If you’re attending a baseball game or other event at Nationals Park, get to the neighborhood early and check out some of the local restaurants. These are some of our favorite places to eat near Nationals Park.

Best Restaurants & Bars Near Nationals Park

Bluejacket

If you are a craft beer lover, then a trip to Bluejacket is virtually mandatory.  Bluejacket is a very cool urban brewery, where beers are brewed on-site and you can taste about 20 of them on tap at any given time. They always have a few cask ales as well. The beers rotate seasonally. So, if you come here at the beginning of the baseball season, you will be able to try different beers than when you come at the end of the season. There is also a really nice outdoor patio. On a game day. you can smell the sausages and burgers cooking on the grill from blocks away.

Bonchon

Bonchon is a Korean style fried chicken restaurant. With all of their chicken dishes you get to choose spicy, soy garlic, or half-and-half. In addition to wings they’ve got chicken strips, chicken drumsticks, and a full menu of Korean dishes that don’t even have much to do with chicken. On game days, the kitchen stays open late, which is usually plenty of time for a post-game snack.

The Brig

This is actually the farthest walk from the ballpark, but it’s worth it. The Brig calls itself DC’s “secret beer garden” because it is the neighborhood’s best-kept secret. It’s located a block north of the 8th Street gate of the Washington Navy Yard. They rotate about 20 beers on tap with a mix of German and American breweries, including some local options DC. If you have kids with you, it’s worth noting that they do advertise being family-friendly.

Big Stick

Of all the places to eat near Nationals Park, Big Stick is the true baseball bar. When you walk in the door you’ll see their logo of Teddy Roosevelt swinging a sausage like a baseball bat. Their signature dish is, of course, sausage. There is plenty of Washington Nationals memorabilia on the walls. In the back corner is an F.P. Santangelo Montreal Expos jersey, which is relevant because he’s currently the color commentator for the Nationals. This can sometimes be seen at places like the Big Stick. So while it is pretty rare to see an actual player out in the neighborhood, it is not that uncommon to see coaches, announcers or other staff at a place. 

Due South Dockside and Nicoletta

These aren’t full service restaurants but rather boardwalk spots near the Anacostia River. They are located right under the Yards Park Bridge. Yards Park is a cool place to hang out, and these are great additions.

Note: the video refers to Piccolo which has since re-branded as Nicoletta.

Justin’s Cafe

Justin’s cafe is mentioned in the video but unfortunately it closed in October 2018.

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