Three Places to Pregame Tonight's "Parks and Rec" Finale

Tonight, it's time to say goodbye to "Parks and Recreation," the Amy Poehler sitcom with a serious cult following — especially in D.C., where the show often moonlights when it isn't set in Pawnee, Indiana. Here are three options for where to pregame the final episode of the show that brought us mac n' cheese pizza and the meat tornado.

Steak 'N Egg: It's no J.J.'s Diner, but Osman & Joe's is one of the few places to actually get a waffle on a weeknight in D.C. (places like Lincoln's Waffle Shop and Wicked Waffle downtown close around 4). There are four flavors of waffles on the menu (and since they serve milkshakes, requests for whipped cream probably won't be denied). Its no-frills atmosphere and plentiful quantities of bacon should please Ron Swanson fans, too.

Osman & Joe's Steak 'N' Egg, 4700 Wisconsin Ave. NW; website.

Il Canale: A surprisingly challenging menu item to find in D.C. is a calzone. But Ben Wyatt fans know that's what he'd want you to be eating before the show. Among those places that offer them: Il Canale, and since their pizza is solid, the calzone skeptics will be satisfied as well.

Il Canale, 1063 31st St. NW; website.

Ray's the Steaks: D.C. has plenty of old school steakhouses, though none have quite a similar vibe to Indiana's St. Elmo's. A theory — a Meat  'n' Stuff customer like Swanson would appreciate Ray's reasonable prices and no-frills atmosphere.

Ray's the Steaks, 2300 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, Va.; website.

Need to drown your sorrows after the show? Skip the snake juice and head over to Round Robin's Scotch Bar for a pour of Lagavulin 16 instead.