Casta's Rum Bar DC

Name: Casta's Rum Bar DC
Address: 1121 New Hampshire Ave, NW Washington District of Columbia, DC, United States, 20037-1522
Telephone: (202) 506-3877
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.4

4.4

506 Reviews

$30 and under

Cuban

Top Tags:

Casta's Rum Bar offers a lively indoor-outdoor bar atmosphere serving up flavorful cuban cuisine and rum-heavy cocktails.

The moment a guest walks in the door, they feel the warmth, spirit, and upbeat energy of Cuba, which has been recreated here. From the visual aesthetic, to the food, cocktails, music, and hospitality culture– every detail has been considered.

Casta’s offers a robust menu of Cuban favorites - a cuisine known for
fresh seafood from the Caribbean, flavorful spices, and a heavy Spanish influence. The star of the menu is the Classic Cuban Sandwich with yellow mustard, roasted pork, glazed ham, swiss cheese and pickles – which Castaneda has spent hours honing and developing. The secret is in the bread, which is flown in from Miami. Additional menu highlights include Empanadas, Croquetas, and Ceviche Caribeno with citrus, mango, pineapple, cucumber
salad, and plantain chips.

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Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Cuban, Cocktail Bar, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
Hours of operation
Mon–Wed 5:00 pm–12:00 am Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:30 am Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(202) 506-3877
Website
http://www.castasrumbar.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Chef Alberto Vega

Location
1121 New Hampshire Ave, NW Washington District of Columbia, DC 20037-1522
Neighborhood
West End
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cigar Room, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Dancing, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 506 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.4

