t that makes every guest at the table feel like the evening was designed specifically for them. At Boqueria 777 9th Street NW, the private dining in Penn Quarter experience is built on the authentic Barcelona tapas bar philosophy — shared plates arriving continuously, a paella centerpiece made with Bomba rice and real saffron, four in-house sangria versions including Hugo Elderflower, the legendary Shishito Margarita, and the warm, lively atmosphere that the location page describes as bold Catalan flavors with cosmopolitan flair. From Smithsonian soirées to Capitol Hill huddles, this is the private dining in Penn Quarter that Washington DC has made its most celebrated and its most consistently returned-to occasion address.

The private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria is built on the same uncompromising foundation that governs every element of the 777 9th Street NW experience: the same 48-month aged Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, the same Bomba rice and real saffron in every paella, the same five genuine Spanish cheeses sourced from their actual Spanish regions, and the same complete Barcelona tapas bar philosophy applied to a private dining in Penn Quarter format that is genuinely different from every other private dining option available in downtown Washington DC. Chef’s Menus at $52 per person (The Classics — a curated assortment of Boqueria guest favorites including one of the three paellas) and $65 per person (The Boqueria Experience — seasonal dishes, paella, and hand-carved Jamón Ibérico de Bellota) make the private dining in Penn Quarter planning process at Boqueria effortlessly excellent for every group size and every DC occasion. The Pre-Theatre Menu at $36 per person specifically serves the Capital One Arena private dining in Penn Quarter crowd — pre-game group dinners, pre-show corporate entertainment, and every Arena-adjacent celebration that requires a genuinely excellent private dining in Penn Quarter experience paced for the curtain. Four in-house sangria versions. An all-Spanish wine list. Private and semi-private spaces for groups from intimate birthday dinners to full-table Capitol Hill celebrations. Catering available throughout the DMV area.

Boqueria was born in 2006 in NYC’s Flatiron district with a founding belief that every neighborhood deserves a great tapas bar without compromise — and Penn Quarter, with its extraordinary diversity of occasions, its cultural richness, and its position as Washington DC’s most vibrant and most energetic dining neighborhood, is one of the addresses where that belief finds its most completely realized and most enthusiastically embraced expression. The private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria has been the choice of Capitol Hill professionals, Arena-goers, Smithsonian visitors, and DC locals who want the most genuinely Spanish and the most genuinely celebratory private dining occasion available in downtown Washington DC. The combination of the authentic Barcelona tapas bar format, the genuine Spanish ingredient quality, the Pre-Theatre Menu for Arena occasions, and the warm, lively 9th Street NW atmosphere that hums with energy from lunch through late evening — this is what makes the private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria the experience that Washington DC’s most occasion-driven neighborhood deserves.

Key Takeaways

• Private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria is available at 777 9th Street NW for Capitol Hill gatherings, Smithsonian soirées, Capital One Arena pre-game dinners, birthday celebrations, and every kind of downtown DC private dining occasion — with Chef’s Menus at $52 per person (The Classics) and $65 per person (The Boqueria Experience) and the Pre-Theatre Menu at $36 per person for Arena-adjacent private dining in Penn Quarter events
• The tapas-forward private dining in Penn Quarter format at Boqueria creates the most naturally communal and the most continuously engaging group dining experience available at any private dining in Penn Quarter address in Washington DC — shared plates arriving continuously, a paella centerpiece that makes the entire room take notice, and four in-house sangria versions available by the glass, the pitcher, or in unlimited brunch packages
• The Pre-Theatre Menu at $36 per person is the most distinctively Penn Quarter feature of the private dining in Penn Quarter program at Boqueria — one starter for the table, two tapas per person from eight options, and one dessert per person, all paced for Capital One Arena and making 777 9th Street NW the most naturally suited pre-show private dining in Penn Quarter address in all of downtown Washington DC
• Catering throughout the DMV area extends the private dining in Penn Quarter experience at Boqueria beyond 777 9th Street NW — making Boqueria Penn Quarter the most versatile and the most completely Spanish private dining and catering option in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia for every occasion that deserves the authentic Barcelona tapas bar format beyond the Penn Quarter address

Reserve Your Table Now!

