. This is your place!
Review Source:An amazing time!
I have gazed at this place for some time, not really knowing much about the establishment. Â I was out for an evening in the U Street area last nite and my companion and I decided just to wander in to check it out. Â We didn't really know if it was a bar or restaurant. Â The general manager welcomed us into the Dickson, and gave us the full run down. Â We sat, ordered from the organic/biodynamic wine list, and relaxed. Â We also decided to try the bahn mi, the Dickson's speciality, and I have to say that it was the best sandwich I have ever had. Â
I have read that it gets loud and crowded, but we lucked out. Â We came in at about 10 PM and found a seat easily on a Friday night. Â
The general manager was also our server and she checked on us without being intrusive. Â She gave us a general overview of the history of the place and how the general atmosphere on a day to day basis.
An accidental walk-in turned into a great experience! Â We plan to go back soon!
Delicious Beet Salad = ~$10
DC priced Banh Mi in a hip neighborhood = $13
Organic cocktails = $12
(I thought the sangria was way too sweet, I would opt for wine next time)
Window seat and intimate setting with your love enjoying nightlife = priceless.
Friendly service= priceless.
Guess it all balances it out!
In my humble opinion, Dickson relies heavily on a cool aesthetic and artful presentation, but lacks the je ne sais quoi of a really great bar. It's cozy, intimate, and dark, but that can also translate to cramped, crowded, and loud on a very busy evening. The food and drinks are good, but I feel they're just too pricey for the overall experience - it's a bar, not a fine dining spot, but the menu is priced like a more upscale restaurant. The banh mi, which I haven't personally tried, is supposed to be off the hook; the rest of the food I've tried is totally fine, but again, ultimately unsatisfying when you get the bill.
I like Dickson, but it's never my first or second choice. Moreover, they've done this weird thing every time I've gone in which they run my credit card twice with two different but very close amounts and then the incorrect charge drops. Shrug.
I've been here twice now, once two years ago and once more recently.. somehow managed to be seated in the same exact spot both visits. Â The main floor is small but feels airy thanks to the open ceiling to the floor above and large windows overlooking Nellie's. Â
The service is pretty decent, servers and bartender are talkative and easy going. Â I ordered the jalapeno margarita (yes, I was at a wine bar ordering tequila but I was kind of hungover still so it made sense in my head) and loved it. Â It was spicy with a kick and that one did the trick. Â My friend ordered the black cherry sangria and loved it, too sweet for my taste. Â I also had two glasses of the coute de.. whatever red wine and really enjoyed it. Â Another friend ordered a vodka soda and was told they only stock organic/natural vodkas which taste much different than your typical vodkas.. She was not happy.. and after complaining that it tasted like gin the bartender graciously appeased her and gave her a new drink (and even after I confirmed that green mountain vodka tastes nothing like the absolut (gag me) she prefers).
Foodwise.. I've had the beet salad once and almost ordered it again but went with the moroccan carrot dip - so so good. Â My friends' ordered beef capriccio, pear salad, lettuce wraps.. Two of us split the bread pudding dessert, also quite enjoyable. Â The menu isn't online unfortunately but there is something for everyone from small salads to flatbreads to various meat dishes.
I don't really like the bar stools on the main floor, I understand for space and aesthetics the bar stools made more sense but they aren't the most comfortable seating for a relaxed couple of hours.
I always pass this place. Always say I'm going to try this place. And after a year this past weekend I finally did.
Saturday Night. No reservations. We walk in, it's dim and cozy filled with low key professional types.The staff was very welcoming. We had to wait about 20 minutes to get a seat, meanwhile we hung out by the bar on the 1st floor and had a cocktail, forgot the name of it,  but it was some Kentucky Bourbon style drink which was done perfectly. I noticed that they have a specialty in this genre of  spirits.
