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Where to Party for St. Paddy’s Day in D.C.

Get lucky at these bars and restaurants on Friday

To celebrate The Dubliner’s 43rd birthday, Guinness will be 43 cents during its first hour of opening tomorrow.
Tierney Plumb is the editor of Eater DC, covering all things food and drink around the nation's capital.

Not only is today Friday, but it’s also one of the biggest drinking days of the year—whether you’re Irish or not. D.C. will be flooded with Jameson, Guinness, green beer, and live music all day long to ring in St. Patrick’s Day 2017.

Over at Union Market tonight, expect classic Irish favorites from its vendors (like District Fishwife’s Guinness battered fish and chips and Bidwell’s corned beef sandwich for $10 each). Bar Deco and Logan Tavern are also doing it up big for the holiday, while lots of chefs around town are getting into the spirit with one-day-only Irish menus.

Bar Dupont is celebrating its Irish roots with a lineup of fancy cocktails, while a simpler way to celebrate includes getting a free side of green chips and liquid gold queso with any purchase at California Tortilla.

Read on to hear where to eat, drink, and party all through the weekend.

Bar Deco

717 6th St. NW

The St. Patrick’s Day party at Bar Deco, sponsored by Glendalough Distillery, includes $6 Guinness, $8 Irish Mules, and $15 reuben sandwiches. Starts at 4 p.m. and goes til late.

Bar Dupont

1500 New Hampshire Ave. NW

The Irish family-owned Dupont Circle Hotel is running specials through Sunday. Come on down for live music and light Irish bites at Bar Dupont on Friday 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cocktails include a $13 Black Velvet cocktail with sparkling wine, Guinness, and Sibona Chamomile. Find heartier Irish fare at Cafe Dupont, too.

Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery

(D.C. and Arlington locations)

Special treats include shamrock cookies, mint chip brownies, and Lucky Charm Rice Krispies Treats. Green Dat-O's contain bright green whipped buttercream icing with hints of real mint sandwiched between two rich dark chocolate cookies. And Peppermint Patty Pies are styled after the classic Grasshopper Mousse Pie.

Lucky Charm Rice Krispies Treats

The Black Squirrel

2427 18th St. NW

Starting at 2 p.m., real Irish beer (O’Hara’s from Carlow County, Ireland), green drinks, and Irish Depth Charges will be at the ready. Traditional Irish bites include homemade corned beef and cabbage, green eggs over corned beef hash, corned beef potato skins, and shepherd’s pie.

BLT Steak

1625 I St. NW

BLT Steak is pouring the best of what Ireland has to offer. For $30, guests can get their fill of Irish whiskey with a flight including one ounce each of Tullamore Dew, Teeling Irish Whiskey, and Redbreast 12-year.

Bluejacket

300 Tingey St. SE

The dry stout “North Strand Road" is a special St. Patrick’s Day-timed release set to be sold Friday until Sunday at close (priced at $4 per 16 oz. pint). It’s named for the street NRG beer director Greg Engert lived on in North Dublin while attending Trinity College, where he consumed plenty of Guinness as an undergrad.

District Distilling Co.

1414 U St. NW

Executive chef Justin Bittner is serving up his spin on classic corned beef and cabbage, with Roseda Farms dry-aged beef brisket that is cured in brine for seven days and served with halved new potatoes, chopped cabbage, and tender green beans, for $25.

The Dubliner

4 F St. NW

Celebrate the Union Station bar’s 43rd anniversary with 43-cent pints of Guinness for the first hour of opening, at 9 a.m. The full menu will be available all day, with three different bands: John McGrath, Brian Gaffney and Morris Minor. Splurge on the newly-released Dubliner Whiskey 10-year single malt; Dubliner’s the only restaurant in D.C. to have it. The party will continue through the weekend with live music and Irish eats and drinks.