Why Penn Quarter Deserves Great Private Dining — And Why Boqueria Delivers

Penn Quarter generates more private dining demand across a wider range of occasions than almost any other neighborhood in Washington DC. This is a neighborhood where the pre-game group dinner needs to be delivered at a specific pace for the 7pm Capitals puck drop, where the corporate client dinner needs to impress a table of international visitors who have eaten at the finest private dining rooms in the world, where the Capitol Hill birthday celebration needs to feel genuinely festive rather than formally arranged, and where the Smithsonian soirée needs to reflect the cultural sophistication of the guests it serves. The private dining in Penn Quarter search in this neighborhood is made by event planners, corporate hosts, and celebration organizers who know exactly what they need and recognize immediately when a private dining in Penn Quarter venue is genuinely equipped to deliver it. Most private dining in Penn Quarter venues can handle the basic logistics. Boqueria at 777 9th Street NW handles the occasion itself — and does so with a complete Barcelona tapas bar identity that makes every private dining in Penn Quarter experience at this address genuinely extraordinary.

What makes Boqueria the definitive private dining in Penn Quarter answer is the authentic tapas bar format it brings to the private dining context — a format that is genuinely better suited to a group occasion than any individual plated course alternative. Shared tapas arriving continuously create the communal energy and the easy engaged conversation that the best group private dining occasions are built around. The paella arriving at the center of the private dining in Penn Quarter table — Bomba rice and real saffron, the socarrat building in the pan — is a moment that every guest in the room experiences simultaneously and that generates the kind of immediate, shared pleasure that makes a private dining in Penn Quarter occasion genuinely memorable rather than simply well-organized. The Pre-Theatre Menu at $36 per person adds the most distinctively Penn Quarter dimension to the private dining in Penn Quarter program at Boqueria — specifically calibrated for Capital One Arena, specifically paced for the curtain, and specifically designed to make the pre-show private dining in Penn Quarter experience at 777 9th Street NW the most natural and the most genuinely excellent in the neighborhood.

The specific Penn Quarter community that has made Boqueria the private dining in Penn Quarter address of choice reflects every dimension of what makes this neighborhood so extraordinary as a private dining destination. The Capitol Hill office that discovered the tapas-forward private dining in Penn Quarter format at Boqueria and has not used any other downtown DC private dining address for team celebrations since. The Arena group that discovered the Pre-Theatre Menu at 777 9th Street NW and has made the private dining in Penn Quarter pre-game dinner at Boqueria the most reliable and the most consistently celebrated part of every Capitals or Wizards evening. The DC professional who chose Boqueria for a milestone birthday private dinner and found the private dining in Penn Quarter experience so genuinely warm and so genuinely celebratory that the address became the default for every subsequent significant occasion. All of them find at the private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria the same experience: a private dining format that has earned its place in Washington DC’s most occasion-driven neighborhood.

The Private Dining in Penn Quarter Format — What Makes Boqueria Different

The private dining in Penn Quarter experience at Boqueria is built on a philosophy that most downtown Washington DC private dining venues never fully commit to: that a genuinely great private dining occasion should deliver a complete cultural experience rather than simply serving excellent food in a private room. At 777 9th Street NW, that culture is the authentic Barcelona tapas bar — two to three tapas per person, arriving continuously, building the easy and convivial rhythm of a Spanish evening in the cultural heart of DC. This is the format that makes the private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria genuinely different from every other private dining option in downtown Washington DC: not a formal meal served to a private group but a complete evening with its own natural arc, from the first shared Pan con Tomate and the charcuterie and cheese board through the continuous tapas arrivals to the paella centerpiece and the Churros Clásicos for dessert. Nearly two decades of Boqueria private dining across eleven locations have refined this format to its most complete and its most naturally celebratory expression — and the private dining in Penn Quarter at 777 9th Street NW is the most occasion-ready and the most completely realized version of it.

