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A sleeping black and white dog rests its head on a man’s lap as the denim shirt-clad man sits at a patio table and touches his hand to the dog’s face.
The dog days of summer are here.
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15 Dog-Friendly Patios Around D.C.

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The dog days of summer are here.
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Bringing a four-legged friend along for dinner or drinks has never been easier. District officials once cracked down on restaurants and bars that hosted pets on patios, but in 2017 D.C. City Council members unanimously approved a bill allowing venues to custom tailor policies about welcoming animals.

These 15 restaurants and bars have patios that openly welcome dogs. Many of these venues also host regular “yappy hours” and offer snacks or full menus specifically geared toward pets. The city is full of outdoor patios, and while every single one isn’t dog-friendly, this list is just the tip of the iceberg of those that are.

Don’t see a personal favorite on the list? Sound off in the comments or shoot us an email (dc@eater.com).

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Bark Social

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This people-friendly, 25,000-square-foot dog park includes a beer garden and bars built into converted shipping containers splashed with rainbow-toned murals that spell out spell out “good pups, full cups.” Houston-based Good Boy Brewing Company supplies nonalcoholic beer made for dogs in flavors like “Mailman Malt Licker,” and everything on the premises must be dog-safe. A recently revamped menu added some healthier items to the line-up. A new Bark Social landed in Baltimore over the summer.

Silver (Multiple locations)

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Both locations of this self-styled American brasserie have “pups on the patio” happy hours on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to close from May through October, with happy hour specials and dog themed Tito’s vodka cocktails. Silver will donate 10 percent of the check to a local animal charity, while Tito’s donates $1 from each Tito’s cocktail ordered.

Midlands

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This huge outdoor beer hall is a a Park View staple that features rows of picnic tables atop an asphalt “garden” where dogs routinely mix and mingle. While patrons can sip beers poured from one of the 26 taps, dogs can cool off with peanut butter ice cream made made with non-fat yogurt, peanut butter, and maple syrup for $5.

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Wonderland Ballroom

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This Columbia Heights mainstay, open for over 15 years, is frequently jam-packed with dogs sitting on benches next to their burger-eating owners. The vast menu hits all the typical pub classics, including foot-long dogs and loaded fries.

Wet Dog Tavern

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This five-year-old neighborhood bar, inspired by the owner’s water-loving golden retriever, claims to have been D.C.’s first pet-friendly beer garden. A lengthy booze menu includes beer, cocktails, wine, and a daily Jell-o shot.

Colada Shop

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While people fuel up on Cuban coffee and pastries at this Caribbean-style eatery, pets can snack on special guava and peanut butter cookies named after a customer’s loyal dog, Apollo, who loved them. The treats are also available through the retail shop to take home.

Chaplin's Restaurant

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Shaw’s resident ramen and cocktail bar puts out water bowls for dogs on the patio, where their owners can sip the “A Dog’s Life” cocktail with whiskey, Calvados, prosecco, lemon, honey, walnut bitters and a smoked apple ice cube. The 65-seat patio at sister spot Zeppelin’s up the street is also dog friendly, with half-priced bubbles, high-ball cocktails, and draft beer daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Wunder Garten

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This section of office-heavy NoMa can feel like a concrete jungle, so this green beer garden with games and lounge seating feels like a reprieve. Each Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., pups get the royal treatment with “yappy hour,” a special happy hour for dogs and their owner with dog treats and free “pupucinnos” with a purchase. Meanwhile, humans can sip select beers for $6 each.

Opaline Bar and Brasserie

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This elegant, French brasserie keeps pups in style on the sidewalk patio from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. Alongside specialty cocktails like the “bulldog daiquiri” and a new summer menu, dogs can dine on beef, chicken, or salmon mixed with peas, carrots, and rice for for $18 each. Canine-friendly “cocktails” include the “bark-ari” with strawberry juice and the “puppitini” with cantaloupe juice ($8 each).

Two dogs wearing red berets and black and white striped shirts sit at a table in front of three big, white bowls of human food.
Opaline serves canine “cocktails” for dogs alongside an $18 dinner entree.
Opaline

Agua 301 Restaurant

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This waterfront restaurant Mexican restaurant in Navy Yard makes for an ideal spot to stop for frozen drinks on the patio with pets after a romp through the dog park. Frozen margaritas come in a variety of flavors like classic, mango, and strawberry. For a change of pace on a sunny day, try the frozen peach sangria.

Bammy's

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Located at the Yards near green space and a dog park, Bammy’s patio lets you dine with your dog by your side. A happy hour menu (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.) includes jerk pork sandwiches and Caribbean brews.

Dacha Beer Garden (Navy Yard)

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Dacha’s massive Navy Yard beer garden is the ideal spot to end a riverside dog walk. It’s a see-and-be-seen sort of spot that can get crowded on a sunny day with a variety of options for beer, food, and treats.

Hops N Shine

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Del Rey’s beer garden regularly hosts “yappy hour” on its patio, with dogs available for adoption.

A location at Shipgarten will also host “yappy hours,” plus there’s a fenced in dog park.

Lost Dog Cafe (Multiple locations)

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The owners of the local Lost Dog family of restaurants have their own foundation to save stray or abandoned animals. The outdoor patio is pet-friendly, and the menu includes lots of salad and sandwich options.

