Silver Lyan In Wash - Calumet-Norvelt

The Silver Lyan is worth the experience. My boss took me here and she knows her stuff as an international traveler. It's a private style hideaway gem in the lower level (historic bank vault) of the original Riggs National Bank now a Michelin Key hotel. A very unique food and drink menu. I had the Perkin's Purple Punch and a regional Manor Hill (German) Pilsner. The tater tots and doughnuts are spectacular. We also enjoyed the delicious chicken biscuit sandwiches.

10 stars for Alex. He took care of us even while there was another reservation ahead of us. We arrived a bit late. But his customer service is the best I have had in a while. Drinks were great especially that nimbus. Chicken and biscuits could use more mumbo sauce.

The location is very cool, kind of like an underground speakeasy vibe. Our server was great and very knowledgeable. The drinks are creative but I thought mine was just okay and my partner wasn’t that impressed either. I don’t usually mind this, but they were also kind of tiny for the price. I’m not sure I would go back.

UPDATE: One month later and no one from Silver Lyan has reached out. The apology and acknowledgment from Dwayne is very much appreciated but the blatant racism my friend and I received from Vald was hurtful and unacceptable. As a frequent patron of Silver Lyan over the past three years, I’ve always appreciated the quality of their cocktails and the overall experience—until my recent visit, which was nothing short of appalling. During my latest visit with a friend on August 10, 2024, we ordered our usual drinks, only to find the pours noticeably smaller than what we 'd come to expect. We were privately discussing this when Vlad, the manager, abruptly interrupted our conversation. Without even a hello, he told us, If you guys are worried about price, there are cheaper places to visit. He never made an attempt to address our concerns or even understand them until after we called out his rude comment. This encounter was not only unprofessional but also deeply offensive. We weren’t even complaining about the cost; we were simply comparing our experience to previous visits. Vlad 's condescending tone and dismissive attitude were entirely uncalled for. I can’t help but believe that his response was influenced by our race, as I seriously doubt he would have made such a patronizing remark if we were white. It’s disheartening that such a beloved spot has been tarnished by one disrespectful encounter. Silver Lyan has lost two loyal customers for good.

From the host to the bar, everyone is nice and go above and beyond. given DC bars prices this is THE place if you're looking for an actual craft cocktail and secluded place away from the city