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The Mardis Gras Extravaganza is tonight at the Showroom on 14th Street NW.
Mardis Gras Extravaganza/Facebbok

12 Places to Celebrate Mardi Gras in D.C.

Where to toast Fat Tuesday in D.C.

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The Mardis Gras Extravaganza is tonight at the Showroom on 14th Street NW.
| Mardis Gras Extravaganza/Facebbok

New Orleans is the home of Mardi Gras, but D.C. is full of people who want to drink freely and wear festive beads without booking a flight to Louisiana. Today is Fat Tuesday, the final day of the Carnvial season. Here are a dozen places to indulge in festive food and drinks.

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PassionFish Bethesda

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While Acadiana and its low-country cooking are no more, its sister restaurant Passion Fish in Bethesda is where revelers can go for Cajun cooking and cheap cocktails. The Mardi Gras menu is available at the bar starting every night at 7 p.m. through Tuesday. Cocktails, like a hurricane or Sazerac, go for just $7 each.

Brookland's Finest Bar and Kitchen

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The Fat Tuesday menu at Brookland’s Finest features a three-course meal paired with New Orlean’s style cocktails. The $35 prix-fixe menu includes crispy frog legs paired with a Borough Bourbon Bywater (made with bourbon, green chartreuse, averna, and amaretto); etouffee and a Rodham Rye Sazerac; and beignets and a Civic Vodka Sweet Baby (made with Crème Yvette, vodka, and simple syrup).

Black Jack

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Black Jack and the adjacent Tilt Sidebar are hosting Mardi Gras-themed parties on 14th Street. Specials include half-price drafts, pizzas, and Addie’s mussels, plus 2-for-1 oysters, $5 red, white, and sparkling wine, and $7 dive burgers.

Mardi Gras Extravaganza at the Showroom

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A ticket to the blowout benefit for DC Central Kitchen costs $55 for bottomless food and drinks from a deep cast of local chefs and bartenders. David Guas and Spike Mendelsohn headline a crew of 20 chefs — including representatives from Chiko, the Salt Line, and Julii — that will plate up New Orleans-style dishes. Buffalo & Bergen’s Gina Chersevani leads a group of 12 cocktail makers.

Pennsylvania 6

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Masks and beads will be provided for guests at Pennsylvania 6 on Fat Tuesday. The menu features shrimp and chicken gumbo, jambalaya, and Cajun crawfish cheesy bread. There’s also king cake, provided by Bayou Bakery. One lucky winner who finds the baby will receive a gift certificate to brunch at the restaurant for up to four guests.

Pennsylvania 6/Facebook

Po Boy Jim Bar and Grill

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It’s the best po’ boy shop in D.C. now with two locations (U Street, NW and H Street, NE). Here you’ll find both seafood and meat po’ boy varieties along with spicy voodoo wings.

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

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Back by popular demand, Astro is selling its king cake doughnut. Adorned with green, purple, and yellow-gold sanding sugar, this vanilla glazed, yeast doughnut is topped off with a fleur-de-lis sugar topping. Limited quantities are available for walk-ins on Tuesday only.

Jennifer Chase/For Astro Doughnuts

Amphora Bakery

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It’s not to late to put in an order for king cake at this Northern Virginia bakery, with two locations in Vienna and Herndon. Both locations are taking orders today. In addition, there’s a Mardi Gras-themed menu featuring blackened chicken steak and shrimp Creole.

Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery

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Chef David Guas is a New Orleans native known for serving up some of the best gumbo inside the Beltway. He’s also a devotee to Crystal hot sauce, another spicy byproduct of Louisiana.

Pearl Street Warehouse

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For a free Mardi Gras concert, head to Pearl Street Warehouse on Fat Tuesday. The diner there will crank out southern snack food favorites, like pimento cheese dip. Meanwhile, the band, The Crawdaddies, plays with Zydeco flare and goes on stage at 8 p.m.

Due South

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Due South is letting the good times roll with an all-you-can-eat buffet. Tickets are $30 and include entry plus a beer. The buffet, which is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. features shrimp and chicken jambalaya, Cajun fried chicken, three cheese mac and cheese, bacon braised collards, fried-green tomatoes, and Mardi Gras king cake.