Vola’s Dockside Grill and Hi-Tide Lounge

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Named after former city manager and animal activist Vola Lawson, the patio at this waterfont spot in Alexandria offers a special menu just for dogs. Featured items include “Doggie’s Dream,” a beef patty with rice and carrots; “Pupsicles and Apples,” frozen yogurt “bones” with sliced green apples; and grilled chicken breast with white rice and green peas.

Bark Social

This people-friendly, 25,000-square-foot dog park includes a beer garden and bars built into converted shipping containers splashed with rainbow-toned murals that spell out spell out “good pups, full cups.” Houston-based Good Boy Brewing Company supplies nonalcoholic beer made for dogs in flavors like “Mailman Malt Licker,” and everything on the premises must be dog-safe. A recently revamped menu added some healthier items to the line-up. A new Bark Social landed in Baltimore over the summer.

Silver (Multiple locations)

Both locations of this self-styled American brasserie have “pups on the patio” happy hours on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to close from May through October, with happy hour specials and dog themed Tito’s vodka cocktails. Silver will donate 10 percent of the check to a local animal charity, while Tito’s donates $1 from each Tito’s cocktail ordered.

Midlands

This huge outdoor beer hall is a a Park View staple that features rows of picnic tables atop an asphalt “garden” where dogs routinely mix and mingle. While patrons can sip beers poured from one of the 26 taps, dogs can cool off with peanut butter ice cream made made with non-fat yogurt, peanut butter, and maple syrup for $5.

View this post on Instagram

❤️❤️

A post shared by The Midlands Beer Garden (@midlands_dc) on

Wonderland Ballroom

This Columbia Heights mainstay, open for over 15 years, is frequently jam-packed with dogs sitting on benches next to their burger-eating owners. The vast menu hits all the typical pub classics, including foot-long dogs and loaded fries.

Wet Dog Tavern

This five-year-old neighborhood bar, inspired by the owner’s water-loving golden retriever, claims to have been D.C.’s first pet-friendly beer garden. A lengthy booze menu includes beer, cocktails, wine, and a daily Jell-o shot.

Colada Shop

While people fuel up on Cuban coffee and pastries at this Caribbean-style eatery, pets can snack on special guava and peanut butter cookies named after a customer’s loyal dog, Apollo, who loved them. The treats are also available through the retail shop to take home.

Chaplin's Restaurant

Shaw’s resident ramen and cocktail bar puts out water bowls for dogs on the patio, where their owners can sip the “A Dog’s Life” cocktail with whiskey, Calvados, prosecco, lemon, honey, walnut bitters and a smoked apple ice cube. The 65-seat patio at sister spot Zeppelin’s up the street is also dog friendly, with half-priced bubbles, high-ball cocktails, and draft beer daily from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Wunder Garten

This section of office-heavy NoMa can feel like a concrete jungle, so this green beer garden with games and lounge seating feels like a reprieve. Each Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., pups get the royal treatment with “yappy hour,” a special happy hour for dogs and their owner with dog treats and free “pupucinnos” with a purchase. Meanwhile, humans can sip select beers for $6 each.

Opaline Bar and Brasserie

This elegant, French brasserie keeps pups in style on the sidewalk patio from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. Alongside specialty cocktails like the “bulldog daiquiri” and a new summer menu, dogs can dine on beef, chicken, or salmon mixed with peas, carrots, and rice for for $18 each. Canine-friendly “cocktails” include the “bark-ari” with strawberry juice and the “puppitini” with cantaloupe juice ($8 each).

Two dogs wearing red berets and black and white striped shirts sit at a table in front of three big, white bowls of human food.
Opaline serves canine “cocktails” for dogs alongside an $18 dinner entree.
Opaline

Agua 301 Restaurant

This waterfront restaurant Mexican restaurant in Navy Yard makes for an ideal spot to stop for frozen drinks on the patio with pets after a romp through the dog park. Frozen margaritas come in a variety of flavors like classic, mango, and strawberry. For a change of pace on a sunny day, try the frozen peach sangria.

Bammy's

Located at the Yards near green space and a dog park, Bammy’s patio lets you dine with your dog by your side. A happy hour menu (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.) includes jerk pork sandwiches and Caribbean brews.

Dacha Beer Garden (Navy Yard)

Dacha’s massive Navy Yard beer garden is the ideal spot to end a riverside dog walk. It’s a see-and-be-seen sort of spot that can get crowded on a sunny day with a variety of options for beer, food, and treats.

Hops N Shine

Del Rey’s beer garden regularly hosts “yappy hour” on its patio, with dogs available for adoption.

A location at Shipgarten will also host “yappy hours,” plus there’s a fenced in dog park.

Lost Dog Cafe (Multiple locations)

The owners of the local Lost Dog family of restaurants have their own foundation to save stray or abandoned animals. The outdoor patio is pet-friendly, and the menu includes lots of salad and sandwich options.

Vola’s Dockside Grill and Hi-Tide Lounge

Named after former city manager and animal activist Vola Lawson, the patio at this waterfont spot in Alexandria offers a special menu just for dogs. Featured items include “Doggie’s Dream,” a beef patty with rice and carrots; “Pupsicles and Apples,” frozen yogurt “bones” with sliced green apples; and grilled chicken breast with white rice and green peas.

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