The 87th annual Academy Awards is on Sunday, and a number of bars and restaurants are rolling out the figurative red carpet to customers for viewing parties, all-night happy hours, and more.
Unlimited tapas and drinks at Boqueria
1837 M St., NW
Celebrate the Oscars in Spanish fashion with unlimited tapas such as smoked-salmon toasts, lamb meatballs, and garlic shrimp, plus bottomless sangria, draft beer, and cava ($45 per person). The party is hosted in the restaurant’s private dining room, equipped with televisions, from 7 to midnight. Call 202-558-9545 for reservations.
When: 7 to midnight
Red carpet happy hour and VIP prix-fixe at Commissary
1443 P St., NW
The Logan Circle neighborhood joint hosts its third annual Oscar party, complete with a full wall projection screen. Festivities start at 4 with a red carpet happy hour until 8, featuring specialty cocktails and appetizers ($3 to $7). Guests can order off a Hollywood-themed menu, which includes one complimentary drink and a free popcorn bar. High rollers can opt for the $49 prix-fixe, which includes a three-course menu, two drinks, bottomless popcorn, and first-row seating (reservations for the latter are required). Also! A ballot competition for all.
When: 4 to close
Champagne buffet at Cafe Milano
3251 Prospect St., NW
The see-and-be-seen Georgetown Italian hosts a viewing party in honor of regular star patron Bradley Cooper and his nomination for American Sniper. Tickets are $125 per person and include a Champagne buffet. Partial proceeds benefit neighboring Dog Tag Bakery, which donates all its profits to veterans’ programs.
When: Starts at 7
Oscars happy hour at Helix
1430 Rhode Island Ave., NW
Sip a Red Carpet Cosmo alongside bacon jam-topped sliders at this Kimpton Hotel soiree, where drinks and food are discounted throughout the evening ($3 to $6 snacks, $8 cocktails).
When: 5 to 11
Wine-filled watch party at Eno
2810 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
The Georgetown wine bar hosts a viewing party with $5 wines on tap, Oscars-themed chocolates, and free popcorn while the ceremony plays on flat screen televisions. Guests are encourage to fill out a ballot—the best three guesses receive gift cards up to $75.
When: 5 to 11
Themed cocktails (and a mocktail) at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House
950 I St., NW
The show is screened in the restaurant’s private dining room, equipped with a 65-inch television with surround sound. Keeping things festive: three themed cocktails, like the Birdman with whiskey, blackberries, and lemon sour.
When: 5:30 onward
Brews and pros at the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse
2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington
Join the DC Film Society for its 23rd annual Oscars party, hosted by local film critics Bill Henry and Tim Gordon. The evening includes trivia contests, giveaways, and a silent auction. Tickets are $21, and can be purchased in advance online.
When: Door ticket sales start at 6:30; open at 7
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
