If you read my Pickles Pub review, then you'll have a good idea where this is going. TL;DR The Bullpen is to the Nats pregame festivities as Pickles Pub is to the O's pregame festivities. Right next to the Navy Yard metro station, the Bullpen is a golden location to pregame before the Nats game! Not only are the drinks better priced than anything you'll get at Nationals Park, but the atmosphere is incredible -- a bunch of Nats fans congregated inside. You can grab a few hot dogs, listen to live music, and if you don't have tickets to the Nats game, you can watch it from the big screen at The Bullpen! The only thing stopping me from giving it a 5 is the bathroom situation. The porapottys are a lil yucky. But given the establishment's design, it's understandable why this was chosen for the bathroom. But on the dog days of summer after a few drinks, and I gotta go, it feels utterly brutal. Nevertheless, The Bullpen remains a go-to every time I am going to a Nats game. read more

I definitely feel like when you come here you have to have a group of people that's willing to party and have a vibe of their own. If not, you will just be standing there looking dumb. it's DC so of course the drinks are expensive but they do have different vendors on site. My personal opinion is that I would not pay for VIP or the seating on the top of the venue is just pointless to me. the more fun people were down on the main level. The bullpen can be a hit or miss but the time I went was definitely a hit and I will definitely be back. read more

The Bullpen - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Been to a couple of Nationals games the past few years. Never been in the Bullpen before today. It's free to get in. They have drinks before the game, food, cornhole, and a stage for love bands. You can also watch the game on the screen. It is located like a 2 month walk from the out fired entrance. read more

The Bullpen - Overall view of the Bullpen - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

You've never had a bad time at Bullpen. Grab a few beers and get a few hotdogs and then grab a few more read more

The Bullpen - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Right out of the Navy Yard Metro/ballpark exit. Came for a music event. They had Buzzballs for sale for $13!!!! In the store, these are like $4. Plenty of bartendars/area to buy drinks. They also had a hookah spot. You have to pay to sit "upstairs". Port a Potties! There was NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO water at the washing station. WTF . NO WATER to wash your hands. There was also no lightening in the bathroom area The 2 drinks I had were pretty good and refreshing read more

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Fast service before an evening game. Great live music. Casual feel. Don't expect anything fancy. Not as lively as it used to be. But overall nice stop before a baseball game. read more

The Bullpen - Entrance - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I had a good time here!!! Recently went to see Amerie perform and the vibes didn't miss. I'm going to warn you though, it gets hot and crowded so be prepared to wait in line for food and drinks but the staff is very friendly and moving as quickly as possible. I can't wait to go back and maybe next time I can meet the staff because this is definitely going to be a regular summer time hangout spot for me! read more

The Bullpen - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Terrible place to be, even if you do catch a vibe the security or owner are quick to ruin that. They will kick you out for something as small as sitting down. read more

I'm not a huge fan of bullpen, I just think there are so many other great bar options. Drinks are over priced. The vibes are definitely niche, think college frat party. Average cover bands. Large tv for watching sports. Port-a-potties for bathrooms. Service is fine, they have a variety of vendors from spirits, beer, to mixed drinks. I've personally been here twice and I just like the vibes of other bars in the area better. I'd skip it and go somewhere else if I was in the area. read more

Great place to hang out and grab food or drinks before the game. Wide open space, lively atmosphere, live music, and lines were totally reasonable. Staff checking IDs at the door were great and super friendly. Drinks were good, and the hot dogs felt like a steal so close to the ballpark. Beware, a double costs double - silly me was hoping it would be quite that much. Only saw porta potties. read more

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It is fairly entertaining for what it is. I do wish they'd get better cover bands. This is a place to hang out before baseball games. It's named appropriately, as it's next to the stadium. Security is good about checking identification. It's a safe spot to get a beer, smoke a cigar. The prices as you can imagine are high. There are a decent amount of beer places to choose from. Strange only one with draft beer for some reason. They have decent brews, but at $9 plus each expensive. The views and people spot is popular. I like the place but don't love it. If in the area, and you have some free time before a game, it's an alright spot. read more

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good place to meet up with friends before a game. but not much to it and wouldn't consider it a destination other than a pregame meetup place. Appreciate live music when they have it. read more