4.4 based on all time ratings

4.2Food
4.2Service
4.4Ambience
4Value

Noise • Moderate

506 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
43 reviews
vip
1.0
43 reviews
Dined on November 11, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
They don’t use open table anymore but never felt the need to let people know that
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
15 reviews
vip
4.0
15 reviews
Dined on October 1, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience5
It's a nice brunch spot. The food, drinks, and ambiance were all on point. We chose to dine "outdoors" on the rooftop, which is actually a closed in rooftop, but that was ok with me because I don't like fighting flies anyway. My only issue was the lack of table options on the rooftop, especially if you have more than two guests. I totally understand trying to host as many guests as possible, but it's very difficult to truly enjoy the dining experience if three people are seated at a small high bistro -- three people who came to eat AND drink! If we only came for the drinks, maybe the bistro would work. But, three people can't comfortably eat and drink with a small, round table. Where are we putting the food? On our laps? Joining two bistro tables may or may not work, it depends on the guest. On the rooftop, there was only one comfortable, picnic style table and one very low picnic style table to choose from. Casta's may as well use pillows instead of chairs for the low picnic table because the chairs are too high for such a low table and sitting on the floor is not an option in that kind of setting so basically, the low table should be replaced with another higher picnic style table. My girlfriends and I sat back and watched the guests who were offered the low table (LoL) and they all had the same facial expression -- "what in the world is this??" We ended up choosing to eat at the bar and had a really great time. Steven, the bartender, was great & the food was served super fast & it was sooooooo freaking good!! Overall 4.5 out 5.
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GT
GeneT
Monaco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We hosted a small reunion/ surprise bday party and were extremely happy. Nicole was great in accommodating the perfect location for our group. Staff were all friendly/professional and kept everyone happy. The menu is perfect to approach like tapas for the group. Empanadas and ceviche were amazing and bartenders did some skilled mixing. The restaurant/bar is big enough that you can find the location with level of music volume or quiet that suits you.
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MB
MissB
Washington DC
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2023
overall3food2service3ambience3
Made a reservation on opentable. When I realized my friend and I were running late, I was forced to call the restaurant to modify. When I called, I was told that Casta's doesn't accept opentable reservations. I told the hostess that I was able to reserve on that site, but apparently they don't use it anymore. Thankfully we were able to push our reservation an hour later, which was great for us. MAKE RESERVATIONS ON THEIR ACTUAL WEBSITE! Only street parking, or find local parking garages. Came on a Sunday to eat and smoke cigars however the CIGAR ROOM IS CLOSED for renovations. Maybe open in about 2 weeks. This was disappointing, but we decided to eat there anyway. Sunday was brunch but in such a small space, it was a little crowded and extremely loud. There was only ONE WAITRESS for the entire restaurant. JUST ONE!! So, naturally service was a bit slow. The waitress tho had a small on her face and she was forced to cater to everyone. Shout out to the barbacks and persons who delivered food to tables also! Had the beef empadas, good as I remembered. They came out piping out! But I didn't have any water left (was waiting 20 min for a refill) so I waited a while to eat them The Frittas were just okay. Bread that came with them, were just as delish also Until they open the cigar area, and get more waitresses I will likely not return anytime soon
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JB
JBCC
Washington DC
19 reviews
vip
3.0
19 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall3food3service2ambience3
Second time here. Was not expecting an all day brunch menu (for dinner nonetheless). That was disappointing and I don’t recall that being on the website though it may have been. Server was fine though the 20% gratuity was automatically added on. She wasn’t friendly. Just perfunctory. It was fine. Didn’t love having to choose from eggs or other breakfast items after 6pm. Some may like that though. Won’t return on a Sunday.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Tampa
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on April 30, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
There was a loud bachelor party in the same area we were seated for dinner. Our hostess walked us past the party, as the bachelor was licking whip cream off a woman’s leg, and sat as at a table nearby. Um… nope. This was clearly not the Cuban restaurant that I had enjoyed previously.
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K
Kitc
Baltimore
3 reviews
vip
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 10, 2023
overall3food2service3ambience4
I personally didn’t like this type of food. The drink I wanted was also no longer being served.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 19, 2023
overall5food5service3ambience5
Found and drinks were real good. The server was distracted and did not come check on us enough. But when the server was available she was very kind.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 19, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Casta fun bar was such a cute experience! The location is kinda hard to find because there’s a sign that leads you to the alley but then the entrance is a door that didn’t look like the entrance. But once I found the place a cute little gem! There was no host and when we saw an employee we were told to seat ourselves. Thankfully it wasn’t too crowded that this was an issue. I was concerned because I made a reservation online and needed to push back the time but no one ever answered the phone for hours after opening. You can’t change the reservation online it says call- but no one answers the phone. But we were able to sit! I specifically came for the towers! The main one we wanted was not available and this was at 3pm so it musta been a hit. So we got the tower made with sparkling wine and like passion fruit. It’s like $80 for the tower but what better way to brunch? Also on Sundays this and brunch is available 12-9 which is a win. We got beef empanadas to begin- fresh and good. Next i for the French toast with a side of eggs scrambled well with peppers. It was made perfectly! My soul was happy. My friend got the potato bowl and it was so well seasoned! My other friend got a sandwich which she enjoyed- that and the empanadas came with a side salad. All the food was good! We all enjoyed it! My homegirl got the churros while I ordered the plantains and ice cream for dessert. Everything was great! The tower was just so great! Three of us finished it (well two really)! The outside patio is where we decided to sit and it was cute out there- music low enough to still chat and catch up. Ambience is definitely cute- we love a trendy spot. Service was good- no true complains there :) Parking can be a hassle but this is the city! We know this. I loved this place and will definitely have to circle back when the weather is nicer to enjoy it even more!
