DC's
bar and
nightlife
scene is less developed
than in more settled
cities. Peak times for
drinking tend to be the
rush hours, and
comparatively few people
who work in the District
during the week venture
back into town at the
weekend. However, things
are slowly improving,
and in the well-worn
haunts of collegiate
Georgetown
, yuppified
Dupont
Circle and
boisterous
Adams-Morgan
you should be able to
pass a pleasant evening
or two. For clubs,
expect to pay a cover of
$5 to $15 (highest at
weekends); ticket prices
for most gigs run $5 to
$20. See the free weekly
CityPaper for
up-to-date
listings
of music, theater and
other events in the area
- as well as good
alternative features and
reporting. The
Washington
Blade and
Metro
Weekly focus on
gay
and
lesbian life,
which is at its most
outgoing in Dupont
Circle.
Badlands 1415
22nd St NW tel
202/296-0505; Dupont
Circle Metro. The
popular gay dance club,
at its best on Friday
and Saturday nights,
draws a party crowd.
Bedrock Billiards
1841 Columbia Rd NW tel
202/667-7665. A
comfortable, lively
subterranean setting,
top bartenders and loyal
clientele set this funky
pool hall apart from
Adams-Morgan's more
frenzied club scene.
The Big Hunt
1345 Connecticut Ave NW
tel 202/785-2333; Dupont
Circle Metro. More than
25 brews on tap and a
good jukebox draw a
groovy crowd.
The Black Cat
1811 14th St NW tel
202/667-7960; U St-Cardozo
Metro. Showcases new
bands and veteran
alternative acts. The
separate bar has no
cover charge.
Blue Room 2321
18th St NW tel
202/332-0800. Classier
than the typical
Adams-Morgan fare, this
swank venue boasts a bar
worthy of Bogart's
elbows.
Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Ave NW
(rear) tel 202/337-4141.
The small, celebrated
Georgetown jazz bar, in
business for more than
thirty years, attracts
top names. Book in
advance.
The Brickskeller
1523 22nd St NW tel
202/293-1885; Dupont
Circle Metro.
Brick-lined basement
saloon serves "the
world's largest
selection of beer"
- more than 800
different types.
Capitol City
Brewing Company 1100
New York Ave NW tel
202/628-2222; Metro
Center Metro. DC's
oldest microbrewery
serves a changing menu
of beers to an excitable
crowd; there's a branch
at 2 Massachusetts Ave
NE, near Union Station.
Chi-Cha Lounge
1624 U St NW tel
202/234-8400; U St-Cardozo
Metro. This upscale
candlelit lounge oozes
atmosphere, with live
Latin music and regulars
toking on fruit-cured
tobacco from Middle
Eastern-style hookahs.
The Common Share
2003 18th St NW tel
202/588-7180. The young
set loads up on the
District's cheapest
pints and drinks at this
welcoming if gritty dive
before pushing on to the
Adams-Morgan scene.
The Dubliner
520 N Capitol St NW, at
the Phoenix Park
tel 202/737-3773; Union
Station Metro. At this
bare-bones Irish bar, go
for the Guinness on
draft, live music and
boisterous conversation.
Eighteenth Street
Lounge 1212 18th St
tel 202/466-3922; Dupont
Circle Metro. An
ultra-hip club is housed
discreetly in Teddy
Roosevelt's former
mansion, where the beats
- mostly acid jazz, dub
and trip-hop - are
always smooth. Dress the
part.
ESPN Zone 555
12th St NW tel
202/783-3776; Metro
Center Metro. The sports
empire's DC branch has
hundreds of TVs - even
above the urinals - all
tuned into the games of
the moment.
Fox and Hounds
1537 17th St NW tel
202/232-6307; Dupont
Circle Metro. Smack in
the middle of the 17th
Street scene, this
easygoing bar draws a
diverse crowd, all there
to enjoy the very stiff
and very cheap rail
drinks. Hit the patio in
the summer.
Hawk and Dove
329 Pennsylvania Ave SE
tel 202/543-3300;
Capitol South Metro. The
famous old pub rolls on
with a battered bar and
a young, loud crowd.
Habana Village
1834 Columbia Rd NW tel
202/462-6310. The
intoxicating Latin dance
joint is infused with
the eclectic spirit of
the Adams-Morgan of old.
Irish Times 14
F St NW tel
202/543-5433; Union
Station Metro. A crowded
but comfortable pub,
popular with Hill
staffers and college
students, offering a
good range of beers and
above-average bar food.
Lucky Bar 1221
Connecticut Ave NW tel
202/331-3733; Farragut
North or Dupont Circle
Metro. This
everybody-knows-your-name
kind of place has plenty
of room and booths at
the back to hang out in
and shoot pool, plus $1
beer nights and English
soccer on TV.
Nation 1015
Half St SE tel
202/554-1500; Navy Yard
Metro. This mid-sized
warehouse concert venue
that doubles as a dance
club boasts guest DJs
from around the globe.
The 18-and-over crowd
raves at Buzz on
Fridays, while
Saturday's Velvet Nation
is a favorite on the gay
scene. Take a cab home
as the neighborhood is
not the place to linger.
Mr Smith's
3104 M St NW tel
202/333-3104. The
brick-walled saloon bar
on the Georgetown drag
serves up decent burgers
and beer and live bands
Fri & Sat.
9:30 Club 815
V St NW tel
202/393-0930; U St-Cardozo
Metro. An excellent
indie, rock and pop
venue, which also has a
good bar.
Polly Esther's
605 12th St NW tel
202/737-1970; Metro
Center Metro.
Enthusiastic retro club,
with multiple dance
floors celebrating the
hits of the 70s, 80s and
90s.
Red 1802
Jefferson Place NW tel
202/466-3475; Dupont
Circle Metro. Hipsters
show up well past
midnight at this
underground hideout to
dance to deep house
beats, often until dawn.
Rumba 2443
18th St NW tel
202/588-5501. Great
Latin bands tuck into a
tight space to set the
atmosphere at this funky
bar-restaurant.
Republic Gardens
1355 U St NW tel
202/232-2710; U St-Cardozo
Metro. Hip-hop, soul and
jazz vie for attention
in one of U St's hottest
clubs.
Sequoia 3000 K
St NW tel 202/944-4200.
The popular
restaurant-bar at the
eastern end of
Washington Harbor
provides outdoor terrace
seating overlooking the
river.
The Tombs 1226
36th St NW tel
202/337-6668. Basement
Georgetown haunt for
burgers and beers.
Culture and sports
With five different
theater spaces, the
Kennedy Center , 2700 F
St NW (tel 202/467-4600,
; Foggy Bottom Metro),
next to the Watergate
complex, hosts most of
the capital's highbrow
cultural events
(including Washington
Opera and...
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