Got a spot upstairs. My sister and I split the Rib Eye Bah Mi, which was delicious, the meat was tender, the sauce complimented well, and the jalapenos jumped out and surprised my mouth at just the right time! We had a flat bread with gouda cheese and red peppers that too was pretty good. But that Bah Mi stole the show and it wasn't just because I was hungry. The red wine selection was fantastic I did two other medium bodied reds which were very enjoyable.
The bill wasn't outrageous. The atmosphere is very pleasant with some pretty good music flowing in the back drop. I like this place. This is just the type of spot you want to go to when you have a boat load of stuff to run by one of your closest friends.
I'll give this place 3.75 Stars.  I'm not crazy about their beer and wine selection to be honest.   But i'm easy.  I'll drink just about any beer.   Their service is spotty.  I used to live in the neighborhood and would only go in there when  a certain server was working.  Otherwise, I'd be afraid of being sat in a novice's section.  I wish they had a bigger bar with more stools.  Last time i went it was a four seater/cramped bar.  So forget it if you go alone trying to meet people. Â
They have a nice selection of cheeses, charcuturie and salads, etc....
Moving on to their star attraction.  The banh mi sandwiches.  I've never tried one until I came upon this establishment.  WOW.  What a treat.  They're nice and big too.  Loaded with meat ( they have chicken, pork and beef versions), fresh cilantro, shredded carrots and sliced fresh jalapenos.  Dickson has completely spoiled me when it comes to banh mi.  People will turn their nose and say they're not 'authentic' banh mi.  Fuck that, I don't care.  I've tried banh mi at other "authentic" vietnamese  restaurants in falls church, san fransisco and seven corners and each time I was disappointed.   Not even close to Dickson's banh mi's.   I'm thinking perhaps Dickson has "americanized" this vietnamese delicacy.  And I see nothing wrong with this.  Americans have been tweaking and making other cuisines their own( think pizza and hamburgers to name a couple).  There is only one place for banh mi in my opinion unless someone proves me otherwise.  And that's Dickson.
Dickson was phenomenal. I really don't want to share this with other people, because I don't want everyone frequenting it.
I went to meet up with a former classmate from undergrad, who is a regular there. I was thoroughly impressed by the wine list, but I let him choose. I wasn't disappointed by the two different red wines I had or by the margherita flatbread with chicken or the company.
The ambience was great, really cozy and intimate, and the service was good too, unlike some reviews I've read. I will definitely be coming back here some time in the near future and will update my review again after that!
Sometimes a place has great elements and potential, and despite that and the fact that I really want to like it, I just can't. Such is the case with Dickson Wine Bar.
My girl and I visited Dickson last Saturday night with the intention to have some wine and dinner. After being seated at the window bar (great people watching, I'll give them that), we waited almost 20 minutes for someone to come take our order. Finally we flagged down a busser to do it because we were starving and knew if we went somewhere else, we'd be in for a wait.
We ordered the charcuterie (coppa, soppressa, and salame) and cheese (camambert, san andreas, and chimay). They were excellent and came with the usual assortment of breads, fruits and crackers. The food itself was great, and if you have had charcuterie and cheese before, you know it's an 'assembly required" sort of meal. That wouldn't have been such a big deal, but we were crammed into a pretty tight seating area, and the trays that held the food were the exact same size as the bar in front of us. Add in small plates, silverware, water glasses and wine glasses, and the dining situation was onerous, at best.
Meanwhile, our server checked in once and disappeared. At least I think it was him -- I never actually saw his face because he did one of those "Andhowiseverything?" drive-by things and was gone before either one of us could finish chewing our bite. We had to flag down the busser again to ask for our check.
We'd originally intended to spend our evening at Dickson, but we ended up paying the check and going somewhere else. We were still hungry and definitely game for more than just one round of drinks, but we didn't feel like dealing with such spotty service in an unpleasantly cramped corner.
