The Tastiest Dance Clubs in Washington

UltraBar

★★☆☆☆ 2.3 (437) • $$$

"DON'T IGNORE THE REVIEWS. Came on a Thursday night. Don't waste your time and more importantly your money! I went to one bartender and ordered a gin and tonic for $17. She didn't make it with tonic water like I asked so went to fix with the other bartender. She tried to charge me $20! Of course I disputed that. Also, they said you have to buy a 2 drink minimum EVERYTIME you order! I go back to the bar to order another gin tonic & shot of gin. I asked her what was the price of each she told me they were the same $20! How is a shot more than a drink, even so $20 for a shot?! This place is literally suffering and trying to get over On people to pay bills! I will never be back."

Saint Yves

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (91) • $$$

"My favorite club in DC. They have good DJs and the staff is amazing. I always book my tables in advance and request Lauren"

Alice

★★★★☆ 4.3 (84)

"When you're starving and have to choose between the unknown or a greasy piece of pizza...sometimes the unknown is unknowingly WAY better!Quick stop as we were just here for the food and realized it was Vietnamese food. Nice sized menu for us to be ordering at midnight. The man eating the pho next to me looked soooooo good but we opted for the green beans, wings, and vegetable egg roll. Took about 10 minutes and those wings we SO good. Rarely do I not need ranch, but I ate through those wings like no tomorrow. The green beans had the right amount of garlic. I wasn't a fan of the egg roll as visibly seeing mushrooms turns me off but the sauce was good. So glad I have a u street spot when I need real food late at night! Loved their chairs at the bar as well."

Decades DC

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (319) • $$

"Really fun club on the east coast so 4 stars Wanted to try vueve clicquot champagne, and they brought me out a bottle for $600. I said no thank you and regretted not asking for the price beforehand. On their website it was $375 and included a table. It is $50 at the grocery stores (and they're probably getting it for less)- I thought max they'd charge $160. Whoever was trying to charge my card for $600 felt thief ish trying to profit off my stupidity and my card company had to confirm it was a wrong charge. I was born at night but it wasn't last night. I was a bum but they were bigger bums."

Flash

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (206) • $$

"The cover to get inside can be very pricey at times. Once you're upstairs the speakers and the backdrop will have you transported to another world. If you're really excited about the DJ the night you go, I highly recommend doing it! Drinks are average priced and the downstairs area is also pretty fun too. The last time I went my friends and I were able to take a photo in their Photo Booth."

Zeba

★★★★☆ 3.9 (141) • $$

"Three and a half stars for a Jekyll and Hyde neighborhood watering hole. I had two very different experiences in as many weeks here, and second visit was enough to make me round down. Three bars: one downstairs where you can order food, adjacent to a front patio with communal picnic tables; one upstairs by the dance floor; and a cash only bar in the windowed back deck. Hookah available on either patio as well as downstairs because of the open front format. Multiple TVs. For food, I've only shared in some fries, lightly coated and semi-crunchy. Weeknight scene sees a lot of local regulars, thanks to a calendar ripe with trivia, karaoke, live music, and comedy open mic night.I've had one of the best mojitos of my life here, as well as one of the worst. Francis and the dude with great hair are the only ones who can mix a drink. They're all evenly attentive. Skip the strawberry lemonade, as the alcohol content is negligible. I'd probably end up dancing here again when Wonderland's too crowded. The DJs who spin here are bumpin', and the discounts are good for the wallet-- daily drink specials plus happy hour until 8 pm. Both are factors enough to draw me in again despite the weekend meat market vibe."

Blue Moon Virginia Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.8 (4)

"Pretty good food. Most places are salty. This place is good because it wasn't salty. The lounge is located right next to the restaurant in one building."

Yolo Restaurants & Lounge

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (4)

"Good food. High prices. Didn't get drinks. Staff as nice. Loud but good it you come for vibes and not to talk with who you came with."

9:30 Club

★★★★☆ 3.9 (773) • $$

"The 9:30 club was a groovy place in Washington D.C. that has all the specifications you want when you see rock shows; black walls, dark ambiance with purple and blue spotlighting, accessible bar close to the stage, spacious enough to find a good view of the stage to watch the show, a mezzanine to watch above the GA area (depending on availability), and accessible bathrooms in the back. We checked out Lauren Mayberry of Chvrches for a solo set with her backup band, which was great. The sound was spot on. The bar staff were exemplary with turning around the drink orders for everyone. And found everything to be very enjoyable. They didn't have food at the venue that we saw, but we had already eaten down the street, so that wasn't an issue. We didn't have to worry about parking since we were walking and taking the Metro everywhere, and it was easy to access the 9:30 Club as such without needing a car. The security staff were friendly and fair and made sure the queue moved forward steadily, especially with security and ticket checks."

