The Gibson is one of those DC bars that is SOOOO much a part of DC cocktail culture – thy really don’t really need any introduction. Now we have a whole bunch of cocktails bars and “speakeasy” style bars and stuff, but when I first came to DC 7 years ago it was pretty much The Gibson.

They still have some of the best drinks in town – both in terms of creativity and taste! What stands out to me time and again, however, is the creativity and thought behind each drink name, ranging from pop culture to politics to inside jokes between the bartenders.

The Gibson just debuted their new spring and summer menu with over 40 new concoctions!

The new patio menu is a grid of classic cocktails that you are probably familiar with, along with variations of the classic - including an old school variation, a modern version, and “a la Gibson” version. Perfect for when you something like a Moscow Mule but not quite just a Moscow Mule. I loved this grid idea.

Summer days will see me drinking the “Chit Chat Ting”, a punch of rum, falernum, Cassis and a light note of vanilla. For something a bit stronger, “I’m Afraid of Americans” with scotch and pamplemousse is what you want.

There is also a whole new seasonal menu with over 20 drinks (in addition to the patio menu!). At a recent preview, we tasted 10 of these. I’ve listed some of my favorites below.

Brooklyn Zoo

A nice balance of flavors with chili infused sherry, lemon, pineapple syrup, and grapefruit bitters topped with soda – this was a refreshing easy drink. Perfect for spring, really.

I never do this

I love a good mezcal cocktail, and this one was no exception. A smoky, sexy cocktail with mezcal and bitters, this was what I’d put in the “I don’t normally do this but I should” category.

Josephine

If someone told me I’d actually like a banana liqueur cocktail, I’d have scoffed. I don’t like bananas to begin with. The Josephine, made with cognac, banana liqueur, egg whites, allspice and vanilla is somehow not cloyingly banana flavored or sweet or anything you’d expect. It’s delicious and like a light dessert in a glass. Surprisingly, I really really enjoyed it and it was definitely a crowd favorite for the night too. Beautiful presentation with the dehydrated banana too!

The Best Yet

The Bolivian brandy “singani” is appearing on cocktail menus all over the city now, but I found out that The Gibson was the first bar in the city to use this! The combination of brandy, grapefruit juice and agave was another of my favorites of the night.

I’m Remy. You’re Nicki

This was probably the booziest drink of the night. The combination of Laphroaig, Amaro, Maraschino Liqueur and bitters was Kris’ favorite of the evening, so if you lean towards scotch drinks, this one is for you.

The Gibson has over 50 new cocktails between its patio menu and the revamped seasonal menu, and if you don’t find something in that list that catches your fancy (but, really??) the folks behind the bar are always happy to whip up something based on your tastes. The food menu is totally new as well – the deviled eggs are fantastic!

Enjoy a night out on their patio and check out their new menu soon! Cheers!

Website: The Gibson

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thegibsondc