The Good:
FOOD! The Bahn Mi is out of this world. My boyfriend and I split the chicken Bahn Mi and were fighting over it. It is the sole reason we plan to go back! Well, besides the wine! We got the bottle of Montepulciano which was good -- wasn't the best we've ever had, but it was great for the price ($32 for the bottle).
The Bad:
The service (as other reviewers noted). While our waiter recommended three cheeses that we thoroughly enjoyed, he forgot our flat bread and was overall really slow. However, the place was crowded and there seemed to be a shortage of servers.
Overall, we had a great experience -- good atmosphere, good food, good wine! We'll be back, but I hope they improve on their service!
The Rib Eye Bahn Mi will change your life!
That is all I got to say. This is one of the best sandwiches I have have ever eaten. But I will go into more detail about Dicksons.
This is one of my favorite places to go in DC. I think I have been here about 6 times in the past 6 months. And that is a lot for me in DC. I always get the Rib Eye Bahn Mi. It is great for a small group (4-6), but even better for dates. Three levels and VERY dark. The wall is covered with empty wine bottles, which has lighting behind them to create this warm, glowing effect. This is pretty much the only lighting.
The wine list is pretty extensive. It is about 3 or 4 pages. However don't come looking for beer. They only have 4 or 5 beers on the menu and they aren't that great. It is a wine bar you know! They have a really good liquor selection but none of the mainstream selections.
The charcuterie and cheese selections are great (They have an option of 6 different meats and 6 different cheeses) and you can mix and match as you please.
Superb cocktails. Hidden gem. Fabulous bartenders. Great HH. Delicious cuisine. There is absolutely nothing not to love about Dickson.
Go for the inventive, expertly-crafted libations and impeccable bites, but stay for the cozy ambiance and drinking nook you can call your own. I hesitated writing this review for fear that I would give away DC's best-kept secret for those of us who frequent this fabulous place. But nonetheless, I felt guilty harboring such a remarkable watering hole.
You're welcome. Now, if only you can find it... (you surely didn't expect me to give everything away.)
I'm liking everything about this place except the wine itself. Yeah, yeah, yeah...I get it, it's all organic and what not, but I tried four different kinds so far and haven't managed to like one. It's not that the selection is terrible, it's that none of them really "wow" me. Other than that, I'm a fan of the small plates, especially the beef carpaccio. Service is a hit or a miss, don't expect it to be any better if the place is half empty either-that's just the way it is.
Review Source:Went here before dinner and loved the atmosphere. Â Only had drinks so cannot speak to the food (although I've heard good things and the table next to us had some delicious looking stuff) but the drink selection was great. Â In a small basement where we were with good ambiance and service. Â Heard good things about the vietnamese sandwiches which are hard to find around here.
Review Source:Dickson Wine Bar is an excellent addition to the neighborhood, with a low-key vibe that encourages conversation over a drink and small plates of eclectic foods. Â The space is candle-lit for a warm atmosphere that's both homey thanks to the reclaimed wood all around, yet swanky and modern. Â High ceilings and a big window out onto the corner of 9th and U add to the inspired feel, and bring energy to the balance of coziness.
The wines at Dickson are well-chosen and feature diverse styles from around the world that you might not see elsewhere. Â It's an opportunity to try something new, and enjoy how distinctive and delicious each wine can be. Â
However, my favorite drinks are the cocktails, which are creatively conceived, and expertly mixed. Â Examples include a rich and creamy Vietnamese iced coffee with gingersnap liquor, a spicy tequila elixir with chile and citrus topped with shaved chocolate, and a warmly complex chai tea with bourbon. Â
The menu globehops, featuring a range of different cultural influences which join in the figurative melting pot. Â From salads to finger foods, appetizers and heartier dishes there's always something interesting and delicious to enjoy. Â The highlights are Bahn Mi sandwiches from Vietnam, and an extensive list of meats and cheeses to select for a charcuterie plate.
The experience is made complete by a caring, knowledgeable, and engaging team of mixologist bar tenders and servers, including an awesome manager named Ed.