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PH
PrettyHappy123
Washington DC
40 reviews
vip
1.0
40 reviews
Dined on March 19, 2023
overall1food2service3ambience2
This place was terrible. They kept messing up orders and bringing out the food for the table a little bit at a time. I went to politely ask the manager a question and he was so rude and completely disregard me. I felt bad for the waitress because she felt bad (it wasn’t her fault) so she kept giving us free shots. That was the only good thing about my experience here. We made sure to tip her well but I will never go back her. The food was also very lackluster.
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MD
MrsD
Philadelphia
3 reviews
vip
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
My recent experience at Casta’s Rum bar was extremely disappointing. The food was not hot or fresh and seemed like it had been sitting under a lamp for quite some time. Our appetizer didn't even come out until after our dinner, which was already a bad sign. To make matters worse, my husband became ill after eating his steak, which was completely unacceptable. I didn't even touch my own meal, but nobody bothered to ask why. To add insult to injury, the gratuity was already included, so the staff didn't seem to care about the quality of our experience. Despite the obvious issues with the food, nobody seemed concerned with making things right. Additionally, there was cigar smoke everywhere, which made it difficult to enjoy the meal or even breathe comfortably. Overall, I would strongly advise against dining at Casta’s Rum Bar. The food quality is poor, and the staff doesn't seem to care about the well-being of their customers. The fact that my husband became ill after eating his steak is a clear indication that the kitchen practices may not be up to par. The inclusion of gratuity and the presence of cigar smoke only add to the unpleasantness of the experience. Save your money and find a better place to dine.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience4
This place is super cute! Great food and drinks. However, I was disappointed at first with the service. That’s why I can’t give it 5 stars.They were very busy and our waitress came back twice to check on us. Thankfully she got some help and we had this wonderful Salvadorean man attend to us. I wish I could remember his name! He made everything a much better experience for us. We definitely plan on going back! Be aware that if you’re not a fan of cigar smoke, this is not the place for you.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Minneapolis
8 reviews
vip
3.0
8 reviews
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall3food2service3ambience4
Went to brunch with three friends. Not impressive food. And they didn’t have coffee or any espresso/coffee drinks besides a frozen espresso martini. Not brunch drinks in my opinion — thought the food was meh. Not super hot or flavorful. Not super impressive. Has a great patio/bar outside covered but we were sat 4 against a wall and two in my party faced the wall. It was very awkward. Would not recommend/return.
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L
Lizzy
Washington DC
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 8, 2023
overall3food4service4ambience5
Food and drinks were great but this is NOT a family friendly restaurant. Guests were allowed to smoke in the patio that is not ventilated and many guests were seated in the patio stuck with the cigar odor of an active smoker. Not a fun time breathing that while having dinner.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Dallas
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on March 4, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience5
Smells like cigars, slightly overwhelming. But music, drinks, and ambiance was good.
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K
Kate
New York Area
43 reviews
vip
2.0
43 reviews
Dined on February 27, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience3
For starters… they only serve brunch on Sundays. We went for dinner and there was no indication on line or on our confirmation phone call about that. I was hosting 7 guests and that surprise was not a good one. The food was average. The service was average. The price was very good. But I would have preferred a better overall experience at a bit of a higher price.
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r
reviewer
Washington DC
7 reviews
vip
1.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
Absolutely terrible. Food took an hour - and it was sandwiches for bunch for two people so nothing over the top. On top of that, they had the patio closed, but allowed people to smoke under the premise that it is an outdoor patio (well, not when it’s winter and there’s no ventilation). When we said something about it, they just opened the windows and freezed us to death. Not going back and do not recommend
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LD
LuigiD
New York Area
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 25, 2023
overall1food1service1ambience1
Me and my family went there to have a n early dinner. The place was ok walking though it. It smelled of heavy cigar smoke. Then our waiter was also the bartender and mixed up horrible drinks. One was so sweet and another one tasted so bad. The. My wife order a steak he never asked how we wanted it cooked and we told him to put the sauce on the side which I came with it on top of the steak. Steak was not to her liking. And the bathrooms were worst than a porta potty. We will never step foot in that place again.
1 person found this helpful
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was for my friends 21st and she had so much fun and the food was great and so were the drinks and that’s all that matters, thank you Castas!
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DB
DominiqueB
Washington DC
3 reviews
vip
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 23, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
Service and vibes were great. Limited menu due to something being wrong in the kitchen.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
11 reviews
vip
4.0
11 reviews
Dined on February 19, 2023
overall4food2service3ambience5
Good drinks, great ambiance and decent service. Their food options are basically non existent though and what they have is not very good
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c
claraa
Washington DC
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 19, 2023
overall3food1service1ambience4
We got there and they sat us in the corner inside so we asked to be moved outside. Which they did. The service sucked. There was only one server, and they brought us a drink with a hair in it which was never replaced. We ordered our drinks and food and it basically never came. What made up for it was it seemed to be the manager apologized and took care of everything because we ended up leaving since our server never came back to help us. I am not sure if I would visit again
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlanta Metro
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on February 19, 2023