Opera Ultra Lounge

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (131) • $$

"Free drinks Saturday night 11-12 what else can I say? No where to sit but that's ok wear flats girl. Look up Eventbrite and party!"

Abigail

★★☆☆☆ 2.1 (41)

"I love coming to Abigail, it's such a great vibe but i would recommend booking tables in advance. Sooo much fun when out with friends"

Phantom

★★☆☆☆ 2 (12)

"Two guys working were really nice.The Steak & Cheese was off the hook, they don't skimp on the meat and it was cooked to perfection to order in front of me.The inside was immaculately clean, and so were the restrooms.I'll be back for sure, highly recommend this place.I'm not sure if it's called "Ghost" or "Phantom", but it's really delicious! A+"

The Wonderland Ballroom

★★★★☆ 3.6 (540) • $$

"Many people know The Wonderland Ballroom as a great bar with a very cool vibe. But do you also know that they have a DELICIOUS brunch?I occasionally like a fancy artisanal brunch, but sometimes I just want a hearty and delicious meal to start a lazy weekend right. This brunch was exactly what I needed and more. Their skillets are loaded with perfectly crispy potatoes, delicious vegetables, eggs, and something special too. I got mine with sausage gravy, and it hit the spot. I also eagerly gave their mac n cheese pancakes a try. The edges tasted like regular pancakes, warm and delicious. But as you work your way into the interior, you're hit with a surprise cheesy taste! With a little maple syrup and butter on top, it's an absolute delight. This restaurant does not take reservations, and indoor seating is relatively limited, but we had no problem finding a table. Our waitress was very nice as well!"

Rosebar Lounge

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (402) • $$

"Ambience is decent & nice. Music & energy was a vibe. Staff was NOT on same page. Favored to certain groups of individuals. Owner was rude. My party had questions due to staff telling everyone something different. Owner did NOT present himself kindly. I honestly would NOT willingly go back unless begged by for a friend bday or special event. Personally any owner of an establishment I believe should be more respectful any circumstance & take pride on staff being all on one accord."

HEIST DC

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (123) • $$

"Small place but the music was good. We were there on a Tuesday when most dance clubs are closed in the area, so there was not much crowd as locals knew most clubs are closed. Might try again in another day. No cover was a good thing about this place."

Echostage

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (416) • $$

"One of the best venues for edm sound but too loud at times even w quality ear plugs. No menu with drinks to see prices and such nor a smart code to scan a menu. No baskets to put personal belongings in for security. They get too many customers to not have this. Some of the lighting makes you feel like things are moving or coming at you or flashing like crazy. It can be fun but a lot to take in for a concert that lasted over 5 hours. I came right in at 9 PM left at 2:15 AM, and heard the music still blaring around 2:45 AM passing through on the outside. Maybe if they allowed in/out, this wouldn't be such a big deal to me, but that would put a strain on security and much higher prices too- definitely not an option here. Probably a good option for a Taylor Swift concert.I had nothing to drink and no (illegal) drugs and those effects are part of the lighting effects. I can't speak for others (rofl)Security does a good job here.Still would come but could do better."

L8

★★★☆☆ 2.9 (27) • $$

"Not the best place not the worst place. Went here for halloween to support a friends party. Bartenders were texting which I dont mind at all-but uhm I do mind when you're texting so much that you have to be flagged down or im waiting a brick to get your attention.Bathrooms couldve been cleanerWhat I loved? Hookah was pulling and that can keep me quiet! lolThey automatically add gratuity so watch out for double tipping! Unless you got fabulous service of course."

