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Washington Post

8 LGBTQ+-friendly restaurants in D.C. to visit during WorldPride

As WorldPride revelers swarm the nation's capital for the weeks-long celebration, plenty of D.C. restaurants will be waiting with open arms. Here are eight dining destinations rolling out the red carpet for myriad LGBTQ+ festivities in the coming weeks. 1609 17th St. NW. This James Beard Award-winning restaurant has been a second home to the gay community since the Truman administration, plying devoted patrons with boozy drinks and 'predictable' comfort foods like fried chicken wings, seared steaks and coconut cream pie. On June 3, Georgia Katinas — the general manager at Annie's and granddaughter of original founder George Katinas — joins New York Times writer and Dining Out author Erik Piepenburg for a discussion about 'Annie's legacy.' There's no charge to attend the hour-long talk (7:30 to 8:30 p.m.), and Annie's will offer free hors d'oeuvres (and a cash bar), but RSVPs are requested. 1609 17th St. NW. This James Beard Award-winning restaurant has been a second home to the gay community since the Truman administration, plying devoted patrons with boozy drinks and 'predictable' comfort foods like fried chicken wings, seared steaks and coconut cream pie. On June 3, Georgia Katinas — the general manager at Annie's and granddaughter of original founder George Katinas — joins New York Times writer and Dining Out author Erik Piepenburg for a discussion about 'Annie's legacy.' There's no charge to attend the hour-long talk (7:30 to 8:30 p.m.), and Annie's will offer free hors d'oeuvres (and a cash bar), but RSVPs are requested. 900 F St. NW. This Penn Quarter brasserie is showing its Pride two ways. The first involves serving specialty cocktails ($20 a pop) honoring famous LGBTQ+ figures including writer James Baldwin (the drink features cognac, coffee liqueur and mole bitters), singer Elton John (nonalcoholic aperitif, nonalcoholic sparkling wine, lemon, juniper), and civil rights activists Harvey Milk (bourbon, toast, maple, clarified milk) and Marsha P. Johnson (tequila, rose liqueur, triple sec, sparkling rosé). And on June 2, the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., will stop by at 7:30 p.m. to perform live as part of the 2025 International Choral Festival. No tickets are required to catch the show, but 15 percent of the proceeds from specialty cocktail sales that night will be donated to the Gay Men's Chorus. 900 F St. NW. This Penn Quarter brasserie is showing its Pride two ways. The first involves serving specialty cocktails ($20 a pop) honoring famous LGBTQ+ figures including writer James Baldwin (the drink features cognac, coffee liqueur and mole bitters), singer Elton John (nonalcoholic aperitif, nonalcoholic sparkling wine, lemon, juniper), and civil rights activists Harvey Milk (bourbon, toast, maple, clarified milk) and Marsha P. Johnson (tequila, rose liqueur, triple sec, sparkling rosé). And on June 2, the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., will stop by at 7:30 p.m. to perform live as part of the 2025 International Choral Festival. No tickets are required to catch the show, but 15 percent of the proceeds from specialty cocktail sales that night will be donated to the Gay Men's Chorus. 555 Eighth St. NW. The Hotel Monaco's in-house playground is hosting a supersize drag brunch. The two-tiered event kicks off at 11 a.m. June 8 with scheduled appearances from 'RuPaul's Drag Race' alums Alyssa Edwards, Utica and Mercedes Iman Diamond, along with local performers. Tickets to the 21-plus show are $151 for general admission (first-come, first-served seating; buffet brunch; two drinks) and climb to $240 for the VIP package (all of the above plus a pre-show meet-and-greet with Edwards, reserved seating, and $1 donated to WorldPride and Capital Pride). 555 Eighth St. NW. The Hotel Monaco's in-house playground is hosting a supersize drag brunch. The two-tiered event kicks off at 11 a.m. June 8 with scheduled appearances from 'RuPaul's Drag Race' alums Alyssa Edwards, Utica and Mercedes Iman Diamond, along with local performers. Tickets to the 21-plus show are $151 for general admission (first-come, first-served seating; buffet brunch; two drinks) and climb to $240 for the VIP package (all of the above plus a pre-show meet-and-greet with Edwards, reserved seating, and $1 donated to WorldPride and Capital Pride). Multiple locations. The neighborhood seafood spot created by community builder Jamie Leeds — who married her wife, Tina, at her former pasta joint and is celebrating a 20-year run in Dupont Circle this May — is mixing business with pleasure during Pride by running happy hour deals every Monday in June benefiting LGBTQ+-centric nonprofits. The Dupont location is offering $8 martinis and $32 seafood platters and contributing $1 from select drinks to SMYAL; the Wharf location is offering $8 seltzers and discount bar snacks and contributing $1 from select drinks to Metro DC PFLAG; and the Alexandria location will offer $8 spritzes and discount bar snacks and is contributing $1 from select drinks to Safe Space NOVA. Hank's is also running food and drink specials complementing the 17th Street Block Party, Pride on the Pier and Alexandria's Pride Fair. Multiple locations. The neighborhood seafood spot created by community builder Jamie Leeds — who married her wife, Tina, at her former pasta joint and is celebrating a 20-year run in Dupont Circle this May — is mixing business with pleasure during Pride by running happy hour deals every Monday in June benefiting LGBTQ+-centric nonprofits. The Dupont location is offering $8 martinis and $32 seafood platters and contributing $1 from select drinks to SMYAL; the Wharf location is offering $8 seltzers and discount bar snacks and contributing $1 from select drinks to Metro DC PFLAG; and the Alexandria location will offer $8 spritzes and discount bar snacks and is contributing $1 from select drinks to Safe Space NOVA. Hank's is also running food and drink specials complementing the 17th Street Block Party, Pride on the Pier and Alexandria's Pride Fair. 2004 18th St. NW. The queer-owned successor to Adams Morgan's beloved Duplex Diner, a.k.a. 