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Aroma - CLOSED
- Nearest Transit:
-
Cleveland Park Metro Station (Red)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Yes
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
35 reviews for Aroma
Review Highlights
35 reviews in English
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Review from Andrew D.
Arlington, VA
8/26/2010
I am very sad this place closed. It was fun to have a place you could get good drinks and have a cigar. It had a very chill crowd too. For those that could get over the fact that people smoked, it was a hidden gem.
R.I.P. Aroma Company -
Review from Paul M.
Updated - 2/18/2009
God, I love this place.
You can smoke at the bar, and that's a good thing. I used to hate it, but now, I love it. Came in here on Sunday night and asked for something different - 50% domaine de canton, 50% vodka. Had to go out yesterday to buy a bottle of the canton stuff it was so good.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/15/2008
This is a place I like - 3 reasons:
1. The bar - goes the length of the room, you can always get a… Read more »
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Review from Robin K.
Phoenix, AZ
5/28/2011
I am so sad this placed closed!! What happened to Billy the bartender?? He was by far my favorite, mostly because of his uncanny resemblance to Simon LeBon!!
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Review from Emily F.
Washington, DC
12/7/2007
This Cleveland Park bar is a great place to go for a few reasons....
1. Friday nights after 11 tend to turn into a dance party in the front....which is not very common for Cleveland Park bars, but I think its a great addition to the hood. We need places to dance!
2. If you like to smoke or smell like smoke, this bar is the first in DC to be granted an exemption to the city-wide smoking ban. If you forgot your cigar, don't fret - they sell cigars at the bar.
3. Great place for pre-movie drinks or a starter place for a girl's night out. The drinks are a bit pricey, but the bartenders are generous with their pours and quite friendly to gab with as well.
There are also a good mix of people here - you can see the biker reading a book and smoking a cigar at the bar, frat kids on the dance floor, and first dates at the small tables. Don't worry if you don't see an empty seat - there is a back room with tables and sofas. Also available for private parties.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from james g.
Falls Church, VA
9/25/2008
If you read my reviews, you'll know that I'm anti-smoking. I think smoking is stupid to do and annoying to be around. But I'm passionate about people's right to choose. Aroma, being a smoking establishment, permits that choice.
Still, most of the people in here late on weekend nights are not smoking. So it doesn't have that "omigod I'm gonna have to wash this sweater TWICE" feel that EVERY bar used to have.
And, they have a good DJ playing good music.
Drinks are pricey, but that's Cleveland Park. The bartenders are competent and friendly, the crowd is the 30+ set, and the art on the walls is constantly changing and consistently interesting.
Ready for the best part:
The back room lounge is non-smoking! Sure you'll have to walk up to the bar to get drinks for your party, but for the cozy atmosphere and loungy couches, this joint is worth it. -
Review from Kat S.
Seaside, FL
2/20/2010 1 Check-in Here
You can smoke. And people do. In abundance.
No thank you. -
Review from Gracie B.
Newark, NJ
11/28/2006
This would be a 4 star place if it wasn't for the wonderful girls night out I had one monday night here. Krishna is the best bartender ever.
Wanna know why?
I have a friend who shares EVERYTHING. And I mean EVERYTHING. And tends to have "problems" that need to be "solved" on her time line. So on this monday night, the problem was that she and her (now ex) boyfriend had gotten it on for the first time and it was disappointing. She was afraid that it would always be disappointing which would be really really really really bad because she wants to marry him and she can't spend the rest of her life having only OK sex where she doesn't get that O (yes, she had O'd before but not *that* one).
Anyway. Sometime during our second martini, we decided that asking Krishna for his advice would be wise.
Let's just say he knows more about her anatomy now that anyone needs to.
And that's what a girls night out should be like. Great martinis, dirty talk, and patient bartenders.
As an update, my friend and her ex broke up...but the week after our visit to aroma, she had *that* O. Thanks, Krishna -
Review from Zach M.
Washington, DC
1/5/2010
I'm sorry Aroma, I really, really am!
