The 6 best bars for watching the Nationals
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The Salt Line has TVs with a riverfront view. Photo: Deb Lindsey/Washington Post via Getty Images
Baseball is made for barrooms. The slow pace. The broadcast patter. The endlessly debatable decisions.
Why it matters: Watching a game with strangers creates fast friends and fosters civic pride.
The big picture: While I was disappointed to find a less-than-perfect batting average for D.C. bars that play Nationals games, there are plenty to love.
Ivy and Coney
The Shaw staple is lovably dingy. The staff is friendly, and the covered patio is lined with TVs — and a couple stadium bleachers.
Yes, but: It identifies as a Detroit and Chicago bar, so those cities reign supreme on the remote control.
📺 Ivy and Coney has a baseball package for whatever game you want.
🌭 You can get a beer and shot combo for $9. Daily half-off specials include $3 hot dogs on Wednesdays and $8 Italian beef on Tuesdays.
The Bottom Line
This basement spot is a barfly's oasis downtown. Established in 1979, it's full of dark wood and stained glass — a "Cheers" vibe.
🐅 It's a Cincinnati Bengals bar, and there's Orioles paraphernalia around, but they'll turn on the Nats game for you.
🤑 Happy hour is generous. On weekdays from 4pm to 8pm, there's always a $4 beer and a $5 rail — or $5 margs on Wednesdays.
Nanny O'Brien's
🍀 Cleveland Park's Irish Pub might be a hike if you don't live in the neighborhood, but it's worth a visit to a D.C. classic (open since 1993).
Split the G with a 20-ounce Guinness, go for a local craft beer or browse the selection of "Whisk(e)y" with options for Irish, Scotch or North American pours.
🍟 Bar food goes beyond the usual suspects, including lager-soaked hot dogs, chili mac, and quesadillas stuffed with Buffalo chicken tenders. Sandwiches come with fries, tots or onion rings ($1 extra).
Sports & Social
The U Street sports bar is the newest and most polished place on my list, but it has legitimately good food and a plethora of screens.
🍿 A 25-foot LED wall makes the game look like a movie.
🍗 Buffalo wings come from D.C. chefs Scott Drewno and Danny Lee's Upstate FTW kitchen.
Plus: Casino operator Live! Hospitality and Entertainment owns the place, so there's sports betting onsite.
The Salt Line
The covered outdoor bar across the street from Nationals Park has TVs in four directions and sweeping views of the Anacostia River.
🦞 You're going to pay for the view (and market-priced lobster rolls), but this is a premium restaurant from a trustworthy hospitality group.
🍔 You can still get a top-tier smashburger or a fried fish sandwich for around $20.
A bit of D.C. lore: Nationals legend (and Salt Line co-owner) Ryan Zimmerman partied here to celebrate the World Series run in 2019.
Trusty's
Pull up a stool at this no-frills Capitol Hill gathering place with loyalty to the Nats, daily specials and bars upstairs and downstairs.
📢 Audio from the main TV carries through the first floor — though on my last visit, "Wheel of Fortune" stole the spotlight at 7pm.
D.C.-style half-smokes come off the flat top with a split sausage, chili, mustard and onions.
What did we miss? Send me an email at [email protected].