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From buttoned-down political appointees who've just arrived to laid-back folks who've lived here their whole lives, Washingtonians are always looking for a place to relax. And they have plenty of options when they head out for a night on the town. Most places are clustered in several key neighborhoods, making a night of barhopping relatively easy.
Georgetown's bars, nightclubs, and restaurants radiate from the intersection of Wisconsin and M Streets, attracting crowds that include older adults and college students. Many restaurants here turn into bars after the dinner crowd leaves. Georgetown is one of the safest neighborhoods in D.C., with a large police presence on weekends.
Those seeking a younger and less inhibited nightlife may prefer the 18th Street strip in Adams Morgan, between Columbia Road and Florida Avenue, which offers a wide variety of places for dancing, drinking, and eating. The best part of Adams Morgan is that there are so many bars and clubs around 18th Street that if you don't like one, there's another next door. AdMo, as it’s affectionately called, is best known for its bars, but there are some restaurants that make the strip worth the trip for those in search of a good meal.
The U Street Corridor (U Street NW between 9th and 17th Streets NW), historically D.C.'s hippest neighborhood and a regular stop for jazz greats, has undergone a revival and is now the hottest spot in town, with bars that appeal to all types. Down 14th Street NW you will also find new bars and restaurants spilling revelers out on the street on weekends. Wine bars, dive bars, hipster bars, gastropubs, and dance clubs make for a full night out. Other hot spots include Capitol Hill, Downtown, and the city's most-up-and-coming area, Shaw. The stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue SE between 2nd and 4th Streets has a half-dozen bars. Thanks to massive redevelopment, Penn Quarter/Chinatown is burgeoning with new bars and music venues orbiting the Verizon Center and Gallery Place. The newest center of gravity for D.C. nightlife is the H Street Corridor, still tricky to get to, but home to some of the city’s most dynamic venues.
The drinks are stiff and complex at this sophisticated bar tucked inside the Jefferson Hotel, and the mood is a quiet celebration of all things civilized. The dimly lit, two-room, wood-paneled art deco space provides an intimate atmosphere made even more welcoming by the friendly and expert service of the bartenders. The drinks come with a price tag, but it's worth it, given the attention to detail and service.
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