I lived in Cleveland Park for over a year and ignored your glory.
"That's only a smoking bar. I don't smoke," I foolishly said to myself; "Why go there when there are so many other good bars in CP," I wontonly expounded, ignorant of the glory of the bar inside.
So yes, you can smoke inside Aroma, and yes, your clothes smell like cigars and Courtney Love's esophagus when you come out, but weren't we all used to that in the 80/90s?
More importantly, they play fantastic music, the bartenders are knowledgeable and accommodating, and they have a great lineup of whiskeys and bourbons.
I was last there on New Years Eve where they had no cover, free champagne at 12, and I could get a drink whenever I felt like it. For 2 of us, the bill worked out to $50 (with tip) and I was sloshed.
Aroma, I wish we could have dated when I lived in your backyard, but I'm glad we can at least get to know each other now as friends. -
Review from Todd V.
Washington, DC
1/27/2008
I dont even want to tell people about this place... but it's my favorite bar in DC.
This place is so chill and laid back and its a great quiet weeknight bar. On Saturdays they play the best hip hop of any white friendly bar I have ever been to. Saturdays have a good mix of upscale people too, which is not the norm for DC in my opinion.
I have consistently had excellent martinis here, and the mixed drinks tend to have good pours.
The back lounge is a great place on the busier nights to get a table early so you can avoid the crowd at the bar.
Smoking is allowed again (as of 1/19/07), but it's not really that obnoxious so far. -
Review from jenn h.
Washington, DC
11/16/2006
When I think of Cleveland Park, restaurants surface in my mind. Not bars. Little did I know that there was a little gem called Aroma, just waiting to be discovered! Well, it seems like it's been discovered by neighborhood locals, but I wasn't one of those. But they couldn't keep it hidden from me for long!
This long, narrow bar had a decent mix of being trendy, without being over the top. The lounge in back was a good spot to, well, lounge. But I liked sitting at the bar, having Krishna help me out. As soon as we started chatting about Fernet, and its lack of presence on the east coast, I was instantly in love with him as a bartender. He put together a little concoction for me, keeping in mind that my heart was set on Fernet. What a good man.
Though not a sports bar, they had a few TVs playing the game. Strangely enough, it all fit.
Great neighborhood bar with a good vibe. Not a place I'd seek out for a scene, but I'd lounge here before/after a meal in the 'hood. -
Review from Ace G.
Washington, DC
4/24/2008
At first glance from the outside, one can be rather intimidated by The Aroma Company (TAC). The dim lights, the mood lighting at the bars, the CLEAN presence, the surprisingly well-dressed door man. Fear not, friends. It's surprisingly a very relaxing atmosphere.
The name Aroma is kind of ironic. When you think "aroma," perhaps incense, candles, or even a plug-in come to mind. The aroma you'll encounter here is a rare beast many thought passed away in January of 2007: SMOKE, and of course, all of the risks/potential inconveniences that come with it. Yep, you can smoke here - and it's no secret - as mentioned in previous reviews, they were granted the elusive exemption by DC's Bar Powers that Be.
As for the atmosphere - it's very comfortable by the bar...if you get a chair. Otherwise, there is a very narrow corridor separating the bar and the establishment's wall. Makes it VERY difficult for traffic flow, but given the ambiance of the place, you'll probably be squatted in the same spot all night. Still, it doesn't help when you've got to hit up the rest room. There is a social room in the back, which looks perfect for parties and other planned social events - adorned with some avant-garde furniture too for an extra kick.
The bartenders were nice, attentive, and didn't skimp on the booze. More power to them. Prices, from what I recall, were nothing too out of the ordinary. Granted, I wasn't paying for drinks that night, courtesy of a good friend ;). Best yet, they were playing some classic Motown oldies to keep things comfortable, yet vibin' (is that a word?). It's really 3.5 stars, but I've got the Temptations and 4 Tops now stuck in my head from recalling the night, thus the generosity.
