One of the District’s most iconic bars, the speakeasy-style Allegory, has been located inside the Eaton DC hotel since opening in 2022, garnering international acclaim and a long list of awards and distinctions.
Since it opened in 2022, the bar has consistently ranked among the best bars in North America, earning the following rankings year after year:
- 2023 – #45
- 2024 – #23
- 2025 – #45
- 2026 – #57
This year marks the first time since its ’50 Best’ debut in 2023 that the bar doesn’t crack the top-50 of their best bars in North America list, but despite their rank dipping slightly, Allegory was dubbed the winner of the “2026 Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award”.
What makes Allegory’s new cocktail menu the best in North America?
If you’re not aware, this is actually not the first time Allegory has been awarded the title of having North America’s best cocktail menu!
Allegory’s first best cocktail menu award was won in 2023, the same year it made its ’50 Best’ debut — that menu was a narrative-driven drinks list that placed the young African American civil rights activist Ruby Bridges in the world of Alice in Wonderland, offering a unique, thought-provoking message paired with world-class cocktails.
Allegory’s new cocktail menu, entitled ‘Banned In D.C.‘, continues that story of the 2023 menu’s main character, Ruby Bridges.
Similar to 2023, the 2026 cocktail menu takes the form of a book designed by Dian Holton, featuring works by artist Katie Miller to represent the story written by Allegory’s creative director, Deke Dunne.
Set in a dystopian D.C. in the future, the menu’s story guides patrons through Ruby’s re-entry into the chaotic ‘Alice in Wonderland’ world as she seeks a way to restore order to a post-apocalyptic D.C. controlled by an oppressive regime.
The menu features 17 cocktails that each represent a chapter in the story, which can be thought of in three acts: the first consisting of light and refreshing drinks, the second being more boozy and bold beverages, and then ending with a third act of tropical and fruity flavors.
