At some places, you can squeeze a full dinner out of a few hours of specials. Head to Wolfgang Puck’s the Source (575 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202-637-6100; wolfgangpuck.com) Monday through Saturday between 4 and 6, and you can get three dishes—say, shrimp tempura rolls, pork-belly-stuffed bao, and miniature bánh mì sandwiches—from the downstairs lounge’s izakaya menu for $20.12. Mod-American PS 7’s (777 I St., NW; 202-742-8550; ps7restaurant.com) has half-price flatbreads and discounted beer and wine Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 7 and all night Monday. (Another Monday bonus: The terrific burgers are half off, too.)
Weeknights between 5 and 7, the Southern dining room Vidalia (1990 M St., NW; 202-659-1990; vidaliadc.com) puts out discounted beer, wine, and cocktails and a free spread of bacon-flavored popcorn and garlicky croutons alongside cheap shares such as $3-to-$5 bar bites. If you’re
looking for something fast and filling, the downtown location of the casual American spot Chef Geoff’s (1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202-464-4461; chefgeoff.com) discounts its burgers ($5.95) and pizzas ($8.95) all night Saturday through Tuesday and from 3 to 7 pm the rest of the week. And one of our favorite reasons to visit the Clarendon brasserie Lyon Hall (3100 N.
Washington Blvd., Arlington; 703-741-7636; lyonhallarlington.com) is the $5 house-made hot dogs, offered nightly from 4 to 7.
If you’re strictly in a drinking mood, the cozy wine bar Vinoteca (1940 11th St., NW; 202-332-9463; vinoteca-dc.com) pours 20 by-the-glass selections for $5 a pop every day between 5 and 7. The Italian-themed hangout Dino (3435 Connecticut Ave., NW; 202-686-2966; dino-dc.com) does $5 cocktails and wine and $4 craft beers every night between 5:30 and 7. Weeknights from 5 to 8, beloved downtown dive the Black Rooster (1919 L St., NW; 202-659-4431; blackrooster-pub.com) pours pints of Budweiser for $3 and imported and premium drafts for $4.50.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
