Banana Cafe and Piano Bar, Capitol Hill

A mainstay of Washington's diverse Capitol Hill neighborhood, Banana Cafe and Piano Bar (500 8th St. SE, 202-543-5906) has long been popular with the city's Latino gays and lesbians, as well as fans of piano cabaret and Latin American cuisine. The kitchen serves quite-tasty Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Mexican fare (try the cod fritters with guava sauce, and note that there's a terrific Sunday brunch), while the piano bar welcomes a mixed gay/straight bunch for live music every night of the week. It's especially popular here at happy hour. It's in the same neighborhood as such popular gay and gay-friendly hangouts as Remington's, Phase 1, and Mr. Henry's.