Manor DC

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (77) • $$

"To say they serve good food is an understatement. I came here with an open mind not knowing what to expect. Most bar/lounges I have been to and had dinner at usually do not serve the highest of quality food. Usually at best it is mediocre with a poor attempt to offer something with posh pricing -- totally not the case here at the Manor. I came here last night for a food tasting event. Like Wing C., we tried many different things on their menu. We aren't talking about small bites -- we're talking going back for seconds and thirds without any problem per person. We indeed did have a full dinner. Some of my favorite items were the following:- the edamame hummus sampler which comes with 3 different types of hummus and their take on pita bread- pulled pork and mushroom truffle sliders- cheddar truffle popcorn- ahi tuna nachos (probably my favorite)- the lamb pizzaThere were a ton of others things too. We really were spoiled at this event. Happy hour was great -- they offered $3 beers, and $4-5 mixed rails. Having an Angry Orchard on tap sold was the cherry on top for the night! I did have a vodka cran. It was a very heavy pour which I am never going to complain about.The venue itself is very Victorian and aesthetically pleasing. I love the wall paper in the place and all the chandelier. The fire place was a nice added touch.My only complaint is the bathrooms. They're more or less communal. Women do have their own designated bathroom as do the men, but with shared sinks and women having 2 restrooms -- guys having 3 restrooms -- I think that could get really crowded on a weekend night with 5 other restrooms to my assumption designated to employees. Add one of those employee bathrooms to another woman's restroom to help with crowd control, and I think it would be perfect. This being a really small factor to the place doesn't affect the rating in my opinion. Simply a suggestion that might help with utilizing your space better."

The Mayflower Club

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (89)

"The Mayflower Club was so neon chic fabulous!!The decor, the lighting, and artwork is trendy with pops of royal colors...and the service was kind and accommodating.We initially had 2 tables for 4 ppl each table..because we could not secure an 8 person reservation, but I called (technically texted) ahead of time and asked if the 2 tables could be in proximity to one another. I was told the obligatory "we can not guarantee but we'll try our best", response.And the Mayflower sure did their absolute best and seated us at an 8 person table...thank you!! It also helped that the restaurant was not too busy when we arrived and we only stayed for an hour and some change.Also, Our servers and waitresses were kind and efficient, and kept our table clear, our orders correct, and our water glasses full.The 2 bathrooms (upstairs) were each clean and single stall...and overall the upstairs area is spacious and cute. We only ordered appetizers since we had dinner plans already, but everything was tasty! but they're not huge portion sizes, so just a heads up.Overall, we highly recommend Mayflower Club!!Ps..there's plenty of garage parking nearby."

Café Citron

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (591) • $$

"Celebrated a birthday at Cafe Citron last night and it was great. We ate dinner there, I had the planchitas to share (honestly it could have been shared with 4 people), it was so good. After dinner, it turned into a party and we danced the night away. Young or older, you're in for a fun night at CC."

Crush Dance Bar

★★★★★ 4.7 (12)

"Trot is the best bartender who ever bartenderd. We played cornhole at Crush Bar, and Trot being the bartender made the whole experience so much more fun. He deserves a raise and is delightful. We love him."

Eden DC

★★★☆☆ 2.5 (224) • $$

"We walked up the first flight of stairs on a brisk Sunday. As I looked to the right during the second flight, I saw some guy standing in the doorway. I wasn't too sure what he was doing or what he was selling but we trudged on. The third flight in and I'm confused. What type of stairway to heaven did they get me into? By this point, I lost count and died*. When I rose from the dead, I saw this tiny space with fire pits. I, later on, realized it was a rooftop as it was super dark out when we arrived (11pm). I was escorted to the tiniest VIP section I've ever seen in my life. A friend of a friend had the hookup and we ended up in the VIP section. As soon as I stepped in I realized the DJ was up on the Afrobeats. I'm so happy that Afrobeats is a thing in the clubs and lounges now. I've been hipped to Afrobeats for a couple years and had the hardest time finding places that played my favorite genre of music. He bounced between Afrobeats and Reggae. Some guy was selling mac & cheese with jerk chicken in the back. Very diverse spot. It was a good time, I'd definitely come back.*May or may not have happened."

Little Miss Whiskey's Golden Dollar

★★★★☆ 3.9 (350) • $$

"I visited twice last year and while it's out of the way for me, I've been wanting to go back.This place is a vibe overall. I love dive bars and am over some of the younger bars in the Clarendon and DuPont area. They do have a dance floor upstairs if that's your scene but it's still a different crowd. The aesthetic is awesome and they have craft beers, unique seltzers, and their own frozen drink. Bartender service is good and quick and overall, they're very nice. I highly recommend if you want a more chill scene on a night out."

