It’s no secret I’m a fan of The Capital Burger—evidence here and here!—so when their parent restaurant, The Capital Grille, reached out and asked me to come in to try out their annual Wagyu & Wine event, I jumped at the chance. The Capital Grille is an institution here in DC, and for good reason, as I’ve never had anything less than an amazing meal there.

For those of you unfamiliar (like I was!) with Wagyu & Wine, it’s where The Capital Grille flips food and wine pairings on its head—most restaurants select the wine that best complements their dish. With Wagyu & Wine, each burger on the menu is crafted to complement the flavor profile of an exceptional Napa Valley wine rarely offered by the glass. This amazing wine and burger pairing is available for just $25 in the lounge through November 17!

I was able to check it out last Wednesday with my friend Kate—and we watched part of Game Seven of the World Series while enjoying this delicious meal. (I still can’t believe the Nats won!) Though Wagyu & Wine is available at all locations, we went to the one in Tysons Corner, right near my office. Their lounge is 100% my new favorite happy hour spot in the area, and I am going to convince all my coworkers to come with me next time. We got there by getting off the Metro at the Tysons Corner stop, walking through the mall, and exiting via Bloomingdale’s. The Capital Grille is just a short—less than one minute!—walk from there. While the dining room offers a white table cloth experience, the lounge is more laid back, but still provides a warm, welcoming atmosphere and the amazing service The Capital Grille is known for. We had such a good time that we stayed for three hours!

So as I mentioned, Wagyu & Wine is where gourmet burgers are crafted to pair with prestigious wines rarely offered by the glass. And at $25, this is an amazing deal—a second glass of any of the wines offered is $23, so you’re basically getting a free burger and fries. This year’s pairings are so good:

• Wagyu Burger with Capital Grille Steak Sauce, Grilled Onions and Vermont White Cheddar, best paired with Beringer, Knights Valley Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon
• Wagyu Mushroom Burger with Soy Braised Shitake, Jarlsberg Cheese and Truffle Aioli, best paired with Beaulieu Vineyards, Carneros, Pinot Noir
• Wagyu Cheeseburger with Fried Egg and Havarti Cheese, best paired with paired with Stags’ Leap ”The Investor,“ Napa Valley, Bordeaux Blend

The Capital Grille was nice enough to let me and Kate try a splash of each glass of wine before we committed. I ended up ordering the Beaulieu Vineyards Pinot Noir and pairing it with the Wagyu Burger with Capital Grille steak sauce, grilled onions, and Vermont white cheddar. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was the best burger I’ve ever had. Cooked medium, it was melt-in-your-mouth good. And even though I skewed from the recommended pairing, the Pinot Noir and Wagyu Burger were perfect complements to each other.

If you’re looking for an elevated happy hour experience that’s also an amazing deal, I can’t recommend Wagyu & Wine enough. Get yourself to The Capital Grille before November 17—no reservations required! I already can’t wait for next year’s event.

Thank you so much to The Capital Grille for inviting me and offering me a complimentary dining experience. As always, opinions are my own!