Are all the pink heart decorations and expectations for romance getting on your nerves? Well, you’re not alone. Many adults find Valentine’s Day an annoying Hallmark holiday. Of course, you’re not planning a romantic Valentine’s night out, and neither are most of your friends. So, where can you go to celebrate the Anti-Valentine’s Day? There are great places in Bethesda that feel anything but romantic, where you’ll still find good food and great fun. They’re just right for that dreaded day—no reservations needed!

Barking Dog, The
4723 Elm Street
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 654-0022

The Barking Dog – the live music, dusty wood floors, beers flowing—it’s a truly perfect place to spend Valentine’s Day. Tell your friends to meet there but eat somewhere else first.

BlackFinn American Saloon
4901-A Fairmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 951-5681

BlackFinn- has sports on TV, friendly servers, a welcoming bar and fantastic burgers and salads. Lift the mood by ordering dessert sliders—homemade cookies filled with ice cream, accompanied by a chocolate dipping sauce. It can be rowdy on Monday nights when the service industry folks get discounted beverages all night.

Caddies on Cordell
4922 Cordell Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 215-7730

Caddies on Cordell –U of M grads founded this happy place that returns patrons to the days when things were much simpler…when all you needed was beer, fried appetizers, a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt to fit in.

Hard Times Café
4922 Del Ray Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 951-3300

Hard Times Cafe- if surviving Valentine’s Day involves eating, you’ll find the perfect comfort food in this lively, friendly Bethesda institution. To get into the spirit of Anti-Valentine’s Day, order the cheese fries or chilly mac topped with raw onions.

Old Georgetown Grille
7755 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 652-0808

Georgetown Grille – has been around for decades serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner anytime. So if you slept all day to avoid interacting with people, you can go here for breakfast at 7 pm. No one will be watching.

Sweetgreen
4831 Bethesda Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 654-7336

Sweetgreen- is just right for the lady or guy who wants to eat healthy, to counteract feeling lousy. Here you can order a delicious salad with imaginative toppings like baby beets, quinoa or toasted parmesan crisps. Next, follow it up with guilt-free frozen yoghurt with fresh berries and mint. Everything is sustainable, biodegradable, natural, organic and chic. Then go see a horror movie.

Tastee Diner
7731 Woodmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 652-3970

Tastee Diner- happy people seem obnoxious on a day like this; so go to Tastee Diner to avoid interacting with people. The staff and customers won’t bother you if you want to sit and read the newspaper. While you’re there you can eat something deliciously satisfying (the blue plate special or fried eggs and bacon), and feel quite comfortable with a frown on your face.

Union Jack’s
4915 St. Elmo Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 652-2561

Union Jack’s – welcomes you to play billiards, sit on spinning leather stools, and feel like you took a trip to Great Britain—at a time like this, it’s good to feel transported to another continent. They have 25 high-def “tellies” going, and you can start a game of darts—there’s nothing more satisfying than throwing sharp objects. Union Jacks plays a variety of music, has a roaring fireplace and serves up fish and chips–what more could a member of the lonely hearts club want?

Wing Hub
4914 Cordell Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: (301) 907-9466

Wing Hub- is so perfect for Valentine’s Day. Much of the food is red after all, and it’s meant to be eaten with your fingers. How sexy. Also, if you order one of their extra spicy sauces like Reckless & Dangerous or Kiss of the Demon, you’ll have a good excuse to cry. At lunchtime on Valentine’s Day, Wing Hub offers half price wings.

Food for Thought MidAtlantic Travel Restaurant Reviews Barking Dog Bethesda restaurants Caddies on Cordell celebration Hard Times Cafe Old Georgetown Grille Sweetgreen Tastee Diner Valentine's Day