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Sun / Apr 22
Bar / Café / Culture / Live Music Venue / Bookstore
Party Earth Review A combination independent bookseller and high-end café, Kramerbooks & Afterwords has become a DC staple for an eclectic and hyper-literate clientele. Lined with classics, rarer finds, novelty books, and a wide selection of politically-minded literature, the bookstore offers a pleasant place for smartly-dressed patrons to ... more
1517 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20009
Restaurant / Sports Bar
Party Earth Review Since the early 70s, Sign of the Whale has served as a dingy retreat for overworked politicos and the barely twenty-one crowd looking to swallow their troubles and maybe harpoon a mate. Half off the drinks list during the 4 to 7pm weekday Happy Hour makes the venue a popular hangout for area young professionals ... more
1825 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Irish Pub / Irish Restaurant / Live Music Venue
Party Earth Review Catty-corner to historic Union Station, The Dubliner is a family-owned Irish pub that has been serving up nightly Irish bands, authentic Gaelic grub, and gallons of Guinness since 1974. A large sidewalk patio entices groups of casual tourists or guests at the adjacent Phoenix Park Hotel to fuel up on traditional country ... more
4 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Bar / Live Music Venue / Restaurant
Party Earth Review Whether stopping in for the jambalaya ‘n’ grits or a Bloody Mary made with pickled okra, hungry diners are guaranteed to taste the flavors of New Orleans at Bayou – where they’re equally assured of hearing live jazz or rock emanating from the upstairs stage. Due to its proximity to both George Washington University and ... more
2519 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20037
Bar / Restaurant
Party Earth Review Saddled on the edge of the always-hopping U Street party scene since the early 1980s, Stetson’s Famous Bar & Grill remains a chill watering hole for pre-game beers and cowboy-lazy evenings. The dive’s ground floor sports a downplayed country-themed décor, with a few rustic cow skulls and scattered fake WANTED posters on ... more
1610 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Restaurant / Rooftop Bar / Sports Bar
Party Earth Review Frequent drink specials, weekend DJs, and walls covered in TVs and photos of athletes give upscale Public Bar wide appeal among sports fans, Happy Hour enthusiasts, and weekend dance fiends alike. Exposed brick walls peppered with quotes from sports greats like Muhammad Ali set the sporty tone in this former nightclub ... more
1214 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Bar / Restaurant
Party Earth Review Set in an area more often lauded for its refined, high-end establishments, Chadwicks is a casual joint that has been serving up basic burgers and beer since the 1960s. Students and unpretentious area residents flock to this rustic bi-level venue for daily Happy Hour specials and rowdy weekend shenanigans, wolfing down ... more
3205 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
Historic Bar / Restaurant / Sports Bar
Party Earth Review Tucked beneath 1789 Restaurant, its swankier sister establishment, The Tombs is a lively sports-themed bar mere steps from the Georgetown University campus – and the venue has been a big draw for both students and faculty since it first opened in the early 1960s. Polo shirts and college-brand attire are the norm in this ... more
1226 36th Street NW
Washington, DC 20007
Spanish Restaurant / Tapas Bar
Party Earth Review Once patrons step into La Tasca, the hustle and bustle of Chinatown is completely abolished, seamlessly replaced with the hustle and bustle of festive guests devouring tapas and slinging back pitchers of fruity booze. Decorated like an elegant old Spanish estate, the vibrant yellow main room is decked out in spear-studded ... more
722 7th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
Restaurant / Sports Bar
Party Earth Review Though the owner hails from Philadelphia – and makes no secret of his affinity for the City of Brotherly Love – Ventnor Sports Café welcomes fans of every ilk and creed with a no-fuss “games-‘n’-beer-are-king” attitude. Twenty TVs scattered over both floors ensure no one misses an important play, while two bars serving ... more
2411 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
Party Earth Review With its laid-back atmosphere and large patio, Trio’s Fox and Hounds is a quintessential neighborhood haunt popular with easygoing locals. The slightly edgier sister establishment to adjoining Trio’s Restaurant, the Fox is usually full of khaki-clad, sandal-wearing regulars catching up outside as they survey the bustling ... more
1537 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Bar / Comedy Club / Restaurant
Party Earth Review Ever since DC native Dave Chappelle and budding comedienne Ellen DeGeneres took the stage at The DC Improv when it first opened in 1992, the comedy club has remained the city’s premier spot to catch quality stand-up. Hosting a mix of well-known and local talent, the basement venue draws a steady stream of tourists and anyone ... more
1140 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
True barebones budget eaters know the best place to get cheap grub isn’t at the restaurants in Washington, DC at all, but at the myriad bars that dole out tons of free appetizers during Happy Hour.
Those with a little more self-respect – and a taste for something beyond sliders and fries – will still fare well, as the restaurant scene in DC is as diverse as the international city itself. Political bigwigs munch cigars and talk policy at gourmet French joints in Penn Quarter, while cheap ethnic cuisine flourishes in Adams Morgan, and stellar gastropubs continue to pop up all over town.
Chinatown makes it easy to get a bucket of something that resembles food for a few dollars, and though the authenticity of this Chinese fare is questionable, the starving students and unaware tourists don’t seem to mind.
Meanwhile, sushi restaurants are all the rage for folks looking to turn a little Japanese, and neighborhoods like U Street, Columbia Heights, and H Street continue to bring in new funky fun neighborhood diners that offer trendy and cool takes on New American fusion.
Of course, no culinary visit to DC would be complete without a piping hot bowl of chili and a dog from Ben’s Chili Bowl, which has been serving up buckets of both since long before you were born.
Sports? Pub crawls? Rowdy bars? Good beer? Then check out these suggestions from Lucas:
Exclusive hotspots? Chic crowds? Bottle service? Posh shopping? Then check out these suggestions from Adriana:
Eclectic crowds? Authentic bars? Live music? Nothing mainstream? Then check out these suggestions from Jonah:
Amazing drink deals? Unpretentious crowds? Karaoke with friends? Dancing all night? Then check out these suggestions from Emma:
Bar / Restaurant
Bar / Beer Garden / Lounge
Restaurant / Sports Bar
Piano Bar / Restaurant