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A second-level patio at St. Vincent wine in Park View
A second-level patio at St. Vincent wine in Park View
Rey Lopez/Eater DC

19 D.C. Bars, Breweries, and Beer Gardens With Heated Patios for Outdoor Drinking

Stay warm at these wine gardens, rooftop bars, and even a viking village

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A second-level patio at St. Vincent wine in Park View
| Rey Lopez/Eater DC

While several D.C. bars are planning on hibernating for the winter during the novel coronavirus crisis, others are hoping to lure customers outside for hot toddies served around heat lamps and fire pits. When temperatures drop, here’s where to drink alfresco on rooftops and patios equipped with heaters. But be aware: D.C. bars are operating with a 10 p.m. cutoff for alcohol consumption, so don’t go waltzing onto a patio expecting to be served at 9:55. For ideas on dining outside, check out this map of restaurants with heated patios. For a running list of bars running Christmas pop-ups, go here.

Editor’s note: Every restaurant needs help right now. Don’t forget about neighborhood favorites while chasing the hot new thing. For a list of resources on how to help fight food insecurity in the D.C. area, go here.

A number of D.C. area restaurants have resumed dine-in service. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns. The Washington Post is tracking coronavirus cases and deaths in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. More information can be found at coronavirus.dc.gov. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.

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Red Derby

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Iconic Columbia Heights dive bar Red Derby serves up beer-and-shot combos on its covered patio and roof deck, with space heaters to keep customers toasty in the winter.

Hook Hall

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During the pandemic, the huge bar and events space in Park View has served as  a relief center for restaurant workers and hosted a tropical oasis theme out back. Now owner Anna Valero has embraced a wintry theme by transforming the space into a furry-blanket-covered viking village. Reserve a firepit or viking-themed hut, and peruse a menu featuring Glühwein and mead.

Photo: Fredde Lieberman

St. Vincent Wine

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As of November, Park View has a wine bar with a 4,000-square-foot patio: heaters are stationed in St. Vincent’s backyard setup and on a deck perch.

The Green Zone

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The Middle Eastern cocktail bar in Adams Morgan offers inventive drinks to pair with meze, falafel, and shawarma. Reserve heated patio and sidewalk tables on Resy, or buy a tickets to its latke pop-up on Sunday, December 13.

Service Bar DC

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Make a reservation or walk in at affordable Shaw hangout Service Bar’s heated patio, where hot drinks, hand warmers, gloves, and blankets are available for purchase. Besides cocktails and fried chicken, a Peruvian comfort food pop-up from former China Chilcano chef Carlos Delgado will run through the end of the year. 

Lulu’s Wine Garden

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This revamped U Street wine bar upgraded its street seating for winter with patio heaters and wooden walls to allow for airflow. Each table even has its own heated ceiling lamp. There’s also front or back garden patios with heaters too.

Shaw cocktail bar 600 T created a new mural-covered patio in response to the pandemic, and it is outfitted for the winter months with heaters and hot drinks.

Stephen Lawrence/600t

Atlas Brew Works (Multiple locations)

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Atlas Brew Works outfitted its Ivy City tap room with an outdoor living room, featuring firepits, cozy couches, and visits from food pop-ups on weekends. Heaters are headed to the Navy Yard patio at its Atlas Half Street Brewery & Tap Room too.

Firepits at Atlas Brew Works Ivy City Brewery & Tap Room
Photo: Atlas Brew Works

Other Half Brewing: DC

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Make a reservation to try Brooklyn transplant Other Half Brewing Co.’s IPAs at its new facility in Ivy City, where almost all outdoor tables are under a covering, and there are also a limited number of space heaters.

Garden District

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This barbecue-slinging German beer garden on 14th Street has plenty of patio heaters between socially-distanced tables: hop on the online waitlist to get seated in a festive, Christmas-themed space.

The Pub & The People

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Bloomingdale neighborhood bar the Pub & the People added fire pits to its dog-friendly patio on North Capitol Street. 

Red Bear Brewing Co

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This LGBTQ-friendly brewery in NoMa added fire pits and heat shafts to its patio. Reservations for outdoor tables are highly suggested on weekends.

Wunder Garten

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NoMa’s expansive beer garden includes wintry touches like fire pits, outdoor heaters, and spiked cocoa and apple cider. Tables are first-come, first-served, while six-person cabanas are available for reservations.

Morris American Bar

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The colorful patio at Morris American Bar is heated, and the cocktail bar just rolled out a charcuterie-heavy food menu this fall.

WILD DAYS

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The outdoor patio and rooftop bar atop downtown’s Eaton hotel offers s’mores service to go with its fire pits. Four warm cocktails are on the drinks list, including a “Purple Haze” drink made with rum, hibiscus, and fall spices.

Wild Days bar reboots service this weekend atop Eaton Workshop with s’mores service. Eaton/official photo

Cantina Bambina

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Dock bar Cantina Bambina at the Wharf is equipped with heaters and hot cocktails this winter, and this December, the bar will turn into a “giant snow globe” with holiday lights and decor.

Dacha Navy Yard

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Spread out in Dacha Navy Yard’s outdoor beer garden, with tables arranged near fire pits and tents. The outdoor space at the original Shaw location includes heaters too, and both Dachas serve warm drinks.

