Johnny's Half Shell
Photo: courtesy of the restaurant
Good food, drink and mellow music in soigné surroundings add up to an enjoyable night on the town. Here are some sweet spots where you can do just that without breaking the bank.
“Bourbon and Blues” is the featured combo at Bourbon Steak’s elegant lounge every Thursday from 7–11 PM, when local talents like Joe Herrera and Rodney Richardson wail while guests sip libations and sample inventive small plates (202-944-2026).
A Frank Sinatra tribute takes place every Hump Day at Hudson’s lounge, featuring top local bands like Satin Doll and the Peter Muldoon Trio from 7:30–10:30 PM, along with $4 martinis and bar fare. It’s a successor to the “Wednesday Sinatra Night” party at Felix in Adams Morgan during the ’90s – there’s even floor space for dancing (202-872-8700).
Smooth jazz from the Charles Woods Quartet accompanies distinctive bar nibbles, seafood and regional American specialties, plus interesting wines and mixed drinks, at Johnny’s Half Shell across from the Capitol, every Friday and Saturday night from 6–10 PM (202-737-0400).
A piano, bass and saxophone trio jazz up Penn Quarter’s 701 Thursday–Saturday nights, starting at 5:30 PM, giving guests plenty of time to sample happy-hour specials (like steak tartare for $7 until 7 PM) while scoping out the space's glamorous redo (202-393-0701).
Night owls head to Vermilion in Old Town, where solo acoustic artists play live music every Tuesday and Wednesday night in the bar/lounge from 10 PM–midnight (703-684-9669).