Where to Watch March Madness in DC – 2019

March Madness is upon us, and it does not get better than Thursday and Friday for the first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. See TV schedule and bracket here. I’ve highlighted all the sports bars, which are your best bets to have an atmosphere, and specials. I’ll be taking off the afternoon once again, like I’ve done every year I’ve worked. Email/Tweet at me if you wanna meet up (or if you are inviting me). Will be updating til Wed night.

All spots listed will be open early enough to show all games and have at least 4 TVs in one room so you can see all games unless otherwise specified.

Dupont Circle

FYI-Public Bar is closed for renovations/new entrance and will likely not reopen until before championship game (April 7th)

Buffalo Billiards
- $22 buckets of five 16 oz. Bud Light cans
City Tap House
- Select Sweetwater draft beers for $5 all day during tourney
- chance to win trip to Final 4
Across the Pond
- $4 ATP Pilsner / 55 cent wings (min 10) / 20 wing & 3 pitchers of ATP Pilsner $25 / 20 wings & 6 domestic bottles $25

Adams Morgan / Cleveland Park / Tenleytown

The Game Sports Pub
- open at noon Thu-Fri
Pitchers
- Does not open until 5p
Jack Rose
- Highballin Happy Hour on terrace
- Does not open until 5p
- $9 Highball cocktail specials, $5 drafts and half-priced sliders.
- 4 TVs
- Perfect spot if your friends don’t want goto a sports bar as most people don’t pay attention to games.
The Blaguard
- Specials for every game: $3 Bud Light/Natty Boh, $5 Mermaid Pilsner / $6 Crown Royal Vanilla, Apple, Salted Caramel / $6 Tullamore Dew vs Tito’s (Rotate by round)
- $5 Flying Dog for Maryland Terps games, $5 Devils Backbone for UVa games
Tenley Bar & Grill
- might not open until 3:3op
- specials during live games
- $12 48 oz Miller Lite pitcher / $20 beer bucket of Miller Lite/Coors Light/Bud Light / $8 Moscow mule / $8 Dark & Stormy
- $6 bar bites
Cleveland Park Bar & Grill
- open at noon
- specials/big watch parties for Terp games

U Street / Shaw / Logan Circle / Bloomingdale

Nellie’s
- open at 11:45a Thu-Fri
Franklin Hall
- $4 Narragansett pints / $8 Narragansett Liter Mugs for all games
Stoney’s
- Pitcher specials: $14 Bud Light, $15 Shock Top, $15 Stoney’s Amber, $5 Fireball shots
- $9 large 2 topping pizza / $15 for 20 wings
Ivy & Coney
- will open at noon
- roof deck is covered with lots of light

Chinatown / Penn Quarter / Downtown

City Tap House
- Special $5 pint special throughout tourney
Union Trust
- Sloppy Mama’s BBQ (at least Thurs)
- might just have 2 TVs
Blackfinn
- food & drink specials
Penn Commons
- Beer bracket (beers advance based on what you order)
Penn Social
- tons of TVs
- $5 Guayabera Cigar City, $6 Jai Alai / $4 Miller / $4 Blue Moon
Taco Bamba
- Free nacho cheese fountains Mar 21 and 22 during games
Bottom Line
- food and drink specials include $4 Dos Equis Amber & Lager bottles

Columbia Heights / Petworth

The Midlands
- open early for Thu-Fri games
- free wifi,
- nitro cold brew available
- bring in food
DC Reynolds –
- always open early, but unclear if 4 TVs
Lou’s City Bar
- Select $4 drafts/bottles & $16 pitchers/buckets during games
- New solid $4 HH 4-7 M-F on rails/house wine/select drafts
Meridian Pint
- showing games in the basement, which doesn’t open til 5p
- $5/5 wings / half priced nachos,
- 4 drafts for $5 each (e.g.) Allagash White, ST Pils, RAR Country Ride, and Victory Donnybrook.
- via Barred in DC “Special” Correspondent DC Beer Bill

