It’s finally that glorious time of year when bars and restaurants open up their patios, and the city can once again drink outside! There’s nothing quite as satisfying as leaving work and meeting up with friends for an outdoor happy hour.
Here are three of the best outdoor happy hours in Washington D.C. right now. (You're welcome!).
Dacha Garden
1600 7th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20001
Dacha Beer Garden is the ultimate D.C. outdoor watering hole. Open only seasonally, it draws large spring and summer crowds. A pro tip is to get there early, or be prepared to wait in line. Dacha has no indoor space -- the whole bar is outside. It’s closed off by a fence and adorned with lights. There are plenty of communal wood tables and benches, and this spot also features a colorful mural of the iconic Elizabeth Taylor -- one of the most
interesting murals in the Shaw neighborhood.
The bar serves a “carefully curated menu of German, Belgian, and American craft beers, local meads and ciders, unique cocktails, and beautiful wines. The seasonal food menus crafted by the executive chef are inspired by traditional Bavarian beer gardens with an eye for local sourcing and farm-to-table authenticity.” You can view the full beverage and food menus
here and
here, respectively.
To find out more about the beer garden, as well as opportunity to reserve space for a private party, visit their website
here.
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Courtesy of timeout.com[/caption]
Columbia Room Punch Garden
124 Blagden Alley NW, Washington, D.C., 20001
Columbia Room is an impressive restaurant and bar in its own right, but its Punch Garden is one of the most picturesque spots in the city, both in terms of the décor and the cocktails. The garden features wood floors, shiplap detailing on the sides, leafy vines and lights wrapped around the awning, and its own outdoor bar.
The Punch Garden
drink menu includes many unique cocktails to choose from. Favorites include the Amero (mezcal, chai spice maple, grapefruit bitters, celery bitters, boker’s bitters) and the Ivy Wall Punch (civic vodka, junmai ginjo sake, lime, grand marnier, cucumber, pistachio).
This bar has won
numerous awards for its cocktails, atmosphere, outdoor space, and food, and it’s been listed as one of the top 25 Cocktail Bars in America by GQ. If you won’t settle for anything but the best in outdoor boozing, this is your spot.
To learn more about Columbia Room, visit their website
here.
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Courtesy of columbiaroomdc.com[/caption]
Colada Shop
1405 T Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20009
Colada Shop is located on T Street, right off of the bustling 14
th Street, and is the perfect people-watching locale. Grab a seat at either one of the street-facing patio tables or the inside/outdoor bar, and watch people go by while sipping on a delicious cocktail. But while the street itself is vibrant, the bar may be even more so.
The building is painted a baby blue, and the patio tables are bright pink, but the drinks and food are equally as colorful. The restaurant serves authentic Cuban cuisine using fresh ingredients like avocados and smoky jamon. Drinks change by the season and include classics like piña coladas and mojitos, but also unique cocktails such as the Babalu (white rum, passion fruit, palo santo syrup, lime) and the Coki Beach (Bacardi 8, all spice dram, toasted coconut syrup, lime). You can check out the full food and drink menus,
here and
here. Colada Shop is also a great place to grab a cup of coffee, featuring some
Cuban specialties.
If you like happy, casual summer vibes, this is the happy hour for you. Visit the Colada Shop
website for more information on the company.
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Courtesy of Washingtonian.com[/caption]
And if you're all about bringing your dog to the patio with you, check out these cool
dog-friendly patios in D.C.
Have you checked out any of these outdoor happy hour spots? Let us know your favorite place by commenting below!