The second element that makes Boqueria the best private dining in Penn Quarter is the Pre-Theatre Menu — the most distinctively Penn Quarter feature of the 777 9th Street NW private dining program and the one that most directly and most completely serves the Capital One Arena private dining in Penn Quarter audience. At $36 per person, the Pre-Theatre Menu offers one starter for the table (Pan con Tomate or Pimientos de Padrón), two tapas per person from a focused selection of eight including Gambas al Ajillo, Patatas Bravas, Croquetas de Setas, Beef and Pork Meatballs, Espinacas a la Catalana, Market Salad, Seared Skirt Steak, and Pimientos de Padrón, and one dessert per person from Orange Olive Oil Cake or Classic Churros. The private dining in Penn Quarter Pre-Theatre format is paced for any Capital One Arena curtain time, made at the full Boqueria kitchen standard, and delivered with the warm Spanish hospitality that makes 777 9th Street NW the most celebrated pre-show private dining in Penn Quarter address in downtown Washington DC.

The third element is the Chef’s Menu structure — the two curated private dining in Penn Quarter formats that make the planning process at Boqueria the most effortlessly excellent in downtown DC. The Classics at $52 per person offers a journey to Barcelona through a customized assortment of Boqueria Penn Quarter guest favorites, including one of the three paellas — Seafood ($49.5), Vegetable ($38), or Short Rib ($48.5) — all made with Bomba rice and real saffron and all gluten-free. The Boqueria Experience at $65 per person travels through the classics and beyond with seasonal dishes, paella, and the hand-carved 48-month aged Jamón Ibérico de Bellota tableside service that is the private dining in Penn Quarter moment that most immediately and most completely distinguishes 777 9th Street NW from every other private dining option in Washington DC. Together, these two Chef’s Menus give every private dining in Penn Quarter group the most effortlessly planned, the most visually spectacular, and the most genuinely Spanish private dining experience available in the capital city.

The Private Dining Menus — What to Expect at Boqueria Penn Quarter

The private dining in Penn Quarter menu at Boqueria 777 9th Street NW is built around the three private dining formats — the Pre-Theatre Menu, The Classics, and The Boqueria Experience — alongside the complete tapas and paella program, together forming the most complete and the most occasion-ready private dining in Penn Quarter menu available anywhere in downtown Washington DC. The table below gives you the complete guide to all three private dining in Penn Quarter menu formats and their key elements.

The Classics Chef’s Menu at $52 per person is the private dining in Penn Quarter format that most consistently delivers the complete Boqueria 777 9th Street NW experience to the widest range of Washington DC groups and occasions. Beginning with the charcuterie and cheese board — 48-month aged Jamón Ibérico de Bellota and five genuine Spanish cheeses from Menorca, Murcia, Castilla La Mancha, Castilla y León, and Jumilla — and moving through the shared tapas program before arriving at the paella centerpiece, The Classics delivers a private dining in Penn Quarter arc that feels genuinely complete and genuinely Spanish from the first plate to the last Churro. The tapas selection within The Classics draws from across all three sections of the Boqueria Penn Quarter menu: Pan con Tomate and Patatas Bravas from the Verduras section, Gambas al Ajillo or Seared Octopus from the Pescados y Mariscos section, and Bacon-Wrapped Dates or Croquetas de Jamón from the Carne section — all arriving in the communal, sharing format that makes the private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria genuinely different from every plated private dining alternative in downtown Washington DC.

The Boqueria Experience at $65 per person is the private dining in Penn Quarter Chef’s Menu that Washington DC’s most significant private occasions reach for — the Smithsonian soirée that requires the most impressive table in Penn Quarter, the Capitol Hill gathering that needs to deliver something genuinely extraordinary, the high-profile client dinner that cannot afford to be merely good when it needs to be genuinely memorable. The addition of seasonal dishes — the new Spring Menu’s Sumac Chicken Skewers with Nyora and roasted red pepper sauce, the Grilled Broccolini with Ajo Blanco, and the Fennel and Apple Salad alongside the Boqueria Penn Quarter classics — gives the private dining in Penn Quarter table a broader and more seasonally engaged experience. And the hand-carved Jamón Ibérico de Bellota tableside service remains the private dining in Penn Quarter moment that no other downtown Washington DC restaurant can replicate — 48 months of aging, acorn-fed Iberian pigs, and the most prized Spanish charcuterie tradition arriving fresh at the 777 9th Street NW private dining table.