Dickson's a great start, middle, or finishing touch to the night. Â Come with a few friends, a date, or just on your own...sit down, relax, and enjoy!
Reading some of these reviews was a bit confusing for me. Â I have always had amazing and personable service at Dickson. Â The bartenders are really well versed in wines and spirits and genuinely love working there. Â The one thing that I would advise people is to come at less crowded times. Â I usually stop in on a weeknight or Sunday evening. Â I find the energy romantic and relaxing. Â Great place to take a date. Â Whoever wrote the review about date night was right on point. (Not sure if they were joking or being serious, but I guarantee this will wow a woman who loves wine and good food.) Â The flat bread is the BEST snack/meal and (when they have it) spicy guacamole is so great too. Â The only thing that I have to say is they could do a LOT of dusting of those awesome looking wine bottles. Â Looking forward to many more nights, dates, and drinks here!
Review Source:THIS PLACE IS TERRIBLE! Â STAY AWAY!
This place has the slowest service of anywhere I have ever been. Â 30 minutes for an egg nog cocktail? Â 50 minutes for a vietnamese sandwich? Â This is literally how long it took to order these items. Â I know, I timed it. Â 50 minutes for a sandwich. Â A sandwich. Â And it wasn't even crowded. Â And, we got no apology for the slow service. Â
And, they messed up our drink orders 3 times over the course of the night. Â Someone should buy their wait staff a notepad since they clearly are too dumb to remember a few drink orders. Â WRITE IT DOWN MORONS!
Then, when the bill came, wait for it.... it was wrong. Â I know, I know. Â It blew me away, too. Â We were charged for drinks we didn't order and they left off drinks we did order.
I will never return to this place. Â I have never seen service this bad.
The ambience is nice, I will concede that and that is why the venue earns one star. Â But, in reality, now that I think about it, the ambience is pretty unoriginal. Â I mean, it's a wine bar - so they put wine bottles on the shelves and turn the lights low and put out candles and on the radio they play midly upbeat lounge songs with no lyrics. Â Wow, I've never seen that setting before! Â Good job guys. Winners all around.
So, in closing, this is the worst place I have ever been in my entire life anywhere in the whole world, including Afghanistan.
Amazing food selection, incredible wine selection, friendly staff and perfectly hidden location, making it elusive. I live in the area and am so glad that Dickson is close by.
Don't miss out on their beet salad and lettuce wraps. They are two items I would have skimmed past but they are out of this world, the flavors explode in your mouth.
I recently enjoyed a few of their cocktails as well - they are so good!! Dickson should not be missed, the crowd is a plus, Â as well.
I'll be honest I didn't want to review Dickson because it don't want to share it with people! Â It's on U Street, which means that as soon as it's labelled a hot spot, it will be impossible to get into. Â
But alas, I want to be helpful so I'll be short:
1) Amazing food. Their banh mi's will leave you drooling for more.
2) Great wine at several price points
3) Fantastic service; smiling and courtesy are not above the staff here.
I feel slightly ashamed that it has taken me so long to make my way over to Dickson. I've literally passed by a bazillion times (which is precisely 3x more than a bajillion.)
You'd think this was just one of those places that I had been to but had just forgotten to write a review about, right?
Wrong-olio, neighbor!
Anyway, I finally made it in here and with purpose for a friend's birthday. Not only was I incredibly delighted to finally make my way in, but was pleased to experience the cozy, intimate and laid back atmosphere that it presents patrons.
While wine would have been the assumed beverage of choice, my friend recommended that the bartender whip me up a vodka, lemon, ginger concoction that was amazing. With all of the Friday night chaos on U Street, Dickson was the perfect escape from insanity. No lines, no sloppiness and plenty of room to give my heels a rest thanks to the maximum perchability between the high tables and bar stools.
It's definitely not a "pick-up" spot, but I might give people that hang out here a little more credit than the norm for choosing such an unpretentious and yet cool spot to hang.