Capitol Hill / Navy Yard / The Wharf

The Ugly Mug
- open at 4p weekdays, 11a wknds
- $4 Miller Lite pints / $30 towers
- $5 Blue Moon / $35 towers
Finn McCool’s
- 4 122 inch project screens, 12 60″ TV
- $4 Bud Light / $5 Sam Adams / $5 Sam Seasonal / $15 Pitchers
- $5 apps

Boxcar Tavern
- $4 Miller Lite each game
- Might only have 3 TVs
Union Pub
- $15 Bud & Bud Light buckets / $14 Bud Light & Union Pub Lager pitchers / $13 Carlsberg buckets / $5 Goose Island IPA drafts / $5 rails
- $6 rotating whiskey depending on Round (Slane Irish Whiskey, JD Rye, JD Honey, JD Original)
Mission Navy Yard
- Food and drink specials
The Big Stick
- 50 cent wings
- Great HH specials 3-7p include $4 beers/rails
The Brig
- will open at 2p Th-F
- HH 2-7p Th-F

H Street / Ivy City / Brookland

Brookland Pint
- open early with sound at bar
Duffy’s Irish Pub
- apparently great sound system
Dock FC
- $25 Evolution Lot #3 IPA buckets all day
- 11a-1p: $3 Dock FC Pilsner, $5 Bells Two Hearted Ale & Port City Optimal Wit (goes up $1 1p-3p, and then 3-5p)
Dirty Water
- kitchen open for lunch
- HH specials

Georgetown / Foggy Bottom

Stoney’s on L
- $12 Bud Light pithcer, $4 Stoney’s drafts, $15 Bud Light Buckets, $5 Port City Optimal Wit
- $10 large 2 topping pizza and bunch of other food specials
Church Hall
- $4 Miller Lite / $5 Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA
- Bring in food or order huge wing platters (around 75-80 cents/wing for at least 50 wings)

Comprehensive Guide to Sandwiches on Capitol Hill

Since it’s not even close to relevant to Barred in DC, but totally relevant to my selfish life, I compiled a listing of sandwiches in DC on The Hill is Home website. Check it out.

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in DC – 2019

Although it’s no Ireland (go!), it’s still can be fun to go out to bars in DC on St. Paddy’s Day, though it’s unclear which day will be more wild since the holiday is a Sunday this year. This list shows where to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in DC bars in 2019, sorted by Irish & non-Irish bars, as well as by neighborhood.

IRISH BARS

Dupont
- James Hoban’s
  - Events all week including live music Fri night and Six Nations Rugby Sat.
  - Gaelic singers on St. Paddy’s
- Across the Pond
  - Live music all weekend
  - Six Nations and FA Cup
  - $7 Devil’s Backbone Gold Leaf Golden Lager on 3/17
Adams Morgan
- The Blaguard
  - Open at 10a
  - $6 everything Irish (Jameson/Tullamore Dew/Powers whiskeys Guinness/Smithwicks/Magners/Great Lakes Conway beers all day)
  - Open Noon Fri with $6 Jameson Irish car bombs
  - Open 10a Sat for main St. Paddy’s Day party with $6 Guiness/Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey/Jameson
  - food specials / party favors
- Shenanigan’s DC
  - TBD event
Georgetown
- RiRa Georgetown
  - Events all week
  - Open 8:30a for Irish or American breakfast
  - live music, Irish dance, pipes & drums all day
  - Live music all week
  - Open 8:30a Sat with 6 Nations rugby and brunch til 4p
Chinatown/Penn Quarter/Downtown
- Fado Irish Pub
  - Open at 10a
  - $10 cover starts at 1p
  - live music 2-6p & 8p-midnight
  - Open 8a Sat for EPL & 6 Nations rugby ($20 cover), live music 3p & 9p
  - events all week including Guiness engravings Thu Mar 14 at 5p
- Irish Channel
  - TBD event, tents set up
- Mackey’s Public House
  - food & drink specials all week
  - $7 Jameson / $7 Jameson IPA whiskey / $13.25 combo Guinness Blonde + Jameson IPA / $8 Whiskey mule (Powers) / $7 Guinness / $6.50 Smithwicks / $7.50 Blacksmith / $5 16 oz. Miller Lite bottle / $5 16 oz. Bud Light bottle
  - $15 corned beef & cabbage / $15 fish basket / $12 reuben
Capitol Hill/Eastern Market/The Wharf
- The Dubliner
  - doors open 9a
  - 45 cent Guiness from 9a-10a
  - Live Irish music all day
  - Food served at 11a
  - Sat 3/16: all day party of live music/dancing starts at noon
- Kelly’s Irish Times
  - TBD event
- Finn McCool’s
  - Open at 8a
  - Beat the clock specials: 8-9a: $1 all drafts; 9-10a $2 all drafts; 10a-11a $3 all drafts
  - Specials all week including half price Irish whiskey on Wed 3/13, $6 Hot Toddy’s/Irish coffee Thu 3/14, $10 Guinness/Jameson combo & live music Fri 3/15 , $5 Irish specialty cocktails Sat 3/16
- Kirwan’s
  - open at 11a
  - live music all day & Irish dancers at 2:45 and 7p
  - Guinness specials
Cleveland Park
- Nanny O’Brien’s
  - doors open at 10a with special food menu till 11p
  - Live music Noon-3p, 4p-late
H Street
- Duffy’s
  - open at 10a, $5 cover starting at noon
  - free breakfast burrito to 1st 50 people Sunday
  - Live Irish dancers (Sat at 5p & Sun at 4p)
  - $5 green beer starting Sat March 16th till run out
Tenleytown
- Kitty O’Shea’s
  - TBD Party

