I’m not much for Irish coffee and its derivatives (especially those buried in whipped cream), but I do love me a well-made espresso martini. Not too long ago I discovered an even better way to enjoy coffee in an adult beverage.
Behold, the frozen coffee drink:
This delight can be found at Snappy’s Small Bar, in DC’s Petworth neighborhood. Terrific owners and staff, friendly as all get out, timeless decor. It’s the go-to place if you’re a fan of Underberg, as they always have a ton of it available.
The Frozen Coffee drink is cold and sweet, but not too sweet, and has a really nice coffee flavor. None of the elements buries the others, they just blend together nicely. The alcohol doesn’t hit you as you enjoy it, but clearly it could sneak up on you right quick if you have a few too many. Drawn from a frozen drink machine at the bar, it’s just delightful. At $10, it’s a relative bargain in these days of the $18 cocktail. I get one every time I’m there.
It’s fitting that Snappy’s created a unique coffee-based drink, as the previous tenant of the space was an outlet of Qualia Coffee.
This kind of bar often tries too hard to be a bona fide dive and comes across as anything but genuine. That’s definitely not the case at Snappy’s, where the friendly vibe is the real deal. One nice touch is anyone can buy a round for the bar, for $6 a head. Everyone gets a choice of a shot of whiskey or tequila, and the theme from Cheers is played. That happened while my wife and I were there recently, and instead of making the person look like a showoff, it was just a nice happy moment shared by everyone.
Whenever someone leaves the bar, the bartender tells them, “See you tomorrow!” If you really think about it, that’s kind of brilliant.
You can find Snappy’s Small Bar at 3917 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC, and read more about it in this article published soon after it opened.
Yum yum