Here’s a sample of some of DC’s best late-afternoon deals (note: menus and offers are subject to change; dining specials may require beverage purchase).
Alero
1301 U St. NW
For Mexican fare at excellent prices, try Alero’s happy hour. The menu is packed with chicken and steak-stuffed quesados (think big quesadillas), chicken wings, steamed mussels and nachos, all priced under $5. Wash it down with a flavored margarita for another $4.50. Happy hour runs Monday through Saturday from 3:30-7 PM.
Asylum
2471 18th St. NW
One of Adams Morgan’s best happy hour values, Asylum’s happy hour menu includes $1 hard tacos, $1.25 soft tacos and 25-cent wings, along with a full slate of bargain-priced beers. The specials are served up Monday through Friday from 5-8 PM.
Austin Grill
750 E St. NW
This downtownTex-Mex eatery offers serves up specials at the bar from 2-7 PM, Monday through Friday. Try $5 margaritas, $4 beers and $3 food baskets– choose tacos, quesadillas or sliders.
The Beacon Bar
1615 Rhode Island Ave. NW
The Beacon Hotel & Corporate Quarters’ on-site bar hosts a popular weekday happy hour from 4-7 PM, serving appetizers like crispy crab quesadillas and mini-cheeseburgers for $5, along with a $5 martini menu.
The Big Hunt
1345 Connecticut Ave. NW
While drink specials abound at this Dupont Circle happy hour hotspot every night of the week, the best dining deals are found on Mondays (half-price pizza), Tuesdays (15 cent buffalo wings) and Wednesday (half-price burgers), from 7-11 PM each night.
Bullfeathers
410 1st St. SE
On Monday nights, you can sink your teeth into tasty half-price hamburgers and fries, starting at just $4. Other specially-priced bar food favorites are available Monday through Saturday from 3:30 PM to 6 PM.
Café Asia
1720 I St. NW
Nigiri sushi is priced at $1 per piece at this mid-town hotspot, which also serves up $2 draft beers. The happy hour specials are available Monday through Saturday from 4:30-7:30 PM.
Café Citron
1343 Connecticut Ave. NW
From 4-7 PM, Monday through Saturday, share discounted platters of nibbles like fried plantains and cheese empanadas, along with discounted pitchers of mojitos, caipirinhas and flavored margaritas.
Capitol Lounge
229 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Hill staffers and locals come together after work at this Capitol Hill gathering place to take advantage of happy hour specials like half-price pizza (Mondays), 10-cent wings (Tuesdays) and $4 quesadillas (Wednesdays). Specials are available Monday through Friday from 4-7 PM.
Capital City Brewing Company
Downtown (1100 New York Ave, NW, 202-628-2222)
Capitol Hill (2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, 202-842-2337)
DC’s first brew pub offers half-price appetizers and draft pints for $3.50 from 4-7 PM, Monday through Friday.
The Caucus Room
401 9th St. NW
(202) 393-1300
Offered Monday to Friday from 5-6:30 PM, this power dining spot offers 25 percent off the bar menu, plus 25 percent off beer, wines by the glass and any drink on the specialty cocktail list.
Chef Geoff’s
13th and F Sts. NW (202-464-4461)
3201 New Mexico Ave. NW (202-237-7800)
Happy hour means gigantic $5 burgers and $8 pizzas – perfect when washed down with a 32 oz. premium beer, priced at just $8.95. Specials are served from 5-7 PM (Monday through Friday).
Clyde’s of Georgetown
3236 M Street, NW
A popular Georgetown gathering spot, the bar offers weekday specials from 4-7 PM, including half priced burgers, crab cake sandwiches and more.
Clyde’s of Gallery Place
707 7th Street, NW
Another happy hour destination in the bustling Chinatown neighborhood, Clyde’s of Gallery Place appeals to seafood lovers with its half-price raw bar, offered Sunday through Thursday from 3-6 PM.
Dragonfly
1215 Connecticut Ave. NW
(202) 331-1775
The stylish Dupont Circle lounge and sushi bar offers a happy hour menu of $5 martinis, $4 beer and hot sake and $4 sushi selections on weekdays from 5:30-7:30 PM.
Ella’s Wood Fired Pizza
901 F St. NW
While the happy hour drink specials at Ella’s are as tempting as any in the city, the real appeal here is the free wood-fired pizza served at the bar Monday through Friday from 5-7 PM.
Finemondo
1319 F St. NW
Stop by this downtown Italian restaurant for half-price appetizers at the bar on weekdays from 5 PM-7 PM.
Finn MacCool’s Irish Publick House
713 8th St. SE
Head to Barracks Row and join the after-work crowds Monday through Friday at Finn MacCool’s for $5 chili cheese fries, Buffalo wings, Irish nachos and other tasty snacks. There’s also a budget-friendly nightly special Monday through Thursday like half-price burgers, fish & chips, corned beef and cabbage and shepherd’s pie.
The Front Page
1333 New Hampshire Ave. NW
(202) 296-6500
Another popular Dupont Circle happy hour destination, The Front Page serves up half-price appetizers at the bar Monday through Friday from 4-7 PM, along with half-price burgers on Tuesday nights from 4 PM to close and a 2-for-$1 taco bar on Fridays.
Grillfish
1200 New Hampshire Ave. NW
(202) 331-7310
Locals love Grillfish for its fresh seafood and friendly vibe; they also love it for its half-price appetizers like Buffalo shrimp, calamari and spicy mussels and happy hour drink specials, available at the bar daily from 4-7 PM (Monday through Friday) and 5-7 PM (Saturday and Sunday).