Vibez on H St

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (3)

"I came here on a Friday night around 8, looking for food, drinks, and fun - man, this spot has 5 star potential but the highest I can rate it now is 3 stars.The great:1) The vibes are real! This is a 2 level spot with plenty of seating for guests, 2 bars, awesome open face brick, and great interior lighting. They're a fun mix of bar and lounge - perfect environment for the 25-35 crowd looking for drinks and music. 2) The food is really, really good! And the portions are even better. I had a $10 fried whiting box with fries and hushpuppies. My date had the $11 fried fish sandwich. Both portions were huge - well worth the price. The food itself was near perfect, fried and seasoned beautifully. The hush puppies were sweet and buttery. I want to try the wings, should I return again...other folks were saying how good they were.The good:1) There was a live DJ that came around 9-9:30 to play music throughout both levels the bar. Definitely got folks out of their seats and dancing; I haven't seen other live DJs in bars in this area. Really cool.2) The drinks were nice and strong. We got simple rails and enjoyed them - love a strong pour.The not so great:1) There was some confusion about happy hour. The menu states that Friday HH is 5-9pm. Discounted rails, wines, and beers. However when we ordered our first drink around 8, we didn't get the happy hour discount (our rails were $10 each instead of $5). The waitress said happy hours have changed to only Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday form 6-9 (no longer Mon-Fri). This would have been okay....except that my buddy was at Vibez the day before; the bartender told him happy hour on Friday is still 5-9. Seems like the staff weren't on the same page - what's the actual HH day/time?2) Throughout the night, I spotted 3 ants on the bar. One made it onto my food to-go tray...the other two were just crawling around. Definitely not something you want to see.3) The upstairs area + bar were open when we arrived at 8 but we were told the upstairs bartender wouldn't be there until around 8:30. No problem, we grabbed a drink downstairs and walked it upstairs. However, the bartender didn't actually show until close to 9:30. So for about an hour longer than expected the 10+ guests who were sitting upstairs had to go to the downstairs bar to order more food and drinks. Not a back breaker but definitely an inconvenience.Overall, lots of potential to be a great spot but also has a couple of kinks to work out (and bugs to get rid of). The fun environment and food is a great start - I'd come back for a good time."

Portales Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3 (20) • $$

"Went to have a fun night out with family and that's what we did. The band is great. The DJ is fun. Everyone goes to dance and rejoice! Great evening overall! Take cash for the admission fee. Parking can be a bit tight."

Club Heaven And Hell

★★★☆☆ 3 (77) • $$

"Keep this short and to the POINT.Like Starr B said ' It's an Urban club'It has two floors with two bars and two Dj's on both floors.Usually the cover charge to get in is 10 dollars.I always pregame before I come here, So I'm pretty lit before I get here.But from what I do recall from the last time couple times I was here, Bathrooms were pretty disgusting. Females can be (You know what).. Not even going to go there. ANYWAYSThe music is usually good. It can get real hot in there fast. Drinks are not pricey, they are actually pretty reasonable. I say come here If you haven't. I always HAVE FUN HERE."

Jimmy Valentine's Lonely Hearts Club

★★★★☆ 4.4 (84) • $$

"Very cool Dive bar that's hidden away from the Main Street. There's a full bar and the beers are great and reasonably priced. We went in on a slow night but our bartender was very chill just like the place. The decorations are cool and it's nice to be able to have a different focal point t every where you look. I liked it- I cant wait to come back!BTW cash is preferred and they give a little bit of a discount for it."

Live K Karaoke

★★★★☆ 3.9 (117)

