TEXT Washington DC Nightlife | Citybuzz - A Vidicom and Christy Ferer Guide to Travel

Nightlife

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+ Check Out The New Bar The Elroy!

The Elroy is a new, "futuristic" bar that opened up on Memorial Day weekend, at 1423 H St NE in the Atlas Theater District. The name refers to the Jetson's character. Karl Graham, who was a partner in New York Avenue Beach Bar, is behind the neighborhood bar. Graham describes the spot as "a nice little neighborhood bar where you come in and people know your name." The two-story space is located a quarter mile from where Graham grew up. Some of the more "futuristic" flourishes to go with the name: outlets and USB ports along the bar, TVs in the bathroom mirrors, frosted glass restroom mirrors that switch on and off, and funky glassware. The Elroy will specialize in cocktails in "fancy glasses, really crazy cocktail glasses," Graham says. There will also be a limited bar menu with five to 10 items—"nothing extravagant."

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+ Look Restaurant Reaches Across The Aisle For Fun Times!

Who says K Street has to be Conventional? LOOK Restaurant Lounge reaches across the aisle to bridge the gap between Socially Liberal and Tastefully Conservative. Located in the heart of the K Street Corridor, LOOK Restaurant Lounge sets out to shatter traditional stereotypes by taking the "boring" out of business lunch and the "corporate" out of corporate reception. Enjoy world cuisine through a variety of over 30 small plates from our Executive Chef in a warm, dynamic, open setting. Our 150 seat dining room is open for lunch, dinner, private events, corporate gatherings, and any social events. The Event Director and Executive Chef will work with you to customize the perfect event experience for up to 300 seated guests or 800 standing guests. Guests are strongly encouraged to be Socially Liberal, yet fiscally conservative in the belief that Washington needs to cut spending. With this thinking, HAPPY HOUR at LOOK starts at noon. From 12pm to 7pm, LOOK offers Absolut kocktails, House wine by the glass and our full beer selection at $5! Visit lookatkstreet.com for more information.

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+ Marvin – Home Cooked Classics from Belgium to the American South

Marvin is a classic bistro located in Washington, DC’s historical Shaw neighborhood which combined the soul of the neighborhood and the café society of Belgium. Here, you can find an interesting mix of classic Belgian moulles-frites served along side southern-style shrimp and grits. The combination is a tribute to Shaw native, Marvin Gaye, who spent two years in Ostend, Belgium. Two of the other attractions at Marvin is the rooftop beer garden boasting over 30 Belgian ales and a luxurious lounge with an extensive bar menu. Adding to this experience is a groovy mix of funk, soul, ska, and jazz created by Thievery Corporation’s very own Eric Hilton. Visit marvindc.com for more information.

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+ Deutschland on H Street at the Biergarten Haus

Biergarten Haus is the only beer garden in the city! Come year round and enjoy a shaded courtyard in the summer and a heated outdoor winter wonderland in the winter! With thirty-five hundred square feet of outdoor seating, there are plenty of space for parties to enjoy plates of bratwurst, weisswurst, and even wiener schnitzel. As you peruse through the various choices of German delicacies on the menu, don’t forget to gulp them down with pints of authentic German ale in heavy-bottomed glass mugs. It’s like Oktoberfest year-round at the Biergarten Haus! Visit biergartenhaus.com for more information.

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+ Take Me Out To A Ball Game at Nellie’s Sports Bar

Nellie’s Sports Bar is Washington, DC’s first gay sports bar featuring an expansive rooftop deck which is as much of an attraction as the flat-screen TVs. Nellie’s is considered THE go-to place for LGBTQ sports fans. True to its theme, the sports bar sticks to showing games on its plasma TVs and displaying tennis rackets, oars, and trophies as decorations. No worries, the athletically challenged customers will not be left out of the fun, since Nellie’s provides board games galore. Don’t forget to check their website for fun activities like Drag Bingo and brunch! Visit nelliessportsbar.com for more information. Shhh…. The insider tip is that the earlier you get to Nellie’s the cheaper the drinks will be from Monday through Friday!

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+ Bobby McKey’s Dueling Piano Bar

Nestled in amidst the new National Harbor development, Bobby McKey’s is the first and only dueling piano bar in the greater DC area. Every night, two to four piano players in teams of two appear on stage to interact with the audience. There is no charge to request a song or two from the two talented performers, but just don’t forget to tip! Certainly classics of Billy Joel and Elton John would be played, but you are in it for a few surprises! The two pianists can play quite an eclectic array of songs – from Beyonce to Beethoven, and from Taylor Swift to Jay-Z. Take your pick and don’t for get to order a liter beer tube for your table. Liter beer tubes with blinking lights? That is a sign and you know that this night is gonna be a jolly good time! Visit bobbymckeys.com for more information.

