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esrablishrncnrs-all
BEST BARS
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br,plcsrclcnrs.rrcl
polirrc.rl
plr-rsh
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n ill bccrcitcclto hnclncn u ir.rcl.r:rrs.;rncl
thoscsc.rrching
{orglrrrvdivcs.bccr
Ocnophilcs
ll Iu f.rcr.\\'cco\'u'ill hncllotsclfsr-rggcstrons.
ncighborhoocl
h.tr.rnts
plrbs.or unirssurring
oi 7) nrorei.n'olitcs.
rhlrrs1'r.rcc
in thc nr.rg.rzinc
clicln't
sr-rfhcc.
Fol rcvicri's
clcclsonrlnv Lr.rls
Evcn,,'iih ,1r.c\rr.l sp.rcc
onlinc.nor .rilb.rrsin our lcgirln
/,,i1:r.
go ro n'tsbtitigtuntittn.autr;
provokc
\\/rll
our
courlcl
nrakcthccrrr.
sonrcclnrrssiclns
clcb.rtc?
Vrr-rbcr.Burs'c'rcconhclctrr
- At t ;, rxt rRo
S,r ttNts
lis rc o n rpl i s c st h c n) o s rcs s c n ti . \\
l l '. rshi rrg nrn
b.rl s
MARCH 2OO9 WASHINGTONIAN
61
1
Classicalmusic plavssoftlv
in thc cushv b:rr r.rpstairs
liom
the dining room, makinu ir a
grci.rtsp()t fbr quict cont'crsltion. Like cver\thing clsehere,
thc cockteilsirc top-n()tcltliom a cosmopolitan(S l5 )
uith a sicicclishof svrr.rpv
raspbcrdcs1'or,rcl.lnsp()()nll'lt()
thc drink to l girr :tud tonic
( SI6) *'ith house-mrclctourc
\\'rter. Or cnjov i bottlc lirnn
thc rcst:rrrant's rcrtosrrctl
u'ine list. Thc lounge ntcnustilters, burgerc,cntrdcs,md
clcsserts---<rfli:m
r chancctcr
srmplechcfMichel Richlrd's
c<nking $'itl-ror.rtcornn-ritting
to tlrc iirll Oitrorrcllccrpcricncc (:rnclcxpense).
TOWN& COUNTRY
n
Renaissance
Mayflower,
1127
Connecticut
Ave.,NWI
202-347-3000
l'orr knos'r'ou'rc in thc
right phcc firr ir martir.riif
SanrLck is l'rchinclthe bar.
For ntore tl-r:rn30 r'elrs, hc's
been scrving cldnksirt Tos n
& (irtrntn', srill rich nidr aur
ambicncerelnillisccntof tvhcn
it s'ls thick lith ciglr smokc.
Thc rtrcrttrotll'rs 100 r':riltions ort thc mutini ikntc, tlthor.rgl'rirnv chssiccocktdl s'ill
fit thc surrounclings.I)uring
h:rppyh6ur'.Mtxrtl:rvthrorrqlr
Frichr'5:30 to 7, thcrc ire licc
appetizcrssr.rch
asegg rolls,
spirn:rkopita,lnd sin'rplcplst:r.
a a aaa
a aa
a a aa
a a a aa a
BRINGA DATE
CITRONELLE
LathamHotel,3000
M St.,NWI
202-625-2150
a
FIREFLY
1310NewHampshireAve.,
NWI
202-861
-1310
A trec scparirtcsthe dining roonr liom the bar antj
k>r.rnge
at this cozv Dupont
Circlespot,n'hcrc ntuch of
the decor---tliskscut liorn a
trcc trunk, l rouqh-cut blr
top-has l natural fi:el. A careIirlly craftcdcocktdl list (most
clriril<s:rc$12.50) l.nmtscreltive choicessuchls thc Salsa
Vcrde,ntirtlcs'ith pobl.rrropepper-inlirsed
tequila.Smirll
snircksincluclcchicken-fiiccl
($14) rnd portobelkr
<x'sters
Iiincrs (58). During happv
hour-u'cckdrvs 4 to 6-sclcct beerbotdeslrc 53,l'inc
54, anclrr.rilclrinksS5.
