Washington, DC offers authentic cuisine from around the globe. The summertime crowd favorite is always the German beer garden. Nothing calms the excruciating DC heat better than a liter of cold beer. Here’sour guide to some of the best options around.
Dupont’s two-level beer garden opts for authenticity with real German beers that come in real German sizes – liters of beer in iconic Oktoberfest glasses. The on-top selection includes classics like Erdinger, Hefe-Weissbier, and various Radlers (half-beer, half-lemon-soda mixes). The bar also offers two-pound Bavarian soft pretzels, among a multitude of other Bavarian delicacies.
Here you’ll find a special plank to slurp group Jäger shots from – the Biergarten Haus Shotski. Plenty of pilsners and lagers are on tap – you can buy a liter for $15. The bar’s best feature is its heated outdoor patio, where you can sip beer in freezing winter temperatures without worrying about frostbite!
This outdoor pop-up beer garden has been a summer staple of Union Market for five years running. The bar n0w has a permanent location to allow the business to operate during all seasons, though the summer seating is still exclusively picnic tables. Wunder Garten offers a combination of traditional Bavarian beers and local DC brews, but only half-sized liters are available here. The bar partners with outdoor recreation store REI, and it hosts a variety of exciting adventure activities, such as survival workshops.
The rowdy vibes and high-energy at Dacha‘s make it the perfect spot for big groups to socialize and drink under the sun. They offer a lengthy list of German and Belgian beers on tap and Dacha keeps its clientele cool with overhead fans that spray water when the temperatures surpass 90 degrees They also allow dogs.
American Ice is an American twist on the classic German beer garden. The dig’s industrial chic aesthetics are completed with rustic picnic tables and folding chairs on a cement patio. There’s a wide range of IPA favorites like Flying Dog and a constantly changing, seasonal tap. Your beer will be served in mason jars – it’s that kind of place.