Open Road Grill

8100 Lee Hwy, Falls Church

Head to this NoVa bar starting at 3 p.m. for fish and chips, drunken fish sandwiches, Jameson, Guinness, Carbombs, and more. Live music from Dear Creek from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Tommy Gann from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

California Tortilla

(multiple location)

Stop by the taco chain on St. Patrick’s Day for a side of green chips and liquid gold queso with any purchase.

CIRCA Clarendon

3010 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington, Va.

Irish-themed food and beverage specials on Friday and Saturday include a corned beef hash special for brunch and fish and chips. Wash it down with Guinness, Jameson, and Carbombs.

City Tap Penn Quarter

901 9th St. NW

Pair a beer from one of City Tap’s 40 draft lines with hearty food specials like corned beef and cabbage spring rolls or fish and chips. St. Patrick’s Day menu specials are available all day in addition to the regular menu.

GCDC Grilled Cheese Bar

1730 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

“The Irish Tot” is the St. Patrick’s Day special with GCDC crispy tots, loaded with melted Kerrigold Irish Cheddar and topped with homemade corned beef. Offered Friday for lunch and dinner and this weekend for lunch for $11 until supplies run out. All-day drink specials includes cans of Murphy’s Irish Stout for $6 and Jameson Irish Whiskey for $3.

Logan Restaurant and Tavern

1423 P St. NW

Specials from 5 p.m. to close include bangers and mash to Irish beef and beer stew (both $18) and a Stout Float with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and toasted hazelnut ($10.50). For booze, try an Dublin Mule and Irish Old Fashioned. Each table gets a St. Paddy's Day Trivia card with the chance to win prizes.

Mussel Bar & Grille

800 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, Va.

Chef Robert Wiedmaier's casual bistro will pay tribute to the special day with house-brined corned beef and cabbage with Boxty (traditional Irish pancakes) and hearty Guinness Irish stew.

Policy Restaurant & Lounge

1904 14th St. NW

Policy will serve its regular menu along with executive chef Lonnie Zoeller's cheddar and bacon fries with grilled jalapeno, scallions, and roasted garlic crema ($8); corned beef arepa with grilled cabbage slaw, salsa rosada, grilled sausage roll ($10); and pretzel roll with mashed peas, charred onions, and mustard ($10).

Provision 14

2100 14th St. NW

Green beer is on tap for all those celebrating the Celtic holiday. Guests can toast to Ireland with their brilliant-hued brews and continue the festivities over Provision 14's french press cocktails and globally-inspired menu.

Red Apron Burger

1323 Connecticut Ave. NW

The Dupont Circle bar’s burger of the month pays homage to St. Patrick’s Day: a triple decker concoction with a double beef patty as well as a corned beef patty, topped with white American cheese and garnished with bacon braised cabbage and hot mustard. Happy hour runs until 7 p.m.

Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City

1250 S Hayes St., Arlington, Va.

At the ritzy hotel’s Fyve restaurant lounge from Friday through Sunday, enjoy Irish nachos, corned beef sliders, and chicken wings with Guinness BBQ sauce ($8-$18). See full menu here.

Sovereign

1206 Wisconsin Ave. NW

It’s The Fantôme St. Patrick's Day Extravaganza at the Georgetown bar, where green beer will be flowing like water. Here there are 18 beers from Fantome, including the green-colored Vertignasse.

Union Market

1309 5th St. NE

Join Union Market and Brightest Young Things to kick off St. Patrick’s Day weekend from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 and include one complimentary beer and drink specials like $5 frozen Irish coffees, Guinness pints and Jameson shots. Expect a rocking DJ, Irish dancers, and games like corn hole and flip cup. Bring the souvenir cup back on March 18 to receive a free Bloody Mary from Buffalo & Bergen.

Wildfire

2001 International Dr., McLean, Va.

The Tysons Galleria restaurant will host a special chef’s table overlooking the kitchen. Taste the talents of executive chefs Edwin Amaya and Moreno Espinoza as they make a four-course menu with beer pairings. The 6:30 p.m. dinner is priced at $55 per person, plus tax (gratuity not included). Reserve a spot at (703) 442-9110.