Food

Your Guide to July 4th Weekend Food and Drink Fun Around DC

Firework watch parties, crab feasts, barbecue kits, brunches, and more.

"Crabs and Crushes," a pop-up from Lucky Buns chef Alex McCoy, is coming to Union Market. Photograph courtesy of Alex McCoy.

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The July 4th weekend around DC is shaping up to be a fun one with firework watch parties, crab feasts, barbecues, and plenty of brunches to nurse a holiday hangover on Monday. Here’s your guide to weekend fun.

Catch fireworks from penthouse cabanas at La Vie. Photograph courtesy of La Vie

Fireworks Watch Parties

CUT Above
1050 31st St., NW
Wolfgang Puck’s Georgetown steakhouse is serving a $295 per person family-style menu with a rooftop view of the fireworks show. The menu features summertime dishes like chili cornbread, barbecue beef ribs, a prawn boil, sliced watermelon, and summer berry pie. The price includes unlimited beer, wine, and festive cocktails. Tables are available from 6 to 10 PM, and reservations can be made on Tock.

La Vie
88 District Sq., SW
Celebrate July 4th fireworks with Potomac River views from the rooftop terrace of this swanky Wharf restaurant, which is offering club-style table service. There are six types of private areas to reserve, ranging from eight-person cabanas ($1,000) to smaller four-person “cabines” with a view ($800) and $500 lounge areas. Certain tables include a premium bottle of Champagne or liquor, and an a la carte menu will be available for all. If you don’t feel like super-splurging, general tickets to the penthouse portico are available for $59, and those guests can order from the cocktail menu. Reservations can be made through Tock.

Victura Park
2700 F St., NW
The atmospheric outdoor wine and beer garden by the Reach at the Kennedy Center is hosting its first ever July 4th celebration from noon to 10 PM. Admission is free, and refreshment stations will be set up all over the outdoor space serving grilled food, frozen treats, and a special dish from  chef Erik Bruner-Yang. Local beers, wine, and canned cocktails will also be available for purchase. Bring your own blanket, and it’s not a bad idea to get there early to snag a spot.

Tiki TNT
1130 Maine Ave., SW
Spend the day at this colorful tiki bar and rum distillery at the Wharf, and stay into the night to watch the fireworks show from the rooftop. The viewing party starts at 8 PM on July 4th, and tickets are $50 per person. The ticket includes a seat at the bar with a view of the fireworks, a welcome cocktail, and a barbecue dinner wiith options like tiki dogs or kalua pork plates.

4th at the Wharf
101 District Sq., SW
Head down to the Wharf on Independence Day for a view of the fireworks show from the District Pier. A $40 ticket gets you two drink tickets for hard seltzer or other beverages; additional drinks can be purchased from the cash bar. The ticket includes light fare of sliders, mini hot dogs, sides, and desserts, and a DJ will be spinning tunes all night. The party runs from 7 to 10 PM.

Lucky Crab brings AYCE feasts to Union Market. Photograph courtesy of Lucky Crab

Fun food events for the weekend

St. Anselm
1250 5th St., NE
Enjoy an all-day barbecue at the American tavern on July 4th from 10:30 AM to 10 PM. Feast on cookout classics with steakhouse twists like fancy cheeseburgers ($21), sausage and onions ($19), watermelon salad ($11) and homemade rocket pops ($7). The $35 meat-and-three special gives you the choice of spit-roasted pork—a whole hog is being cooked at the ‘cue—or beef sausage served with coleslaw, beans, and corn on the cob.

Glover Park Grill
2505 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Love crab feasts but not the clean-up? Restaurateur Michael Schlow’s American restaurant is hosting an all-day crab feast on July 4th complete with corn, coleslaw, and potato salad. Guests can also add more sides, beer buckets, and cocktails. Tickets are $50, and available for two-hour time slots between noon-7:30 PM.

American Ice Company
917 V St., NW
The popular U Street corridor bar is hosting a neighborhood cookout, serving brisket ($11), chicken ($11) and, of course, “swachos” ($10), along with vegetarian options. Shaw purveyor Meats and Foods will also be on deck serving chorizo and chicken sausages ($5). Narragansett is providing sampler buckets of Rhode Island Ice Tea, Del’s Shandy and Fresh Catch Pale Ale ($10 for 3 per bucket or $4 per can), and American Ice Company’s signature pickleback shots and regular drink menu will be available. The event runs from noon until the fireworks end, and no tickets or reservations are required.

Gravitas
1401 Okie St., NE
Chef Matt Baker is hosting a lunch that doubles as an interactive cooking class at his Michelin-starred Ivy City tasting room on Saturday, July 3 at 12 PM.  The event is $80 per person and includes three-courses and wine or non-alcoholic drink pairings with each course.

Lucky’s Crab House
1309 5th St., NE
The Union Market pop-up is hosting all-you-can-eat Maryland crab feasts every Friday through Sunday this summer, including July 4th weekend. For $50 per person, you can feast on all-you-can-eat crabs, corn, potato salad, chicken and slaw (two hour time limit applies). Fresh fruit crushes, cocktails, and local brews will be available for an additional cost.

MITA
1280 4th St., NE
Inside La Cosecha Latin marketplace, plant-forward spot MITA is offering special vegan options only available on July 4th. Stop by for a hot dog ($8), hamburger ($18) or donut ($5).