Hawk n’ Dove
329 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
(202) 543-3300
A Capitol Hill favorite, Hawk n’ Dove tempts budget-conscious residents and visitors with daily food specials like half-price burgers and chicken sandwiches on Sunday and Monday, twelve wings for a dollar on Tuesday, free popcorn shrimp on Thursday and a complimentary taco bar on Friday.
Helix Lounge
1430 Rhode Island Ave. NW
(202) 234-1454
Each weekday, the Helix Lounge packs a crowd of locals Monday through Friday for its happy hour, which features half-price hamburgers and beer from 5-7 PM.
Heritage India
Georgetown (2400 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-333-3120)
Dupont Circle (1337 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-331-1414)
Heritage India offers half-price tapas, along with a variety of wine, beer and cocktails from 5-7 PM (Monday through Friday) at both of its Georgetown and Dupont locations.
IndeBleu
707 G St. NW
Head to Indebleu’s chic first-floor bar and lounge on Fridays and enjoy Indian-inspired small plates such as tandoori shrimp, sliders and crab cakes for just $5 each from 5-8 PM.
J. Paul's
3218 M St. NW
(202) 333-3450
This old-fashioned saloon, with a century-old back bar from the Chicago stockyards, offers happy hour specials daily from 4-7 PM, including $0.50 wings, $2 Philly rolls, and $1.50 Blue Point oysters and sliders. Select beers are also available for $3 each.
Lima
1401 K St. NW
This trendy “see and be seen” hotspot features happy hour from 5-7:30 PM (Monday through Friday), featuring a variety of tasty empanadas, wine, cocktails and beer for $5 or less.
McCormick & Schmick’s
1652 K St. NW (202-861-2233)
901 F St. NW (202-639-9330)
This nationally-known favorite serves up one of DC’s best happy hour values, with a full slate of small plates dishes priced at just $1.95 each. Happy hour takes place weekdays from 3:30-6:30 PM.
Madam’s Organ
2461 18th St. NW
This blues bar in the vibrant Adams Morgan neighborhood offers 2-for-1 drink deals from 5-8 PM Monday through Wednesday; save $1 on select drinks Thursday and Friday; and buy one entrée, get the second 1/2 price on Sunday.
matchbox
713 H St. NW
Order a $4 martini or specialty cocktail and save $2 on any small pizza at the bar at this perennial downtown favorite. Happy hour specials are available Monday through Friday from 5-7 PM.
Mr. Smith’s of Georgetown
3104 M St. NW
Happy hour at Mr. Smith’s means half-price appetizers and dollar wings and potato skins (Thursday and Friday only), but the restaurant serves up fantastic daily specials: BBQ ribs, taco platters and $2 nachos.
Georgetown (3251 Prospect Street, NW, 202-342-6258)
Downtown (1050 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-955-5997)
Morton’s DC restaurants offer a special “bar bites” menu featuring $4 filet sandwiches, crab dip, mini-burgers and more, available from 5-6:30 PM and 9:30-11 PM.
Il Mulino
1110 Vermont Ave. NW
On weekdays from 5-7 PM, the elegant Italian restaurant serves bar guests a complimentary plate of the chef’s daily choice of fresh pasta.
Oya
777 9th St. NW
This ultra-chic Penn Quarter hotspot blends Asian and French cuisine, serving cocktails and house wines for $5 and sushi rolls for $7
Ozio
1813 Connecticut Ave. NW
Complimentary hors d’oeuvres are served along with half-price martinis, wine and beer weekdays from 5-8 PM.
Paolo's Georgetown
1303 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Situated in the heart of Georgetown, this Italian eatery offers happy hour Sunday through Wednesday from 4-7 PM. Specials include house cocktails, house wine and domestic drafts for $3 each, plus imported beers for $4 each.
Pizzeria Paradiso
2029 P St. NW (202-223-1245)
3282 M St. NW (202-337-1245)
Sample one of DC’s most talked-about pizzas during happy hour (weeknights at the Dupont Circle location, Tuesday & Wednesday at the Georgetown location from 5-7 PM). Small half-pizzas are $4.25 and antipasto platters are $6.95 (small) and $12.95 (large).
Poste Moderne Brasserie
555 8th Street, NW
Home of the 1841 General Post Office, DC locals and visitors alike enjoy “poste” work and play happy specials from 4-7 PM (Monday through Friday) on select beer, wine and famous truffled frites, priced at just $4 each.
PS-7’s Restaurant
777 I St. NW
This chic Penn Quarter eatery plays off its name with an assortment of appetizers priced at $7 each, and specialty cocktails and wines by the glass are the same price as well. Enjoy specials from 5-7 PM, Monday through Friday.
Sam & Harry's
1200 19th St. NW
(202) 296-4333
Offered Monday to Friday from 5-6:30 PM, this power dining spot offers 25 percent off the bar menu, plus 25 percent off beer, wines by the glass and any drink on the specialty cocktail list.
Tapatinis
711 8th St. SE
The Barracks Row restaurant serves tapas – plus complimentary cocktails on Thursday nights after 10 PM courtesy of a rotating list of alcohol brands.
Tortilla Coast
400 First St. SE
This Capitol Hill hangout attracts staffers for spectacular specials like $5.99 enchiladas on Mondays, $6.99 burritos on Tuesdays and all-you-can-eat chicken fajitas on Saturdays. Happy hour drink specials are served up weekdays from 5 PM to closing.
Urbana Restaurant & Wine Bar
2121 P St. NW
Lounge-goers flock to this Dupont Circle hotspot for happy hour deals, offered seven days a week on select wine and sparkling wine, beer, cocktails and signature pizzas.
