169285 Mon Jan 05 16:00:28 -0800 2004 14 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 906210 Coming out from California. Looking for a cool place to grab a drink. Some place that is more of a lounge (as opposed to a dance night club or pub) that is very hip, swanky, urban and contemporary. Kind of like a W hotel decor or something. Mon Jan 05 16:00:28 -0800 2004 0 Diamond Dog 1 906215 Gazuza in Dupont Circle Blue Room in Adams Morgan go upstairs Chi Cha on U Street also there are several Klimpton Hotels in DC in the Dupont Circle area that have lounges. That's a start. Mon Jan 05 16:15:27 -0800 2004 906210 0 Tweaked 1 906216 Try Local 16, at 16th and U Sts. It's packed to the gills with people in their 20s-30s in Sex and the City mode who are there to see and be seen (OK, I used to do bar writeups for a local paper and I sometimes can't turn off the lingo). I don't really care for the whole swanked up scene, but a lot of people like it there (they must...it's packed nearly every night). I know 3 of the bartenders there, and they make good drinks. Otherwise, you could check out all those Kimpton hotel bars (Rouge, Topaz, Helix, etc.). But with drinks that can run up to $14 apiece, you might want to space out your visits. Mon Jan 05 16:16:50 -0800 2004 906210 0 merry 1 906221 I agree with the Local 16 (they sell the big bottles of Chimay!) and Blue Room recommendations. Bar Rouge is tiny and the drinks are definitely pricey but I ran into Sean Astin there last spring. Mon Jan 05 16:49:25 -0800 2004 906210 0 Bob 2 906224 Local 16 is a nice bar, but not sure I'd place it in the hip swank lounge category...just my opinion. Mon Jan 05 17:32:43 -0800 2004 906221 0 Tweaked 1 906238 I really like Lounge 201 on Capitol Hill. They've got a couple of pool tables and a number of nice lounging areas. The drinks aren't cheap. But if you want to spot political "celebrities" it's a good location. It's at 201 Mass. Ave., NE on the Senate side, near the Hart Building. Mon Jan 05 23:20:45 -0800 2004 906210 0 Free Wilma 1 906243 The place you want is *definitely* the 18th Street Lounge. 'Hip and swanky' to the hilt. 1212 18th St, it's an unmarked door next to a matress store. Actually a very cool space inside, though the sometimes ultra-trendy crowd there can be an annoyance for some (such as myself!). Tue Jan 06 02:26:45 -0800 2004 906210 0 Spade 2 906244 Ok, we are getting close. I looked at pictures of 18th street and 16th street and that is the general look of a placee I want to go to. Cool lighting. Dim but not dark. 18th street seem more like a night club than a lounge? am I right? The only thing I dont need is to "be seen" and I dont care about who is there. Also like a place playing Chilled out beats (or hip lounge grooves) in the background so that you can still have a conversation. Don't really want to go to a place where people are dancing and the DJ is pumping out hip hop jams. Also would like to avoid paying a cover. I dont think the expenive drink thing is avoidable. I know this is a lot to ask for, but there are lounges like this all over. Any W hotel, Hotel Derek in Housoun, Dragonfly in Dallas, The Avalon in Beverly Hills. Tue Jan 06 03:45:47 -0800 2004 906243 0 Diamond Dog 3 906245 This, especially before very late at night, is definitely more of a lounge. In fact, I don't think you can get more lounge in the strict sense as 18th. Same owners do have another place on U at 16th NW, called Local 16, but that gets to be more of a dark den than 18th. Also, with 18th, you have a few other choices in the relative ballpark right in the area, such as Ozio around the corner, Club 5 next door (this is the club you say you're not looking for), and even downscale or up, both across Connecticutt. Seriously, try 18th. Tue Jan 06 07:39:52 -0800 2004 906244 0 Dennis S 3 906251 Unfortunately you'll pay a cover at just about any lounge/club in DC, generally in the $5-$10 range. Really your best bets are going to 18th Street Lounge, Chi Cha, or Gazuza 18th Street Lounge is going to be upscale, tons of couches, with mostly acid jazz, jazz, bossanova style music. Usually on one floor