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Welcome to Red Light Bar & Detroit Pizza

At Red Light Bar & Detroit Pizza, located in the heart of Washington, DC, the love for Detroit-style pizza shines brightly. The establishment combines a relaxed bar atmosphere with a focus on high-quality, flavorful pizzas featuring an authentic Dearborn Heights brick cheese blend. Each dish, from the OG Pepperoni to the savory Gordie Sticks served with a creamy vodka sauce, reflects a commitment to taste and texture that captivates patrons. Guests rave about the crispy, perfectly crafted crust and vibrant flavors, creating a welcoming vibe ideal for casual dining. This spot is truly a celebration of Detroit's culinary heritage.

LOCATIONS

Welcome to Red Light Bar & Detroit Pizza, an exciting new spot in the heart of Washington, DC, at 1401 R St NW. This lively establishment brings the vibrant energy of Detroit's pizza scene to the Capital City, offering visitors a unique blend of casual dining and bar vibes. With a reputation for serving authentic Detroit-style pizza, Red Light invites you to indulge in a culinary experience that is both flavorful and memorable.

Step inside or enjoy the spacious outdoor patio, perfect for sipping cocktails and savoring a slice of pizza in a relaxed atmosphere. Customers rave about their time spent at this charming venue, highlighted by its welcoming service and robust drink menu.

  • Detroit-Style Pizza: At Red Light, the pizza is undeniably the star of the show. Crafted with a signature blend of Detroit Tigers Brick cheese, every slice promises a crispy crust and gooey, cheesy goodness. Popular options include:
    • Dearborn Heights: Featuring a delightful combination of romano tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and pesto aioli for a refreshing twist.
    • Motown: A hearty mix of pepperoni, caramelized onion, and roasted red pepper topped with a rich tomato sauce that is guaranteed to satisfy.
    • 6 Mile: For those looking for a spicy kick, this pizza includes a blend of salami, pepperoni, and pickled jalapeños drizzled with spicy honey.

Customers have expressed their love for the pizza's size and freshness, with many sharing that one pizza is perfect for two. Holly M. mentions being “floored” by the flavor, particularly praising the quality of the Wisconsin brick cheese, while Michael Q. commends the “coveted crunch” of the crust.

But it’s not just about the pizza! Red Light also offers a range of mouthwatering appetizers. The Gordie Sticks are a crowd favorite, served with a creamy vodka dipping sauce that many guests have called a “must-order.” As Kruti M. noted, the cheesy sticks exceeded expectations and were a delightful accompaniment to the main dishes.

While the focus is on comfort food and friendly service, there’s also a bar experience to enjoy. Happy hour at Red Light allows you to unwind with expertly crafted beverages, ensuring a well-rounded dining experience.

In summary, Red Light Bar & Detroit Pizza is not just a restaurant; it’s a celebration of Detroit’s culinary heritage, presented in a warm, inviting environment. Whether you’re indulging in a slice of the Classic Cheese or exploring the bold flavors of the Motor City, this spot is one you won’t want to miss. Come for the pizza, stay for the vibe—Red Light is a true gem in the Washington dining scene!

START YOUR REVIEW OF Red Light Bar & Detroit Pizza
Holly M.
Holly M.

I love Detroit pizza and I get it every week in Chicago. Happened to wander the neighborhood and stumbled upon this place, which was an immediate YES. Sat outside (really nice outdoor patio with plenty of room and super chill vibes!!) you just walk up to the counter and place your order, and can either keep a tab open or else just pay. Ordered a pepperoni and a side of hot honey and was FLOORED. It was HUGE, and absolutely delicious. My friend got the cheesy bread and omg. The vodka sauce was out of this world. The crust was perfectly crispy and the Wisconsin brick cheese? A YES. Was shocked to find it here Im usually a good eater but couldn't finish this. Top notch leftovers. Excellent service and just a super chill vibe. Would DEFINITELY return!

Bryan R.
Bryan R.

I have wanted to eat here for awhile and last night finally made it, and boy am I glad. The pizza was unbelievable and everyone in my family loved it. It was super busy but the service and product remained strong. Will definitely be back!

Emily K.
Emily K.

