In the era of remote work, DC’s happy hour culture isn’t quite what it used to be. But with restaurant and bar prices reaching new highs, you could argue there’s more reason than ever to hit up happy hour. Here are 10 new ones to check out.
Alfreda
2016 P St., NW
Former fine-dining chef Russell Smith is serving stellar New York-ish pizzas at his new Dupont restaurant. Tuesdays through Fridays from 4 to 6 PM, pair your pie with an $8 spritz. Variations are spiked with ingredients like limoncello and basil or Campari and grapefruit.
Aventino
4747 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda
Pull up a seat at the emerald-accented bar at this Roman-Italian restaurant for aperitivo hour from 5 to 6 PM, Sunday through Thursday. Cicchetti (snacks) like housemade mortadella, cacio e pepe gnocco fritto (fried dough), and crispy rice fritters are all $8—as are cocktails including a negroni and spritz.
Casa Teresa
919 19th St., NW
Chef Ruben Garcia showcases homestyle, live-fire cooking at this Spanish dining room adjoining the Square food hall, but happy hour is all about tapas. Weekdays from 5 to 7 PM at the bar, sample Garcia’s standout croquetas, patatas bravas with mumbo sauce, and other bites while sipping $8 glasses of sangria, $12 Spanish wines, or a vermouth flight for $18.
Cucina Morini
901 4th St., NW
This Sicilian and Southern Italian restaurant specializes in handmade pastas and seafood, but the $7 martinis have become a huge hit. The deal includes classic, dirty, and caper brine-spiked “Morini martinis” all evening, every day in the lounge only. (Nitro espresso martinis are $10.) For snacking: $6 rosemary potato chips with green onion dip and marinated Sicilian olives.
Hiya Izakaya
200 Massachusetts Ave., NW
The izakaya inside the Love, Makoto food hall has expanded its happy hour from 4 to 6 PM daily. Sample robatayaki, including chicken thigh and chicken meatball skewers grilled over binchotan charcoal, plus spicy tuna crispy rice—all are $5 each. Drink draft Sapporos, wines, sake, and rotating highballs for $7.
J&J Pizza
550 Morse St., NE
New York-style pizzas are the draw at this Union Market area spot from Crooked Run Brewing’s Jake Endres and chef Julian Addison. Weekdays from 4 to 6 PM, get two slices or cheese or pepperoni and a beer for $12.
La Tejana
3211 Mt. Pleasant St., NW
This Mount Pleasant breakfast taco destination now doubles as a cocktail bar in the evenings, serving Tex-Mex snacks like loaded queso and jalapeno poppers. At happy hour from 4 to 6 PM on Thursdays and Fridays, find $13 margaritas (discounted from $16) and $5 Modelo beers.
Ometeo
1640 Capital One Dr., Tysons
This Tysons Tex-Mex destination from Top Chef winner Gabe Erales and the team behind behind the Salt Line serves $10 margaritas and mezcal mules, $9 wines, and $5 Tecates at its outdoor and main bar every Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 PM. You’ll also find six oysters for $12, two tacos for $10, and a Tex-Mex smash burger for $15.
Upside on Moore
1700 N Moore St., Arlington
Rosslyn’s new food hall is hoping to liven up evenings in the neighborhood with food from vendors like Lucky Danger, Stellina Pizza, and Ghostburger, plus a bar headed by sommelier/mixologist Elli Benchimol of Georgetown Champagne-and-caviar bar Apéro. Happy hour goes from 3 to 6 PM with $7 draft beers, $7 wines, and $9 classic cocktails—including a margarita, old-fashioned, and “Rosslyn Rickey.”
The Wells
727 C St., SE
The gin-centric cocktail bar near Eastern Market is now offering a martini hour with $10 specialty martinis from 4 to 5:30 PM every day it’s open. Its sister spots are also getting in on the action: Italian restaurant La Collina is offering $8 spritzes from 5 to 6:30 PM, and the Duck & the Peach has $10 daiquiris at the bar from 4 to 6 PM or at dinner from 5 to 6 PM.
Correction: Julian Addison is not the chef of Grazie Nonna.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