overall1food2service1ambience4
The wait time for food was over an hour. The waitress only came to our table once and that was in the beginning to initially take our order. We had to flag the manager Rob down who was very rude to us. He didn’t want to tell us his name. He said I’m the manager what do you need? One guest ordered bottomless mimosas & the waitress did not bring over the bottle only a glass of mimosa. We asked the manger again his response “Let me explain to you how bottomless works” in a very rude and condescending way. After he realized, the waitress messed up and did not bring over the bottle at all he apologized. The drinks were canceled on our ticket but the service was slow. Food was luke warm. Overall, never returning. Such a disappointment.
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CM
CharlotteM
San Francisco
1 review
vip
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 19, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
Food was good and came promptly but the service was really lack luster. We waited along time to put in drink orders and every time we wanted to get another round we had to walk up to the bar to find out server. Might have been low staff for the night but was frustrating M
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M
Mita
San Francisco
3 reviews
vip
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 19, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience3
The service was sub par …. The drinks were pretty good. But, what was disappointing was the food! It was awful…. Of the 3 entrees and 3 appetizers ordered the only semi good thing was the bbq ribs . And who really wants to eat bbq ribs at a restaurant that is known for Cuban cuisine.
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L
Laurav
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food , service , music was great ! We had our galentine’s here and it was the perfect spot , definitely plan on coming back
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S
Spartan
Washington DC
38 reviews
vip
4.0
38 reviews
Dined on February 17, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience3
Didn’t know smoking was allowed. Detracted from our experience
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OT
OpenTable Diner
St. Louis
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 10, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience3
Great drinks, but a little bit too loud to have a conversation and the seating was a little awkward.
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AA
AnthonyA
New York Area
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A fun brunch spot nestled away in the basement of an apartment building. The glass encased cerveza bar area was great for brunch - the loud bump in the music was a bit much but the drinks and the food made up for it hands down. The bottomless flowed freely and the food was dynamite.
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TR
TheresaR
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our first time and we had a great time!! Food, drinks and service were excellent! We'll definitely come back.
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TM
TiffanyM
Washington DC
33 reviews
vip
5.0
33 reviews
Dined on January 21, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience4
The staff was very friendly. Our waiter made an extra effort to help us with the menu items.
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k
knt6
Washington DC
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
probably the best pina colada I have ever had in my life. food is insane, not a bad dish on the menu. please do yourself a favor and eat and/or drink here!
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DL
DouglasL
Washington DC
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 8, 2023
overall2food3service2ambience3
Not really what we expected, but that might be our fault. It’s not really a Cuban restaurant it’s more like a bar. The food and drinks were expensive and not really authentic. The menu was limited on food options. I bought 2 drinks and a sandwich and my total was over 50 bucks. There also wasn’t any coffee, pretty disappointing for a Cuban place.
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KS
KeithS
Philadelphia
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on December 31, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience4
Overall very good. Portions were a little small however.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New Orleans
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on December 31, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Greet service. Sat at a table by the owner himself
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B
Blizbeth
Washington DC
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on December 30, 2022
overall5food4service4ambience4
Food and drinks are amazing! But it’s more like appetizers. I would say good place to hit before the club
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 21, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was good. The service was awesome. Will be back!!
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AB
AntoinetteB
Baltimore
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on December 18, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Despite the trouble you have finding parking or nearby parking. The restaurant made up for the parking frustration. The food is WONDERFUL!
Casta's Rum Bar DCResponded on December 20, 2022
Hi AntoinetteB, thank you so much for the review!
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VG
VanessaG
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 18, 2022
overall5food4service4ambience5
Great food and ambience. Loved the drinks and seafood.
Casta's Rum Bar DCResponded on December 19, 2022
Glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
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KC
KevinC
Coastal Georgia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 10, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and host - music is infectious!
Casta's Rum Bar DCResponded on December 19, 2022
Hi KevinC, thank you so much for the review!
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Casta's Rum Bar DC offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (202) 506-3877.

Casta's Rum Bar DC is rated 4.4 stars by 506 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

Order delivery or takeout

1121 New Hampshire Ave, NW Washington District of Columbia, DC 20037-1522

Additional information

Neighborhood
West End
Hours of operation
Mon–Wed 5:00 pm–12:00 am Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–12:30 am Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Cuban, Cocktail Bar, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Chef Alberto Vega
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cigar Room, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Dancing, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.castasrumbar.com/
Phone number
(202) 506-3877

Casta's Rum Bar DC

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Menu

What 506 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

Does Casta's Rum Bar DC offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Casta's Rum Bar DC restaurant rated?

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information