Walked past this place looking for dinner on a Saturday night and drifted back because of the smell! It wasn't super busy and we snagged a table after ordering at the counter. Note that their system adds a tip automatically to your total and the iPad will ask you to tip again but you can decline - shoutout to the cashier for letting us know that! We started with the kale caesar salad - definitely recommend for some greens and the fried shallots on top were a great touch! We split a Joe Louis pizza and I felt like that was a good choice considering you basically get a half sheet pan of pizza. Loved the ricotta! I always think the Detroit style is fascinating but I'm a Chicago native who loves a lot of crust so I'm into it. They have an enclosed patio that I think has a separate door you have to enter outside but looks like it would be awesome in the summer! Really solid spot right by U Street and all the shops!

Kruti M.
Kruti M.

You don't have to put on the Red Light to go here! In fact, green lights all the way for this place! Decided to trek here in a snowy winter day for some warm 'za and drinks! It was in the single digits outside, so I'm not entirely sure why their outdoor seating was open. I'm knocking this review down 1 star because the cold draft keep invading the warmth and lack of seating on the inside. This was definitely not what I expected. It seemed a bit too cramped for my liking. On to the main part though, the food - We ordered: Boots with the fur: 5/5 This was the perfect drink for the cold weather. It was steaming hot. The choice of glassware was interesting, but the drink was fabulous. The notes of cinnamon, clove and pomegranate combined aromatically for this beverage. Red Wing: 5/5 Another W(ing) for this place! The pizza was rather small, but since it's Detroit style it's quite filling. Although, after 2 slices I was still hungry because it was so good! The burrata combined with the oregano and parsley was such a great touch. The 2 slices of pizza were not satisfying enough so decided to order an app afterwards. Gordie Sticks: 10/5 These cheesy sticks blew my expectations out of the roof. I was fully expecting 4-5 breadsticks with a small sauce, but out came a plate of 12 cheesy sticks with creamy vodka sauce. I could just drink the sauce right up. I was eating these cheesy sticks for days and was extremely sad after they were finished. The pizza at this place is great, but the real star of the show was the Gordie sticks. A must order!

Michael Q.
Michael Q.

We're from MI so we can get "kinda judgy" when it comes to Detroit style pizza. RL delivers a quality pie crust, sauce, cheese, and (most importantly) the crunchy Motown corners. We ordered the OG Pepp and Motown (awesome signature pizza names BTW). The coveted crunch, sweet chunky sauce (fave), and high-end low moisture cheese was all there. Thankful that we can now get Detroit style pizzas in the nation's capital. GooooooLions!

Bobbi D.
Bobbi D.

The cheesy breadsticks are the best thing ever. Fire playlist! Fun bar tenders too! They need to get better ranch though...theirs tastes like dill, not ranch.

Graysen V.
Graysen V.

The pizza here is wonderful! Have been here on several occasions and each of the pizzas I've had have been flavorful and met with a "oh my god this is so good" on the first bite. My only recurring problem is the slowness/orders getting confused. On busy nights, when the staff is stressed, we've often had multiple menu items misdelivered and told that they won't make certain drinks on the menu. This is fine, but just hard to have expectations going in. Going here at an off time is definitely the best guarantee at the best service.

Allie H.
Allie H.

Easy place for dinner right on 14th.You order at a windy outside and get a number and food is delivered to your table. There is also some seats inside. Got the Dearborn Heights which was crispy and delicious. One pizza serves about 2 people so keep that in mind when ordering. Also has the spinach artichoke dip which came out hot and cheesy! Cool casual place for drinks and food!

Julie W.
Julie W.

Being from Detroit myself, this place is legit! We went during happy hour and sat at the bar which was such a great deal. Multiple bartenders and servers behind the bar so we were well taken care of, and everyone was very nice. While it's a small restaurant, the vibe is still very nice. I got the Electric drink, one of their specials, which was beautiful and delicious. We shared the gordie sticks (I could drink the vodka sauce) and I ordered the Dearborn Heights pizza. All the food was delicious, and truly like the Detroit style pizza back home. The most legit place I've had in DC for it. Skip the competitors, this is your place!