The Drinks Program for Private Dining — Wine, Sangria & Cocktails

The drinks program at the private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria is the most complete and the most genuinely Spanish bar program available at any private dining in Penn Quarter address in Washington DC — four in-house sangria versions, an all-Spanish wine list covering every major region with extraordinary depth, the iconic Shishito Margarita, the Ibérico Washed Old Fashioned, the Spring Gin Tonic, the Negroni Blanco, new Spring Menu cocktails including the Adult Summer Camp and the Lychee Cosmo with Pop Rocks, and Spanish vermouth and sherry selections for the private dining in Penn Quarter table that wants the most authentically Barcelona closing ritual in the capital city. The Rezabal Txakoli 2024 — slightly spritzy, light, dry, and minerally — is the ideal aperitivo wine for the opening tapas at the private dining in Penn Quarter table. The Reto Reserva Rioja 2019 brings earthy, structured Tempranillo depth for the Secreto de Ibérico and the Short Rib Paella. The all-Spanish wine list at 777 9th Street NW covers Cava, Rosé, White, Orange, and Red in multiple styles and price points — including prestigious bottles like the Vega Sicilia Alion Reserva 2019, the La Rioja Alta 904 Gran Reserva 2015, and the Gramona Imperial 2018 — that serve the full range of private dining in Penn Quarter occasions at every ambition level.

The four sangria versions at the private dining in Penn Quarter make the Boqueria 9th Street private dining drinks program the most genuinely exploratory and the most completely Spanish available at any private dining in Penn Quarter address in Washington DC:

• The Tinta — red wine, gin, orange, lemon — is the natural private dining in Penn Quarter companion for the richest tapas and the paella centerpiece: the Gambas al Ajillo with its lobster reduction depth, the Short Rib Paella with its braised beef and Turkish figs, the Beef and Pork Meatballs with their sheep’s milk richness. Available by the pitcher for the private dining in Penn Quarter table and at its most accessible during the daily Happy Hour from 3–7pm at 777 9th Street NW
• The Blanca — white wine, rum, white peach — is the most elegant and the most internationally resonant version for the private dining in Penn Quarter occasion, the sangria that most naturally speaks to the cosmopolitan Penn Quarter community’s genuine wine knowledge and genuine appreciation for something completely and authentically Spanish at the 9th Street NW table
• The Rosada — rosé wine, tequila, grapefruit — is the most celebratory and the most visually striking version for the private dining in Penn Quarter birthday dinner and the milestone occasion, the sangria that makes the entire group feel like the evening is exactly as special as the occasion that was planned around it
• The Hugo — Cava, vodka, elderflower, lemon, mint — is the most elegantly festive version for the private dining in Penn Quarter occasion that wants something genuinely distinctive — available by the pitcher for group tables and by the glass for individual guests, making it the most versatile and the most completely occasion-ready private dining in Penn Quarter sangria at 777 9th Street NW

Check our menu!

Visit Us in Penn Quarter — Plan Your Private Dining Experience

Penn Quarter is Washington DC’s most occasion-driven neighborhood, and Boqueria is proud to be the private dining in Penn Quarter address at 777 9th Street NW — the most complete, the most authentically Spanish, and the most consistently celebrated private dining experience in downtown Washington DC. Whether you are planning a Capitol Hill team birthday with The Classics and a pitcher of Hugo, a Smithsonian soirée with The Boqueria Experience and hand-carved Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, a Capital One Arena pre-game group dinner with the Pre-Theatre Menu at $36 per person, a corporate client dinner with the full tapas program and The Boqueria Experience, a weekend private brunch with the Brunch Feast and the Brunch Paella for twenty, or the most genuinely extraordinary private dining in Penn Quarter occasion that downtown Washington DC has to offer — our events team at 777 9th Street NW is ready to build the evening around your group. Private and semi-private spaces welcome everything from buttoned-up team dinners to unbridled birthday fiestas, with catering available throughout the DMV area for occasions beyond the Penn Quarter address.

Our hours are Monday through Thursday 11am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 11pm, and Sunday 11am to 9pm, with the daily Happy Hour from 3–7pm seven days a week. Call us at 202.552.3268 or visit boqueriarestaurant.com/location/dc/events to begin planning your private dining in Penn Quarter experience.