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+ Sing Your Heart Out at Muzette

With over 70,000 songs in English, Korean, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish, and much more, Muzette is DC’s first private-roomed karaoke joint. Located in the hustling and bustling Adams Morgan, this underground restaurant has a small dining area serving hot and spicy Korean dishes, a comfortable long wooden bar, and nine rooms of all sizes for karaoke without public humiliation. Depending on the number of your party, the room size you request, and the time and day of your visit, prices for karaoke ranges from $25 to $80 per hour. For more liquid courage to step up to your game and belt your heart out, Muzette has a wide variety of Asian beer, wines, and sakes for your choosing. Click here for more information.

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+ Only at Chadwicks… Happy Hour Everyday!

This popular neighborhood saloon since 1967 offers a sense of ease and genuineness for its loyal patrons. Unlike other restaurant chains, Chadwick’s allure lies in its ability to provide the same high quality food and sincere service ever since its opening. For seven days a week, and on Tuesdays from 4pm till close, Chadwicks in Georgetown offers Happy Hour for beer, wine, margaritas, and even wings.These Happy Hour specials are favorites with professionals and students alike. What’s not to like? Even on Saturdays and Sundays Chadwicks features a champagne breakfast of unlimited bubbly and massive burritos. Visit chadwicksrestaurants.com for more information. Shhh… Dining customers can ask for discounted movie tickets to the Georgetown AMC Loews theatre next door that are only $7.50

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+ Rock it Out at Tattoo Bar

As one of the most unique bars in DC, Tattoo Bar is small, but intimately claustrophobic and extremely edgy. With a hip, rock-n-roll theme, the Tattoo Bar is an interesting amalgamation of a bar and a nightclub sporting a mix of rock and roll and some house music. Like stepping into a tattoo parlor, Tattoo Bar gives off a badass and sexily forbidden vibe. Decked out with black leather banquettes, dark light fixtures, tribal tattoo patterns, the “ghost rider,” and pictures of heavily inked individuals, this bar is definitely one of a kind. Visit tattoobardc.com for more information.

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+ Party Up with the DJs at Fur

You a fan of Kaskade? Tiesto? Deadmau5? Or even the renowned Pauly D from Jersey Shore? If so, Fur nightclub is the spot to watch out for. Not only hosting special artists all over the world, Fur also features an enormous dance floor, intimate and fashionable lounges, a smoke-free balcony, theme rooms, and even a late-night espresso bar and café, On the weekends, Fur offers at least four DJs spinning divergent music in various sections of the huge club, which is formerly a storage warehouse. This club definitely won’t disappoint the people who want to dance the night away till the wee hours of the morning. Check out the website at furnightclub.com . Insider Tip: It’s worth it to arrive early on nights with special DJ appearances since lines do get kind of long..

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+ Feel At Home at 51st State Tavern

51st State Tavern is a cozy, homey place for a diverse crowd of local residents, working professionals, and college students. With an outdoor patio and two floors equipped with two antique wooden bars, classic Guinness posters, a jukebox that everyone fights over, a pool table, and six plasma TV screens, this is the right place to kick back, relax, and have fun. With a wide selection of beers on tap, make sure to gulp it down with some classic American and Mexican food from the menu. Visit 51ststatetavern.com for more information.

Shhhhh… Wanna know a little secret? On Mondays, 51st serves delicious 50 cent tacos and on Tuesdays, 20 cent wings, plus various other beer specials!

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+ Three Levels of Choices at Midtown Lounge

At the young and upbeat Midtown, you have the choices of dancing and grinding at the first level, enjoying the bar and the pool table at the relaxed second level Loft, or basking in sophistication at the rooftop Penthouse.

At this unpretentious nightclub in Dupont, the venue’s décor is sleek and modern with pristine VIP tables, mirror walls, and two stripper poles on stage to the more daring, adventurous patrons (sorry, ladies only). With the great DJs, beautiful bartenders, and diverse crowd, Midtown can get just a little claustrophobic on weekends. Visit midtown-dc.com for more information.

Insider Tip: After-clubbing munchies? Empanadas authenticas are right next door!

