Life’s about taking risks: stepping out when you’re supposed to be home (furloughed), celebrating birthdays not quite imagined a couple of years ago, or hoping for an excellent happy hour experience at a premium power-DC restaurant. Two of out of three ain’t bad. Looking to get back in the game after a holiday season filled with home and family cheer, the Happy Hour Sleuths went out on a prowl again to grab the magic 5 o’clock hour and celebrate a significant decade birthday of one of our buddies. 
Nervous pacing at the entrance of Central at 4:50 p.m., 1001 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (corner of 11th & Pennsylvania Ave., NW)) with hope of snagging premium window seats and low tables for our group needing good wheel chair access that evening, started our adventure. The doors opened and horse trading ensued with other que-ups jockeying for prime real estate; the wait staff came to the rescue but we found ourselves mashed into the darker corner of the precious bar low seating area. But there we were! You go to Central to be seen, for the excellent French food, because you are a nostalgic fan of Michel Richard and his now-shuttered Citronelle, or to say you’re on Pennsylvania Avenue across the street from, well, one of the most controversial hotels in America.
The wait staff was efficient in getting some excellent choices of drinks on the table fast. Good mid-range quality liquor was used (e.g., Ancient Age bourbon by Buffalo Trace, Three Olives vodka), but all the cocktails we tried were just a little too sweet (Kir Royale, Boulevardier [a bourbon Manhattan], and Fig Old Fashion).
A nice red, white and sparkling wine selection was offered, and we particularly enjoyed the 2016 Sauvgnon Blanc, Semillon (Haut-Mondain, Bordeaux, France) and 2017
Bonarda-Familia Mayol-Mendoza (Argentine Malbec). A solid choice of beer: a Partly Cloudy IPA, definitely enjoyed!
The food choices are monochromatic: all fried (except for the DELICIOUS gougères),
all plated in exactly the same way (on a smear of mashed potato), or, in the case of the actual frites, with no accompanying sauce or dipper. (Although, our waiter was more than happy to bring some requested mayonnaise and ketchup.) The most flavorful of lot are the grown-up chicken fingers, with the crab balls a close second. But a hint of green or more choices out of the starch food group would have been appreciated. Full disclosure: we did not try the sliders, another non-fry, low starch option.
As it was a special birthday being feted, the order of the special holiday Snowman (regular menu) was presented with appropriate and appreciated aplomb…a table-lit sparkler provided the festive atmosphere for our rendition of happy birthday.
Bottom line: If you have reservations for dinner at Central, go ahead and enter the rugby scrum for a good pre-dinner drink at Happy Hour prices at the bar. Save your eating for the fine French fare you will be offered at your dining room table.
The nitty gritty:
Hours: Monday – Friday, 5 – 7 p.m. The whole bar area filled in and was packed by 5:30, so plan accordingly whether you hope for a low table; bar seats and high tops also available.
Bathrooms: Easily accessible, gender neutral and neat and tidy at beginning of shift.
Transportation: Closest Metro stop: Metro Center (red line); also many of the 30’s buses come right down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Accessibility: Easily accessible for wheeled vehicles; you should be accommodated with low-table seating in bar area.
DC Happy Hour Sleuths 