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Where to Get as Close to the Action at Verizon Center Without Having Tickets

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Catching a clutch game or amazing performance at the Verizon Center is one of the benefits of living in the nation’s capital. And the surrounding bars and restaurants rarely miss an opportunity to roll out the red carpet for folks looking to have a good time before, during, and after a featured event.

Here is where fans without passes can calm their nerves (or perhaps drown their sorrows) near the arena while taking in every pulse-quickening moment from afar. And for coveted ticket holders, consider it a resource for planning any pre- or post-gaming activities.

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Free State

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This underground spot opened at thestart of the year, serving up booze, brews, and bites sourced along the East Coast from Asheville, N.C., to Ocean City, Md. Weekday happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. includes $2 off all local spirits, $2 off select local drafts, and $2 off wine. If small snacks like taffy and chips aren’t substantial enough, Bantam King’s got ramen ready right upstairs.

Free State
[Free State]

Denson Liquor Bar

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Keep it classy at this dark and sleek Mindful Restaurants Group bar. For happy hour, $9 cocktails include The Bond 600 (dark rum, velvet felernum, fernet branca), stirred and served on the rocks with an orange garnish. Meanwhile, beer and wine are $6 each; a dozen oysters is $20, while a half dozen is $10. Step back in time by using the toilet; it’s got a vintage pulley system.

The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille

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This well-known sports bar is par for the course in chain watering holes, but remains hard to say no to — especially since it’s connected to the Verizon Center. Open at 11 a.m. daily.

Green Turtle
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Clyde's of Gallery Place

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The cavernous watering hole right next to Verizon Center is always a madhouse. For fans who want to keep the party going, there’s a ballerlate-night menu. Snacks like Korean steak tacos, crab and artichoke dip, nachos, and hummus trio don’t break the $12 mark, while cheese samplers are under $15.

Oyamel Cocina Mexicana

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From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., enjoy “Hora Feliz” — when signature margaritas are just $5, wine is $6 and cervezas are $4. Food deals include $4 cevich, and two Mexican tacos for $4. A new late-night menu includes buckets of Mexican beers, margaritas, specialty tacos, plus other bar food (guacamole, queso fundido).

Oyamel
[R. Lopez]

China Chilcano

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It’s Pisco Hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily. That’s when its famous Peruvian cocktail, the Pisco Sour, is just $5, while wine is $5 and beer is $4. Bites includes $3 chicken thigh or shiitake mushroom skewers, and $5 crispy shrimp-pork dumplings.

China Chilcano
[R. Lopez]

10 Tavern

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The second-floor bar and restaurant features homemade food, a top 10 list of beers and craft cocktails, and over two dozen high-definition televisions showcasing the big game of the day. Open daily at 11:30 a.m. until 2 a.m. The spot also just launched a new patio.

10 Tavern
[10 Tavern]

Dirty Habit

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The newrestaurant inside the Kimpton Hotel是一個現代還隻是一個快速走到Verizon嗎Center. Its weekday happy hour extends from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with half-priced wine, select beer, and special cocktails and global bites provided by executive chef Kyoo Eom. Therevamped patiojust debuted, too.

Dirty Habit’s new patio.
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Del Campo

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Chef and founder Victor Albisu just gave the South American grill ameaty refreshon the design and menu fronts. Shareable new asado options include rotating lamb and pork mixed grills, like lamb chop and skewered tongue anticuchos, or a bone-in pork loin that’s been cured for 14 days.

Penn Social

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Happy hour runs 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at this huge drinking haven.

Free State

This underground spot opened at thestart of the year, serving up booze, brews, and bites sourced along the East Coast from Asheville, N.C., to Ocean City, Md. Weekday happy hour from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. includes $2 off all local spirits, $2 off select local drafts, and $2 off wine. If small snacks like taffy and chips aren’t substantial enough, Bantam King’s got ramen ready right upstairs.

Free State
[Free State]

Denson Liquor Bar

Keep it classy at this dark and sleek Mindful Restaurants Group bar. For happy hour, $9 cocktails include The Bond 600 (dark rum, velvet felernum, fernet branca), stirred and served on the rocks with an orange garnish. Meanwhile, beer and wine are $6 each; a dozen oysters is $20, while a half dozen is $10. Step back in time by using the toilet; it’s got a vintage pulley system.

The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille

This well-known sports bar is par for the course in chain watering holes, but remains hard to say no to — especially since it’s connected to the Verizon Center. Open at 11 a.m. daily.

Green Turtle
Facebook

Clyde's of Gallery Place

The cavernous watering hole right next to Verizon Center is always a madhouse. For fans who want to keep the party going, there’s a ballerlate-night menu. Snacks like Korean steak tacos, crab and artichoke dip, nachos, and hummus trio don’t break the $12 mark, while cheese samplers are under $15.

Oyamel Cocina Mexicana

From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., enjoy “Hora Feliz” — when signature margaritas are just $5, wine is $6 and cervezas are $4. Food deals include $4 cevich, and two Mexican tacos for $4. A new late-night menu includes buckets of Mexican beers, margaritas, specialty tacos, plus other bar food (guacamole, queso fundido).

Oyamel
[R. Lopez]

China Chilcano

It’s Pisco Hour from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily. That’s when its famous Peruvian cocktail, the Pisco Sour, is just $5, while wine is $5 and beer is $4. Bites includes $3 chicken thigh or shiitake mushroom skewers, and $5 crispy shrimp-pork dumplings.

China Chilcano
[R. Lopez]

10 Tavern

The second-floor bar and restaurant features homemade food, a top 10 list of beers and craft cocktails, and over two dozen high-definition televisions showcasing the big game of the day. Open daily at 11:30 a.m. until 2 a.m. The spot also just launched a new patio.

10 Tavern
[10 Tavern]

Dirty Habit

The newrestaurant inside the Kimpton Hotel是一個現代還隻是一個快速走到Verizon嗎Center. Its weekday happy hour extends from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with half-priced wine, select beer, and special cocktails and global bites provided by executive chef Kyoo Eom. Therevamped patiojust debuted, too.

Dirty Habit’s new patio.
Facebook

Del Campo

Chef and founder Victor Albisu just gave the South American grill ameaty refreshon the design and menu fronts. Shareable new asado options include rotating lamb and pork mixed grills, like lamb chop and skewered tongue anticuchos, or a bone-in pork loin that’s been cured for 14 days.

Penn Social

Happy hour runs 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at this huge drinking haven.

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