18th Street Lounge   

1212 18th St NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-466-3922
www.eslmusic.com/

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The first of Washington's hipster clubs, Eighteenth Street Lounge (ESL) was founded by Eric Hilton of internationally known deep-house DJ duo the Thievery Corporation. The ESL transformed from an underground nightspot to king of DC's neo-lounge culture. Not only has it spawned other clubs like Dragonfly (run by the same owner) and copycats like the Blue Room, ESL has launched a record label of the same name. Weekends find lines along 18th Street fueled by the hipper-than-thou attitude of ESL bouncers. If you don't look the part (and the criteria can depend on time, date and the doorman's mood), you don't get in. After you locate the inconspicuous entrance, walk up the first skinny staircase to find young urbanites sunk into couches, hovering around the bar, dancing in the back room or mingling on the deck. Up on the next level, people squeeze into the front room to hear jazz combos improvise. Although the physical expansion over the years (the huge second-floor side room and deck) of this hard-to-find place has eroded some of its intimacy, ESL has remained one of Washington's premier clubs to hear new dance music and great classic jazz. Don't let the cover charge (around $10) deter you. Arrive before 10PM, and, usually, you can get in for free.