You don’t always have to shell out big bucks to drink (or eat) in high style. At the W Hotel’s J&G Steakhouse (a Jean-Georges Vongerichten establishment), one can sample select cocktails, beer and wine during “Happy Hour on the Hour.” The promotion runs Monday–Friday at the Wine Bar (located beneath the main dining room), and the earlier you jump in, the better your deal: featured drinks are $5 from 5–6 PM, $6 from 6–7 PM and $7 from 7–7:30 PM.

Also from 5–7 PM weekdays, pair cocktails like the grapefruit gimlet and vodka thyme lemonade with items from the Sips & Bites menu. Featuring petit portions of some of the chef Philippe Reininger's best dishes – think oysters on the half shell and bacon-wrapped gulf shrimp – these morsels are just $8 or three for $20 during happy hour.

Don’t miss the ginger margarita, which wins rave reviews from local regulars for its combination of Sauza Hornitos Reposado Tequila and Cointreau. It gets a kick from the combination of fresh ginger, lime juice and sugar, which is stepped for three hours and strained into a concentrated simple syrup before being mixed with the spirits and garnished with ginger salt.

Those looking for a virgin sampling of this ginger goodness are in luck; the restaurant recently introduced JG2GO, a weekday lunch for diners on the run that includes house-made sodas in flavors such as ginger and cherry yuzu in addition to jasmine lemonade. The drinks go well with the selection of salads and sandwiches that can be ordered and picked up at the Wine Bar between 11:30 AM–2 PM, Monday–Friday.  

View the JG2GO menu online, place an order by calling 202-661-2449, then drive up to dedicated parking space on Pennsylvania Avenue to retrieve your order.

We tried the Caesar Salad and enjoyed the finely chopped heart of romaine that came topped with steaming chicken fresh from the grill, but our favorite part was the assortment of eight perfectly sized homemade cookies – enough to share with your coworkers, but small enough to gorge on without slumping into a post-lunch food coma. We say get your lunch to go and return in the evening for gimlets, margaritas, hard lemonade and gourmet fare on the cheap; you’ll feel like one of the celebs who’s often spotted at the W, minus the hefty bills afterward.

515 15th St. NW; 202-661-2440

Top photos via the restaurant; bottom photo by Lauren Sloat