Will definitely be back soon!
When I first laid eyes on you I knew...that you were the one. Â The one that would fill my belly with amazing food and wine. Â Oh you did me right...you did me right and it don't get no righter (yes that's a new word, don't judge me judger)...that's also a new word.
If you ask for recs from the servers there when it comes to wine and food you can't go wrong with what they say. Â I loved every bite and every sip, so will you, this much I PROMISE.
Although nearly impossible to find, Dickson Wine Bar is a delightful little spot if you ever locate it. Hidden as if it were a speak-easy, I actually had a pleasant (aka non-traumatic) experience finding it since I decided not to struggle, called up the place, and a staff member kindly popped out of the unmarked doorway to get me inside. Hint: this wine bar is up the very steep steps that looks kind of residential.
With plenty of wines by the glass and a terrific variety that even includes port, Dickson will certainly make my future list of wine outings in the U Street area. While we lucked out that the place was not crowded during our Saturday trip (optimal weather tip: visit if it's August in the rain), I can imagine that this narrow 3-story establishment fills up quickly on more traditional weekends.
Dickson's food menu, however, is not extensive. While the flat bread pizzas feature delicious toppings like perfectly seasoned, optimally flavorful mushrooms, the dough (more like bready surface) leaves a lot to be desired. My friend's cheese plate was another story: wow, what a generous serving size! For the same price as my dish, I could have gotten lots of yummy cheese, which will certainly be something to pursue next time along with the much-talked about bánh mi.
For the uninitiated (like me until a few weekends ago), Dickson has a daily happy hour that goes until 7 pm. Yay!! I'll definitely be back!
Now this is my kind of place. I mean, where you get great drinks PLUS good food? This is almost like Gibson plus a kitchen. Yes, please, give me some more.
I went on a Saturday night for a friend's birthday. Loved the dark decor and the intimate ambiance. I had a glass of pinot grigio for $9 and the shrimp salad for $12. While they could have been more generous with the wine (the glass was less than half full), I loved the wine itself and the exquisitely prepared salad.
They have cheese and charcuterie selections, banh mi, salads, mini pizzas, hummus, and tapas. An interestingly eclectic menu in terms of its internationality to say the list.
Would more than likely return to the venue for dates, though it is less intimate than the lounge in Gibson since its layout consists of a space that's a plain square where all is visible. There are also no couches or booths (at least not on the main floor). But the bar facing the window provides a fun spot for people watching on U Street, especially since it's on the second floor above ground.
Last night I went to Dickson for just my 3rd time since it opened, but the last time I visited was well over a year ago. Â Why was I denying myself the pleasure that is Dickson? Â Why, Yelp Gods, WHY???
Now to the nitty gritty. Â First, the wines by the glass seemed really unimpressive to me. I'm not a big wine guy other than loving it, but they seemed pricey and not overly appealing. Â I think $14 for a glass of sauvignon blanc is criminal. Â I had a gin rickey, which was very tasty. Â It was my first ever and I was surprised at how citrusy it was. Â My friend had the bourbon rickey and I didn't think the bourbon and the citrus went well at all.
Second, it's small plates, but some of their dishes are more like appetizers and they offer flat breads and bahn mis (more on those later), which are more significant in terms of amount of food than a traditional small plate. Â Yes, I still hate small plates!
Onto food: Â BAHN MI! The porkbelly bahn mi is definitely AWESOME! Â Large slices of porkbelly, amazing roll which was perfectly toasted, and just an all around amazing taste bite after bite! Â It's large, too. Â
Next up was the prosciutto flatbread with arugula and truffle oil. This was very tasty, but they drizzled the oil over the arugula. I wonder if it would be better drizzled over the prosciutto instead. Â Regardless, it was tasty but lacked a little zing or something else that I can't quite put my finger on at the moment.
