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Nightlife:

A

(explain this grade)

Comparable Schools'
Nightlife Grades:

Quick Stats

Useful Resources for Nightlife

  • The Hilltop
  • www.bardc.com
  • www.washingtoncitypaper.com
  • www.wdc411.com

Student Favorites

  • H2O
  • Love
  • Pure Lounge

Primary Areas with Nightlife

  • Adams Morgan
  • Georgetown
  • Shaw
  • U Street
  • Waterfront (SW)

Other Places to Check Out

  • Asylum
  • Club Five
  • Coyote Ugly
  • Dragon Fly
  • Lotus Nightclub
  • Vida Restaurant and Lounge

Favorite Drinking Games

  • Beer pong (Beirut)
  • Kings
  • Never Have I Ever
  • Quarters

Bars Close At

3 a.m.

Cheapest Place to Get a Drink

The 18th Street Lounge

College Prowler Take

When night falls and it’s time to get your party on, there are a few things to do on campus. Student organizations often host parties during the school year. Compared to other national universities, Howard is not that big of a drinking school. Now, that is not to say that HU students don’t know how to have a good time. Dancing and socializing are definitely big, and most students do frequent a lot of hip-hop and dance clubs in the area, namely Love and Fur. Homecoming, which occurs every year in the third week of October, is a can’t-miss event and has been known to draw hundreds of alumni and students from schools all over the country, especially other HBCUs. Even if you’re not yet 21, you can still enjoy DC’s nightlife, because many of the clubs cater to those who are 18 and older on certain nights.

If you don’t feel like partying, there’s a still lot of stuff to do at night or during any other free time that you may have. For instance, several dance classes are available at HU (salsa, belly-dancing, line-dancing, and tango, just to name a few.) There is always something new to do on campus, and few grow tired of going out in the city. In fact, when students are about to graduate, they usuallly come to the realization that they’ve barely scratched the surface of things to do at Howard and in DC.

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Students Speak Out

Love your school more than free food? Hate your school more than term papers?
Somewhere in between? Show the world what YOU think of YOUR school:

HowBB says:

Howard University 2015

English Language and Literature

The house parties within blocks...

The house parties within blocks from campus tend to be pretty fun. The club scene in DC is pretty good, too. Two of the most popular clubs that most of the students go to are Fur and Love.

Nightlife: February 26, 2009
Report

HowJT says:

Howard University 2015

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

The parties on campus are great,...

The parties on campus are great, and house parties are within the vicinity of the school. The bars and clubs around DC are fine. Love, Lucky Strikes, and other neighboring colleges are great places to party.

Nightlife: February 21, 2009
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Anonymous says:

Parties, clubs, and bars are the...

Parties, clubs, and bars are the best off campus. There’s never a boring night once you step off the campus and go into the heart of the city.

Nightlife
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Anonymous says:

I like DC’s clubs more than the...

I like DC’s clubs more than the bars because I’m not much of a drinker, and I especially love the variety of places that you can go in just one night (if you have the time). In Shaw alone, you can go to an alternative music club, a hip-hop club, or an African music club and learn about many different, new, and exciting dance and music styles.

Nightlife
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Anonymous says:

It definitely takes some getting...

It definitely takes some getting used to. I come from a small town, so I’m not used to having access to so many and such a variety of clubs; you have to work really hard to stay focused, and sometimes I like to forgo a night out with your friends for some serious studying.

Nightlife
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Facts

Club Crawler

There is a large number of bars and clubs in DC and its surrounding areas. Here are some nightspots in which you are more likely to run into fellow college students, rather than greasy, balding Capitol Hill staffers and politicians:

Bar Prowler

Most of the nightclubs and bars around DC are synonymous, but there are still establishments that cater primarily to those who are out to get smashed and nothing more—most of them being sports bars and the like. Here are some popular ones:

Organization Parties

Organizations have parties in the fall and spring semesters. The parties are usually held off campus at clubs.

Club Listings

18th Street Lounge offers a relaxed atmosphere with an antique feel. Men and women, however, should dress to impress. At 18th, you’ll find blazin’ DJs, dancing, and lots of live performances from emerging artists on the DC music scene.

The 18th Street Lounge

1212 18th St. NW

(202) 466-3922

www.eslmusic.com

A trendy nightclub, where the doorstaff decides if they will allow you entry or not. With two floors and a rooftop, Eyebar offers plenty of space to party!

Eyebar

1716 I St. NW

(202) 785-0270

At Platinum you’ll find dancing, four dance floors, a VIP room with a heavy rotation of hip-hop, Latin, top 40, and techno music.

Platinum

915 F St. NW

(202) 393-3555

www.dcmenus.com

Fur is a multi-leveled entertainment venue. It’s so upscale that athletic wear, work boots, and hats are not permitted.

