16. Fly Lounge
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 828-4433
Address: 1802 Jefferson Place NW
Description: At press time, this was the hottest ticket in town. Located in Dupont Circle, the airplane-themed lounge has earned praise in hip-hop magazine Vibe and was even written up in the New York Times. Step inside and you’ll feel as if you’ve climbed aboard a 747, complete with servers in stewardess-inspired uniforms and free bags of mixed nuts, delivered in an ultra-chic, ultra-cool atmosphere with some of the hottest DJs in town.
17. H Street Martini Lounge
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 397-3333
Address: 1236 H Street NE
Description: H Street is one of D.C.’s most talked-about emerging nightlife destinations, and the H Street Martini Lounge is one of the places you can credit. Boasting a menu of more than 54 martinis, the lounge is classy and upscale, yet manages to gel with the quirky neighborhood vibe. On Wednesday nights you can take free hand-dancing lessons, or catch live jazz and blues music on Thursday and Friday nights.
18. Helix Lounge
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 462-9001
Address: 1430 Rhode Island Avenue NW
Description: Another addition to the D.C. nightlife scene brought to you by the Kimpton Hotel Group, Helix Lounge takes its design and mood cues from the funky, fabulous, pop art–inspired Hotel Helix, where it serves as the in-house restaurant. During the summer, neighborhood residents and guests sip, munch, and mingle with their four-legged companions on the Helix’s dog-friendly patio. The lounge’s walls and seating areas are lined with white vinyl, which changes color, thanks to some neat lighting effects. On the cocktail menu you’ll find fruity, creative concoctions that change with the season.
19. Love
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 636-9030
Address: 1350 Okie Street NE
Description: LOVE took over the glorious warehouse-turned-club space once known as Dream, which was known to attract celebrities and musical tourists from across the country. Fortunately for nightlife lovers, LOVE picks up where Dream left off. It’s beautifully appointed with rich wood accents and lush colors, spreading across four floors, each with its own personality. Guests are smartly dressed and often arrive in stylish luxury cars, but club-goers should be careful around here. The neighborhood hasn’t yet risen to match the standards you’ll find inside. Cover charges are $10 to $20, but you can usually find tickets good for free admission on the club’s Web site.
20. Modern
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 338-7027
Address: 3287 M Street NW
Description: This addition to Georgetown’s club scene may be modern, but it’s not postmodern. No techno DJs or light show wizardry here. There are, however, some funky touches, with a bubble chair suspended in air in the corner and retro mod plastic couches scattered around. The DJs spin a familiar range of funk, soul, disco, and pop, and Georgetown University students and 20-something professionals crowd the small dance floor. Open nightly, with some events free and others with a $5 to $10 cover charge.
21. Science Club
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 775-0747
Address: 1136 19th Street NW
Description: Leave it to cerebral Washington to give a hip new nightspot a name like this. The owner chose the name in tribute to its Victorian setting, reminiscent of an exclusive members-only club. While the name manages to attract a few curious science-types, the broader client base is what you’d expect in any stylish Dupont Circle gathering place. At the bar you’ll sit on metal stools acquired from a high school chemistry lab, and there’s a chalkboard available for your equation-solving or doodling pleasure. There’s no cover charge, though drinks can be a bit pricey.
22. Showbar Presents The Palace Of Wonders
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 398-7469
Address: 1210 H Street NE
Description: There’s no place in Washington quite like Showbar. At times it’s more like a carnival or sideshow than a bar. There are women’s arm wrestling contests on Tuesday evenings and quiz nights on Wednesdays. Decor isn’t what you’ve come to expect in a bar. Here you’ll find shrunken heads, Peruvian mummies, and a taxidermy unicorn. To entertain guests on weekends, Showbar will trot out performers like sword swallowers and drag queens.