We had just jumped out of our Uber and started making our way towards the Nationals Park entrance when we ran into this place. The Bullpen was loud and lively and we were pumped to be heading to the game, so we decided to drop on in and check it out! (+) There was live music being played on a small stage to the far-right side of the Bullpen. They were alright. lol I'm just a big lover of live music in general, in just about all forms and genres. (+) There were a lot of happy people just having fun having some drinks, taking in the music and talking to some other baseball fans. I wasn't here a long time, but it was fun. (+) Totally free to get in as long as you are over 21 years old. Don't worry, they will get you when you order something though. lol (-) I had 1- 16 oz Miller Lite can priced at $8. Yikes. I am aware and accept the pricing since I know we are at an MLB baseball game and that just comes with the territory. I am told after ordering that there is an automatic auto grat of 20% added to the bill which will bring it to a little over $10! I would have tipped at least a buck anyways, because I am a tipper, but this came across as very shiesty and left a bad taste in my mouth. The guy literally turned around where he stood, grabbed a can, and popped the tab. This is what requires a 20% tip? It made it very easy to keep things at that 1 drink. It is a fun space to check out before the game, but they need to do away with that auto-grat nonsense. It definitely could have been better. 2 stars. read more

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Saw White Ford Bronco perform at the Bullpen. A great concert and a ton of fun! There's a bunch of drink stands around with all kinds of alcoholic beverages for sale. I recommend the vodka lemonade, it's delicious and strong. They are kid friendly (probably depending on the performer/ event). Porter potty unfortunately are the only restrooms available but they are plentiful. read more

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A great time before the Nationals game. Been there once and looking forward to go back again

Honestly, I liked this spot! It's a really cool spot to pre-game and hangout both before and after the game! If you go before just know it gets crazy and it's super crowded. The drinks are cheaper here than in the actual game. I think each Marg I got was around $11. The Marg was actually reallyyyyyy good! Nice and refreshing and the perfect amount of ice, lime, salt, and sweetness. After the game starts you get half off your drinks so for two drinks it ended up being $11. They have seats and tables. Everything is first come first serve. I deff wanna come back here to hangout sometime before a game. read more

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I recently posted a bad review for this business for overcharging me for a beer purchase. My complaint got the attention of management and they worked with me to reach a mutually agreed upon settlement. Thanks for addressing this issue and see you again soon. read more

First off, we had a blast at the bullpen. It was exactly what we were looking for as visitors from out of town. We were in town for the Cubs/Nationals game and we wanted somewhere we could enjoy the weather outside, have some drinks, and be apart of the action. When we walked into the Bullpen we found exactly that! It has a rooftop area as well as a lower area (where we hung out) that gave us the chance to get a bunch of different beverages and food. Is it classy? Absolutely not. Is it somewhere I want to be before every baseball game? Absolutely. We met so many fans from Washington and other visitors from Chicago who were also in town for the game. It's a relaxed, blue collar type of party and somewhere I would recommend to anyone. There was even live music! I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to get the full experience of "tailgating" before a Nationals game! read more

The Bullpen - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The Bullpen offers you a refuge before, during, and after baseball games. It's also there for you for away games! I love the aesthetic of the Bullpen first and foremost. You are surrounded by shipping containers that have been turned into bars and seating elements. There's also a large stage that often has live music. The bars offer tons of great drink options, including cheap cocktails and bites to eat. All are delicious and all are recommended by moi. The main allure of the bullpen is the convenience. It's across the street from the the metro and a block from Nat's Park. You just have to go if you're going to a game or in the area! You'll have a blast! read more

The Bullpen - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I'd love to rate higher for the decent hot dogs & drinks but they took the liberty of giving themselves an 80% tip without my permission. It happened to everyone I was with who purchased something. read more

The Bullpen at Half Street Fairgrounds in DC is a great place to go for drinks and sports in a cool and unique atmosphere. I really like the location and everything that they have available here. Good overall experience coming here. read more

The Bullpen - The Bullpen at Half Street Fairgrounds - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Place is meh. It's a good spot to hang out before a game but any food or drinks you buy they automatically add a tip and don't say anything and the print on the card readers is tiny and they don't give you more than a half a second to even look at it before they take it back and close the sale. Happened to me and my friends. Watch your drinks carefully here too.... read more

I've given this place two chances and I am pretty sure I'm done with it. The first time, I saw an outdoor comedy show, and people were partying everywhere so it was hard to hear the comedy. The second time, I saw a concert and it was, again, hard to even realize a live performance was happening. Most people were totally not into the show. Also there were almost no seats or tables and we had to awkwardly stand around with nowhere to put our purses. This place is just one big party with awful overpriced drinks. I got a hard seltzer to be safe, a Vizzy, and it was fine but the cocktails my friends got were weak and awful. Luckily the weather was good but I also noticed the web site says there are no cancellations or rain checks for bad weather, which is absurd for a venue where every single spot is outdoors. Definitely do not recommend. read more