I can imagine things picking up into more of a dancy feel, as the DJ situated in the front window seemed to just be easing things in. I would probably go back sporadically, but I'm not a fan of coming back home reeking from cigarettes like old times - although I guess it's an alternative to reeking of skank, booze, and sweat.
I'll also have to try to stick around later next time. I had some business to attend to... -
Review from Sean H.
6/8/2010
Great bartenders that make one hell of a Manhattan. If you are going to smoke cigars bring your own, buying from them adds a nasty bit to the tab that you will regret. Plus, they only carry CAO.
Personally I love to sit in the window of this place and watch the people. There is an interesting crowd and it's super relaxed. I don't often talk to strangers there because it's not quiet my crowd but it is a great place for people watching. The demographics are generally the typical DC professional and the now endangered smoker trying to just get his nicotine/alcohol fix at the same time in a bar.
Ventilation is AWESOME, so no worries about that. -
Review from Jenn E.
Washington, DC
2/28/2010
Let me preface this by saying I KNEW this was a smoking bar before I went. And that this review is for Saturday night (when it's packed solid) only. But knowing was not enough to prepare me for the haze I was about to walk into.
Aroma is an understatement. It's more like AReek. Whatever, I don't know, it's gross. I probably inhaled enough secondhand smoke to take years off my life. Think burning, watery eyes and scratchy throat, as accompaniments to your beer. Seriously. And plan to shower as soon as you get home, because you WILL smell like an ashtray. I was a little embarrassed getting on the metro to go home because the smell was THAT strong.
Ok, aside from the smoking being unbearable, it was a decent night. The bartenders were super nice, drinks were inexpensive. But safe to say I will never go back. -
Review from Mark D.
Washington, DC
6/9/2007
I just had the two worst martinis ever here. On the second, you could taste the vermouth at the glass's bottom. The atmosphere was fine.
Maybe I was suffering from two bad mixologists, but I ordered my usual martini and these were as far from delicious as one could get. -
Review from Frank O.
Woodbridge, VA
2/20/2010
A few of us came here this past Monday night. We had a really good time here. I was told it only really gets crowded and busy on weekend nights after around 10pm by a friend who lives around there and frequents Aroma. She must have been telling the truth, because when we got there it was empty. OK, ok, yes we got there right at 6:00 when they open... and on a Monday... but still! A few more couples and people came in while we were there, but it stayed pretty low key the whole time. It was nice.
The bartender was VERY on the ball and kept the drinks coming and kept up on what we needed through our whole 3 hour stay. The place had a nice atmosphere and it was good times there. It kind of sucks that the back of the place is smoke free and only the front area is smoke friendly...but it was all good. Our party enjoyed our drinks and cigars and had a really good time. They even have cigar ashtrays behind the bar that you can ask for! That was a major plus too.
Too bad they don't open earlier... would be a good place to go during happy hour or early to mid afternoon. But regardless...I approve of the place... check 'em out. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Brooklyn, NY
3/13/2007
Everyone loves Krishna. And the bar ain't bad either. So much better in there since the smoking ban.
Little known fact: during the week, the back room can be reserved for groups.
TWO UNFORTUNATE UPDATES:
1. Krishna has "retired."
2. Aroma has been the first bar to be granted an exception under DC's smoking ban after citing that their business has dropped more than 20% since it was implemented. Blah. -
Review from Samantha G.
Hampden, MD
6/4/2009
This is a low key place that allows smoking (if you're into that)
It's a long narrow place with a lounge in the back that feels like someone's living room. We heard they had 'amazing' chocolate martinis-- it was pretty good, but I wouldn't say 'amazing'. Bartender was attentive even though it was kind of empty on a Thursday night.
One of the most relaxed places I've been in DC. Right across from the Cleveland Park metro and near the movies- so good if you're waiting for a show. -
Review from Sila D.
Washington, DC
4/6/2009
4 stars, because I can smoke there, but not 5 because I hate cigars.