1 905
1905NinthSt.,NWI
202-332-1
905
Chanrlelicrs lncl atcool
sclcctiol'rof jazz proviclcthc
;ttrrrosphcrcJt tllis sec()ltrlston' ncighborhooclhitrnt.
-l'hc bar is linerl l'itl.r ghss
fbuntair-rs
filleclu'ith icc s'irter, u'l'richthe b:rrtcndcrs
r,rscto r-nixlbsinthc conc()c
tions. Thc van (iouh, nlntcd
in honor of thc plinter's
clcvotionto thc clrir-rk,
is rt
nrixturc ofl,e Tourntcnt \t'rt
absintl-rc,grcnirdine, ancl
pinel;rplcjuicc. For a quick
ir1-r1'rctizcr,
s'c likc thc grillccl
,nt:tll ttt:t s.rusagcu'ith polcntr
ttnd pi qu i l l o peppcrs.Sunrl:l'
throu gh Wcclneschvfiont
5:30 to 7, bottlcs of s'inc irrc
h.rlfpricc.Thrrrsd.nrriqhts.
thcre's livc jirzzirt I0.
REDWOOD
7121 BethesdaLa.,BethesdaI
301-656-551
s
This Califbrnia-m<xlrestaurrnt is deckeclour rvidr
rcclaimcdrcd*ood. sl:rte.
lncl rlindorvs tlut strctch
to thc cciling. Tl're spacior-rs
bay'lor-urecoflc:rs75 scats
irt a \\'hite-marblecounter
plus lclthcr couchesrurd
banqucttes.Wincs-mant' r>f
uirich irrc liortr organic lnci
sust:rinablevinet'arc1s-rrc clispenscclinto tirstes,lirll glasscs,
or clnfLs, :rnclsclen of thc
eigl.rtbeerson drali ($6) are
nticrotrrovs.Monday through
Friclav5 to 7, r happvhour
incluticsa Roscda-bccfbr.rrgcr
uith lnv dnft lrcer fbr SI 5.
RESTAURANT EVE
110S. PittSt.,Alexandria
I
703-706-0450
Is tlrerc a cozier placc thalr
dris living-roorl-like bar)
Tuckccl arvavtiom Rcstaurallt
Eve'scliningrooms, it has
an appcd all its osn, uith
cr-rshioncdbarstoolsand big
lcatl'rcrchairs,l fireplace, onc
of thc bestlunch dcals:rrouncl
($ 13.50 fbr any nr o itcr.ns
on thc blrrurcl.ttr),anclsnrart,
liicndly bartenclers.Thcn
thcrc rre thc clrinks,overscell
bv Todd TI'rmshcr,thc cocktail
guru n'ho rr-racle
I'risnamc usiug housc-rnrtiernixers,tiesh
juiccs,irnclboutiquc licl.urrs.
He crertcshits suchasa bhckcurrilnt fizz rncl F.r'c'sTempt:.tti()n,iln rrpplecocktail th:rt
tasrcslikc I liquitl grcen l1'r;rle
.
TABARD INN
1739N St.,NW| 202-833-2668
Mccting ir first clirtcfirr
clrinksor just wlnt to chat
sith a liiencl on I u'inrcr
r-riglrtfThc elcgant,cozr'lrlr
arcrrir-rDu1'ront(lircle 's Tlbucl Lrn is r'our Lrcstbet. (lhantal Tscng is tr-rrningout sonte
of the finestcockttilsin lXlcurl up rith one on I coucl-r
['rvthc Tlbirrcl's fireplacclncl
sip the night a*'av.
VERMILION
1120KingSt.,Alexandria
I
703-684-9669
Itecl s'alls anclclirn lighting
mikc fbr r romantic setting
in Ven.nilion'sir.rtintrtebay'
lounge.Sit on onc of the brrr's
rerl ctrshionedstoolsor chinr
a corner in dre loungc. Cocktlils incluclcir gin fizz sith
\Vhcrc can vou fir-rdthc best happv hour, mlrguita, lnri martini)
lVe askcclW:rshingtoniln.conr relders to nante their firvorites.
