Last A-B-DC Project Wednesday - Z is for Zengo

This is it. The A-B-DC Project comes to a close this Wednesday. For a number of reasons (geography, Metro-accessibility, happy hour length and specials), I've decided to end the project with Zengo. Located literally on top of the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro stop and within blocks of the orange/blue line, Zengo is about as central as it gets. Zengo also offers special happy-hour prices from 5-8 p.m., with $5 margaritas and mojitos, $5 glasses of wine, and $4 select beers. You can also nosh on $5 Latin-Asian small plates, including pork belly steamed buns, calamari, and Thai chicken empanadas.

Z is for Zengo

781 Seventh Street NW

Wednesday, August 24, 5:30-8 p.m.

http://www.richardsandoval.com/zengodc/

Thank you again to all the friends who have made it out for the last 25 (TWENTY-FIVE!!) happy hours and those who cheered us on! I have been glad to share this experiment with you all, and I hope to toast with you this Wednesday!

Cheers!

Wednesday - Y is for Yosaku

The A-B-DC Project is drawing to a close with just two more letters to go. It's been 13 months since we began this alphabetical adventure, and with 24 letters down, I am thankful to all who have joined me for toasts, brews, bites, laughs, and deals all around town.

This Wednesday, we tackle the most difficult letter, a revelation that was a little surprising, but it's true. Some research (thanks again, Suz!), yielded just one restaurant/bar starting with the letter 'Y'. Yosaku Japanese Restaurant offers a selection of beer and other alcoholic beverages, as well as sushi happy hour specials from 5-7:30. Come enjoy the nice selection of nigiri sushi (including mackerel, salmon, squid, shrimp, tuna, crab, and more) starting at just $1 per piece. Since Yosaku is a more traditional restaurant setting (and not a free-flowing bar), please let me know if you plan to attend so we can ensure enough seating.

On August 24, we will officially wrap up the A-B-DC Project. We have several options for the letter 'Z', and I'd like to maximize attendance, so please tell me where you want to go!

Y is for Yosaku

4712 Wisconsin Ave., NW (Tenleytown Metro station)

Wednesday, August 3, 6-8 p.m.

http://www.yosakusushi.com/

Last but not least: Z is for...

Wednesday, August 24, 6-8 p.m.

Tell me where we should go for the very last A-B-DC Project happy hour by voting for your favorite 'Z' bar. We've got options: Zola, Zaytinya, Zengo, Zoo Bar, others?

Cheers!

Quick Recap: V, W, X

I've really fallen down on the job of updating this little space. Here's a brief recap of where we've been lately (V, W, X), with more detailed reviews (with pictures) to come in the future...

V was for Vidalia

Va-va-voom: Vednesday, June 22, was Vidalia! We enjoyed happy hour specials from 5-7 p.m. (half-price select specialty cocktails, wines, and libations and $3.50 select bottle and draft beers). Vidalia also offers Southern "bar bites" for $3 from 5-7 p.m. Their menu features Southern-style comfort food like pork belly sliders, crayfish hushpuppies, BBQ shrimp, or potato chips with blue cheese dip. Or stick closer to home with the Chesapeake truffles (lump crabmeat with lemon-truffle aïoli). You can also get some grocery shopping done by purchasing a five-pound bag of Stanley Farms’ Jumbo #1 Vidalia onions (ask your server; comes with the restaurant's famous baked Vidalia onion recipe).

V is for Vidalia

1990 M Street NW

Wednesday, June 22, 6-8 p.m.

http://www.vidaliadc.com/

W was for The Wonderland Ballroom

Everybody loves a three-day holiday weekend, so we extended the fun through mid-week at The Wonderland Ballroom, a neighborhood bar with a District-wide following. Wonderland is too hip to list its happy-hour specials on its website, but according to the Washington Post, deals may include $3 rail drinks, $6 Delirium Tremens beers, and $2 off all drafts from 5-8 p.m. And, of course, Wonderland always has a good selection of drafts, cheap PBR, and a hoppin' patio.

W is for The Wonderland Ballroom

1101 Kenyon Street, NW

Wednesday, July 6, 6-8 p.m.

http://www.thewonderlandballroom.com/

X was for The Xchange Saloon

We tackled the letter 'X' with a trip to The Xchange Saloon, billed as "DC's oldest sports saloon." Resting in the shadow of the White House, The Xchange offers what you might expect from a sports bar, lots of big TV's and a full menu of "all-American style foods" (think burgers and nachos). So, we toasted the letter 'X' and the third-to-last alphabetical happy hour!

X is for The Xchange Saloon

1719 G Street, NW

Wednesday, July 20, 6-8 p.m.

http://www.theexchangesaloon.com/

Wednesday - U is for U-topia Bar & Grill

Just six letter left! Come celebrate U at U-topia Bar & Grill with half-price drinks from 5-7 p.m. Check out the many U-topia martinis on offer. And think of your favorite letter V bars.

U is for U-topia Bar & Grill

1418 U Street NW

Wednesday, June 8, 6-8 p.m.

http://www.utopiaindc.com/

Next up: V is for...

Wednesday, June 22, 6-8 p.m.

Cheers!

Wednesday: T is for Tonic (Mount Pleasant)

This Wednesday, Tonic will cure what ails you! Join us at the Mount Pleasant location (3 blocks from the Columbia Heights station and on the Woodley Park-Adams Morgan-McPherson Square Circulator bus route) for happy-hour specials from 5-7 p.m., including half off burgers, draft beers, and rail drinks, and $5 glasses ($20 bottles) of wine. If you haven't explored Mount Pleasant, you should. This little enclave, wedged between Rock Creek Park and Columbia Heights, has a nice little strip of bars and restaurants. I certainly wouldn't fault anyone for popping next door to take advantage of Radius' $5 "pint and a slice" special (5-7 p.m.) or dropping by the cheap and divey Raven later in the evening.

T is for Tonic (Mount Pleasant location)

3155 Mt. Pleasant Street NW

Wednesday, May 18, 6-8 p.m.

http://www.tonicrestaurant.com/Mount-Pleasant

Next up: U is for...

Wednesday, June 1, 6-8 p.m.

Nominate those U bars!

Cheers!

Wednesday - S is for Science Club & Birthday HH

Wednesday marks yet another letter in the alphabetical happy hour project. S will be for Science Club and will double as a birthday happy hour to celebrate the last year of my 20's. So please join us for periodic table fun and happy hour specials until 8 p.m., including $3 Yuengling, $4 Guinness, Amstel Light, and PBR, $4 spirits, and $5 glasses of wine. Fire up those Bunsen burners for fun and folly this week! And nominate your favs for the letter T on May 18.

S is for Science Club

1136 19th Street NW

http://www.scienceclubdc.com/

Wednesday, May 4, 6-8 p.m.

Next up: T is for...

Wednesday, May 18, 6-8 p.m.

Cheers!

Reminder: R is for Rocket Bar

This week R is for Rocket Bar, the centrally located, subterranean entertainment hub, featuring pool tables, shuffleboard, darts, and boardgames. Your favorite space-themed bar features happy hour specials from 4-7 p.m., including $4 draft of the month, glasses of any wine, champagne, and rail cocktails, plus $3 PBRs and $4.50 "pounder cans" (huh?). Champagne and shuffleboard sounds good to me! Hope to see you there, and nominate your favorite 'S' bar for two weeks from now.

R is for Rocket Bar

714 Seventh Street NW

http://www.rocketbardc.com/

Wednesday, April 20, 6-8 p.m.