Fur

33 Patterson St. NE

(202) 289-1859

www.furnightclub.com

Glow is a haven for techno lovers in DC, showcasing national and international artists in these genres.

Glow

714 6th St. NW

(202) 271-1171

www.clubglow.com

H2O has more of an international crowd, and it is an upscale club/restaurant. They have a great happy hour and lots of live events. No casual attire permitted.

H2O

800 Water St. SW

(202) 484-6300

www.h2o-club.com

Ibiza is an upscale nightclub. Dress to impress always.

Ibiza

1222 First St. NE

(202) 289-8809

Located on the waterfront, Zanzibar is a trendy, upbeat club where college students frequently go, as well as other patrons.

Zanzibar

700 Water St.

(202) 554-9100

Love is an upscale nightclub where young, urban professionals and college students mingle and nod their heads to top 40, hip-hop, old school, Latin, and reggae.

Love

1350 Okie St. NE

(202) 636-9030

www.lovetheclub.com

Republic Gardens offers something for everybody. Music genres range hip-hop to reggae, to jazz and rock.

Republic Gardens

1355 U St. NW

(202) 232-2229

The atmosphere at 9:30 is eclectic. The club has been known to bring in some of the top acts in the country, such as Busta Rhymes, Staind, and the Roots, to name a few.

9:30 Club

815 V St. NW

(202) 265-0930

www.930.com

The atmosphere at Bar Nun is upscale. Music is diverse with hip-hop, R&B, trance, reggae, and old-school melodies.

Bar Nun

1326 U St. NW

(202) 667-6680

wdc411.com/411barnun.htm

The Black Cat is a live music venue with some of the best in local, national, and international independent and alternative music. This is the spot for indie, punk, and garage rock bands.

The Black Cat

1811 14th St. NW

(202) 667-7960

blackcatdc.com

This lounge provides a cozy atmosphere chock full of entertainment all within two floors

H Street Martini Lounge

1236 H St.

(202) 397-1506

Bar Listings

A true corner bar, the cast of characters at Larry’s reflects the neighborhood: gay and straight, young and old, dressed up or in flip-flops and shorts. The small patio is a great hangout spot.

Larry’s Lounge

1836 18th St. NW

(202) 483-1483

Alero is a Mexican restaurant by day and a hot spot for drinks by night. With the option of sitting outside, Alero provides the perfect atmosphere to kick back, enjoy the scenery, and have a drink!

Alero

1301 U St. NW Suite 113

(202) 462-2322

Apex Nightclub is one of Washington D.C.'s premier gay nightclubs. With two floors and seven full service bars, gaining access to a drink should be no problem.

Apex Nightclub

1415 22nd St. NW

(202) 296-0505

ESPN Zone is the mecca of all things sports related. It has over 230 TVs, including a 16-foot screen, as well as a floor of interactive games. Beware of minimum charges, though.

ESPN Zone

555 12th St. NW

(202) 783 3776

MCCXXIII offers three floors of fun!

MCCXXIII

1223 Connecticut Ave. NW

(202) 822-1800

On Fridays and Saturdays, a predominantly African American crowd can be found here jamming to hip-hop, reggae, and popular club hits. Be sure to dress to impress.

DC Live

932 F St. NW

(202) 347 7200

Pure Lounge boasts dollar drinks each and every Friday with two levels and two DJs. Each day of the week offers something different.

Pure Lounge

1326 U St. NW

(202) 667-6680

Rosa is an upscale Mexican restaurant/bar. If you’re into sassy and exotic drinks, this is your place. The pomegranate margaritas are a must!

Rosa Mexicano

575 7th St. NW

(202) 783 5522

Saint-Ex is a cool brasserie with a basement-level lounge where an eclectic collection of DJs spin records every night of the week. The first floor is now smoke-free until 11 p.m.

Café Saint-Ex

1847 14th St. NW

(202) 265-7839

This bar’s funky decor includes African masks, paintings by local artists, and even a golden Buddha statue.

Karma

1919 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

(202) 331-5800

This legendary jazz spot reopened in 2000 after being closed for 30 years. The new owners have restored the music and supper club to its former glory.

Bossa

2463 18th St. NW

(202) 667-0088

UltraBar has four levels, each offering something different. With a wide variety of music and rotating drink specials each night, bar goers won't be dissapointed.

UltraBar

911 F St. NW

(202) 638-4663

What to Do if You're Not 21

Washington, DC has a plethora of options for the 18-and-over crowd. Students choose anything from the movies to simply hanging out with one another. However, if you’re looking more for a club scene, Fur and LOVE (only on Saturdays) hits the mark!

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