usa :: washington dc :: general

[kronik]

So, I've lived here for about 2 years (Northern VA) and haven't been to any of the clubs in the area. Needless to say, I have friends coming up from New Orleans (who I used to go to clubs with regularly) and Atlanta (who doesn't really dance at all, but likes to have a good time).

So, that leads me to ask.. where should we go that plays hip-hop/top-40, etc. that isn't ghetto with a decent atmosphere and not too far from NW (which is the only area I'm truly familiar with). Platinum seems to get poopy reviews. Lulu's (one of the few clubs I had been to) closed down.

I realize there's a similar thread but I'm looking for club-type atmospheres only.

Grazie.

[zimzima911]

i would highly recommend colbalt, calor, and fab lounge in dupot, or crew club or halo around logan circle. all excellent clubs.

[kert]

go to club 5.

http://www.fivedc.com/

there's a club right next to it also that's pretty good. if you want to see live bands, black cat is pretty cool on 14th St NW.

[shoreman1782]

i would highly recommend colbalt, calor, and fab lounge in dupot, or crew club or halo around logan circle. all excellent gay clubs.

NTTAWWT.

Sorry kron, I don't have a lot to recommend.

I like Science Club, and they play hip hop some nights, but it's not really danceable, top 40 stuff. I used to work in the Radio One building; I should know these things...

[wEstSidE]

i think you would have a lot more options if you weren't scared of poor blacks, hypocrite!

[datasupa]

I have friends coming up from New Orleans (who I used to go to clubs with regularly)

people still inhabit new orleans?

[zimzima911]

thanks to all that have fucked my attempt to send this gentleman to dc finest nightspots.

NTTAWWT.

Sorry kron, I don't have a lot to recommend.

I like Science Club, and they play hip hop some nights, but it's not really danceable, top 40 stuff. I used to work in the Radio One building; I should know these things...

[kronik]

i think you would have a lot more options if you weren't scared of poor blacks, hypocrite!

Heh, ghetto != poor blacks. Ghetto = too many people standing around grittin on others and a crapload of "street posturing." I am black, I could give a shit about being around black people. The dude from Atlanta is white, and I wouldn't want him to be uncomfortable. You can't think that I'd ask for a hip-hop club and ... not expect black people to be there, in all seriousness.

[wEstSidE]

yes I know you from the other SF. this SF is markedly less SERIOUS BUSINESS, if that's even possible.

[joey_formal]

be a balla son, go to XIIXXIII aka 1223 on Conn. Ave. or hit like i dunno Five a little further down Conn. Ave. just my suggestions.

kronik how are your ladie's canes breaking in?

[kronik]

thanks joey - she hasn't worn them at all.. been wearing the Corpus though. They're looking decent. We came in there the other day, Jeff was working.. sold us a couple more pairs. We'll be there on Friday to pick a buncha shit up.

[joey_formal]

cool im no longer there though dude i moved to philly

[cuddlysheep]

going to d.c during 4th july week

resurrecting just looking for suggestiongs, thanks guys. =)

Food&drink:

all kinds, bakeries, restuarants, bars.

Clothing:

from dark aesthetic to classic american

Sightseeing:

Museums, Art,Parks etc.

[shufon]

There are tons of free museums/galleries, just go to the National Mall and I think there are ~15 museums and galleries there. The Hirshhorn is my favorite gallery, but most of them are good. Also, any of the national buildings-- Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, the Capitol, etc are worth checking out if you're into that.

As far as shopping goes, I think DC sucks, but maybe a local could shed more light on the subject. The only good thing I've found is that the Barney's in Georgetown never sells much Thom Browne and it all goes on the sale rack.

For drink, if you like beer-- Churchkey has by far the best beer selection in the city. Pizzeria Paradiso in Dupont Circle is my second favorite location for beer.. the taplist is always nice and they have a pretty sick bottle list for good prices as well.

Food.. Minibar is amazing but getting a reservation is extremely difficult. Vidalia is great new American. Toki Underground is the best spot for ramen. Rasika does a modern take on Indian that is very good. Birch and Barley is the restaurant of Churchkey and their food is surprisingly good. Ben's Chili Bowl is good for a late night drunken snack (although maybe not in summer heat) but the line can be a pain in the ass. If you venture into northern VA, there are some very good pho places, specifically Pho Sate in Falls Church or Pho 75 in Arlington (not a bad walk from the metro).

I could probably think of more stuff but that's all I've got for now.

[cuddlysheep]

wow Thanks @shufon please do, i'll take your suggestions so far and i'll look into them =)

[cuddlysheep]

wow Thanks @shufon please do, i'll take your suggestions so far and i'll look into them =)

[fads]

^^funny, was just at pizza paradiso today. i think two amys is better tho (but pizza is pizza).

i think toki underground is not worth it bc the neighborhood is sketchy... i would cross out bens chili bowl too for similar reason.

for expensive japanese, sushi taro in dupont. if you venture out to mclean, you can meet newt gingrich at his favorite place tachibana. otherwise, sakana in dupont.

next to the pho 75 in arlington is rays hell burger and rays hell burger too. the latter one is more sit down feel than the former. obama took medvedev here btw.

my favorite gallery/museum is the phillips collection, especially on first thursdays of the month when they play music and stuff. buy ticket in advance... also nearby there is an argentinean café dolcezza that is worth stopping by. met jon huntsman here...

as you are doing the national museums near the mall, check out the national museum of american indians for food.

also this is really weird but the burger that is served in the congressional office building cafeterias is really really good. if you are feeling adventurous, wear business casual and sneak to the capitol to ride the trolley connected to the office buildings...