HAPPY-HOUR
SPECIALS
BEERLIST
MARTINl
WINELITIT
GAFEASIA
1720I St,,NW202-659-2696
1550Wils0n
-0870
Blvd.,
Arlington,
703-741
BRASSERIEB€CK
1101 K St.,NW;202-408-1717
CAPITALGRILLE
601PennsylvaniaAve,,
NW,202-737-6200
1861lnternational
Dr.,McLean,
703-448-3900
PROOF
775GSt.,NW;202-737-7663
BLOODYMARY LOGAN TAVERN
1423PS t.,N W2; 02- 3 32 - 37 1 0
MARGAR]rfA
MOJITO
sAlrcRh
UURIOLPTA:ZA
183518lhSt.,NW;202-387-0035
CAF€ATLANTIGo
4 05E iqh th
St.,N W;20 2-3 93-08
21
JALEO
480 SsventhSl.,NW 202-628-7549
7271WoodmontAve.,
Bethesda,
301-913-0003
2250-ACrystal
Dr.,Arlington,
703-413-8181
MARCH 2OO9 WASHINGTONIAN
63
tiottsttt.tc:trorti
ittrtlcltccsc
s'ith tolstccl brcirtl crunrt'r'.
aa
aa
a a aa
a aaa
aaa
a aa
a
HAPPYHOURS
BLACK'S BAR & KITCHEN
7750Woodmont
Ave.,
Bethesda| 301-652-5525
l'hc slcck,clcln linctl brrr,
u'hichspills()nt()il pilti()
rnd rcflcctinsp<xrliu n;trrn
rvcrtlrcr,sits;rcljrccntto fcff
lncl lllrblrl l3llck's upscirlc
Anrcricrrnrlinins r(x)nr.'l'hc
56 nrrrrtinisflorr',:rnclthc
cros'd is nutlc tr1'r
of nrostlv
rttortcyccl
srrburblnitcs
lnrl \'<lr.r
rtg pr<lf.:ssionlls.
It doesn't,in othcr u'ortls,
l<xrklikc tlrc kind of phcc
u hcrc t'ou'ti gct ir 50-ccllt
s1-ricctl
shrintl'rr'leirl. llut
u cekcllvsbcts ccn 4 and 7,
thlt's cxirctlvu lut vou'll fintl
irkrngs ith hllf'-priccurusscls
lncl tliscour.rtcr'l
c<rcktirils.
If
t'ou'rc lturrgrt',it's r>neof tl.rc
bcst hrrpl-rv
hotrrsirrouncl.
CHEF GEOFF'S
DOWNTOWN
1301Pennsylvania
Ave.,NWI
202-464-4461
\'ourrg proflssioruls crorr tl
this lll -Anrericirnhirngor,rt
thrcc bltrks fi"onrthc Whirc
HoLrsefirr luppl' [1y111,
1u1,u'ttilr' .3to ckrsing irntl Tucstilv
thr<xrghFriclav3 to 7. l)cirls
includc$9 g()urntctpizz.ts
:rncl56 btrrgcrsscn'ctl sith ir
nrounclofcrispv fiics. llcrtcr
vet, 34-()r,rnce
"srrpcrntugs"
oftlrirfi bccr:rrc$8, longncck
txrttlcs$3. H:rppvhour runs
irll chv Sattrrchvlnrl Slrntl:rri
:urdsirtrilarsl)ccials
:rrclr rrilirblclt (lcoff-frlc\"s otltcr rcst:rurrnts:Ohef (icofl-s ( 320 I
Ncu' N{cxicoAvc., NIV; 202237-7 8OO).rnclLir's (44.35
Will:rrtlAvc., Ohol' ( )hrsc;
240-223 5427).