Finally, we had the spicy guacamole. Â AMAZING! Â The guacamole was actually a bit creamy and chunky, and the spice was spot on. Just spicy enough to get you going but it didn't overpower the dish in any way. Â This was a huge surprise to me and my friend.
Our waiter was great, very friendly, and the gentleman who brought the food out to us was also very polite and nice.
Can't wait to go back!
Dickson moves up a star for being a consistently awesome wine bar and a place I never get tired of going to.
Again, Dickson has a great atmosphere -low lighting, with the right amount of noise, a really cool space, and a fitting decor (wine bottles line the walls). Â The more I visit, the more I appreciate the great cocktails Dickson makes (I am especially partial to their sangria or anything with the house infused vodkas). Â And I am now proclaiming that Dickson has the BEST cheese plate in DC, with a good selection of cheese, ample bread, and really interesting accompaniments (especially the pearl onions in honey and the red pepper jelly). Â The banh mi is also great.
Cons: It could use more seating (the upstairs and main floor fill up really quickly, and the downstairs lacks the great ambiance. Â It is also incredibly difficult to find the first time you go (I walked completely past the door twice my first time) which is definitely a con if you have people meeting you there.
I really like this place. I've been several times now and every time I'm satisfied with the service, food, and drinks. Great ambience too. I highly recommend trying the bahn mi, but at the same time everything I've had there tastes fresh and delicious, and their wines are always tasty, perfectly chilled, and the cocktails are great. I'll keep going back, and making regular appearance for take out bahn mi when I want to treat myself and the wife.
You have to look for it. Across the street from Nellie's, no sign...
I can't think of a better place to hang out at until the main acts at the 930 Club go on stage.
Stopped by here before Matthew Sweet went onstage and had a great time with a group of 9. Â Rounds of sangria and prosecco during HH started the night off well. Â Plates of flatbread and banh mi were wonderful and the succulent tuna tartare was a great hit.
The atmo is groovin' as well. Â Our party was on the top floor and we had a great view of Nelly's rooftop bar and the first floor. Â I thought we were a little loud, but no one seemed to mind. Â You always need that party that makes it seem as if the place is crowded. Â And it was in the basement, but not so much on the first floor.
Will be coming by here again before any show. Â As for those who can't seem to find the place, come on. Â Just look for the address. Â Discretion is part of this place's charm.
The one downside? Â I think Dickson's is a bit on the pricey side. Â Everything is about 15% too much. Â I don't mind, but it's price gouging for the younger clientele.
One of my favorite things to do before going to a show at the 9:30 Club: stopping here for Happy Hour specials.
Sure, the place isn't clearly marked and looks like an abandoned building, but that's half the fun! I've always had great service and tasty wines here for excellent Happy Hour prices.
This is a super-sexy wine bar that you would never know existed unless you were specifically looking for it. Their website leaves something to be desired - as does their Facebook page - very little detail in either, so you don't really know what you're in for until you get there.
When you get to the location, there is no sign... instead, you'll only spot a rowhouse that has the words 'Dickson Building' etched above the door. Navigate up the narrow set of concrete stairs, and be careful of the door that opens outward. Once inside, this place is super cool. The lower level has a couple high top tables, but the place to sit is upstairs in the loft. Here, you can look down into the main level and people watch, but you also get to watch the goings on in the street from the windows, and you also get a really cool view of all the wine bottles lit up decorating the wall in front of you. This is a really intimate little spot.
I really want to give this place 4 stars, but I'll be honest, the ambiance is what carries this place. I find their menu appealing, but the execution of the menu just so-so. I've never been thrilled with dinner here, but for cheese and charcuterie, it's nice. The wine selection is okay, but you'll get a lot of Italian wines that you won't be familiar with. The happy hour wines at $5/glass are okay, but nothing exceptional.
Service here can also be slow, so don't try to cram in a dinner here before a show. Otherwise, this is a great place to relax and soak up atmosphere. If this place's decor wasn't what it is, I wouldn't be a regular though, I'd more likely just go to Cork.
