Allegory

Hidden behind an unmarked door in the Eaton Hotel's Radical Library, Allegory marries political consciousness with serious drink-making in a room draped in a sprawling mural that tells the story of American dissent. Ranked No.57 on North America's 50 Best Bars 2026 and a Spirited Awards honouree for Best Bar Team, creative director Deke Dunne oversees a programme that changes concepts entirely with each new menu — the current "Banned in DC" edition draws on censored art and literature. Cocktails are ambitious and flavour-forward, with presentations that veer theatrical without becoming gimmicky. The two-to-three-hour wait on weekends speaks for itself. A bar with something to say, and the liquid credentials to back it up.