HAWK 'N' DOVE
329Pennsylvania
Ave.,SEI
202-543-3300
This 42-veirr-<>kl
tlive clrls's
il lrcighb()rh(x)clcro*,tl th;rt
rtrnsti<xn collegcstuclentst<l
Nt:rrincs.
l'hcrc lrc six rrxrnrsso\'()uclln clt<xlsc\rlttr cr.tvironmcnt-klurlcr up firrrrt
nerr thc [r:rr,qLrictcrin brtck
.rrourrcl
tlrc firepllcc. Hirppv
hour is Monrhv throuuh Fn-
To d d T hr ash e r
PX
I
r\t [)X .rncll{csr.rur.,rnr
Evc.'[i,dcl
['lrr'.rshcr
orrh,
rrscs
. r r rclrl o us cr r r .r c lc
[ ,i ttc r s . r ncl
r , r rr r c s
r ir in gr r '. l r rn trl r c r n . rt lt
tclLrcczccl;rriccs
l ri sNu rnl 'c r'(r ri ir h
. ll
)t Ll.t/:
tt lgl()tti.tt t.autI l\ ta.ar'Ll.
LMARCH 2OO9 WASHINGTONIAN
I65
hors tl'ocuvres,;rlsofice. Thc
I'xxrzcisn't discour-rtccl,
but
rrrnint jr.rlcp(59.75)packs
cltouqh prrrrchto c()Lllltirs
nrrr clinks. Ancl like cverr'thing elscit the bilr, the conrplimcntirrvnibblcs-spicccl
(()nr nuts. tniuinirtctlolivcs,
nlini:rturc chcilthr pufli-uc
.r crrtlbovc.
aa a
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DEGREESBAR & LOUNGE
Ritz-Carlton.
3100SouthSt..NWI
202-912-4111
I'ou ciurlung out in thc blr,
srrrc,brrtthc rcrrlhrrrcorncs
lionr thc c<lzt fircpl:rcclncl trrblcsiclesen'icc in thc s1'rr'tcior.rs
industrid chic lobl'rr'ofthc
(icorgetos'n lUtz-nrlking
l)egrccspcrfl'ct firr chillv cvc-
nings.\'ou ncvcr kno'rvuho
rrlr'll sccchcckingin to thc
hotcl or <>nthc s lv t() ir qr.lcst
r'oortr----durinqinlrgurltion,
r<lu'clluvc sp()ttedIlnlcc
Springstccn,rncnrbcrcof
Nhr<xn 5, rrntlrrnl uunrbcr<lf
othcr \rl Psrr hilc havinqorrc
<rftlrc b:rr'sSt.yattd tltt ()inlikc signirturcddnks.
aa a
C O O LLO U N GES
BOURBONSTEAK
FourSeasons,
2800Pennsylvania
Ave.,NWI 202-944-2026
In thc citegort'of "lf I'oLr
ncctl to irskthc pricc, r'oLr
c:ur't irtlirrtl it," thc slcck nov
Four Scr'rsons
restllrirnt/bir
tl<lesn'tdispl:rvpriccson its
eockt.rilrncrru.Thc .lrinks
rrrcp()tcnt rrnclu'cll nrixccloficn s ith ir t\\'ist' such irsthc
ircltlitiortof Fenrct Brlncl
to rr r\Lrtrh:rtt:u1-th()ughit
closcto S20 l cockt:ril,onc
lrntltl ho1'rc
so. If pricc isn't
rrconsiclcr;ltion,the s\\'lnkv
sccncrlnd firshionrrblc,
highrolline clicntclcnrirkcit rvcll
\\'()rth ir Visit.
6A
WASHINGTONIAN
PX
The Gibson
BrasserieBeck
GranvilleMoore's
Old EbbittGrill
Town & Country
WonderlandBallroom
Red Derby
Johnny'sHalf Shell
PassionFish
TabardInn
Vermilion
Brickskeller
Rustico
Nick's RiversideGrille
Cantina Marina
GalaxyHut
QuarryHouse
Bar Pilar
I On^
Bourbon
LookingGlassLounge
Proof
Redwood
MARCH 2OO9
GUARAPO
2039WilsonBlvd.,ArlingtonI
703-528-6500
-finv plrtes<>fcositas
ricns,
or "trlsn'little things," r'rcconrprrnvfiuit-inlirscric<rktrrils
irt h:rlfpricc cltrringtl-risl'cruvian kxurgc'sh;rppvlxlrr,
s'cekchvs 5 to 7. (iroups crur
shlrc l li's [)lirtcs
ol'Jutllcr)tid
chips rrrrrlciipsor eurprrructr
trios (l steirlirt 56) l'hilc sipping on 1tlch, coconut,irnrl
polrcgriurirtc nrojitos r.lntilthc
los lit rcstlurirntnrcltsintc,
tr trcnrl\'cvcninglungout. A
h<xrklhclotso'crr' ()thcr trtrle
ils gr-lcstsclirnceto livc Latin
rt.tusic
clounst;lirsor:'r DJ in
tlrc uppcr knngc.