The bullpen was a fun pregame vibe. There isn't much shade and with the game being an afternoon game at 4 it was quiet hot from the sun as well as all the people. The drinks were a little pricey but still cheaper then in the stadium. I would definitely return read more

I am 23 on my id and of age. The "bouncer" decides to claim mine is fake. I tell him I am obviously of age and to bring the police over. He denies all of this and says it dosent matter, mine is "fake". And he takes my id. Now I have to go to the dmv to get a new one. God knows the dc dmv is insane. Not happy. read more

The Bullpen is full of liars. Which is why it's known locally as The Bullsh**. But it should be renamed to The Sh**, because it's a great concept. Every city should have these kinds of spaces near their sports stadiums and downtowns. It reminds me of the Fan Zones at the European Soccer Champs and the World Cup. They check your ID, but it's free to get in. It's usually packed with a few hot people that smell nice and a lot of smelly people that don't smell nice. The live music, none of which I've really loved, is loud and in your face. I don't buy the beer, sometimes the food, and I think it's pretty disgusting that they sell tobacco here from trucks and whatever. I wouldn't give 5 stars to them based on that alone. Plus the prices of everything, from drinks to food truck food, is obscene. But it's free to get in, so I guess no complaints from me. Anyway I need to stop writing online and get back to writing with a Bullpoint Pen. read more

The Bullpen - Wanna see my bullpen - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Charged 20% tip for ordering 2 beers lol. After the fact I asked and the young lady said it's an automatic 20% gratuity lmao. Never heard of a mandatory tip in my life. Waiters and waitresses that bust their ass all night serving individuals food and drinks deserve 20% if not more - but to automatically charge folks 20% for turning around and grabbing a beer from a cooler is ludicrous honestly. And scummy. read more

Ok, we need to get serious for a second. Sit down, we're gonna have a talk. Take a drink of water, you're gonna need it. If you haven't seen or been to the bull pen- you need to go there. If you love giant outdoor parties with live music and lots of beer, this is the place for you. Free? It's free entry. Yes FREE. You do have to be 21, but it's free. There is a ridiculous amount of beer stands and there are a couple of food trucks and a a couple of food vendors. But literally, this place is filled with people who are going to the Nationals game, or people who just want to party right next to the Nationals game. They serve summer shandy and they have about 10-15 games of corn hole going at all times. Bathrooms? They're porta potties- hence the knock off of one star. I'm sorry- as a society - we should have moved away from porta potties a while ago. This place is stationary- there should be real bathrooms. It looks like the lines are endless for all of the beer stands, but those are just people standing in front of them. Each time I went to get a beer - it took me 3 minutes. I'm assuming its only open on game day - but if you want to have a great time outside and it just happens to be a game day- there's nothing stopping you. You don't have to show a ticket- you don't have to wear a Nationals jersey. Just go. I was so tunnel vision from the metro to the stadium that I didn't realize there was 1000 people partying in the distance. The key to this place, is it's hidden. See a bunch of large shipping crates off in the distance? Walk towards them. IT'S A TRAP! No Admiral Akbar- it's a party! read more

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First, a shout out to the YELP community for the free tickets to come watch White Ford Bronco at this location. Nothing like hearing 90's music, who doesn't love the 90's!? Fun area before and after Nats games. There's corn hole, food trucks, a cigar truck amongst others. Obviously drinks are here. Expensive (stadium priced) but nevertheless it's a great spot to mingle with other fans while the time passes. Sometimes they'll have concerts here which get the crowd in a positive vibe. Another great way to meet and interact with the crowd. Especially after everyone's had some alcohol in them! read more

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I just simply love the look of the Bull Pen--the cargo crate set up along with a bunch of vendors on the sides has a lot of potential to be an awesome pre game place! Yes, the prices of alcohol - 8 dollars for a beer, 11 dollars for a mixed drink - are pretty expensive! But it's cheaper than the park and there is live music and such a lively crowd. I bumped the stars down because the security or door people before you get in are pretty rude. They kept asking me if this was my real Id the whole time. If I had a fake ID, would not go here... But other than that, I love the picnic tables and extra space. I prefer going here free night time games because the energy is so awesome when the nats win!!! read more