NON-IRISH BAR CELEBRATIONS

Capitol Hill/Eastern Market/Navy Yard/The Wharf
- Barrel
  - The Smashed Potato drink specials/theme all weekend Fri-Sun
  - $5 Paddy’s Irish whiskey, $8 Irish drafts (Murphy’s, Smithwick’s), $11 Nitro Irish coffee
  - Irish food specials including green mashed potatoes, lamb stew, fish & chips, corned beef hash during brunch
- The Ugly Mug & Valor Brewpub
  - Fri-Sun drink specials
  - $5 Smithwicks/Harps, $7 Black & Tans or Black & Ambers, $6 Paddy’s Irish whiskey
  - special $11 Bogan burger
- Union Pub
  - doors open at 11a
  - Beat the clock special on Irish Slammers (Slane Irish whiskey, Brady’s Irish Cream dropped in Victory’s Donnybrook stout): $3 from 11a-noon with increase of $ til $8 at 4p-close
  - Specials starting 4p Fri 3/15 until close Sat & Sun: $16 Bud Light/Bud buckets, $15 Green Bud Light/Union Pub Lager pitchers/ $13 Carlsberg buckets / $6 Slane Irish whiskey / $5 rails
- Wisdom
  - doors usually open late afternoon
  - $7 house-made G&Ts + $8 Guns + rose
- Union Stage
  - Scythian feat. Irish dancers
  - doors 5p, show 6p
  - $22 tickets
- The Brig
  - outdoor beer garden
  - specials Sat-Sun (open at 11a)
  - $6 Pints/$11 liters of Flying Dog Lucky SOB drafts / $6 Guinness cans / $6 Jameson / $10 Irish Slammers
- Boxcar Tavern
  - specials on Sun: $7 Guinness / $5 Jameson shots
Adams Morgan / Cleveland Park / Chevy Chase
- Town Tavern
  - Open at 3p
  - Sun: $5 Green Draft Pints/$7 Jameson Irish Whiskey/$8 Carbombs
  - I love Beer open bar 5-7pm for$12!!
  - Sat 3/16: $6 Guinness Pints, $8 Carbombs/ $7 Burger Baskets – $14 Green Pitchers til 8p/ “GET LUCKY OPEN BAR” 8-10p for $12
- Jack Rose (5-10p on rooftop terrace)
  - Sun: Teeling Whiskey free swag, $10 Teeling & Guinness boilermakers, $10 tiki punch cocktails
  - Sat: Green Spot (single pot still Irish whiskey). First 35 guests get a free whiskey. $10 Green Spot & Guinness boilermakers & $10 cocktails
  - Fri: Jameson. First 35 guests get a free cocktail. $10 Jameson Caskmates and Guinness boilermakers. $10 Jameson Black Barrel cocktails
  - Thu: Tullamore Dew. First 50 guets get free cocktail. $10 Dew & Brew combos, $10 cocktails.
- Chatter
  - Open at 10:30a on 3/17 including promos
  - Drink special all wknd including $11 car bombs / $6 Guinness pints / $8 Irish coffee
  - Food specials include $9 Irish float (Guiness & Coffee Ice cream) / $17 corned beef & Cabbage / $15 shepherd’s pie / $9 funnel fries with Guinness caramel / $13 Irish nachos / $10 reuben egg rolls
Logan/U Street/Shaw/Bloomingdale
- Logan Tavern
  - $10 food specials (corned beef poutine)
  - $10 drink specials (Jameson & Midori + Irish mule)
  - HH 3-close in select areas
- Hawthorne
  - Saturday party