23. The Reef
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 518-3800
Address: 2446 18th Street NW
Description: The Reef is one of Adams Morgan’s largest bars and its most eco-friendly destination, espousing an all-organic, all-natural philosophy for its menu and its upkeep. You won’t find any beers in bottles here (but 16 varieties on draft), and napkins are made with recycled paper. Each of the Reef’s three floors takes on the personality of a different climate zone—a jungle-like lower level, an aquatic-themed main bar, and a desert-themed rooftop deck.
24. Third Edition
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 333-3700
Address: 1218 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Description: Nightclubs come and go in Washington, but the Third Edition in Georgetown has managed to pack ’em in for more than three decades. Maybe it’s the Wisconsin Avenue location right near the busy M Street intersection, or maybe it’s the glass doors, thrown open to let the music out and the crowd in. Whatever the reason, Third Edition draws a fairly well-groomed crowd of mostly 20- and 30-somethings, including lots of students from nearby Georgetown University. It is open nightly, with a cover charge of $5 on Friday and Saturday.
25. Fast Eddie’S
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 638-6800
Address: 1520 K Street NW
Description: This sports bar advertises itself as having plenty of babes, beers, and billiards. All three are probably true, because it is connected to Archibald’s—a strip joint that’s been around since 1969. For those whose idea of entertainment involves spectator sports of a different kind, however, there are 30 TVs, seven satellites, five pool tables, and darts. It is open nightly, with no cover charge. There are three additional locations in the D.C. and Virginia areas.
26. Bourbon
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 625-7770
Address: 2348 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Description: If you’re a fan of Kentucky’s finest liquor, you owe it to yourself to check out this Glover Park bar. Stop in to try about 50 varieties of bourbon and a handful of Tennessee whiskeys—including some highly rare (and pricey!) labels. You’ll also find a dozen wines by the glass (served on draft) and a nice selection of beers. Bourbon opened a second location in Adams Morgan (2321 18th Street NW, 202-332-0801)—a mellow addition to the neighborhood’s lively—occasionally raucous—nightlife district.
27. Busboys And Poets
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 387-7638
Address: 2021 14th Street NW
Description: We’re not sure how to classify this place. It’s part bookstore, part bar, part cafe, and part performance space, often used as a gathering space for community activists. A new addition to 14th Street, Busboys and Poets takes its name from poet Langston Hughes, who once lived in the neighborhood. Adjacent to the main dining room, there’s a room outfitted with a stage and sound system for open-mike nights—and as one of few establishments in the country to have a resident poet on staff, the quality of what you’re served up is quite good.
28. Degrees
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 912-4100
Address: 3100 South Street NW
Description: You’d expect the Ritz-Carlton, Georgetown, to be a classy place to get a drink—and you’d be absolutely right. The bar takes its name from the “fire” theme that’s carried out throughout the hotel, which was built out of the former site of the Georgetown incinerator. There’s something decidedly elegant about this place—you’ll see it in the creative cocktails, the well-dressed clientele, the swanky red leather barstools and furnishings. It’s a great place to unwind after a dinner in Georgetown or to meet a friend or client you’re looking to impress.
29. Kinkead’S*
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 296-7700
Address: 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Description: Upstairs is one of Washington’s best restaurants; downstairs is a spacious, woodsy bar with a jazz combo Tuesday through Saturday. Despite the proximity to George Washington University, this is a crowd of adult professionals. Yet it’s a casual scene, rarely jam-packed, and quiet enough for conversation. Drop in after dinner in the restaurant or when you’re in the neighborhood. There is no cover charge.
30. Mr. Smith’S Of Georgetown*
City: Washington, DC
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (202) 333-3104
Address: 3104 M Street NW
Description: This may be Washington’s most popular piano bar—it’s certainly the oldest. It’s also a piano bar in the traditional sense, with everyone gathering ’round the player and chiming in. The lights are low, the drinks include every fancy concoction imaginable (and some that aren’t), and the crowd is convivial. You’ll fit right in, no matter where you come from or what you’re wearing. It is open nightly, with no cover charge.