Best sushi happy hours photo
(Kevin Clark -- The Washington Post )

Best sushi happy hours

Fritz Hahn  |  Updated 10/18/2012

On the happy-hour scale, sushi happy hours are close to the top. They're more urbane than the usual wings-and-beer deals, and they seem like a better idea for dates, especially if you're ordering a few rolls or pairs of nigiri and sharing. With the Cherry Blossom Festival upon us, we thought we'd suggest a few of the area's top spots for affordable sushi, beers and cocktails.

 

Happy Hour at Sei

Washington, DC  | Monday-Friday

Working late? Both classy Sei and its classy sister, Oya, offer "cocktail hour" specials from 5 p.m. to close Monday through Thursday and from 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays. Feast on $6 rolls (think spicy salmon, sun-dried tomato or eel and avocado) or other Asian-inspired snacks, like wasabi guacamole. Drink specials include $7 house cocktails, including Asian Pear Sangria and the shochu-based Silver Samurai, $5 bottles of Sapporo beer and $5 red or white house wine.

 

Sticky Rice Sushi Happy Hour

Washington, DC  | Mondays

With its knock-'em-dead karaoke nights, high-speed bingo and weekend VJs, Sticky Rice is the hippest sushi bar in town. Even its happy hour eschews the suit-and-tie friendly after-work setup, and runs from 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Monday nights. Your reward for skipping sleep and heading to H Street? Half-price nigiri and inventive rolls, including the crunchy shrimp with roe and spicy sauce, and the Yellow Basil, which pairs hamachi tuna with yellow basil, pink Himalayan sea salt and scallions. (Attention vegetarians and vegans: Sticky's clever menu will become one of your favorites.)

 

Happy Hour at Sushi Rock

Arlington, VA  | Monday-Friday

The Arlington bar and lounge has a menu that mixes the usual "classic" rolls (California, spicy tuna) with fresh rock-inspired rolls, such as the London Calling (yellowtail, jalapeno peppers, radishes, yuzu dressing) and the Aqua Lung (soft shell crab, tobiko, cucumbers, avocado, scallion, habanero sauce and spicy mayo). From 5 to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, the bar takes $2 off selected classic and specialty rolls while pouring $4 draft beers, $4 rail drinks, $3 bottled beers and $6 glasses of sangria. Look for the nightly drink deals, including half-price sake on Mondays and half-price specialty cocktails on Thursdays.

 

Happy Hour at Tako Grill

Bethesda, MD  | Begins 5/19

The relaxing sound of the water fountain near the front door of Bethesda's Tako Grill makes it easy to zone out -- or Zen out -- even with ESPN playing silently above you. But that's not the only reason to stop by. In a town full of budget happy hours, Tako Grill stands out. The long list of $2 offerings includes bowls of edamame, fried shrimp and curious little dumplings stuffed with rich, chewy octopus. (It's a house specialty: "Tako" is Japanese for octopus.) Then there's the selection of $2 sushi rolls, which range from California rolls up to spicy albacore with tempura flakes.Wash everything down with $2 beers, or half-price sakes. The deal is offered from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday and 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

 

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