  - $5.50 16oz Green Bud Lights / $7.50 16oz Guinness cans /$8 Jameson shots / $10 car bomb shots.
- Wet Dog
  - Deals all weekend: $5 green beer / $5 Irish whiskey shots / $6 Guinness tallboys / $3 green jello shots
- Publin
  - pop-up Irish bar by Drink company
Dupont
- City Tap House
  - Irish food specials 3/14-3/17
  - Able to do your own half and half drinks with Guinness starting 3/14
  - shamrock sticker underneath gets free drink later
  - first 24 guests on 3/17 that buy Guinness get special etched glasses
H Street/NoMA/Ivy City
- City Winery
  - food special
  - get sauvignon blanc green
- Big Board
  - Turned into an Irish bar (Drayne O’Flanahabra’s) for the weekend
  - Straight Outta Dublin Burger
  - $6 Guinness 16 oz. pints Thu-Sun
- Biergarten Haus
  - Sat-Sun specials
  - $6 Jameson, $10 liter of green beer
- Red Bear Brewing
  - Fri-Sun specials
  - $9 Tullamore Dew / $15 combo with DC Dirt Porter (inc. tax)
Chinatown / Penn Quarter/ Downtown
- City Tap House
  - Irish food specials 3/14-3/17
  - Able to do your own half and half drinks with Guinness starting 3/14
  - shamrock sticker underneath gets free drink later
  - first 24 guests on 3/17 that buy Guinness get special etched glasses
- Pennsylvania 6
  - Sun: $12 bottomless pancakes (and green mimosas)
Georgetown
- The Alex Speakeasy at the Graham Georgetown
  - 3/14-3/17:
  - $15 Irish whiskey flights (three tastings + 1 full pour)
    - The Glendalough Irish Whiskey flight includes Glendalough Double Barrel, 7 Year Old Single Malt, and 13 Year Old Irish Whiskey Mizunara Oak Finish, while the Connacht Whiskey Company flight is made up of Brothership Irish-American Whiskey Aged 10 Years, Ballyhoo Grain, and Spade & Bushel 10 Year Old Single Malt
  - $12 corned beef spring rolls & shepherd’s pie
- Wingos
  - party starts Sat
  - $3 draft green beer / green kamikaze
  - $5 Irish bangers dogs
- Mr. Smith’s
  - Irish food Fri-Sun
  - specials on Guinness & Murphy’s pints, Jameson/Bushmills & Irish car bombs

EatBar Closes, Again

Eatbar has closed once again, this time after 3 years on Barracks Row. The Neighborhood Restaurant Row bar/restaurant, which was resurrected with much Washington Post fanfare on March 31, 2016 (was supposed to open in fall 2015) after being open in Lyon Park in Arlington from 2007-2014, announced earlier this evening on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook that its last day would be next Friday March 15th.

Barred in DC likely swiped its credit card more times at this bar than any bar in DC during that time, mostly owing to its tremendous happy hour (one of the best in the District-$4 craft beer, wine, cocktails and bites M-F 4-7p) which was conveniently on way home from work. Red Apron Burger essentially merged to the location in September 2017.

