The Resy Guide to Outdoor Dining in D.C.

This waterfront restaurant recently underwent a sweeping renovation and offers stunning views at sunset of the Potomac River from the garden patio with a grand and colorful sculpture called Scarlet. It’s the perfect place to meet in Georgetown for happy hour drinks or a special occasion dinner served with a three-tiered seafood tower.

It’s easy to join the club with Méli. Due to wonky zoning laws, this restaurant requires you to join as a member. But that’s as easy as buying a $25 bottle of house wine, or the equivalent in dining. That’s easy when you consider the tantalizing Greek menu here, including a very price conscious “sips & dips” happy hour menu offered on the garden patio. It feels like a hidden oasis in the middle of Adams Morgan and is easily one of the best investments you can make this season.

This is prime people watching along Pennsylvania Avenue, especially if you’re a whiskey or bourbon lover. Barrel offers a lot more than rare spirits (from a whiskey bible) and expertly crafted cocktails. It’s a buzzy all-day restaurant with lunch, dinner, and happy hour specials, plus a bottomless brunch at $26 per person.

This New Orleans-themed restaurant from the Salt Line team brings a covered patio for outdoor eating and drinking whether for an office lunch, happy hour, or fancy date night downtown. Both the decor and menu channel the Big Easy. Feast on seasonal favorites like fried green tomatoes, oysters sourced from the Chesapeake Bay, and scallop amandine.

Whether you’re going for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch, Mt. Rainer neighbors gather outdoors on the covered patio for soul-filled food. The best-known dish to order at Pennyroyal is the fried chicken sandwich served with pickles, slaw, ramp ranch, and on a soft bun or biscuit. The “penny-saver” happy hour is another great reason to visit. Cocktails, like the Green Goddess, made with thyme, basil, green peppercorn, tarragon, and cachaça, are on special for $10 each.

This arcade bar at The Wharf brings a vibrant and easygoing vibe for those weekends when you can’t sneak out of town to the beach. The menu also leans toward boardwalk fare with loaded hot dogs, jumbo pretzels, and Maryland’s quintessential summertime cocktail — the orange crush. A massive outdoor bar and picnic-style patio overlooks the Potomac River, offering sunset views.

Takoda has one of the largest outdoor rooftops in Navy Yard, and it’s directly across the street from Nationals Park, making this the destination pre- or post-game. Happy hour is an especially lively affair, with discounted frozen cocktails and platters of truffle tater tots for $8 each.

Sustainable Mid-Atlantic cuisine is served up fresh on the patio at this Michelin-endorsed restaurant from namesake chef Reid Shilling. And yes, it’s in Navy Yard, but make sure to look around as you eat. The basil, parsley, and lettuce that top a dish or accent each drink came from Shilling’s working-urban garden, growing right around you.

There isn’t a better table in town for a group meal to celebrate a special occasion. St. Anselm offers ample dining options including reservation options for parties of nine or more guests. It also includes covered patio space, and a private dining room with a menu offering something for everyone — from butter biscuits with pimento cheese to a juicy hanger steak.

Agua 301 offers a refreshing perch from which to take in the waterside views of Yards Park, complete with a wading pool for when the temperature rises. Spicy margaritas and tacos pair perfectly on the patio, and this is a place where large groups of eight or more can gather outdoors with a reservation.

This Irish pub has been around for decades and includes live music on weekends, plus plenty of bar space to watch your favorite team play. There is both a covered, air-conditioned patio space as well as an outdoor option for when the weather cooperates. No visit is complete without ordering a pint of black-and-tan paired with the Guinness burger. The late night specials menu also runs all week long.

The rooftop deck overlooking Barracks Row is one of the most popular places to drink on Capitol Hill when the sun is shining. Playa Ocho serves up Tex-Mex flavors with the option to eat brunch, lunch, or dinner along the sidewalk patio or atop the beautiful open-air rooftop.

This Mediterranean spot offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner alongside a cozy patio adjacent to Union Station and close to the Metropolitan Branch hiking and biking trail. Order up hummus, shawarma, or mezze, and if it’s happy hour, try the seasonal sangrias or the non-alcoholic poached pear tonic.

The year-round, heated patio here looks more like a secret garden, complete with fire pits and immaculate landscaping. The Pub & The People, as you might guess, is also where the people, as it were, gather in Bloomingdale for happy hour or pub-style fare, including a prized chicken sandwich. After hours, you may want to sneak downstairs and into the basement speakeasy, where ‘70s-style retro vibes are in strong supply.

With three locations in Alexandria, The Wharf, and Dupont Circle, Hank’s Oyster Bar has got you covered, including patio space — covered, for when D.C.’s summer heat and humidity turns into a torrential downpour in an instant. The specialties here are Mid-Atlantic seafood, including Chesapeake oysters, Eastern Shore crab dip, and pan-seared rockfish.

Dupont Circle’s buzziest cocktail den is tucked away in an old-school row house with an outdoor patio that feels more like an ornately decorated terrace. It’s the perfect spot for people watching this summer as you sip an espresso martini or a Sakura Spritz, an effervescent pink drink inspired by D.C.’s cherry blossom season.

Primrose offers a relaxing patio setting along a tree-lined neighborhood street in Brookland offering well-tuned French fare and wine. The menu reflects deep brasserie sensibilities, from steak frites to mussels. It’s a great option for a casual dinner with friends or celebrating a special night out with a loved one.

When an apartment hang is too small for scale, head to Sonny’s Pizza for a backyard pizza party. The pizza garden is a massive space, fully covered, heated, and equipped with fans to keep the mosquitoes away. Sonny’s menu includes slices, side salads, parm sandwiches, and natural wine, plus Italian beer and cocktails. Reservations are accepted for groups of up to 11 people.

St. Vincent has one of the most prolific wine menus in Washington, D.C., and it has become a year-round gathering point to eat, drink, and listen to live jazz. The large outdoor garden and second-story deck offer dual options to enjoy the great outdoors, plus a wine club and bottle shop lets you take personal favorites home.