NAPOLEON BISTRO
LOUNGE
1847Columbia
Rd.,NWI
202-299-9630
Thc opulcnt intcrior of
tl'risbistro lntl blr fl'cls likc
thc sct ofl Frcnchfilur.Thc
-bllck rvrlls, gilticcl
recl-rrntl
nrirr<>rs,
rrtcl crvstll chlrnticlicrs crclte l sultrv libe per( lhlnrprlgne
fl'ct firr si1'rping
cocktlils,rvlriclrirrc half off
small rooms lined with tables.
An airier upstairs bar hosts
the Brickkeller's fhmed beer
tastings, which happen about
once a month. A no-standing
policy both upstairs and down
keepscrowds to a minimumbut alsomeansyou may have
to wait fbr a table .
FRANKLINS
512'tBaltimoreAve.,HyattsvilleI
301-927-2740
This Prince George's
County brewery keeps seven
to ten house-madebeerson
tap at all times. Franklin's sees
lots of neighborhood regulars,
including lirmilies and college
students.Before and after
Terps home games,expectthe
bar to be packed.Though the
beer selectionchangesalmost
daily two signature beers that
you'll likely find on the menu
are the English-styleTwisted
Turde PaleAle ($4.50)
and the hoppy Anarchy Ale
($5.50). The seven-days-aweek happy hour from 4 to
6:30 includes$3.50 draftsand
d"iscountson appetizers.
GRANVILLE MOORE'S
1238H St.,NE| 202-399-2546
This Bclgian gastropubin
DC's H Strcet corridor has a
u'elcomc warmth lent b.vuntouched historic details and
the antique rvooden coolers
behind the bar. The kitchen
specializesin moulesfrites,
including thc chefs baconand-bleu-cheese
mussels,
rvhich rvon the top spot on
the Food Netrvork's Throwdonn With Bobfo Flay.Check
the blackboard to seewhat's
nerv u'ith the 60-some rotating Belgian brervsoflbred b.v
the bottle and sevcn on draft.
RUSTICO
827SlatersLa..AlexandriaI
703-224-5051
Some come to rvatch a
game, and some drop in to
sample fbod that surpassesthe
usualneighborhood- hangout
fare. But beer is the focus,
with a selectionthat includcs
300 botdcs, 30 drafts, and
one cask-conditioned
alc.Sixounce tastingsofrnost drafu
can be ordered for $3 to $5;
the four-beer flights fbr $8 to
$ I 6 are an even bettcr rleal.
THE SALOON
1207U St.,NWI 202-462-2640
This cozy basementlevelpub hasthree rules:
"No standing. No TVs. No
martinis." The result is a warm
neighborhood bar that busdes
with conversation.Red-brick
walls,Tiffany-srylelamps,and
shelvesstockedwith beer botdes createa classictavern feel.
Communal wooden tables
make meeting 1'ourneighbor
easy,urd the knowledgeable
stafl is happy to guide patrons through the long list of
beers-including the rare and
potent Urbock 23o, rationed
out one Per customcr.
and potatocs with aibli, plus
more substantialolatessuch
rs duck confit and spagheni
Bolognese.The excellent
throwback drinks-a suong
rum punch. a propcr daiquiri---<ome courtesy of Adam
Bernbach,a seriouscocktail
enthusiast.Tuesdaynighs,
he hascocktail sessionswhere
for $36 you get three creations with ingrediens such
ashouse-madeFalernum and
Meyer-lemon syrup.
indulge in a couple of Michel
Richard's appetizers,including thegougires ( $7 ), onebite wonders that give nerv
meaning to "cheesepufh."
Or order the olatter ofduck
rillettes and "hux gras" terrine
($15), nvo spreadable,
French
charcuterieoptions.