they have a live jazz band. It's run by one of the guys from Thievery Corporation, so if you are familiar with their music that's what to expect. Chi Cha is going to be not quiet as upscale but still tons of couches with a world beat vibe/latin flair. Music that almost makes you want to dance but not quite. They serve Andean/South American inspired food which is quite good. Gazuza has a more modern/minimal fill and you'll find more house, drum n bass type music. Blue room is not quite as upscale and more house, might be a bit too club like for what you are looking for. If you do decide to go to 18 Street Lounge and feel like dancing afterwards, go to Red, which is around the corner on Jefferson Place, under neither the Fudruckers, best place for house music late night, party starts around 2am. Tue Jan 06 09:51:13 -0800 2004 906244 0 Tweaked 4 906267 If you want lounge-y, without a cover with some casual house/hip hop beats playing, I would second (or third?) the recommendation for Gazuza. It is casual, usually doesn't have a cover, and if you are feeling warm, they have heat lamps above the tables on their patio overlooking Connecticut Ave. Also, I've gone in nice jeans and there isn't quite the need to look 'dressed up' as at 18th Street Lounge. I'm also a fan of Chi-Cha...it has more of a "world music" feel than Gazuza, but if you can grab one of their sofas, it is a nice place to grab a drink and listen to whatever music the DJ is spinning. Chi Cha also don't have quite the "look to impress" issue as 18th St. Lounge does. Lastly, I'm gonna add Agua Ardiente to your list. It is owned by the same people as Chi Cha, but it has a nicer feel to it. It is decorated in deep reds, and you can grab a table or sit on one of their lounge-y sofas. They have a pretty good mojito, and some tasty Latin-esque plates (basically, generous tapa size portions). Tue Jan 06 11:48:00 -0800 2004 906251 0 JoyS 3 906256 18th St Lounge is owned/operated (or used to be, can't remember if it still is) by Thievery Corp, these local DJs who are pretty big abroad too. They sometimes spin there, but very rarely. There's usually some good music playing, but not very loudly since people are more about hanging out than dancing there. It's a really nice space, dim but not dark, nicely decorated, with enough room to sit or stand and talk comfortably. However, the cover can vary from $10-$20 night to night and even person to person (with no real rhyme or reason, basically depending on the doorman and his mood). Weekends the place is packed and they do this guy-girl ratio that can leave guys waiting outside for a half hour after their dates have entered. During the week they have a happy hour which means you can get in with no cover (6-8 PM I think, but definitely double-check). Across Connecticut Ave. is Dragonfly, which doesn't have a cover and books decent DJs (music isn't that loud). It's in an all-white space and has basically the same crowd as 18th St. It's actually a sushi place but on the weekends most people are just getting drinks. Tue Jan 06 10:26:21 -0800 2004 906244 0 merry 2 906254 I agree that 18th St Lounge is probably the place. Just make sure that no one is dressed down or you won't get in. When you get there, you just go to the door and there's someone behind who will open it for you. Tue Jan 06 10:22:05 -0800 2004 906243 0 mouse 1 906265 Cafe Saint Ex. (14th & Tst N.W.) fits your needs nicely. Also, to stay on topic, they have great food. Enjoy! Link: http://www.saint-ex.com/gate54.html Tue Jan 06 11:16:43 -0800 2004 906210 0 Rosco 1 906311 I didn't mention this before, but one of my favorite bars in the city is Aroma in Cleveland Park (across from the Uptown). Dim lighting, good music, decent but not overpoweringly large crowd, and a whole back room with plenty of seating to just hang out and talk and chill. It's a neighborhood place, but on the more upscale side. I live nearby and drop in two or three times a month. People are dressed in everything from jeans to cocktail outfits. OK, I've contributed way over my fair share on this topic... Tue Jan 06 15:27:44 -0800 2004 906210 0 merry