Happy Hour Crawl: 14th Street
The exploding 14th Street corridor is swarmed on weekend nights, but consider it for your next happy hour crawl, too: you’ll avoid the late night weekend crowds and can snag some pretty great food and drink deals while you’re at it. We recommend starting at Ghibellina — it’s closest to the offices of downtown and drinks starting pouring at 4:30 PM— then work your way up the street and down our list, which concludes with drink specials (and free pizza) as late as 8 PM (and conveniently lands you near the U Street Metro). Plan your crawl for a Tuesday and you can circle back to Masa 14 for drink specials late into the evening!
Ghibellina: This Italian eatery’s nightly 4:30–6:30 PM happy hour features $6 cocktails, $5 wine, $3–4 draft beer and half off the amazing, Neapolitan-style pizza. Stake out a spot in windowed front bar area for people watching and plenty of natural light (1610 14th St. NW; 202-803-2389).
Masa 14: This Richard Sandoval spot boasts happy hour specials every day from 5–7 PM. Enjoy select $4 Latin-Asian small plates as well as cocktails, wine, and beer available at the bar for the same price. On Tuesdays, the drink specials extend all night at the bar and lounge (1825 14th St. NW; 202-328-1414).
Bar Pilar: This neighborhood staple offers a different happy hour special every day between Monday and Friday, available from 5–7:30 PM. In addition to $5 wines and $2 off drafts (available every day), take advantage of $8 rotating specialty cocktails during Monday Sour Hour, Tonic Tuesdays and Pork 'n' Punch Fridays (which has housemade punch and specials on pork dishes, naturally) (1833 14th St. NW; 202-265-1751).
Policy: It’s hard to beat $5 specialty cocktails — such as the daily punch or a Dark & Stormy — and equally well-priced small plates such as tuna tartare and hand-cut french fries served with black truffle mayo. Available 5–8 PM, Tuesday–Friday from and 5–7 PM, Saturday, these happy hour specials combined with Policy’s chandelier-bedecked space will have you feeling luxe for less (1904 14th St. NW; 202-387-7654).
Lost Society: Say cheers with whatever beverage you choose (excluding specialty cocktails) for half price between 5 PM–7:30 PM, Tuesday and Thursday. A three-course prix-fixe menu is also available for just $25 (2001 14th St. NW; 202-618-8868).
Piola: The international Italian chain has one of the best happy hours in D.C., offering free pizza (via slices passed on trays as they come out of the oven), $5 sangria, $4 house wine and $3 Peroni and Miller Lite every day from 5–8 PM. Now that’s what we call meraviglioso (2209 14th St. NW; 202-986-8729).