This is one of those places that I like to show up to on random occasions or as a last stop on the way home, from a night of drinking. Saturday nights have the best DJ and he spins a great mix of the good, old hip-hop. I wouldn't say its a place to hang out all night but it's a cool place to take someone on a date, as well as a place to catch up with a friend. The ambience is okay, however I do appreciate the circulation of art for sale, on the walls. -
Review from Nikki D.
Falls Church, VA
5/15/2009
Let me tell how much I love this spot! I was looking for somewhere to go for my birthday on a Saturday evening. I called ahead and reserved a portion of the back room for FREE and they advised we could bring in food as long as we schleped in plates and silverware because there is no kitchen on the premise. I had a party of about 15 and they did not require a dress code or cover charge. The DJ started kind of late but if you are an old hip-hop junkie like me, you would love the playlist. Bartenders were cool and some (not all) drinks were made pretty stiff. On top off all that goodness, Aroma is also considered a cigar bar, so you could smoke.
Would suggest this joint to anyone who is laid back, unpretentious, and loves the REAL hip-hop. Love it! A sleeper spizzy in DC! -
Review from black p.
Annandale, VA
3/29/2009
nope. i did NOT show my tits here. but i did manage to blow the bathroom up large time within the first five minutes of being there (due to the busted ass mexican food i had earlier). that's not even the worst part. it was the men's bathroom, which i didn't notice right away. but... that's not even the worst part, either. the toilet wouldn't fucking flush once i was through.
embarrassingly, i told my brother on the down low and he said to pretend i didn't do anything and not to worry. so... i said, okay. but then i started thinking bout it and felt like a gigantic asshole. told Eric bout it and he said he thinks the valve was probably turned off for some odd reason. we went to the bathroom together and it turns out, that's exactly what the problem was. thankfully, after opening the valve again... the Cosby kids successfully exited the building, which is fortunate since i really didn't want to leave my own aroma at said bar.
now, on to my review. Aroma is the kind of bar i could only wish for in NoVa. super chill, affordable drinks, hot bartenders, and of course the peeps that came out to represent das PIG outing part deux. it made the night spectacular and as rowdy and stupid as i was expecting all of us to get, it actually ended up being quite the tame night at this super chill spot.
even though it's way out there for me, i'd def come back here again for an other yelp outing or to meet w/ friends i don't know from the interwebs. absolutely fantastic time.
oh... and you can fucking smoke!Listed in: fave go to places in the urrea
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Review from Michelle L.
Arlington, VA
1/13/2010
Braved the cold to attend Ben M.'s bday celebration. I wasn't drinking that night so can't speak for the selection of drinks. The bartender giving me my 7UP was nice and didn't charge me and the bus boys were good at clearing our table. A little too dark for my taste in a "lounge" but who cares... YOU CAN SMOKE INDOORS. That's right, the smoking ban does NOT apply to this establishment. So if you're a smoker - come here!
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Review from Jimena M.
Sterling, VA
4/7/2009
Very cool spot. The PIGs descended on this spot for a night of fun, the space is very cool and modern. I had a few cape cods with Ketel One vodka, to ensure no hangover the next day, it worked!! There is a lounge towards the back full of leather couches and plenty of space. In the early afternoon/evening this spot is a chill, has a bar feel to it. But once 11pm hits it turns into a hip hop lounge type place, the music changes from rock to hip hop/reggaeton. I love both types of music so this was totally cool with me.
Listed in: I get by with a little Yelp…
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Review from MiC g.
Silver Spring, MD
3/29/2009
i wasn't impressed with this place as some of the other yelpers. it is ok, but it seems there are only 2 reasons why people come to this place;
1. to smoke and esp. to smoke cigars. which is good to know because once in a while i like a nice, fat cigar.
2. to look really cool.
my experience with the bar staff was that the staff were more interested in chatting around with their buddies or the other staff then looking around the bar to see if anyone needed a drink. i used to be a bartender, so it drives me insane when i am sitting at a bar with an empty pint glass before me and i have to ask the bartender for another beer and it's even worse when the bartenders walk back and forth not even glancing at the empty pint.
other than that, they do have a good beer and wine selection and the bar is stocked with all the top shelf liquor. they do have a non-smoking section in the back with lounge chairs and sofas and is not a bad place to chill.
so come here for a smoke or to chill out with some friends, but don't expect to get much in the way of service....... unless you have big tits. -
Review from Dee H.
