Full-fledged patio season is still a few weeks away, but a few early-bloomers are coming out of winter hibernation to serve drinks and food during these warm-ish days.
600 Water St., SW
It’s Corona-rita time again! The Southwest Waterfront dock bar fully reopens for the season today. Some things never change—daily specials like $3 Tecate Tuesdays and $10 ‘ritas on Sundays—but there’s a cool new service for baseball fans. When Nats season starts customers can get free boat shuttle service to and from home games with proof of purchase from the Cantina.
1801 14th St., NW
The 14th Street beer garden bravely debuted in February, before the last snow flakes had yet to fall. Now you can enjoy big beer steins and barbecue without a winter jacket. Note the bar opens early at 3 for St. Patrick’s Day today with beer priced at $3 for the first hour, $4 at 4 PM, and $5 at 5 PM.
1734 N St., NW
The historic Dupont restaurant kept its outdoor space open through winter thanks to heat lamps and blankets, but the new spring look starts this week. You’ll still find warming elements for chillier days, but there’s new lounge furniture on the side patio for sipping cocktails, while tables are set up in the garden for a la carte dining.
1475 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Anyone thirsty for a drink near the White House and Mall can post up on Occidental’s newly-debuted patio. A fresh spring menu accompanies the outdoor space’s reopening, with dishes like a swordfish BLT and a brunch-time eggs Benedict with spring onion hollandaise.
And later this week…
1600 Seventh St., NW
The popular Shaw beer garden plans to come out of winter hibernation on Thursday, March 19 at 4. And that’s not all. The bar’s expansion to the building next door is well underway, meaning a full food menu, expanded drink list, and a daytime coffee shop/market are slated for April. In the meantime the outdoor space has a few more beers on tap, expanded seating areas, and nicer bathrooms (so long, porta potties).
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.
