With August Recess nearly underway and people from every corner of The District flocking to their preferred vacation spots, this city may feel a bit less crowded than usual. Most importantly, this means that key happy hour spots will also be less crowded for peak enjoyment. Don’t worry if you don’t have the time or funds to get away this summer, we’ve got you covered with these happy hour oases.
Swing by Commissary between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. or grab a sweet, sweet patio spot between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to take advantage of some of the best happy hour deals in the city. Grab a Commi-Combo, consisting of a glass of sparking rosé and a shot of Four Roses, for just $7, or enjoy some $6 specialty cocktails. Snack on some tempura avocado tacos, truffled fries, and blueberry mascarpone empanadas starting at just $3. Remember, it’s okay to get sloppy drunk when there aren’t many people around to take photos and stare at you. Now’s your chance.
TapaBar’s happy hour is absolutely worth making the trek to Bethesda for. Stop by between 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for $5 drinks across the board, from their house sangria to Mahou bottles. Spice up your weeknight with some shishito peppers, gambas in a peppery garlic sauce, and pan con tumaca with manchego cheese at great happy hour deals. Newer joints are usually busy, but TapaBar probably won’t be this week. The tapas don’t stapas until you do.
Adam’s Morgan happy hours are pretty much never not busy. Mintwood Place is no exception, but you are likely to see a lull in the AdMo crowd this week. With $5 house wines, $8 craft cocktail of the day, and $4 drafts, happy hour from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. is a popular time at Mintwood. So, pull up a seat at the bar, snack on some olives or cucumber and goat cheese salad, and wash away your summer blues with some delicious (and reasonably priced) libations.
Bar Deco has an absolutely killer rooftop deck that is consistently packed during the summer months. Lucky for you, happy hour is available both on the rooftop and at the third floor bar, giving you maximum space to drink. With $8 snacks like tomato carpaccio with mini burrata and funnel cake fries with chocolate syrup, you’ll want to hang out for hours. Wash down those delicious bites with a habanero margarita or a house-made g&t.
Make your way down to the ever-crowded National Harbor for a satisfying happy hour at Succotash. Belly up to the bar for some house-made cornbread with sorghum butter and scallions and a helping of their famous pimento fundido. Bring some friends and split a pitcher of Belle’s Punch, a concoction of mango vodka, bourbon, mint, peaches, and ginger, for just $25 (normally $49). Get a little tipsy, ride the Capital Wheel a few times, that’s basically like taking a vacation anyway.
