At Owen’s Ordinary, designer Catherine Hailey had a two-sided soapstone bar built into the eatery’s facade, separated by four large windows that open up in warmer months. Along the outdoor area of the bar, there are 15 to 20 barstools. The outdoor bar and Oktoberfest-inspired beer garden are open from April 15 through the end of October—perfect for pairing fresh air with Beer Director Greg Engert’s offering of “50 rotating draft brews and over 200 bottles on the menu—including upwards of 75 Maryland beers.”
11820 Trade St. (Pike & Rose),
North Bethesda; 301-245-1226; owensordinarymd.com
At Urban Butcher, two enormous glass garage doors open in good weather, allowing 10 guests to sit outside on stools and access the restaurant’s inside bar. Pro tip: Go at happy hour (5 to 7 p.m.), when you can get cocktails such as the “Lavender Margarita” and “Boulevardier” for $6 instead of $10, and a butcher board of cured meats, salamis, cheese and pâté for $12 instead of $18.
8226 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring; 301-585-5800; urbanbutcher.com
Co-owner Roberto Pietrobono says his Park Potomac build-out of Gringos & Mariachis took so long that it gave him time to add a NanaWall sliding glass wall system on one side of the restaurant to create a sleek two-sided granite bar that seats 12 outdoors. The weather dictates when the restaurant opens the panels, but whether you’re an insider or an outsider, pull up a stool and indulge in some green chile queso fundido and a smoky margarita.
12435 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac; 301-339-8855; gringosandmariachis.com