CAFE ATLANTICO
405EighthSt.,NWI
202-393-0812
Jill Zimorski's wildly creative cocktail list (all items
$l I ) featuresa steadyroster
ofnine drinks and onc or
two seasonalspecials.Her
Faux Syrah Syrah tastesjust
like wine, but it's made with
vodka, blackberry pur6e,
black pepper, and a smoke
infusion, and the margarita
is sen'ed with salt-lime "air."
Cclebriry chef Josi Andrds
recentlyadded a bar menu
that includessmall bites
such asquinoa-crustedhied
shrimp ( $ l2 ) and rhc medio
/ia sandwich($ I 5 ), a take
on a classicpressedCuban.
THE GIBSON
200914thSt.,NW| 202-232-2156
Open sinceNovember, the
Gibson gets our vote for best
new bar. There's no sign, just
an unmarked door on a building with covered-upwindows.
Inside is a srvank speakcasy
with dark-wood walls and
flickering candlelight. The
cocktails are worla of art.
From the n.renuofabout 16
($8 to $16 each),we
creatior-rs
especiallylike the First Snowvodka, Muscat slrup, whitecranberry juice, limc, and
Champagne-and the Golden
Child, made u'ith fig-infused
rum, peanut cream, crdme de
cacao,and lemon tincture.
On weekends,reservea table
or expect to be rvait-listed
(the doorman will call vour
cell phonc if a spot oper.rsup).
Coming in the spring: a spacious patio and outdoor bar.
CENTRAL MICHEL
RICHARO
1001Pennsylvania
Ave.,NWI
202-626-0015
The bar and lounge at
this modern French bistro is
people-uatching heavcn.On
rveekdavsexpectsenators,
on wcckcnds fashionistas.
Invcntive cocktails($l I
to $14) changeu'ith the
seasonand often include
linle-known ingredients.
It would be wrong not to
PS 7'S
777| St..NWI 202-742-8550
This jazzy lounge, adjacent
to Peter Smith's Modcrn
.fulerican dining room, already rvooed us widr snacla
such astuna sliders*.ith
n'hite-miso aibli and miniature
house-nradehot dogs. But it
recendy landed ar.rotherbig
drarv: Gina Cherscvani,the
sass-talkingbartendcr u'ith a
fan-club-like fbllowing. Her
drinks fhvor infused rums,
oa aao oa oaoaaaaoaaaa
CREATIVE
COCKTAILS
BAR PILAR
1833 14th St., NW I 202-265-1751
Thisdark,smoky-rnirrored
hangoutges croudcdfbr
a reason.Besides
cool
touches such asa carnivalesquephoto booth,
there's an aflbrdable
small-platesmenu u'ith
snacksincluding Marcona
almonds. roastedolives.
TWO YEARS after its legalizationin the United States, absinthe-the high-proofliquorfavored by the likesof van Gogh,
B a ud e l ai re a
, n d H e m ing wa y - ha s be co m e a fi xtu r ea t lo cal
bars. The anise-flavoredspirit's many appearanceson cockt a il me n u s-a f a r cr y fr om it s d ay s as a b ann e d d ri nk- h as
prompted a backlash, with some trendsettersalready calling
it out of fashion.
Disregardthe detractors and the forbidden aura surrounding the drink. Absinthe is best enjoyed when approached as
what it is: a spirit, not some magical elixir.
At the TabardInn, bartenderChantalTsengmakesa Sazerac
by using KUbler,a Swiss brand of absinthe,to rinsethe inside
of the glass before adding whiskey,bitters,simple syrup, and
l emon ze st. Fo r his D aw n Ove r Ma nh atta n,a tw is t on t h e
classic Manhattan, Tom Brown of Cork mixes absinthe into
the drink. Brown's brother Derek,drink master at the Gibson,
makes the colorfullynamed Etoufferun Perroquet(Stranglea
Parrot)-an absinthe-Champagne-and-brandycocktail. The
re st au ra nt19 05 i n D C' s U S tree t ne igh b orh oo dser v es absi nt he u sin g a spe cia lfou ntai ntha t d il u te sthe hig h-al c o hol
spirit with water.