Two Nineteen Restaurant

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In Old Town, locals know Two Nineteen Restaurant as the place for cigars, Cajun-style cuisine, and a basement bar, known as the Bayou room. Happy Hour here is seven nights a week, including Fat Tuesday, when drink specials run from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

PassionFish Bethesda

While Acadiana and its low-country cooking are no more, its sister restaurant Passion Fish in Bethesda is where revelers can go for Cajun cooking and cheap cocktails. The Mardi Gras menu is available at the bar starting every night at 7 p.m. through Tuesday. Cocktails, like a hurricane or Sazerac, go for just $7 each.

Brookland's Finest Bar and Kitchen

The Fat Tuesday menu at Brookland’s Finest features a three-course meal paired with New Orlean’s style cocktails. The $35 prix-fixe menu includes crispy frog legs paired with a Borough Bourbon Bywater (made with bourbon, green chartreuse, averna, and amaretto); etouffee and a Rodham Rye Sazerac; and beignets and a Civic Vodka Sweet Baby (made with Crème Yvette, vodka, and simple syrup).

Black Jack

Black Jack and the adjacent Tilt Sidebar are hosting Mardi Gras-themed parties on 14th Street. Specials include half-price drafts, pizzas, and Addie’s mussels, plus 2-for-1 oysters, $5 red, white, and sparkling wine, and $7 dive burgers.

Mardi Gras Extravaganza at the Showroom

A ticket to the blowout benefit for DC Central Kitchen costs $55 for bottomless food and drinks from a deep cast of local chefs and bartenders. David Guas and Spike Mendelsohn headline a crew of 20 chefs — including representatives from Chiko, the Salt Line, and Julii — that will plate up New Orleans-style dishes. Buffalo & Bergen’s Gina Chersevani leads a group of 12 cocktail makers.

Pennsylvania 6

Masks and beads will be provided for guests at Pennsylvania 6 on Fat Tuesday. The menu features shrimp and chicken gumbo, jambalaya, and Cajun crawfish cheesy bread. There’s also king cake, provided by Bayou Bakery. One lucky winner who finds the baby will receive a gift certificate to brunch at the restaurant for up to four guests.

Pennsylvania 6/Facebook

Po Boy Jim Bar and Grill

It’s the best po’ boy shop in D.C. now with two locations (U Street, NW and H Street, NE). Here you’ll find both seafood and meat po’ boy varieties along with spicy voodoo wings.

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

Back by popular demand, Astro is selling its king cake doughnut. Adorned with green, purple, and yellow-gold sanding sugar, this vanilla glazed, yeast doughnut is topped off with a fleur-de-lis sugar topping. Limited quantities are available for walk-ins on Tuesday only.

Jennifer Chase/For Astro Doughnuts

Amphora Bakery

It’s not to late to put in an order for king cake at this Northern Virginia bakery, with two locations in Vienna and Herndon. Both locations are taking orders today. In addition, there’s a Mardi Gras-themed menu featuring blackened chicken steak and shrimp Creole.

Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery

Chef David Guas is a New Orleans native known for serving up some of the best gumbo inside the Beltway. He’s also a devotee to Crystal hot sauce, another spicy byproduct of Louisiana.

Pearl Street Warehouse

For a free Mardi Gras concert, head to Pearl Street Warehouse on Fat Tuesday. The diner there will crank out southern snack food favorites, like pimento cheese dip. Meanwhile, the band, The Crawdaddies, plays with Zydeco flare and goes on stage at 8 p.m.

Due South

Due South is letting the good times roll with an all-you-can-eat buffet. Tickets are $30 and include entry plus a beer. The buffet, which is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. features shrimp and chicken jambalaya, Cajun fried chicken, three cheese mac and cheese, bacon braised collards, fried-green tomatoes, and Mardi Gras king cake.

Two Nineteen Restaurant

In Old Town, locals know Two Nineteen Restaurant as the place for cigars, Cajun-style cuisine, and a basement bar, known as the Bayou room. Happy Hour here is seven nights a week, including Fat Tuesday, when drink specials run from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

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