1/13/2008
Saturday is a nite to go out and realize what you go to work for... to enjoy life. My friend mentioned Aroma from awhile back, but i never gave it a shot, so i went. Nice lil Cigar bar, an excellent hip-hop DJ (well at least on this saturday nite) and a decent fun-loving crowd that wasn't snobby (like what i'd expect at a cigar/martini bar) There was dancing, 3 jacks on the rocks, good convo, more dancing (no dance floor really jus an open space by the DJ table) and a good time was had by all. it was very crowded for a saturday nite tho, and I had to take 1 star away for the smokiness of it all. Even if it is a Cigar bar, there were more cigarettes than stogies.
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Review from i w.
New York, NY
5/28/2008
on fri and sat nights...
good music and usually a real dj playin quality music. Great place to go when you're looking for that nyc feel. Kinda grown and sexy feel to it. Mixed crowd. -
Review from Tu-van L.
4/10/2006
A cute swanky martini bar with a neighborhood feel along the Connecticut Avenue strip of activity in Cleveland Park. Drinks are on the pricey side, but the ambiance is relaxed with the crisp modern decor and interesting artwork on the walls. The place is small and narrow, and the bar gets really crowded on a busy night.
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Review from Blaze J.
Washington, DC
3/23/2009
If you like old school hip hop you definitely want to come through on a Sat night and hear out DJ Eskimo...dude did his thing. He played classics all night and kept the place rocking. He'll be there every Sat night. Only downfall is the smoke but if you're upfront its not that bad. The cost is free, drinks are reasonable, service is a little slow..they need more bartenders. Good spot to bring a nice date who's not too upidy or prissy, one that's a music lover. Overall the crowd is diverse, good vibe and mad chill.
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Review from Brendan D.
Kensington, MD
3/17/2008
I really like this place. It successfully convinced the DC City council that the smoking ban killed business so it was granted an excemption. If this is a deal breaker for you, then by all means avoid. However, if a little cigarrette and cigar smoke won't kill you, Aroma is a cool place. For one they sell cigars, and have some decent values. I bought a Punch Churchill for $10 and enjoyed it for a good 50 minutes. Nice beer selection and the DJ is excellent. On Friday he mixed Steely Dan and Tribe Called Quest on one occasion, and Common and The Coors a few songs later. Very talented. The crowd is laid back considering how cool the place is. Highly reccomended.
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Review from Christina A.
Arlington, VA
1/21/2010
I like this place. I dont even smoke, but being from FL where smoking is still allowed in bars it really doesnt bother me. I went a couple Saturdays ago thinking I would hear some hip hop or maybe even reggae music, but no. It was more jazz-type music, and the vibe in the place was so chill that it was almst like being at a restaurant or something. Either way, the crowd was still young, there were tables to sit at, the drinks weren't crazy expensive... I'd go back,
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Review from Tom G.
1/31/2010
Tried this place friday night, and it is now my favorite bar in town, without question. Nice low light, a great mix of music playing-heard Belle and Sebastian and Vampire Weekend, and great drinks-I swear they actually got stiffer as the night went on. Cool, laid back crowd and perfect Metro access. In short, the ideal city bar.
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Review from Andrew W.