It was hard to find this place at night because of the nondescript building I walked right past it because there is no sign. The fact that the building next door is under construction just adds to the confusion.
It is 3 floors but super small so you'll probably end up sharing a table with another party, which is fun because you get to meet new people and everyone there was friendly. The menu is small as well but I had the mushroom  flatbread and it was delicious!!! The cherry sangria was amazing! I learned all about organic and biodynamic wine.  The pear and arugula salad is all arugula, could barely find the cheese in it. Their cheese menu doesn't give any descriptions, correction apparently it's on their facebook page but not useful when I'm in their venue. Their desserts are delicious.
The place was so busy you have to walk up to the register to order anything. When your food is brought to you it is never brought with silverware, that is always a separate trip for some reason. So you're left just staring at your food. Their website has nothing on it, no menu, nothing.
This is probably somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars. Since Yelp doesn't allow 1/2 stars, I decided to go with 4.
Dickson is right across the street from Nellie's. The space is 3 levels and narrow in the traditional style of DC rowhouses. The decor is modern yet cozy, and the lighting a tad on the dark side, which I liked - it's just bright enough to read the menu and eat comfortably.
I liked the wine selection - unique and fresh. I asked the server for a recommendation based on my preference and ended up going with a crisp, tasty verdejo that hit the spot perfectly. One of my friends had the black cherry sangria and was very pleased. The food was delicious also - I tried the pork belly bahn mi and loved it. So fatty and decadent! My friends had the roasted chicken breast & mixed greens special and really enjoyed their food as well.
The service, however, left much to be desired. It was about 8 PM on a nice Thursday night. The place wasn't empty, nor was it packed. We sat on the main floor and were pretty much ignored unless we waved someone over. I'm willing to give Dickson the benefit of the doubt though - things happen, maybe they were just understaffed. I will definitely give the place another shot and report back to see if this was just a fluke or if it's an actual issue.
Overall - a nice addition to the U St neighborhood. I will return.
Dickson Wine Bar is one of the few places that provides the ambience, decor and the sophistication to justify it's prices in this city. The wine selection is great (try the shiraz and the pinot noir) and the cheeses that I accompany them with are great. This three story bar has a chic post-modern decor and reminds me of NYC (sigh).
It is a bit pricy but as I said it is justified here. It is a great date spot and a nice place to get the night started off in. I have only sampled their cheeses but they have a Bahn Mi  on the menu that I can never put myself to order because it costs $12.
One of my favorite bars in my favorite neighborhood Dickson comes highly recommended.
You know what the most delicious cocktail on the planet is?
If you guessed the Pumpkin Pie Martini at Dickson: you're right. Congrats on your superb guessing skills.
Dickson is rapidly becoming one of my top ten favorite bars in DC. Â Not only do they have a nice wine selection (they are, afterall, a wine bar), but they also have a DELICIOUS cocktail list, pretty good service, a nice, dark, intimate atmosphere (low lighting, candles, bottles covering the walls), and low crowd pressure (its a sitting room only kind of place). Â Dickson is a great first date spot, or prefect for a low key drink any night of the week. Â The only problem? Â Getting in on Friday or Saturday, when hordes of others are probably waiting in line ahead of you.
Not terribly difficult to spot once you know you're looking for stairs up to a doorway topped by an engraved slab of concrete. The trio of barhoppers milling around outside shooed us in. It wasn't so crowded that we had to venture to another level, though we caught many a upskirt glimpse of those too inebriated to sit primly by the rail framing the upper foyer. (I know, channeling BB much?) Our server was friendly, and the entire staff had enthusiastically dressed and redecorated in the spirit of Halloween. The mega-giant tarantula of doom hanging off the railing was a nice touch. WC was roomy enough for a reaching mannequin from The Ring to be strategically hidden behind the door. It explained the handful of people idling in the hallway, waiting for exclamatory cussing and yelps.