-ALEJANDRO
SALINAS
MARCH 2OO9 IWASHINGTONIAN
I 73
.-\
.t
t
ON THE WEB Chat livewith four top local bartenders-ToddThrasher,ChantalTseng,Gina Chersevani,and DerekBrown-February 26 at 11 nr,r
txrurbons, and liesh juices.We
like nvo recent additions: thc
"YesWe Can"ton, a gingery
flr.rteof pincapplc juice and
Oava,and the Sinration Rum,
like HarvaiianPunch gone
glam. During the weekday
happy hour liom 4 to 7, cocktails arc $10, with a rotating
special$4, and Miller Lite or
Yuengling (depending on the
night)is $3.
PX
728KingSt.,AlexandriaI reservationsthroughEamonn's,
703299-8384
Cocktail whiz Todd Thrasher, also behind the terrific
drinks at ncarbl' Restaurant
Ere, lcts his imagination run
wild at this signlessspeakeasv
(look fbr the pirate flag and
the bh.relight). Reservations
arc recommendcd fbr the 30
seatsin the deco-cool parlors,
and there are a fbw rules to
fbllou': no jeans,no standing,
no swearing.But once I'ou're
serdcdin, the payoffis great.
Thrasher'sshakersare filled
u,ith lieshly squeezedjuices,
housc-madesodas,even specially shapedice cubes,and his
creations-a carrot-flavored
colada,a sparkling m<ljitego
down deceptivelyeasy.
aaaaa a laaaoaato ata o
CASUAL
HANGOUTS
ARGO]iIAUT
1433H St.,NE| 202-397-1416
Onc of the first barsto
open in DC's H Street corridor, the Argonaut is a playfu1,low-key tavcrn suitablc
fbr both after-work drinks or
a sit-down meal of good bar
fbod. With a spaciouspatio
and a cozy, nautical-thcmed
interior, thc bar ma], not be
the finciest spot in town, but
it's one of the most comfbrtable. The fbod is tasw.
too-try the srvcct-potato
fiies. During happ.vhour, 5
to 7 rveekdays,rail clrinks and
selectbeersare $4.
BLACKFINI{
4901FairmontAve.,
Bethesda| 301-951-5681
Dark-rvood firrnishingsand
leatherbooths give this sports
bar a classy,comfbrtablc
fbel that attractsBethesda's
voung profbssionalcrowd.
During rvcekendnights and
gamc days,this placecan fill
up, cven rvith three levelsand
nvo ftrll bars. Happy hor.rr,
Monday through Friday 4 to
7, inch.rdes
appetizers-think
classicssuch asspinachdip
and nachos-fbr $3.95 and
dealson wine, martinis, and
becr.
BOURBON
2348WisconsinAve.,NW 202625-7770
| 232118thSr.,NW
202-332-0800
Brick walls,pressed-tin
ceilings,and cozy booths
givc thesebarsin Glover Park
and Adrms Morgan ir laidback, hip fbel. The kitchen
soecializesin cornfbrt fbod
such asmac and cheese,tater
tots, and curll' fi'iessmothered in Old Bav seasoning.
But asits name suggests,
the star here is the extensivc
bourbon list, which oflbrs
dozensofvaricties, plus a
good selcctionof u'hiskeys.
Regularsalsocome fbr the
carefirllychoscn list of wines
bv thc glassand solid clraftand bottlcd-bcer choices.
FEELING tne economicoinch?
ASYLUM (2471 18th St., NW; 202-319-9353),a Gothic bar in Adams
Morgan popularwith bike messengers,offers one of the best drink deals
around: During the Natural Light Countdown on Saturdays,drafts of Natural Light are 50 cents starting at 5 and go up 50 cents every hour until 11.
A t t h e C ap i t olH il l di v e M Y BRO T HER' S PL AC E ( 23 7 Se condS t.,
NW; 202-347-1350),Friday'sBeat the Clock Happy Hour kicks off at 4 with
7s-cent domestic drafts; prices rise 25 cents every hour until 9. Saturday
nights,the All You Care to Drink specialincludesunlimitedwine
and drafts for $ l 5 from 9 PMto 1 AM.
