Flock of Pizzas

Thirsty Washingtonians, take heed! Chef Geoff’s has the best gosh darn Happy Hour this side of the Potomac. The downtown restaurant near Federal Triangle is an oasis in a city of often mundane and incongruously named Happy Hours. Unlike other Happy Hour menus, there's a lot of variety at Chef Geoff's. Long necks go for $2.95 and Estrella wines for $5.95, but the real boozy draw is the $7.95 Super Mug, a drink not for the faint of heart. These gargantuan glasses of cold beer weigh in at a whopping 33.8 oz. Come thirsty! Burgers go for $5.95 and personal pizza pies for $8.95. Happy Hour prices are available from 3 until 7 pm at the bar during the week, except on Mondays and Tuesdays and all day on weekends when the deals last all night. That's right, all night. (That's what she said? Maybe not, but it's still a steal.) Fair warning though; the bar area can get quite crowded. But then again, can you blame people for flocking here?

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Restaurants • National Mall

Strange Magic

I have been to Cafe Japone a few times--always for loud, indiscreet karaoke. But not once (until recently) did anyone mention or point out its basement bar, Sango Sho. Nor did I notice it myself, despite the fact that you have to climb stairs to enter Cafe Japone, whereas Sango Sho is at street level--right in front of your face! Now I think this place managed to escape everyone's attention for so long because it's actually in another dimension. Okay, not really, but it feels otherworldly. Below the drunk, off-key Britney sing-a-longs upstairs, Sango Sho is an ethereal, private lounge, or what my friend likes to call "a snow cave." The theme is actually underwater, with white, textured walls that resemble coral, a huge fish tank, and an enormous jellyfish abstraction hanging over you. It's kitted out with fiber-optic lights that smoothly change in color and intensity, water fixtures, grottoes, and translucent curtains enveloping tables. As I finished my glass of plum wine, DJs were setting up to spin electronic music, and our intimate seating area was about to be transformed into a dance floor. If you're used to luxe lounges and clubs, Sango Sho might seem like a dive. But if you're used to dives (like me), it is a magical, alien, relaxing nightspot. With no cover!

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Nightlife • Extended Coverage Area

Beer-topia

Bread & Brew wears many hats. In addition to the obvious, they also self-identify as catering, cafe, cocktails, and coffeehouse. Oh, and it's certifiably "green." All together, this means local, fresh, and organic ingredients. It means homemade food--from meats roasted in-house to muffins, cupcakes, and cookies baked daily to homemade soups. It means biodegradable plates, utensils, and cups. It means organic espresso with a fresh pastry. It means wood-burning brick-oven pizza, and plenty of vegetarian/vegan options. And finally, it means craft cocktails and beers. All without the white tablecloth, in a casual and friendly atmosphere. They open for breakfast, continue through lunch and dinner, and in the after hours you can knock back drinks in the basement bar. And for all you beer nerds out there, the draft list currently includes Arrogant Bastard, Brooklyn Lager, Victory Fest Bier, Allagash White, Bells Double Cream Stout, Brew Free or Die IPA, and Sierra Anniversary. It's almost like you can't have bad taste at Bread & Brew. Excellent choice!

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Restaurants • Dupont Circle / Adams Morgan

All Aboard: Let's Eat

I abhore eating or drinking in bus stations, train stations, rest stops, and airports. I feel like a mass transport culinary hostage, with options that are usually overpriced and greasy, with surly workers, stressful atmospheres, and dirty tables. And since I rarely remember to add a healthy, delicious meal to my packing list, I find myself standing in line for something I don't want to eat, or filling my body with vending machine carbohydrates to avoid hunger pains. But I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by my happy hour at Union Station's Center Cafe. Let's be clear: this is not a destination. But presumably you're at the train station because you already have one, and the drinks and food are fairly priced and reasonably fresh. The draw, though, is the location. The restaurant is smack dab in the middle of the station, so when you sit on the second "floor," you're vaulted up into the Beaux-Arts interior, complete with stone inscriptions and sculptures. Instead of being elbowed by MARC train commuters, you can gaze upwards at the ceiling details of gold leaf, granite, and marble. And it’s quite nice to hear the hubbub below while calming sipping your beer from above--and in the company of allegorical sculptures. It's just Union Station, but relatively speaking (to McDonald's), it's all very grand!

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Restaurants • Chinatown / Union Station

Windowless Bars Can Be Bourgie Too

Entering Breadsoda, the first thing that hit me was the strong smell of a roast beef sandwich...in an underground pool hall. This immediately struck me as wrong, until I realized that I too could partake in a delicious sandwich. And then it seemed awesome. Breadsoda is hard to spot from Wisconsin Avenue, being sunken below a strip-mall-esque string of retail, down a concrete flight of stairs. The bar itself is quite chic, although it functions as a rumpus room. Besides billiards, there’s shuffleboard; ping pong; Wii; a jukebox; and a selection of gourmet sandwiches, microbrews, Belgian beers, and fancy cocktails. The mood lighting and pristine interior indicate that this is no dingy basement, though. Leave it to Glover Park to make even a windowless bar bourgie.

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Nightlife • Glover Park / Foxhall