Rocket Bar

"No list of best bars is complete without a good dive bar, and Rocketbar in Chinatown is our favorite for a few reasons. The basement bar is open daily, with a Happy Hour that runs from 4-8pm (longer on game days since it’s right across from Capital One Arena), which makes the already affordable bar even cheaper. Play pool, darts, or skeeball as you toss back rail drinks and draft beers. When it’s busy, which is often, you’ll barely be able to hear your friends standing next to you over the yelling and the music, so expect to spend more time clinking glasses and motioning with your pool stick than having actual conversations." - tristiana hinton

"You already dropped $1000 on those VIP Caps tickets because you wanted to see Ovi up close and personal so the budget is tight, but you’re still looking for a good time. Rocket Bar on 7th St. is where you’ll find it. Aptly named for the rockets and robots all around the bar, you can land beer and rail drinks for $5 during Happy Hour, which runs from 4-8pm. And you can bring your own food, so your options are limitless. Pack a sandwich from home or grab one at HipCityVeg down the block and munch on it while you play pool, shuffleboard, or basketball before the game. " - tristiana hinton

"This Chinatown spot is the ultimate dive bar—complete with cheap drinks, pool tables, dart boards, arcade games, and robots. Head down a set of steep steps, and you’ll walk into a dark, dingy bar that is usually packed. Rocket Bar’s Happy Hour is from 4-8pm everyday and you can snag $5 beer, wine, and rail drinks. One of the best things about Rocket Bar is that although they don’t serve food here, you can bring your own snacks, whether that’s from home or a nearby restaurant (of which there are plenty)." - Tristiaña Hinton

"Eat Brgz Chinatown, which replaced a Legal Sea Foods, has capitalized on its shared back stairwell with RocketBar by offering a pared-down menu to drinkers in the subterranean sports bar." - Tierney Plumb

"This Chinatown dive bar feels like old school D.C., featuring $4 happy hour rail drinks and cheap beer no matter the hour. It’s a good bet for a casual pool session, especially before or after Capital One Arena events." - Travis Mitchell