Where to Eat, Drink, and Party for Pride 2023 in D.C.

From shimmering spirits to drag brunches to benefits, here's how to properly ring in Pride this June

Capital Pride festivities kicked off with DC Black Pride over Memorial Day weekend. The official Capital Pride Opening Party is Friday, June 9 at Northeast club Echostage. The big Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 10, takes over neighborhood streets of Logan Circle and Dupont. Pride weekend wraps with a festival and concert on Pennsylvania Avenue NW on Sunday, June 11, featuring the iconic Idina Menzel.

This map tracks down select D.C. restaurants, bars, cafes, and venues offering Pride food and drink deals from LGBTQ+-owned or managed establishments or those supporting affiliated causes. D.C.'s Pride Month celebration is hosted by local nonprofit Capital Pride Alliance.

This steakhouse and raw bar with $1 oysters in downtown Silver Spring is serving a special Yuz Bee Sweet cocktail with gin yuzu and honey for Pride Month, and $2 from each cocktail goes towards MoCo Pride Center.

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Famed gay baker and TV star Kareem "Mr. Bake" Queeman, who participated in Black Pride during Memorial Day weekend, keeps themed treats going all of June. Available for pickup (or local delivery) from Le Fantome food hall, the James Beard semifinalist offers a "Prideful Banana Pudding" streaked with rainbows and sprinkles, along with rainbow cookies. For nationwide shipping and local purchase, the celebrity chef also offers his iconic rainbow cake jars.

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The longstanding Adams Morgan Japanese restaurant started hosting drag brunch way back in 1991. Two drag performances will be held each Sunday throughout June, with the $39.95 price of admission covering the reservation and access to the buffet-style brunch (drinks are extra). A percentage of proceeds from the sale of the Sassy Pride cocktail sold in June will go to Equality NOVA. Reservations are on its website.

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D.C.'s first-ever Bolivian bar creates a Pride cocktail called Orgullo featuring Grey Goose, strawberry, pineapple, lemon, simple, and cherry liqueur. The brilliant drink comes with a fruity pebble garnish. A portion of sales will go to SMYAL.

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This Mexican-Salvadoran restaurant in Adams Morgan has a Pride Cantarito cocktail made with tequila or mezcal, grapefruit, soda, and sweet-spicy Chamoy.

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Barkada's annual pre-parade Pride brunch returns on June 10. Online tickets include a seat of the show and one entree, with drink specials available for purchase. The show goes on at 12:30 p.m. and seating starts at 11 a.m. The bar closes out Pride month with its annual "Wine Down" drag show on Wednesday, June 28 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets include a welcome drink and a seat for the show. Reservations here.

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Michael Schlow's sushi-centric replacement to Mexican restaurant Tico sticks to tradition this year by wrapping its windows along 14th Street NW in rainbows. Nama Ko celebrates Pride all month with three bottomless brunch drinks (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.): a Lychee Saketini, Sakura Bellini, and Yuzu Mimosa. Nama Ko also offers the drinks to-go for $10. Extended happy hour runs from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. all month, too. Sister restaurant Alta Strada offers parade attendees 10-percent off dinner that night.

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After the parade and parties wind down, Ivy City's popular, LGBTQ-owned distiller throws a Sunday, June 11 afternoon soiree dubbed Tea Dance with tunes from DJ Diyanna Monet, Sbagliato cocktails, free tastings, and beer from Maryland's queer-owned Denizens Brewery from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Bites will be available from queer-owned La Buena Empanadas. Every ticket ($10 entry) sends funds to its Pride partner National Center for Transgender Equality.

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Ivy City's Italian liqueur purveyor Don Ciccio & Figli brings back a special-edition release just for Pride. Eklectika Tutti Frutti is a shimmering spirit shaded a vibrant purple and made iridescent with edible glitter; $10 of each bottle sold supports local LGBTQ+ organizations.

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Lit up in rainbow colors for June, the Dupont hotel has a whole collection of Pride events planned. On Wednesday, June 7, Lyle and District Trivia partner for a night of trivia on LGBTQIA+ history, featuring questions about the celebration's protest roots, as well queer figures and pioneers who have led the charge for human rights. On June 10, Lyle's very own Miss Leggs Benedict is returning to the stage before the Pride Parade with bottomless cocktails and brunch favorites. Book a table here. And every Wednesday in June, Lyle offers complimentary tastings at the bar to try its Glitta Fades cocktail made with Civic vodka, blueberry-lavender, crème de violette, lemon, and egg white.

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LGBTQ-owned throwback cocktail bar Jane Jane is hosting a month-long "Gay is Good" fundraiser in support of the ACLU Drag Defense Fund. During June, the bar will donate 10 percent of sales from its Pride cocktail menu and half of T-shirt sales to the Drag Defense Fund. The bar, festooned with rainbow decor, and has two limited-edition Pride cocktails: Frambussy (Altos Tequila, Lime, Framboise, Firewater Bitters) and Alt Twitter (Absolut Vanilla, passionfruit, lime, pineapple). Cocktails will also be sold in to-go pouches on the sidewalk during the Capital Pride Parade passing by on Saturday, June 10. And now through June 11, D.C. salon nailsaloon offers a Pride Pop cocktail in partnership with Jane Jane.

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On Tuesday, June 13, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Shinola's Logan Circle store will host a free Crafting the Process panel with local LGBTQ+ community and business leaders like Pia Carusone, CEO and founder of Republic Restoratives, and DJ/hospitality entrepreneur Ed Bailey. The event features drinks, light bights, and live music from DJ Tezrah. RSVP is required through Eventbrite.