'gay Cheers,' is going hard during WorldPride. Co-owner Kelly Laczko mapped out plans for nightly happy hour deals starting at 5 p.m. — including $5 mini tater tots, $6 draft beers, $8 glasses of Greek rosé, $9 martinis and cosmos, and $10 squeezes — a 'milkshakes and musicals' night celebrating Broadway show tunes (9 p.m. June 5), a 'RuPaul's Drag Race' watch party (8 p.m. June 6), a live drag show hosted by local performers Indiana Bones and Mia Vanderbilt (10 p.m. June 6) leading right into an all-night dance party led by DJ Benny (until 4 a.m. June 7), then all-day brunch and parade-related festivities June 7 and June 8. 2004 18th St. NW. The queer-owned successor to Adams Morgan's beloved Duplex Diner, a.k.a. 'gay Cheers,' is going hard during WorldPride. Co-owner Kelly Laczko mapped out plans for nightly happy hour deals starting at 5 p.m. — including $5 mini tater tots, $6 draft beers, $8 glasses of Greek rosé, $9 martinis and cosmos, and $10 squeezes — a 'milkshakes and musicals' night celebrating Broadway show tunes (9 p.m. June 5), a 'RuPaul's Drag Race' watch party (8 p.m. June 6), a live drag show hosted by local performers Indiana Bones and Mia Vanderbilt (10 p.m. June 6) leading right into an all-night dance party led by DJ Benny (until 4 a.m. June 7), then all-day brunch and parade-related festivities June 7 and June 8. 1811 Columbia Rd. NW. A drag brunch haven for more than three decades, this Adams Morgan charmer is hosting weekly performances throughout WorldPride. The restaurant runs two shows every Sunday, with the first seating from 10 a.m. to noon and the second from 1 to 3 p.m. Brunch is $40 and includes the breakfast buffet and a show featuring local performers. Perry's is also offering a specialty cocktail (vodka, crème de violette, sparkling wine) for $14 from June 2 through 8, with half the proceeds from the featured drink sales benefiting LGBTQ+ nonprofit the Pride 365 Fund. 1811 Columbia Rd. NW. A drag brunch haven for more than three decades, this Adams Morgan charmer is hosting weekly performances throughout WorldPride. The restaurant runs two shows every Sunday, with the first seating from 10 a.m. to noon and the second from 1 to 3 p.m. Brunch is $40 and includes the breakfast buffet and a show featuring local performers. Perry's is also offering a specialty cocktail (vodka, crème de violette, sparkling wine) for $14 from June 2 through 8, with half the proceeds from the featured drink sales benefiting LGBTQ+ nonprofit the Pride 365 Fund. Multiple locations. The homegrown pizza chain fostered by pioneering D.C. chef and restaurateur Ruth Gresser is offering a rainbow of Pride-themed cocktails ($12 to $15) at its Dupont Circle and Georgetown locations in June, including negronis (red), amaretto sours (orange), limoncello-spiked margaritas (yellow) and floral spritzes (purple). There's also a specialty cupcake ($9) featuring vanilla funfetti cake crowned with rainbow buttercream. The Dupont shop is also offering a $40 meal deal (one appetizer, one small pizza, one large pizza) from May 30 to June 1, and the Hyattsville outpost is hosting drag bingo at 6:30 p.m. June 18 in conjunction with Prince George's County libraries. Multiple locations. The homegrown pizza chain fostered by pioneering D.C. chef and restaurateur Ruth Gresser is offering a rainbow of Pride-themed cocktails ($12 to $15) at its Dupont Circle and Georgetown locations in June, including negronis (red), amaretto sours (orange), limoncello-spiked margaritas (yellow) and floral spritzes (purple). There's also a specialty cupcake ($9) featuring vanilla funfetti cake crowned with rainbow buttercream. The Dupont shop is also offering a $40 meal deal (one appetizer, one small pizza, one large pizza) from May 30 to June 1, and the Hyattsville outpost is hosting drag bingo at 6:30 p.m. June 18 in conjunction with Prince George's County libraries. 1207 Ninth St. NW. This critically acclaimed Convention Center haunt has several Pride-related activities planned. The monthly drag bingo game is scheduled for May 22 (6:30 to 9:30 p.m.). Each $60 ticket includes five bingo cards (additional cards available for $2 a pop); a buffet dinner; dessert; a show by local performers like India Larelle Houston; $10 Cantina Mule cocktails; and $15 slices of rainbow layer cake, with 100 percent of cake and cocktail sales that night benefiting LGBTQ+ nonprofit wayOUT. The restaurant is also donating 25 percent of sales from rainbow layer cake slices and regularly priced Cantina Mule cocktails ($14) through the end of June to wayOUT. 1207 Ninth St. NW. This critically acclaimed Convention Center haunt has several Pride-related activities planned. The monthly drag bingo game is scheduled for May 22 (6:30 to 9:30 p.m.). Each $60 ticket includes five bingo cards (additional cards available for $2 a pop); a buffet dinner; dessert; a show by local performers like India Larelle Houston; $10 Cantina Mule cocktails; and $15 slices of rainbow layer cake, with 100 percent of cake and cocktail sales that night benefiting LGBTQ+ nonprofit wayOUT. The restaurant is also donating 25 percent of sales from rainbow layer cake slices and regularly priced Cantina Mule cocktails ($14) through the end of June to wayOUT.