Hummus was okay, but the guacamole outshone it. The carbs that came with each were nicely toasted. Decent background playlist, and decor is agreeably low-key on the posh scale to put the dressed-up at ease just as much as the dressed down. The tables are sufficiently wide for dining, and set at close intervals such that any leaning resulted in an increase of physical collisions with the neighbors behind you. Fortunately our fellow patrons were a bunch of polite folk, and mutual apologies were plentiful. Thumbs up for the two purse hooks under each table.
Pumpkin pie martini tasted like bubble gum mouthwash. I love condensed milk but this was a mildly appalling beverage. The spiced rum thinned out the martini so much, and dominated any hint of pumpkin spice; similarly, the only evidence of cinnamon was a grainy mouthfeel after each swallow. Black cherry caipirinha was scarcely better. I love cachaca but the cherry liqueur overwhelmed the palate with something akin to bitter grenadine, with some tartness enhanced by lime juice.
Three and a half stars. Breakfast manhattan was a winner, though I only tasted it after Justin and Jake's requested tweaks. Bacon-infused bourbon was tasty, with mild sweetness from maple syrup to balance each sip. Ca phe da was dangerously tasty. I'll be back for another of these-- or three-- and to try the pork belly or ribeye banh mi.
I'm by no means a wine connoisseur, but I do appreciate everything Dickson is and what it stands for. Dickson is an oasis in the sea of bars and music venues that make up U Street. Though I usually abhor "upscale" venues in DC, this wine bar feels neither overtly prissy or cliche.
Dickson gets a lot of things right: the ambience is both intimate and inviting, the menu manages to somehow pair nicely with everything--be it beer or wine--and the alcohol selection is quite formidable.
Go here, I recommend, if you'd like to catch up with a friend or two over a drink and not have to yell to be heard. Go here if you like nice things, but don't like being judged at the door by your attire--this is U Street, after all. And go here if you like reasonable price points for most menu items.
Winner first date strategies:
1) Pick an unmarked place and make sure that you instruct your date to meet you there. Â Not only will you come off as a total gentleman for not even having the common decency for picking her up and walking her to a place that is hard to find BECAUSE THERE IS NO SIGN, but you can assure yourself that the frustration and confusion you have caused her in addition to the generally odd nature of first dates won't have any further effect on the rest of the night. Â
2) Make sure you have never been to the place yourself. Â That way, you won't have to worry about knowing the dress code, the clientele, the menu, or the wine. Â Remember, going in with no plan is the SMARTEST thing one can do when going on a date. Â You know, because you can be super-spontaneous and the like because that is what, like, works and stuff. Â Clearly, obviously, all the time. Â
3) Go to a wine bar that doesn't serve a single wine you recognize. Â Sure, maybe you took the time to look at Yelp recommendations and determine beforehand that the wine a friend of yours had NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO would obviously still be on the menu. Â If it isn't there, you won't panic and order a wine you can't even pronounce because you are a winner and never fail. Â
4) Organic and biodynamic wine is great!!! Â Sure, to paraphrase my wonderful friend Laura T., I think I can now imagine what a urinal cake might taste like. Â But hey, it's ORGANIC. Â Don't worry that your date doesn't care about whether something is organic and is too smart to fall for idiotic trends that provide an awful product that is profitable simply because the cumulative collective IQ of America (including you and not her) could fit in my wallet in one dollar bills. Â You may not be so smart but hey, you know how to follow a trend. Â Go you!!!
5) If she hasn't invited you back to her place yet BECAUSE THE DATE IS GOING SO WELL, try and do as many stupidly awkward things that you NEVER do in any other context, like shoving the bill in your used wine glass. Â Your date will think it's funny; don't misconstrue the smile as a natural reaction to wondering how quickly she can make a move for the door. Â
Follow these strategies and you will always come out ahead. Â TRUST.
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