[cuddlysheep]

nice, thanks hyun! definately interested in checking out cafes as well. love burger spots. def checking those out,also the checking out the phillips collection looks like they carry some awesome art. =)

[shufon]

I agree on Pizza Paradiso's food, I just threw it out there as a good place for beer. Tachibana in Mclean is decent but not worth going out of your way for.. Sushi Taro is nice but I think it's only worth going there if you get the set menu (~$80 for 10 courses plus you have the option of various addons for $5-10).

Good call on Ray's Hell Burger. That place is legit.

Edited June 25, 2012 by shufon

[cuddlysheep]

thanks again guys for the recs. i roamed around the national mall,check out some museums. also had food + drinks at churchkey and the bar upstairs. it was 100* hot as heck, but had a good time.

[SSchadenfreude]

bump.  going to dc on biz.  haven't been there in over 15 years.  

going to e.s.l. on the 16th.

 

anything worth checking out?  

[xerrox]

From everything I've heard and read, it's a completely different city. The boundary for what's "safe" keeps pushing east. I've been here a year and a half and I've never lived anywhere where the fault lines of gentrification were so visually obvious (like cranes basically encircling public housing projects).

 

Besides the obvious suspects of the Mall and museums (which are definitely worth doing), nothing really jumps to mind as "must-do". ESL is a lot of fun, which along with Saufhaus next door and Big Hunt down the street (dive bar) are probably the only decent bars around DuPont. It's a nice neighborhood but attracts a lot of suburban bros on the weekend. I always stop in at Kramerbooks around there, a book store with a bar and cafe attached (open til 1am and 3am on the weekends).  

 

- Renwick Gallery is pretty cool although every single person will be trying to get a new profile picture or insta pic

- Air and Space is probably the most popular Smithsonian museum. I like the Hirshhorn a lot and it doesn't take very long.

- Some of the posts from 2012 mention Toki Underground being in a sketchy area...the neighborhood doesn't look like much but there are some fun spots and it's definitely getting better. Toki's good ramen (depending on where you're from), Maketto is a coffee shop/restaurant/clothing store basically across the street, I'm partial to Little Miss Whiskey's which is a dive-ish New Orleans themed bar. There's a beer garden around there I've heard good things about.

- Good music venues: U Street Music Hall, Black Cat, 9:30 Club, DC9, Rock and Roll Hotel (also on H St and home to a shitshow dancefloor on the weekends), Flash for Euro DJs

- U St and 14th St (they intersect) are kind of the go-to nightlife areas which apparently would have been unimaginable the last time you were here

- Other decent bars around the U St/Shaw area: American Ice Company, All Souls, Satellite Room

 

I realize that's like all nightlife or museums. I don't eat out that often so I don't have much in the way of food recommendations, though I've heard good things about 

 

- Rasika is a fine-dining Indian place in Chinatown that's basically an institution

- Rose's Luxury in Eastern Market area is supposedly really good but they don't take reservations so you have to wait in line at like 4pm

- Masseria is a new prix-fixe Italian place around Union Market (which is nice enough in its own right), kind of tucked away next to a bunch of African and Asian wholesaler places

- Fiola Mare is seafood in Georgetown

- Thai Xing is a BYOB Thai place that's kind of pricy in an old rowhouse

- Plugging Zenebech near Shaw/U St because it's an awesome hole in the wall Ethiopian place in a city full of Ethiopians. 

Edited April 8, 2016 by xerrox

[SSchadenfreude]

^thanks.

 

is there any place that i can listen to dc go-go?  or at best some revival night?

[shifty]

^thanks.

 

is there any place that i can listen to dc go-go?  or at best some revival night?

Go-Go has mostly been pushed out of DC and hardly exists anymore within city limits, let alone outside in PG county. It might be hard to find a revival night, or at least I don't know of any that happen with any regularity. Punk/hardcore has kind of survived through house parties, but most of DC's musical heritage has been forgotten/pushed out by the people from the gentrification boom caused by the recession. Adams morgan is still a decent place to wander around on the weekend, Madams Organ is always worth checking out. 

 

Other food options

Oyamel - Mexican, small plates, higher end and less comfort food than a mom and pop mexican restaurant. If you just want tacos, surfside, district taco, or pica taco are all good bets.

Zaytina - Mediterranean food, small plates again (owned by the same people who own Oyamel, all their restaurants are good). 

Etto - Pizza place that generally has a seasonal menu and ever changing appetizers, my favorite sit down pizza place in DC.

If you want diner/brunchy food, teds bulletin is great (but also packed on the weekends) and steak and egg is near the edge of the city but is a 24 hr staple in DC.