Conclusion

Penn Quarter deserves the best private dining in downtown Washington DC, and at Boqueria 777 9th Street NW, we deliver it for every occasion, every group size, and every celebration this extraordinary neighborhood generates. A complete Barcelona tapas bar private dining in Penn Quarter format: shared tapas arriving continuously, a paella centerpiece made with Bomba rice and real saffron, the Pre-Theatre Menu at $36 per person for Capital One Arena occasions, Chef’s Menus at $52 and $65 per person, hand-carved Jamón Ibérico de Bellota for the most significant events, four in-house sangria versions, the full cocktail and wine program, daily Happy Hour from 3–7pm, weekend brunch with unlimited sangria, and catering throughout the DMV area. From Smithsonian soirées to Capitol Hill huddles — this is the private dining in Penn Quarter experience that Washington DC’s most occasion-driven neighborhood has made its most relied-upon and its most consistently celebrated private dining address.

When you choose Boqueria Penn Quarter for your next private dining in Penn Quarter occasion — whether it is a pre-game Arena dinner with the Pre-Theatre Menu, a Capitol Hill team birthday with The Classics and unlimited Tinta, a Smithsonian soirée with The Boqueria Experience and hand-carved Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, or the most genuinely extraordinary and the most authentically Spanish private dining in Penn Quarter Washington DC has to offer — call us at 202.552.3268 or visit boqueriarestaurant.com/location/dc/events to begin planning. The tapas are ready, the sangria is poured, and the best private dining in Penn Quarter is waiting at 777 9th Street NW.

Frequently Asked Questions

What private dining options does Boqueria Penn Quarter offer?

Boqueria Penn Quarter at 777 9th Street NW offers private and semi-private spaces for groups of every size, with a Pre-Theatre Menu at $36 per person for Capital One Arena occasions, Chef’s Menus at $52 per person (The Classics) and $65 per person (The Boqueria Experience including hand-carved Jamón Ibérico de Bellota), and catering throughout the DMV area. The private dining in Penn Quarter format at Boqueria is tapas-forward, with shared plates arriving continuously and a paella centerpiece making every occasion feel genuinely extraordinary.

How much does private dining at Boqueria Penn Quarter cost?

The private dining in Penn Quarter formats at Boqueria range from the Pre-Theatre Menu at $36 per person for Arena-adjacent occasions to The Classics at $52 per person and The Boqueria Experience at $65 per person — all including paella made with Bomba rice and real saffron. Individual tapas are also available à la carte for smaller groups who prefer a more flexible private dining in Penn Quarter format at 777 9th Street NW.

Is Boqueria Penn Quarter good for a corporate private dinner near Capital One Arena?

Absolutely — the private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria is specifically designed for the full range of Penn Quarter corporate occasions, with the Pre-Theatre Menu at $36 per person paced for any Capital One Arena curtain time and The Boqueria Experience at $65 per person delivering the most impressive corporate private dining in Penn Quarter format available in downtown Washington DC. Semi-private and private spaces welcome everything from team dinners to full corporate entertainment events at 777 9th Street NW.

Can Boqueria Penn Quarter host a Smithsonian or Capitol Hill private event?

Yes — described on the location page as setting the stage for Smithsonian soirées to Capitol Hill huddles, the private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria is specifically suited to the cultural and professional occasion landscape that makes Penn Quarter unique. The Boqueria Experience at $65 per person — with seasonal dishes, paella, and hand-carved Jamón Ibérico de Bellota — is the most naturally aligned private dining in Penn Quarter format for the Smithsonian, National Portrait Gallery, and Capitol Hill professional community.

Does Boqueria Penn Quarter offer private brunch dining?

Yes — weekend private brunch dining is available at 777 9th Street NW on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm, with the Brunch Feast at $29 per person, the Brunch Paella at $42, and unlimited sangria in Classic ($29/person) and Deluxe ($35/person) packages for 90 minutes. The private dining in Penn Quarter brunch format at Boqueria is one of the most genuinely celebratory and the most distinctively Spanish weekend morning private dining experiences available in downtown Washington DC.

How do I book private dining at Boqueria Penn Quarter?

To book private dining in Penn Quarter at Boqueria 777 9th Street NW, call us directly at 202.552.3268 or visit boqueriarestaurant.com/location/dc/events to submit an event inquiry. Our events team will work with you to build the private dining in Penn Quarter experience around your group size, your occasion, and your preferred format — from a pre-game Arena dinner for ten to a Smithsonian soirée for fifty, with catering available throughout the DMV area for events beyond the Penn Quarter address.