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Dupont's vegan restaurant, bar, and deli rolls out a special menu from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. on parade day. DC Vegan will grill sausages and "not dogs" during the parade, plus a host of other snacks like Chick’n Parm, BBQ jackfruit, loaded nachos, fries, and Pride cupcakes. A second streetside bar will pop up in its parklet on 17th Street NW with beer, wine, punch, and liquor.

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The hotel hosts a Pride event on the Gerrard Street patio during the parade, complete with a DJ and discounted food and beverage offerings. Additionally, the hotel is offering two specialty cocktails for the entire month of June: the No28 cocktail, $6.28 in honor of National Pride Day on June 28 featuring fruit boba and The Darcy Pride cocktail ($14) featuring Ketel One Peach Blossom, lemon, passionfruit combiner, falernum, and orgeat.

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The Latina-owned French macaron shop showcases its rainbow macaron assortments in June with 5 percent of sales going to the UN Free & Equal Initiative, the United Nations’ global campaign against homophobia and transphobia. Flavors include raspberry, blood orange, lemon merengue, pistachio, blueberry cheesecake, and honey lavender. Olivia Macaron will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to UN Free & Equal on the day of the parade.

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Inside the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown, an exhibit called "The Liberty of Color" goes live on Saturday, June 24 across Bourbon Steak's refreshed patio. The event series is dedicated to celebrating diversity and the LBGTQ+ community through a stunning display of art by local artist Maggie O’Neil, a lineup of talented DJs, and themed drinks and dishes. A portion of cocktail sales benefits nonprofit Worthy Mentoring.

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On Wednesday, June 7 at 6 p.m., Estuary's chef Ria Montes invites chefs from Kaliwa (Julie Cortes) and Creme de la Crop (Olivia Green) for a four-course Pride dinner and beverage pairing. A portion of ticket proceeds will benefit the District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH); tickets start at $85. Estuary is also hosting a Rosé in the Rose garden party celebrating the Pride parade on June 10 with rosé flights from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Whitman-Walker Foundation.

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This French restaurant near the White House is celebrating Pride with a cocktail called Le Marais ($18), a take on a gin sour that's named for the chic, LGBTQ-friendly neighborhood in Paris. La Bise is donating half of the proceeds to the DC Center for the LGBT Community.

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The vegan fast-food joint in D.C., NYC, and Philly brings back its annual rainbow-hued Love Shake for the month of June. The strawberry shake is topped with rainbow and glitter sprinkles with a compostable rainbow straw. HipCityVeg will donate five percent of sales of The Love Shake to the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia, where HipCityVeg got its start.

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Now through June 11, this bar's two locations (Union Market and Capitol Hill) will serve cocktails from gay BLM activist bartender Franklin "Frankie" Jones, including the Hey Zaddy, Save a Horse, and Daddies Need Love Too.

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Capitol Hill's Fight Club hosts two events this Pride season, with proceeds benefitting SMYAL. First is cocktail competition COCKFIGHT on Thursday, June 8 centered around vodka sodas. D.C. bartenders will create their take on the drink using a box of mystery ingredients. And a Pride brunch on Sunday, June 11 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) features drag performances by Pariah Sinclair and live music from DJ Daniel Biltmore. Tickets ($20) include entry and a welcome Absolut cocktail. Tickets are available via Resy. And during Pride Week there's a special Pornstache Martini with $1 per drink going to SMYAL.

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Enjoy afternoon tea overlooking the Salamander DC's garden patio during Pride weekend (June 10 and 11). Tickets include a glass of celebratory rosé, homemade scones, tea sandwiches, pastries, and pick of premium loose-leaf teas. Seatings ($95) at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

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Officina Wharf's high-energy, upstairs Elevate Drag Brunch takes place on Sunday, June 11 and June 25. Each ticket ($25) includes a complimentary welcome cocktail. Entertainers on Pride weekend include Dabatha Christie, Christina Doll, Nubia Love Jackson, Dustyn Dawn, and Baphomette.

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Cozy, eclectic Crazy Aunt Helen's will host almost nightly events to celebrate Pride. Utilizing the upstairs Peacock Room, events include everything from jazz performances to cabaret singers to comedians. For example, a Disco Funk Brunch goes down every Sunday with drag queen Tara Hoot. And its beloved Story Time Drag Brunch with Tara Hoot will take place on Saturday, June 24. "This year for Pride month, I really wanted to celebrate the abundance of LGBTQIA+ artists that D.C. has to offer," says owner Shane Mayson.

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Knead Hospitality + Design, the largest LGBTQ+ restaurant group in the D.C. region, will celebrate Pride at all of their full-service restaurants with a special cocktail in honor of Pride Month. The cocktail, "Plus One" includes Tito's Vodka, Chinola Passion Fruit, Aperol, Vanilla, Lime, Bubbles ($16) and will be available at all Knead locations (Mi Vida, Succotash, Mi Casa, Gatsby, The Grill). A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Trevor Project.

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The sleek Navy Yard hotel hosts a pair of events for Pride. On Friday, June 16 is Pride Cabaret on the rooftop, featuring Philadelphia's Drag Mafia at 8 p.m. On Saturday, June 17 is Drag & Brag Brunch at Surveyor bar, also featuring Drag Mafia. Brunch is hosted by Miss Brittany Lynn for a pre-set brunch menu ($35 per person) with a la carte drinks. Doors open at 11 a.m. with shows throughout the afternoon.

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In honor of National Pride Month, the Del Ray eatery serves a Stormé Spark cocktail featuring Civic vodka, apple brandy, watermelon shrub. It's inspired by Stormé DeLarverie, whose scuffle with police outside of the Stonewall Inn in 1969 is considered the "spark" that ignited the Stonewall Riots. A dollar from each cocktail will be donated to Safe Space NOVA.

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