Foxtrot
650 Massachusetts Ave. NW and 1267 Wisconsin Ave., NW
The new DC market locations are selling limited edition affogatos—two shots of espresso, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, whipped cream, and red-and-blue Pop Rocks—on July 3 and 4. Patrons can also pick up one of the picnic bundles ($25 to $35) at the Georgetown and Mt. Vernon Triangle locations to snack on during the fireworks.

Bad Saint
3226 11th St., NW
Celebrate Independence Day with a Filipino-style crab feast at this Columbia Heights spot. Choose a crab feast for two ($145) or four ($260), both of which come with spicy coconut sauce, jasmine rice, a choice of three sides, and a Bad Saint crab mallet. Additional sides and desserts are available to add to your order for the à la carte price. Preorders are available for pickup between July 1 and 4.

District Doughnut
Multiple DC-area locations
Preorder festive doughnuts from all District Doughnut locations. A $22 half-dozen includes flavors like patriotic July 4th funfetti doughnuts, chocolate-waffle cone doughnuts, Nutella s’more, and pina colada. There will be a limited number of the July 4th funfetti doughnuts available in stores but only on July 4th.

Q by Peter Chang
4500 East-West Hwy., Suite 100, Bethesda
The Bethesda spot is offering a festive $18 dimsum platter box for brunch. The special will be served from 11 AM to 2:30 PM, and it includes a fried duck roll, two types of dumplings, a Chinese shredded chicken burger, pork ribs, Szechuan cold noodles, a tofu skin roll and a sesame ball. This is only available for dine-in, and will be served Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4.

Bammy’s
301 Water St., SE
Join the party at the indoor/outdoor Navy Yard restaurant with $10 Caribbean crushes served all day and night. The fruity drink special is made with fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, rum, and Sprite.

Clarendon Pop-Up Bar
3185 Wilson Blvd., Arlington
Celebrate Independence Day with a rooftop barbecue and drink specials from 2 to 7 PM. A young crowd can throw back Jello-O shots or sip a boozy punch, and fuel up on burgers, hot dogs, and barbecue sandwiches.

The Lot
3217 10th St. N, Arlington
The 22,000 square-foot Arlington space is hosting a beach party, complete with sand, tropical drinks, and yard games. Dining options include food trucks like Rebel Taco, and sliders and hot dogs from The Tailgater. Drink specials feature beer buckets and “freedom shots.”

Mélange chef/owner Elias Taddesse prepares burger grill kits for July 4th. Photograph courtesy Edens.

Grill Kits

Albi
1346 4th St., SE
Chef Michael Rafidi’s Levantine “Albi-que” menu is back at the Navy Yard restaurant. The $90 package serves two and comes with ready-to-grill meats and mezze. Orders go live on Friday, June 25.

Baker’s Daughter
1402 Okie St., NE
The Ivy City boutique café is offering take-home grill kits for four. The grill kit comes with a choice of proteins like a NY strip ($90) or salmon ($80), and includes sides, sauces, a mixed green salad, and vegetables. Lobster tail and crab cakes are also available as optional add-ons.

Centrolina
974 Palmer Alley, NW
Take home a grill package chef Amy Brandwein’s downtown Italian restaurant, perfect for feeding two-to-four people ($150). The package includes homemade pork-fennel sausages, angus beef patties, brioche buns, toppings, ready-eat sides like corn with pesto, and a shortcake kit for dessert. A six-pack of of Champion Shower pilsner cans and a bottle of Bertani Bertarose rose wine are included. Pre-order by 6 PM on Thursday, July 1 for pickup on over July 4th weekend (times vary by day).

Lebanese Taverna
All locations
Spice up your Independence Day cookout with grill kits from the homegrown Lebanese chain. The $79 packages serve four-to-six people and include six chicken kebabs, four kafta kabobs, Lebanese potato salad, watermelon and feta salad, hummus, and pita. Patrons can add extra kebabs, sides, and appetizers.

Mélange
449 K St., NW
Chef Elias Taddesse is offering a grill kitsfrom his burger-centric, French-Ethiopian restaurant. The $75 kit serves up to six people and includes custom blend burger patties, brioche buns and all the accoutrements, sides like heirloom tomato-strawberry salad, and two pints of homemade ice cream. Pre-order here to pick up July 3 or 4.

Dlena drinks. Photo credit: Front of House New York City

Holiday brunches

dLeña
476 K St., NW, Suite D
Chef Richard Sandoval is about to launch brunch at his wood-fired Mexican spot in Mt. Vernon Triangle. In addition to weekend feasts, guests can indulge in the all-you-can-eat-and-drink brunch on Monday, July 5th. Items include tacos, egg dishes, tuna ceviche, shrimp enchiladas, and more, all washed down with mimosas or bloody Marys. AYCE is $30, and the deal is $45 with bottomless drinks.

Fight Club
623 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
The Capitol Hill sandwich spot is helping you recover from the long holiday weekend with brunch from 11 AM to 3 PM on Sunday, July 4 and Monday, July 5.  Hearty dishes include a brisket biscuit, chivito sandwich, chicken and waffles, and shrimp and grits. Pair your meal with $10 mimosas (bottomless for $18).

Immigrant Food
1701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Try the “welcome to America” pancakes at the White House-adjacent location on Saturday and Sunday.  The red, white, and blue-themed special is served with red pineapple dressing and blueberries. Add a mimosa for a $25 combo.