After being pushed back a week due to the government shutdown, President Donald Trump will give his second State of the Union address at 9 PM tonight, followed by a Democratic response from Stacey Abrams. Whether you’ll be cheering at the speech or crying to it, here are some Washington bars and restaurants where you can watch the 2019 SOTU.
Busboys and Poets
450 K St., NW
Come watch—or hate watch—the State of the Union at Busboys and Poets’ recently renovated Mount Vernon location. Starting at 8 PM, activist group CODEPINK will host a pre- and post-SOTU discussion with actor Danny Glover, Busboys and Poets’ owner Andy Shallal, and others. Seating is first-come first-served, and the restaurant’s full menu and bar will be available throughout the event.
Hawk ‘n’ Dove
329 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
The Capitol Hill standby will air Trump’s speech along with its Flip Night. From 9 PM to 10 PM, ask the bartender to flip a coin, and if you get a blank, the bar will pay for your drink. One drink per flip, and one flip per person.
Wonderland Ballroom
1101 Kenyon St., NW
From the people who brought you 2016’s “An Election Returns Cry-In” and 2017’s “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Drink” comes 2019’s “How Has This Only Been Two Years” watch party. Columbia Heights’ Wonderland Ballroom will start playing State of the Union Coverage at 8 PM and offers complimentary cheese puffs to anyone who wants something to throw during the speech.
Mission Navy Yard
1221 Van St., SE
DC Young Republicans and Arlington Falls Church Young Republicans will host a watch party at Mission Navy Yard from 7:30 to 10 PM. Specials include $5 Estrella pints, $6 rail drinks, $8 margaritas, and $9 wings and nachos.
Lost & Found
1240 9th St., NW
Watch the State of the Union and Stacey Abrams’s response with Planned Parenthood advocates of DC, Maryland, and NoVa from 9 to 11 PM at this Shaw bar. No advertised drink specials so far, but the bar will donate 10 percent of all purchases to the organization.
Union Pub
201 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Union Pub is expecting a big crowd and good patio weather for tonight’s speech. Featured cocktails for the event include the “This Drink Isn’t Fake It’s Good Genes,” a mix of vodka, ginger beer, orange juice, and lime and the “Who’s Gonna Pay for It?–Mexico”* a tequila and sweet vermouth drink. Drink specials include $15 buckets of Budwiser and Bud Lite, $5 rail drinks, select bourbons for $4, and $4 Belgian bottles from 5 PM until close.
*Mexico will not actually be paying for this drink. Sorry!
Duffy’s Irish Pub
1016 H St NE
All eight flat screens at Duffy’s will be tuned to the State of the Union. The bar will offer drink specials from 8 to 11 PM plus SOTU bingo.
Shaw’s Tavern
520 Florida Ave., NW
For those pre-gaming the SOTU, Shaw’s Tavern will offer $5 house wines, $5 Sam Adams seasonal beer and half-priced burgers starting at 5 PM. They’ll crank up the sound when Trump’s speech starts at 9 PM.
Sudhouse
1340 U St., NW
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence will host a watch party at this U Street bar starting at 8 PM. Expect drinks, SOTU bingo, and prizes including a drawing for Caps tickets, gourmet chocolates, a Bryce Harper bobblehead, and more. Can’t make it? Download your bingo card here and tag @BradyBuzz in a photo of your bingo on Instagram and Twitter for a chance to win.
The Big Stick
20 M St., SE
Navy Yard bar the Big Stick will be playing both the Caps game and the State of the Union. Bottles of wine are half off and their drinking game will have you sipping every time Speaker Nancy Pelosi looks annoyed and chugging your drink if anyone boos.
This post has been updated with an additional watch party.