Bethesda, MD
8/28/2008
i don't really know what aroma is like before 2 in the morning. i end up here because one of two things happens:
1) the blues at zoo bar is ended, i need to go somewhere else to keep drinking, and aroma is conveniently on the way back
2) my roomate, who knows one of the bartenders, taxied himself here after drinking his face off in either bethesda or some place further along the line in dc, and gives me a buzz... if i'm bored enough, i'll swing by, drive his sorry butt home, and get a few drinks in the process....
this means when i arrive i'm generally either 1) very buzzed, or 2) rather sober...
i can't say that at 2am aroma changes that much either way, but like nearly all things in this universe, it's a bit better when you've got a buzz going (or a full scale bender; then it's a lot better)....
by the time i get there, the dance floor (right at the frontdoor) is not crowded anymore, and the dj is winding the night down (giving credit where it's due, they've never actually played awful, awful music like most places with dj's do) ..... this means i generally don't have to bump my way through a crowd to get to the bar (which stretches almost the whole length of the narrow place), and can light my cigarette as soon as entering....
this is always a plus, and not just for me, because if i did have to do these things, and could not find a place at the bar, i can see myself hating life, and brandishing my lit cigarette at everybody in my way until i did get what i wanted....
speaking of which: did i just say "light my cigarette" INSIDE a dc bar?
yes, i did. that's right, it's not exactly easy to figure out (because nobody's EVER actually smoking a cigar), but this is, supposedly, a cigar bar....
for me, it's one of the few places out where i can sit down, smoke cigarettes, and drink. a star alone for this allowance. everybody else seems to think so to, because every single person in this bar is smoking.... non-smokers, this is your warning....
thus "Aroma" is not exactly the perfect name for this place... maybe "ashtray" or "stale beer" or "bachelor's couch", as these are really the only smells i've ever picked up here....
still, there are far worse smells than that (especially when you've grown accustomed to them at home)....and actually, the place has a kind of sleek look....in a 70's kind of way....the orange and red lighting and everyone's proclivity to order dirty martinis definitely take that to another level as well, while the rest of the bar is mostly straight lines and black, with stools set up against the bar and walls.... if you're a fan of east european james bond flicks minus a level of class or two (think james bond meets gloria gaynor), this may very well be your spot....
now the 70's aren't exactly my kind of thing, but aroma does have pilsner urquell on tap, i can smoke all the cigarettes i want, there's a pretty mixed crowd, and i can stay there til they kick us out sometime a bit after three, which ain't bad for this town...
just make sure to watch out for the forty-year old women. everytime i'm here, i automatically become their target prey. this would be awesome if they were hot. in my experience here? not so much.... somehow the cocktail of menopause, booze breath, menthols, and "charlie" never really turned me on....
except that booze part. that's pretty sexy....Listed in: NW to NE: a trail of tears. i…
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Review from Rachel D.
Los Angeles, CA
8/13/2007
not a bad bar at all, although it was pretty empty when I was there early on a sunday evening. my friend and I asked Krishna where we should eat in the neighborhood and he was extremely helpful - like a concierge for all of Cleveland Park.
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Review from Sarah M.
Washington, DC
11/6/2007
This is a great pre-dinner or pre-movie place to get a drink and relax. The bartenders aren't the best mixologists in the business so keep your order simple and you'll be happy. It could you a style update perhaps, but there's something about the atmosphere that is mellow, intimate and appealing. Far better mid-week than on a Friday or Saturday night, but then, I'm not one for scenes these days.
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Review from Faye B.
Brooklyn, NY
5/9/2008
I really don't want to rate this because I don't want you people there ruining it. Lol! Okay, I'm over myself. This place has GREAT BARTENDERS (look for Krishna but everyone's cool) so definitely get a drink if you find yourself here. It's still smoky as hell but head to the back if it gets too bad. Stay and enjoy the music on Saturdays and scream the lyrics to your favorite songs old and new with the mixed crowd of hip hop heads- ex and current back packers most likely. What's funny is the mix of people that can be in there on any random night still at the bar chilling. Lately it's seemed really sparse in there but I never actually make it there til 1AM these days anyway. So BYOP (Bring Your Own People) and enjoy yourself. If there's a cover it's only like $2. I want to throw my wedding reception here. Lol. Seriously though, grab a drink and if you find yourself with nothing to do on a Saturday, roll through.
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Review from Jennifer A.
Washington, DC
7/6/2009
A nice, unpretentious neighborhood bar; allows smoking and usually has good art on the walls, good music. Excellent vibe.
