Washington

Nightlife

About Washington Nightlife

Scattered primarily through the city’s northwest quadrant, DC's best nightlife spots sizzle in the Adams-Morgan/U Street area, in Downtown's Federal Triangle, along trendy Dupont Circle's Connecticut Avenue, and on M Street and Wisconsin Avenue in classy Georgetown. All of these neighborhoods host a variety of venues, from swank hotel bars to lively dance clubs and smoky blues joints. Adams-Morgan's best includes Madam's Organ and 9:30 Club, two first-rate live music clubs. Downtown boasts Polly Esther's retro club and Old Ebbit Grill, a classic political bar. Hot DC dance clubs include 18th Street Lounge and Red, which call Dupont Circle home; also in the neighborhood is Brickskeller, a local bar serving hundreds of distinctive beers. Georgetown sets a standard with bars like J. Paul’s and the ever-popular Blues Alley jazz club. Capitol Hill's Pennsylvania Avenue also offers a mix of great watering holes, like Hawk n' Dove, where political staffers gather to discuss the Hill's latest happenings. Theater options are numerous as well, and prestigious venues like the Kennedy Center, Shakespeare Theatre, and Arena Stage present concerts and dramatic productions year-round. -- Kelly Sigmon, Senior Editor