"My first time going to this location and my first time in a private karaoke room and I loved it!We made reservations online for a party of 6 in a small room. Upon walking to the front of the establishment, we were carded, bag-checked and told to proceed inside until the rest of the party arrived. We had the option to extend beyond the 2 hours, but we chose to stay within the allotted time. The interior was dark, but very sleek and classy, it set the mood to sing our hearts out. After entering the room, an employee explained how to search for songs and which button to push for service. They provided a large bottle of water and plastic cups, but also had food and drinks available for ordering. We did hear the music from the next room, but it didn't bother us. The service was terrific and we truly enjoyed ourselves. They do a great job maintaining the rooms, the bathrooms, and just the overall entire place! The room was paid at the beginning, but we received individual checks for our own drink/food purchases.We have the following options when booking the room. -Small room: 10 guests, $68/hr-Medium room: 15 guests, $98/hr-Large room: 20 guests, $128/hr-VIP large room: 25 guests, $168/hrA few things to note: -The price is per hour (with a 2-hour minimum) and based on the room size. There is a DC tax, service fee and gratuity. They did offer to extend our time at an additional cost, but we said no.-There were packaged disposable covers for the microphones, but we didn't see them until halfway through. -There are overhead lights if needed. -They do allow people under age 21; however, the person booking the room must be present for them to enter. There is a bar available to anyone carded in the "lobby"/entrance. There is also an open karaoke stage available...I believe at no cost. There is paid street parking and parking garages near by. Would I return? Maybe, only because I rarely go to DC."

Koi Restaurant and Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (3)

"A fairly new night club in DC that hosts dance parties every weekend. They have a variety of music - Latin, hip hop and more. They have DJ rotations so the dance music never gets old. They have a full bar, bottle service and take reservations for groups and special occasions. There is limited street parking and but there are garages close by you can pay to park in on the side of Vermont St or I (Eye) St. Be sure to check when garages close or you can't get your car out until the next day. I highly recommend taking the metro to Farragut West or taking a ride share taxi there. I have not tried the food yet so that is why it's only 4 stars. Will update the review later. They are usually open from 10pm-3am on Fridays and Saturdays and the hours vary on other days."

Club Timehri

★★★★☆ 4 (68) • $$

"Whenever I meet people who dance, they talk about how fun Timehri is - that they love the fact that most people are dancing here, which is surprisingly rare in the club scene. This is a club for the dancers and the DJs know that their job is to make the people dance (not as much before midnight when more people are lounging and talking). There are regulars who come here to dance. Also, unlike many of the restaurant/bars turned clubs in Adams Morgan, this venue was designed with speakers and sound travel and quality in mind. Places like Moonlight, Shanklin Hall, Jerk Pit/Oasis Upstairs do not have anywhere near this sound quality regardless of the caliber of speakers that are brought in for the event. As nice as SH could be, the music quality was horrendous and I found myself running back to Timehri. Similar to Moonlight's upstairs, architecture gets in the way when it's a space that is designed for another purpose and you're trying to force it to be a club. Turning up the volume just makes it worse and more obvious that there are sound quality problems. That is to say, part of the enjoyment of dancing is being able to focus on the music and not trying to figure out what song they're attempting to play. Timehri is below ground so it's like being in a dance cave. The reverberations of the bass alone - this is something you feel and get accustomed to the way the earth and the walls bring the music back out onto the dance floor. It is also dark. I enjoy darkness but it also heightens other senses and allows you to be more present and feel the music. This helps create an atmosphere where folks dance like no one is watching. I literally do my yoga and physical therapy stretches and exercises here (I'm grateful because I need to do them and wouldn't feel comfortable doing them in other places), then my dance class warm-ups and try out variations of routines from recent dance classes of all sorts - it's not weird and all I've gotten is encouragement. As a seasoned woman of size, I do not feel out of place here. I like that there is a blend of ages, sizes, races, nationalities, etc. It's an unpretentious environment and many times I meet people here, they express how much they enjoy it, in spite of the potential inconvenience of parking and such. It is a bit of a smaller space, but if you come on week night, it is more relaxed and not as crowded (Fridays tend to be less hectic too) though I'd check their social media to verify if they will be open on a specific weekday. I have yet to see them close on a Fri or Sat unless it's Christmas or something but they charge a cover on weekends after 11 pm. And if you do get there before 11, understand that Caribbean people aren't really going to be there until 1 am. There are some negatives but I will allow people to experience that for themselves. On Safety, there was a point after the DC nightlife reopening after over a year of being shut down where I experienced many unfortunate, violent encounters in Adams Morgan, but upon further investigation and talking to other women (some who moved to other countries or parts of the country after traumatic incidents going out in DC in 2021ish), it seems like that has mostly passed for the time being. That being said, be vigilant and bring a friend if you can - there are predators who frequent all the venues and while I notice them infrequently, they are still some out. Moving on, there are enough venues in the area now that for people who enjoy Caribbean music to do a bar crawl and visit multiple venues on the same block or 2 - and don't forget to include Timehri as it is open later than most."