Nightly happy hour at Dino’s Grotto
1914 Ninth St., NW
The original Dino in Cleveland Park was known for its deals, and you can now find discounts at the new Shaw incarnation. Stop by for nightly happy hour between 5 and 7 for $3 off cocktails, wine, and antipasti, $5 drafts, $15 burgers with a beer, $12 mussels, and more. Look for late-night happy hour to start soon from 10 to close, along with a night-owl menu.
Late-night Korean pop-ups at Mandu
453 K St., NW
Chef/owner Danny Lee just announced “Anju nights,” a monthly series of late-night pop-ups at Mandu’s K Street location. Held on the first Friday of every month between 10 and 1, on a first come, first served basis, guests can sip shoju cocktails and sample snacks and entrées from a guest chef. First up on Friday, June 6: Jonah Kim from Baltimore, who prepares dishes such as raw oysters with kimchee cocktail sauce, bo ssam (pork-belly lettuce cups), and Korean fried chicken. Dishes run $6 to $15, or $30 for a choice of six snacks.
More sushi at Masa 14
1825 14th St., NW
Masa’s new chef de cuisine, Felipe Milanes, makes some changes to the menu, including more sushi starting on Sunday. Look for spicy tuna rolls with avocado, yuzu, and chilies; a tropical-style rainbow roll with mango-papaya salsa; and crispy prawn tempura rolls with avocado and sesame-chipotle mayo, among others. New summer dishes are also in the mix, including scallop crudo and Korean short ribs.
Binge-watch parties with eats and drinks from Bar Rouge
1315 16th St., NW
If you and ten friends really like Netflix originals, read on. The Kimpton’s Hotel Rouge just started taking reservations for its “binge-watching” package, which includes access to a private space equipped with beanbag chairs, a 50-inch television, and all the laptop hookups and devices needed to screen your choice of shows for three hours or more (the promo coincides with the new season of Orange Is the New Black, debuting June 6). Packages start at $350 with free popcorn, and go up to $750 for free-flowing beer, wine, and a catered meal from Bar Rouge.
A New York hotspot at Ripple
3417 Connecticut Ave., NW
Just announced: Washingtonians can get a taste of Pearl & Ash, one of New York’s current culinary hotspots, at Ripple on Wednesday, June 4. Visiting chef Richard Kuo joins Marjorie Meek-Bradley—both Thomas Keller alums from Per Se—for an eight-course, collaborative dinner ($120 per person; $45 to $75 for beverage pairings). Book soon, as reservations are likely to go quick.
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.