The Bullpen - Entrance - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We purchased out tickets for VIP thru Groupon. This location is right up the street from the Navy Yard metro station. The VIP provided an hour earlier entrance. They didn't have a huge selection of beers but it was enough to get by with some variety. I have to say my utmost favorite was the Root Beer. I swear l never cared for Root Beer soda growing up but this was pretty good! I know l had at least 3 glasses of that. I thought the only thing good about the VIP was that you got to enter an hour earlier. We had our lawn chairs with us and they wouldn't let us bring them in. Couldn't understand the reasoning behind that. They didn't have anyone standing under the VIP tent so anyone could just enter. People were packed in like sardines. On a positive note the DJ was cranking. They had several benches that you could roast under the sun. The only reason I gave it three stars was because of the DJ and the Root Beer drink which happened to be my favorite! I'm just glad that we got a nice discount thru groupon. I plan on definitely hunting down that beer though lol. read more

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This place is amazing! It is the absolute must go-to place before any Washington Nationals game! It's an outdoor adult playground where you can go with friends or make new ones! They typically have live music and delicious alcoholic beverages as well as a wide variety of beers. I love the margaritas and spiked lemonades! The prices are way cheaper then inside the ballpark and the bartenders are really nice and awesome! Shout out to my regular bartender Erin who is always so kind and gives great service with a smile! There are also a few food trucks at the bullpen on game days and a ton of them when they have Truckeroo which is my favorite food truck event in the city! This place is the best!! I heard rumors that they might close in the next few years... I really hope that's not true! It would be a tragedy! read more

The Bullpen - Truckeroo!! One of my favorites!!!! - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Nothing better to do? Come here and listen to live music, get some beer and try some of the local cuisine sold in trucks. Plenty of security to do crowd control,petty fights and thievery. Easily accessible by metro. Beware that after 9pm no kids are allowed inside the premises. Lots of porto potties available. Just pick one without human barf or else..... read more

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Definitely not what I expected when I showed up. A really cool outdoor area and what seems to be a parking lot. Drink deals are super nice during the nationals games. Live music is also a plus read more

Giving 5 stars not because it's an amazing travel destination, but because this place delivers on exactly what you think it would be. We stumbled upon this place before our first Nats game. We had family in from out of town and were unfamiliar with the Navy Yard area. After attempting to eat at several bars/restaurants in the area and being unsuccessful at each one (no seating, no service...etc) we settled on The Bullpen. We had walked by several times, there was no line to get in so we thought, why not? Honestly our plan was just to kill some time before the game, but we ended up really enjoying it. This is just an unassuming, no frills, parking lot, hangout spot. They have little stands set up all around the perimeter- hot dog tents, beer tents, a few with mixed drinks. The prices are less than the ballpark, and probably about the same as a bar. We got a $3 hot dog, listened to some great live music, and just hung out before the game. They have corn hole set up by the band's stage. And there are picnic tables on the ground, and an upper deck with a pretty cool view (standing tables only up there). If you're looking for an Instagram worthy, cool photo op type of place this probably isn't it. But if you want something laid back, easy, and chill, where you don't have to spend a fortune to eat/drink- this delivers. read more

This is a fun venue. It's very relaxed and low key. The drinks are kind of pricey, but manageable. I love that you can go to the upper level for a better view and to socialize. And if you want to get rowdy you can go to the front, but if you want to just relax and enjoy the music from a distance you can hang out at the picnic tables or towards the back. read more

The Bullpen - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Good place to go with friends before a nationals game. There are a lot of drink and food options. They have $4 hot dogs which a necessity at every baseball game as well as 6 $6 sausage and onions or $6 bratwurst. The daiquiris and rum runners were $11 but totally different mixes. The daiquiri was weak and just takes like strawberry mixer where as the rum runner was overpowering and difficult to drink. There was live music and a raised viewing area which was really cool as well. read more

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The Bullpen has beer, cornhole, and live music, which clearly means it is the BEST pre-Nats game hang out spot.

A decent venue to meet up before a ballgame. It is usually very crowded and full of recent college graduates. Be prepared to run into familiar faces. The drinks are nothing special, but the price reflects that reality. It is not a place worth making an effort to try but also not a place to be avoided. read more

With Weinergate finally put to bed (I think) I felt as if I was finally in the clear for a ballpark wei...er...hot dog. I mean, I'm at the ballpark. Er...kinda. Who really cares? I can hear the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, I'm root, root, rooting for the home team with a brew in hand... I'm just not in the ballpark. It's okay though because I can play cornhole. And I can show off my guns at the pitching range and be a strange up, overcompetative D-bag about it because little kids are not around. So it's cool. Fun spot to pregame or stop by after the game, but sometimes I like to drop in during the game if the Nat's are getting slaughtered or if the sun is slaughtering me and I'm just over it all. Oh yea, and the weiners are pretty big so I'd recommend one of those as well. read more