Cheap beer is a big draw at TUNE INN (331/z
74
I WA S H IN G T ON I A N IM ARCH 2 OO9
BREADSODA
2233WisconsinAve..NWI
202-333-7445
Patronswho arcn't sidled
up to the granite bar at this
Glovcr Park hangout may be
playing pool, shuffleboard,
darts, or Wii. The extensive
beer menu fivors Belgium
but alsooffers selectionsli<rm
Ireland, Amsterdam, Italy, and
Germany.The overstuffed
deli sandwichcs-liom classic BLTs to more gourmet
choicessuch asroast beefwith
Maytag bleu chcese---<omc
with a tasty house-made pickle. l)uring happyhour,4 to 7
claily,rail drinks, housewine,
and selectbeersare $4.
CARPOOL
4000FairfaxDr.,ArlingtonI
703-532-7665
Aptly described asAndy
Warhol meets General Motors, this Ballstonbar is
decorated with licenseplates,
auto-industry memorabilia,
and a garagedoor that serves
asa window. The gamesthere are shufTleboards,dartboards,and I2 pool tablesattract a young crowd on
u,eckends.Happy-hour fbod
spccialsinclude half:price
burgerson Tuesdaysand 35cent wings on Wednesdays.
GALAJXYHUT
2711Wilson
Blvd.,ArlingtonI
703-525-8646
GalaxyHut is one of our
very fhvorite bars in Washington. In the postage-stampsizc spacc,cozy booths pack
the corners, ftlnky art adorns
the walls,and the bcer list
is fintastic. Thc Hr,rtisn't a
placeto seeand be seenbut
a placeto catch unknown
bancls,hang rvith liicnds, and
maybeevcn play a game of
old-school Ms. Pac-Man.
IRISH I]{TiIAT GLEN ECHO
6119Tulane
Ave.,GlenEchoI
301-229-6600
Don't bc sr.rrpriscdto find
flat caps,snspcnderc,and Irish
brogues here, one of the fbrv
Irish pubs in Washington that
fbel authentic. The bar is dimly
lit and cozy, with rvood-par-reled rvallsand plaid-covercd
booths. Grab a Guinnessand
make flst fiends. The menu
ofltrs uaditional Irish fare; patrons swcarby the shephcrd's
oie and the mustard-encrusted
iack oflarnb. In nice rveather,
you can sit on the lovcly outdoor patio.
JR'S BAR & GRILL
151917thSt.,NWI 202-328-0090
The anchor of DC's gay bar
sccneeschewsMiami chic fbr
wood panels,stainedglass,
and a moose head on the w'all.
The crorvd is full of regulan,
young and old, and each has
his favorite bartendcr. JR's is
gay Washington's Cheers.And
if the thought of belting out
"Wherc Everybodl' Knou s
Y<-rur
Name" d<resn'tsertdvorr
screaming,thcn check out
Monday's Showtunes Songs
and Sing-A-[,ong. There are
cheapdrink specials-mostll'
with vodka----everynight.
LOOKING GLASS LOUNGE
3634GeorgiaAve.,NW I
202-722-7669
Owned by the people bchind Wonderland Ba.llroom.
this two-level Petworth spot
lacksWonderland's hip reputation, but it's not the ugly
sister.With its r.intagechandc-
PennsylvaniaAve.,SE;202-543-2725),another grungy Hill spot with a loyal
fan base. During happy hour,weekdays 4 to 7, beers start at $ 1.50.
A t B U NGAL OW B IL LIAR DS & B R EW C OMP ANY (2 76 6S. Ar lingtonMill Dr.,Adington,703-578-0020;7003-C ManchesterBlvd.,Alexand(ia,703-924-8730;13891 Metrotech Dr.,Chantilly,703-502-3925),a
sports barlpool hall, there are half-price burgers and $1 margaritas every
Monday.
A t the a ptl y na me d R EC ES SION S (1 823L S t., N W; 20 2-2 96 66 86) ,a no -fri l l sb as em e ntbar i n the Qui nc y H ot e l,28 -ou nc e
"King Kong" drafts are $4 from 5 to 8 weekdays.
d
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