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Are they the same? Looking on a map they seem to be different. I've been to DC twice in the past couple months because I may relocate there for a fire department job. When I was at the convention center I was talking to someone and I said that it was pretty crazy by the Chinatown Metro stop. There were bars and people everywhere. Then the guy said, "O yea. That's Adams Morgan." So are they the same? Thanks.
Are they the same? Looking on a map they seem to be different. I've been to DC twice in the past couple months because I may relocate there for a fire department job. When I was at the convention center I was talking to someone and I said that it was pretty crazy by the Chinatown Metro stop. There were bars and people everywhere. Then the guy said, "O yea. That's Adams Morgan." So are they the same? Thanks.
No. They're actually pretty far apart. Chinatown is basically 7th and H NE, and Adams Morgan is about 18th and, well, it would be Z or so technically. Probably a couple of miles between them.
Chinatown is/has recently been renovated. Adams Morgan is known as a more 'artsy' area of DC.
Adams Morgan is a bigger scene. Chinatown is only recently redeveloped (last five years) and hosts the Verizon Center (NBA/NHL) so you have some odd traffic there. Not really a consistent scene--most places service the sports crowd that comes in (or are chinese). Adams Morgan has it's own crowd as well.
But there are other neighborhoods with life too. Depends on where you work and where you want to live. Eastern Market, Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Clarendon (VA) Bethesda (MD) all have some nightilfe.
Chinatown is much more of a series of national chain restaurants that recently moved in. It has a vibrant nightlife, but not one many locals frequent. It really does cater to the "bridge and tunnel crowd", as they say in New York. In my opinion, it's somewhat soulless.
Adams Morgan is a far more organic neighborhood. It has an intense nightlife scene that attracts pretty much every demographic DC has and goes hard until about 4 a.m. A lot of people would tell you it's just full of frat boys, but I suspect those are the people who only go there on the weekends. It's really a melting pot - black, white, Asian, upscale, sawdust bars. The best way to get a feel for Adams Morgan is during the week before everybody comes in from Virginia and Maryland for the weekends bar scene.
You'll see a very eclectic mix of ages, incomes, races, etc... A lot of great immigrant food as well from Africa, France, South America, etc... and some really great music - you can go to a bar grinding to American blues with young women and old men dancing carefreely together, cross the street and be wall to wall with Latinos grinding to salsa music, and then go down the street and be surrounded by African immigrants jamming to African music. Adams Morgan quite interesting, if you ask me, and surrounded by other interesting neighborhoods of very different flavors (U Street, Dupont Circle, Cleveland Park, etc...)
Hmmm. Chinatown seems to be getting steamrollered. Hence, a few words. As nearly all the Chinese have moved out to the suburbs, it isn't really Chinatown anymore except superficially, and, as it always was, it's quite a small area which has been effectively gobbled up now to become a mere area within the larger neighborhood of Penn Quarter, aka Gallery Place. The area can be a bit on the pricey side, but for your money, you can get a very nice newer or older apartment or condo right in the middle of a prime downtown neighborhood that has a strong and singular vibe of its own. There are more theaters. museums, galleries, and performance venues in Penn Quarter than in any other area of the city, it has lots of excellent bars, clubs, and restaurants, a bowling alley, a farmer's market, two Metro stations, and it's all like a ten-minute walk from Union Station, Pennsylvania Avenue, the Mall, even the Capitol. Adams-Morgan is somewhat funkier alright (hmmm...Chief Ike's versus Teaism?), but Penn Quarter does have plenty to offer in terms of upbeat and distinctively DC downtown living...
Penn Quarter is a mix of business and social/recreational activity. It's great that it's so close to so many museums and other exhibits/attractions, many of which offer free admission. The area is safe, for the most part. Chinatown is somewhat underwhelming. I'd agree that the Chinatown/Gallery Place area is quite soulless and more for tourists/visitors than locals. Penn Quarter has some interesting nightlife, but it's not considered to be one of the more active places at night.
I haven't been to AM, but Chinatown/PQ and AM come across as quite different. PQ has a lot of good restaurants, but you do get a lot of chains and overpriced food. Unless you have extra money, your options will be limited. AM probably has more lesser known ethnic or ma/pop type places, that may or may not rank as high on Zagat's (but are better, in other ways). Once you get a feel for each location, you'll be able to know which you prefer.
No. They're actually pretty far apart. Chinatown is basically 7th and H NE, and Adams Morgan is about 18th and, well, it would be Z or so technically. Probably a couple of miles between them.
Chinatown is/has recently been renovated. Adams Morgan is known as a more 'artsy' area of DC.
Not sure I call it artsy. Maybe years ago. Adams Morgan is more like sloppy drunk fest USA for the younger crowd [college/recent graduates]..and dirty. Much of the crowd on the weekends is people coming from the burbs who can't handle their drink. Chinatown is for the sophisticated, older, professional working crowd and the probably the hottest palce in DC now for eating, drinking, living, working, etc.
Last edited by DC resident; 08-04-2008 at 03:38 PM..
Reason: edit
Thanks for the replies. What Metro stop is located in/closest to Adams Morgan? I've seen Chinatown several times, but am interested in checking out Adams Morgan. I'll be back again August 22/23, but I've still got a month until I'm 21. I'll also be staying at the fire house in Hyattsville, and resting up for my test with DCFD so I won't be out much anyway. Thanks again.
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