Evening Star Cafe

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Del Ray neighbors have long turned to the Evening Star Cafe’s Front Porch for outdoor drinking, but this year, the restaurant added The Back Yard, complete with picnic tables, heaters, covered cabanas, Astroturf, and movie nights.

Photo: Evening Star Cafe

Augie's Mussel House and Beer Garden

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Heaters dangle overhead at Augie’s beer garden: the restaurant opened in 2019 as one of Old Town Alexandria’s largest heated patios, with lots of Belgian beer on tap.

The patio at Augie’s @ShootJoeC/Augie’s

Red Derby

Iconic Columbia Heights dive bar Red Derby serves up beer-and-shot combos on its covered patio and roof deck, with space heaters to keep customers toasty in the winter.

Hook Hall

During the pandemic, the huge bar and events space in Park View has served as  a relief center for restaurant workers and hosted a tropical oasis theme out back. Now owner Anna Valero has embraced a wintry theme by transforming the space into a furry-blanket-covered viking village. Reserve a firepit or viking-themed hut, and peruse a menu featuring Glühwein and mead.

Photo: Fredde Lieberman

St. Vincent Wine

As of November, Park View has a wine bar with a 4,000-square-foot patio: heaters are stationed in St. Vincent’s backyard setup and on a deck perch.

The Green Zone

The Middle Eastern cocktail bar in Adams Morgan offers inventive drinks to pair with meze, falafel, and shawarma. Reserve heated patio and sidewalk tables on Resy, or buy a tickets to its latke pop-up on Sunday, December 13.

Service Bar DC

Make a reservation or walk in at affordable Shaw hangout Service Bar’s heated patio, where hot drinks, hand warmers, gloves, and blankets are available for purchase. Besides cocktails and fried chicken, a Peruvian comfort food pop-up from former China Chilcano chef Carlos Delgado will run through the end of the year. 

Lulu’s Wine Garden

This revamped U Street wine bar upgraded its street seating for winter with patio heaters and wooden walls to allow for airflow. Each table even has its own heated ceiling lamp. There’s also front or back garden patios with heaters too.

600t

Shaw cocktail bar 600 T created a new mural-covered patio in response to the pandemic, and it is outfitted for the winter months with heaters and hot drinks.

Stephen Lawrence/600t

Atlas Brew Works (Multiple locations)

Atlas Brew Works outfitted its Ivy City tap room with an outdoor living room, featuring firepits, cozy couches, and visits from food pop-ups on weekends. Heaters are headed to the Navy Yard patio at its Atlas Half Street Brewery & Tap Room too.

Firepits at Atlas Brew Works Ivy City Brewery & Tap Room
Photo: Atlas Brew Works

Other Half Brewing: DC

Make a reservation to try Brooklyn transplant Other Half Brewing Co.’s IPAs at its new facility in Ivy City, where almost all outdoor tables are under a covering, and there are also a limited number of space heaters.

Garden District

This barbecue-slinging German beer garden on 14th Street has plenty of patio heaters between socially-distanced tables: hop on the online waitlist to get seated in a festive, Christmas-themed space.

The Pub & The People

Bloomingdale neighborhood bar the Pub & the People added fire pits to its dog-friendly patio on North Capitol Street. 

Red Bear Brewing Co

This LGBTQ-friendly brewery in NoMa added fire pits and heat shafts to its patio. Reservations for outdoor tables are highly suggested on weekends.

Wunder Garten

NoMa’s expansive beer garden includes wintry touches like fire pits, outdoor heaters, and spiked cocoa and apple cider. Tables are first-come, first-served, while six-person cabanas are available for reservations.

Morris American Bar

The colorful patio at Morris American Bar is heated, and the cocktail bar just rolled out a charcuterie-heavy food menu this fall.

WILD DAYS

The outdoor patio and rooftop bar atop downtown’s Eaton hotel offers s’mores service to go with its fire pits. Four warm cocktails are on the drinks list, including a “Purple Haze” drink made with rum, hibiscus, and fall spices.

Wild Days bar reboots service this weekend atop Eaton Workshop with s’mores service. Eaton/official photo

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Cantina Bambina

Dock bar Cantina Bambina at the Wharf is equipped with heaters and hot cocktails this winter, and this December, the bar will turn into a “giant snow globe” with holiday lights and decor.

Dacha Navy Yard

Spread out in Dacha Navy Yard’s outdoor beer garden, with tables arranged near fire pits and tents. The outdoor space at the original Shaw location includes heaters too, and both Dachas serve warm drinks.

Evening Star Cafe

Del Ray neighbors have long turned to the Evening Star Cafe’s Front Porch for outdoor drinking, but this year, the restaurant added The Back Yard, complete with picnic tables, heaters, covered cabanas, Astroturf, and movie nights.

Photo: Evening Star Cafe

Augie's Mussel House and Beer Garden

Heaters dangle overhead at Augie’s beer garden: the restaurant opened in 2019 as one of Old Town Alexandria’s largest heated patios, with lots of Belgian beer on tap.

The patio at Augie’s @ShootJoeC/Augie’s

Related Maps