When: Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Friday through Sunday from 4 to 5:30 p.m.; Monday from 5 p.m. to midnight.

Our pick: Jack Rose, $7.95.

For a decade, Bar Charley has been a go-to option: Looking for a cozy date spot, an affordable dinner with a group of friends, a lively brunch on a patio, an outstanding happy hour? Set a course for this basement-level watering hole, on 18th Street NW a few blocks south of Adams Morgan. One of the charms is classic drinks, made well, for an affordable price. On my last visit, there were 11 options, including a balanced Sazerac, a note-perfect Jack Rose, and a well-blended Saturn straight from the tap and topped with an orchid, all $7.95 for 90 minutes every day, except on Mondays, when the deals go all night. My inclination is to go for the Jack Rose, which you don’t see everywhere — how many bars prominently feature applejack? — and enjoy the tart cocktail with a beautiful red-pink hue, especially with a seat in the bar’s bay window.

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