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+ Rock Out Live at the 9:30 Club

Looking for some of the best live music in the District? Head to the 9:30 Club, DC’s premiere live music venue featuring a variety of acts throughout the year. With a bit of a divey vibe, and appropriately situated near trendy U Street, the 9:30 Club brings a punk edge to traditionally conservative DC. Featuring all genres, from Lady Gaga and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones to electronica DJ’s and Bloc Party, 9:30 is sure to please. Buy tickets in advance and stake a spot in this standing room only venue (all areas of the club provide great views of the stage, so don’t worry if you’re running a little late!). With four bars and a pretty extensive menu, there’s no reason not to make an evening out of a trip to this rock hub. Insider Tip: To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.ticketfly.com or call 1.877.4.FLY.TIX. ATL930_1

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+ Basement Bash at Cafe Saint-Ex’s Gate 54

Hipsters and serious dance aficionados beware – there’s a new party in town. Hidden along trendy 14^th Street in the heart of the U Street Corridor, lies Café Saint-Ex, a European aviation-inspired restaurant/bar with a few secrets to share. Named for the French aviator and author of A Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Café Saint-Ex is more than just an eclectic neighborhood eatery. Travel below to the depths of the establishment to Gate 54 for a music-infused mecca – packed to the brim Thursday through Saturday and pulsing with DJ-generated beats sure to get those hips moving. Visit the best basement party since college, but opt for a more sophisticated vibe this time. Travel below to the depths of the establishment to Gate 54, the restaurant's eclectic basement lounge, for a music-infused mecca – packed to the brim Thursday through Saturday and pulsing with DJ-generated beats sure to get those hips moving. Café Saint-Ex boasts noteworthy Brazilian Nights every third Thursday of the month. Sponsored by Peroni and complete with authentic Caipirinha specials, Saint-Ex will transport you to Rio within the walls of the restaurant’s eclectic basement lounge, Gate 54. So grab a few drinks and see where the night leads after some Euro-infused revelry.

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+ Sip Like A Socialite At L2 Lounge

Looking for a sophisticated night out? Head to Cady’s Alley in Georgetown where L2 Lounge, hidden discreetly in the Alley’s central courtyard, mixes an international flair with premier club status. Catering to DC’s young elite, L2 is known for its exclusive and trendy vibe – perfect for those looking to have fun in style. Dress to impress and make your way to this hidden gem for a hot night out. With beautifully exposed walls, and an eye for modern minimalism, the chic décor competes with that of club’s around the world and creates a perfect backdrop to let attractive guests decorate the space. So sip a chic cocktail or two and turn your nose up a bit - with an international lounge like this, you may wonder if you’re even in DC.

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+ DC’s Best Indie at The Black Cat

Kings of Leon. Death Cab. The Strokes. The

Black Cat's mission is to bring D.C. locals and visitors the best in live independent music and it's been succeeding since its opening in 1993. Located in the famous U Street Corridor, the club has served as a staple in Washington DC's alternative music scene and draws large crowds with its live bands and DJ sets. Nightly, The Black Cat hosts bands on the local, national, and international levels. Major names include Arcade Fire, Beck, Andrew WK, Korn, Moby, The Killers, Jamiroqui, Foo Fighters, and the list could continue all night. With its cool atmosphere and even cooler bands, The Black Cat is always on the forefront of alternative, independent music.

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+ Period Chic Meets Euro Beats at Eighteenth Street Lounge

What happens when you open a hip, Euro-infused lounge in the former home of Teddy Roosevelt? You end up with the ultra chic, super unique hotspot known as Eighteenth Street Lounge. Situated just south of trendy Dupont, ESL is known for its velvet ropes and hipster crowd that packs the luxe top three floors of the old school mansion club.

Chic Washingtonians and sophisticated European partiers sit, mingle and sip as DJ’s spin hip Middle Eastern, Italian and Indian-centric beats that echo from the dark, narrow hallways of the comfortably posh venue. Studded with functional antique fireplaces, gilded sconces and twinkling chandeliers that cast a soft glow, ESL exhibits modern glamour with touches of period décor to showcase the mansion’s turn of the century roots. As the beats increase and the drinks flow, patrons crowd the living room-esque dance floor and overflow to the spacious outdoor roof patio in the warmer months. Wander onto different floors for a change of scenery and music varieties – there tends to be a DJ on one floor and a jazz band or live performer on another. Insider Tip: With live performances almost every day of the week and the lounge’s urban chic vibe, there’s usually a cover charge between $5-$15 after 10PM, Wednesday and Saturday. Be sure to dress to impress – the discerning bouncers don’t put up with shorts, sandals or baseball caps.

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