This closure shouldn’t be stunning, for a number of reasons. Capitol Hill, aside from a few spots, isn’t a strong market for bars yet, considering its lack of density and plethora of young families-young folks aren’t flocking there. The block of Capitol Hill in which it was located, is known for being a “problem block” for the neighborhood with lots of loitering and panhandling. Inside, the space has very narrow with not that much room for groups (including, key for the neighborhood, kids with their parents) and the designer did no service by creating wayy too bulky bar seats to guarantee that there could not be that great of a bar scene. Aside from happy hour, the place was often empty and relied on UberEats/delivery services to send out its burgers. Recently it cut back on Monday service.

And perhaps the main reason-NRG is focused on opening its multi-concept spot just over a half mile/one metro spot away, The Roost, which will feature bars featuring beer and cocktails as well as Red Apron Burger (perhaps sushi, pizza, and tacos as well). Eatbar pretty much acknowledges this fact in its announcement.

Barred in DC 6th Anniversary Party + Celebration of Favorite Drinking Block in City – Saturday March 9th – 5p – The Pug

To commemorate Barred in DC’s Twitter followers’ favorite drinking block in DC, the 1200 Block of H St. NE, as well as the awful day six years ago when this site/Twitter account was launched, Barred in DC will be celebrating this upcoming Saturday, March 9th.

The festivities start at 5p at The Pug (1234 H St. NE; ed. note: the 14th worst bar in DC), where it will remain till Barred in DC’s ADHD hits (so probably around 7:30-8pish at the earliest, but keep abreast of the Twitter account for any moves to nearby spots on the same block or the 2nd favorite block in DC (the 1300 block). Pizza (from the local gourmet joint, a.k.a. Pizza Hut) will be available on the early side, while supplies last. Free autographs as well. The Pug promises a West Virginia-themed drink, in honor of Barred in DC’s home state.

The Eastern, New Wine Bar Coming to Eastern Market, Hopes to Open in May/June

As first reported extensively last month by WCP’s Laura Hayes, The Eastern, a new wine bar from the owners of Barrel, is coming to the new 700 Penn building in Eastern Market. It will be located along 7th St. SE across from Pitango. At last night’s ANC 6B ABC meeting, owners Mike Schuster and Matt Weiss laid out a few additional plans about the new concept:

Hopes to open this May/June
Despite not having a hood for much stovetop cooking/grilling, will serve enough food for folks to have dinner (small plates, charcuterie, possibly house-made pasta;
Plan on serving weekend brunch starting around 10:30a (tentative);
There will be around 50 seats interior, 30 seats outside;
Slightly larger than Truxton Inn (owned by Weiss);
30-50 wines available by glass
Full bar available.

Weiss explained that Stanton-Eastbanc, the building developers wanted a wine bar for the space and they were able to make a deal.

During the meeting, the committee (partial disclosure: I’m a member) voted to support the application for a tavern license with full interior hours authorized and somewhat long patio hours considering fact there are no residents directly above or across street. Expect the full ANC to support application next week with liquor license approved shortly thereafter.

Hill East Don’t-Call-It-A-Food-Hall Food Hall From NRG Appears to Have a Name: The Roost

The Don’t-Call-It-A-Mini-Union-Market-Or-Food-Hall multi-concept establishment coming to Hill East from the Neighborhood Restaurant Group later this year or in 2020 across from the Potomac Ave. Metro apparently has its name: The Roost. This name appeared on the website (see above, but who knows if it will be taken down after this post) for the building in which it will be located at 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Blackbird (DCist or PoPville commenters will have a field day with the quotes and imagery being used to advertise the 170-apartment mixed used development; these quotes also front the building during construction).

My earlier post (which demanded a retraction from NRG but was confirmed by big J journalists 2 months later), contains details on the possible concepts inside The Roost, including beer & wine/cocktail bars, tacos, pizzas, etc.

Thanks to a tipster neighbor (dunno if he wants to be identified) for alerting Barred in DC to the website.

Note: I did not ask NRG for confirmation if this is accurate because I’m not a real journalist and I wanted to put this out there.