Lady Bird, THE Roof Top Event Space — Restaurant in Washington

I am incredibly disappointed with our experience at Lady Bird. In all the time we've lived in DC I don't think I've had a worse service experience! I got a reservation a few days before at 9:30 pm on a Saturday to celebrate my sister's birthday. I'd heard great things about the atmosphere and drinks, so I was excited! We were running behind, but as I opened my phone to call to let them know we were running behind, the host called me! This was at 9:30pm, and he was confirming we were still planning on being there. I told him we were running late, he said he would see us soon. Nothing else was communicated during the phone call, and he was very understanding.

When we arrived around 9:45pm, the host greeted us and was so lovely! The host took us up to the rooftop and showed us to our table, and later also brought the birthday girl a free drink.

I'm not sure if our reservation wasn't passed along to the server and bartender, but as we arrived, the server came out after we began taking photos of the rooftop and asked if we were going to be taking photos and then leaving. When we said we had a reservation and would order drinks in a bit, she told us that we had missed last call, and that last call was 9:30 pm. When we said "We had a reservation at 9:30 pm, why would we be able to make a reservation at 9:30 if it was also last call?" She went back into the bar and came back to tell us last call was instead at 10:30 pm. She took our drink orders, and then at 10:24pm, came back and said that the bar was closing for last call. I asked if we could put another drink order in, and she wouldn't give us a direct yes or no, so we said if we could order another round, these were the drinks we wanted. During this time, the host brought up a free drink to the birthday girl. The drinks were fantastic, the views were lovely! Soon after at 10:50, the server came out to tell us they would be closing at 11. We looked at the time and said okay, thinking that we had about 10 minutes. The server then said they were actually closed, and that we needed to leave then.

Confused, as we left I approached the bartender and server and asked why the bar was closing at 11 when online the bar was open until 1 am. The server said the bar had closed at 9:30 that night due to the rain, and that the only reason they had stayed open was for us. I told them that I wished they had communicated that when they called me and we would have gone elsewhere. The server immediately said "We did call you!" and I said "Yes, we were called to confirm the reservation, but at no time was it communicated to us that you were closed early. I wish you had told us."

I wish we would have been told the bar was closed before we walked to the building, or even before we were escorted upstairs and seated! It explained the terrible service and uncomfortable atmosphere we felt - I wouldn't have wanted to serve a larger group if my bar was technically closed either. However, if the customers aren't informed, as servers and bartenders, you can't expect them to know that the bar is closed. That needs to be communicated directly, not passively aggressively hinted at. There were numerous connection points where that information could have been passed along and saved both parties headaches and frustration during the evening. Based on the other reviews online of Ladybird, it seems like the drinks, atmosphere and views are fantastic, but the way the management and employees communicate and function as a team are lacking, which can certainly spoil...

From the moment I arrived at the Kimpton Banneler for our event at the stunning Ladybird venue, I knew we were in good hands. I had quite a few supplies to bring in, and the lobby staff—especially Dennis—was incredibly gracious and helpful. He immediately made me feel supported and welcomed, setting the tone for the rest of the day.

When we got up to the Ladybird venue, the staff was already hard at work setting up, and I was blown away by how professional, friendly, and dedicated they were. I was warmly introduced to the dream team: Meck, Helena, John, Brittany, Chef Santiago, Oscar, and Suslay (forgive me if I’ve misspelled anyone’s name!). Every single one of them was a 10/10 human being, completely committed to making our event exceptional.

They checked in with me on every detail—big and small—and were incredibly intentional about the setup and flow of the event. Their patience, creativity, and can-do attitude helped bring my vision to life in ways I couldn’t have imagined. A special shoutout to Chef Santiago, who created the most beautiful and delicious food displays—our guests are still talking about it!

Helena and Meck, our bartenders, brought not only skill but also such warmth and personality to the evening. Gorgeous inside and out, they helped keep the energy high and the drinks flowing with a smile. And a huge thank you to Brittany Duarte, who worked with me for weeks leading up to the event—her attention to detail and dedication ensured everything ran smoothly from beginning to end.

Finally, I want to recognize John Jiminez, the on-site manager. From the moment we met, he felt like family. His calm leadership and positive energy were the perfect anchor for the night.

To the entire Ladybird team: thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are truly incredible, and I can’t wait to host more events with you...

UPDATE: Was finally able to experience LB and was pleasantly surprised with the cocktail offerings and seating accommodations. Outdoor seating was via reservation only at the time of my visit, but the gorgeous sunset views were well worth it. Footnote: As anticipated [and understandably] LB is short-staffed; service/expedition will more than likely be at a slower pace, and must be kept in mind during weekend visits especially...

OP (1/22) Was looking quite forward to having cocktails at Lady Bird during my recent four-day stay at the Kimpton Banneker; so much so, that I made a point of familiarizing myself with their stated offerings and began following their Instagram page. In doing the latter, I received a notification --- on the first day of my stay, in fact! --- via an Instagram post, that they would be opening at 4PM that afternoon for service. Come that time however, we found the doors locked, and was told by the Kimpton concierge that they would not be open that evening, as they were only open for business on the weekends. Come the weekend nonetheless, Ladybird was still closed --- and remained closed during the duration of my stay. While I understand that staffing shortages and restricted operating hours are not uncommon these days (and am in no way faulting LB!) I am posting this review as a gentle caution to any would-be visitors against relying on their social media pages (which appear to be auto-generating content) for operating information, and contacting either the hotel's front desk or LB directly! Have already raised the aforementioned concern(s) with Kimpton Banneker, and have noted that LB at present, appears to be updating their posts' captions as necessary; looking forward to both ultimately imbibing at Lady Bird and amending this "rating"...