Any suggestions on somewhere nice to go on Friday night? I want someplace quiet, relaxed, good for talking. Think late 20s/very early 30s agewise. Alcohol is a plus, but not too expensive. Definitely not Starbucks! We’ll both have eaten. We’re in the AU/Tenley area (right next to AU, actually), leaving around 9ish. She has a car, I don’t. It’s a first date with a current friend.
Be creative. If I use your suggestion, I’ll report back here afterwards, but no details. I’m a gentleman!
How about Capitol City Brewing Co? There’s one at Metro Center - 1100 New York Ave NW. I went to a Dopefest there once.
Teaism is pretty nice as is Cosi. Teaism is a tea house and Cosi is a coffee house with desserts and some other snacks. There is also a Martini bar in Dupont. I can’t remember its name but it is on 17th street.
Gimme some details. What’s it like? I’d rather go to a cozy, sit-at-the-bar-or-a-small-table kind of place, than an industrial, chain-restaurant, someone-will-be-right-with-you-to get-your-order kind of place.
I’ve been in DC since August, but I haven’t gone out much, so any suggestions will need details. I don’t know much besides Guapo’s near the Tenleytown Metro and the Bagel City on Mass.
Sorry, Dorkus, I should have previewed. Iwas responding to Jeff. Tell me more about Teaism. It sounds interesting.
For comprehensiveness, nothing beats the Washington Post’s searchable index of bars and clubs. You’re not very descriptive with what you’re looking for. Do you want some place trendy, laid back, a martini bar, cocktails, good beer selection, DJs, price range, etc, etc? Help us help you, and our suggestions will be more helpful.
I 2nd Teaism. The few times I’ve been it has not been crowded at all, and is nice and cozy.
Teaism looks nice. If I don’t go there this time, I definitely will soon. Thanks for the link, Attrayant.
peepthis, I thought I gave a pretty good, if general, idea. I didn’t want to stifle your creativity. Someone might know a great little all-night blow-your-own-glasswear studio that would never get mentoned if I said I only wanted to know about mazurka bars.
CCBC is sort of half-and-half. There is a great bar and some small tables on one side and there are booths on the other side. As their name implies, they brew beer on premesis; I normally don’t drink but I decided to sample one when I was at that Dopefest. I had arrived early and sat at the bar while waiting for everyone else, my beer arrived promptly. Once the Dopefest got really rolling, the waitstaff was very pleasant considering all they had to deal with. 
Cosi is a big chain but has a relaxed atmosphere. I typically go there for dessert and sometimes a “candy drink” (think anything that is alcoholic, chocolaty and sweet).
The martini bar is above a place called “Food Bar” at 17th and R NW. It probably is alright and has a mixed gay/straight clientele.
Good to see a link for Teaism. As you can see there are three in the city. There tea is really quite fabulous and worth the trip. It is also a very relaxed atmosphere and similar to a coffee house. I have never eaten anything there other than some cookies with my tea but it always looked to be pretty good as well. A plus, that part of Dupont has a ton of art galleries that are nice to walk through on the weekends.
[Henchman from “Rocky”]
“Take her to the zoo!”
[/HfR]
For the record my first dopefest was at the Capitol City Brewing Company and the thing I remember most was how loud it was. I would not recommend it for a date.
You might try the Brickskeller. Haven’t been there in years but it seemed like a relaxed place. Good snacks and drinks. It might be a little out of your way however.
If that’s the same one I was at, I seem to recall the loudest ones were us. 
Dunno. It was when porcupine came to town. There were about fifteen people there, but the place in general was so loud I didn’t get half the people’s names. Lessee… Aguecheek, dcnewsman, sqrlcub (the banned), iampunha, weirddave, gobear, and that’s about all I can remember.
Sounds like I need to go to a Dopefest!
Brickskeller looks nice, too. What’s it like inside? Is there music? I looked at the link, but couldn’t tell for sure.
Keep up the suggestions, but let’s say we start at Teaism or Brickskeller. Any suggestions on what to do afterwards? I’m not much for clubs, but we might feel like doing something else, and there aren’t many movies that late. During the day, I’d suggest a museum or the cherry blossoms or the Cathedral gardens, but I don’t have any ideas for nighttime.
So far you’ve been great. Don’t let me down now! If you promise not to tell her I let a bunch of strangers on-line plan our date, I might tell you what time we say goodnight. 
As I said, it’s been years, but the place struck me as being “sophisticated but reserved”. They serve you bread and cheese when you sit down. Normal chatter level noise, no music that I can recall. A priest actually introduced me to it, make of that what you will.
Also, if you’re serious about going to a dopefest there’s gonna be one on the 25th in NoVa (Alexandria I believe). Since you don’t have a car I’m sure someone would be willing to pick you up. I’ll start the thread for it in a week or so, so keep your eyes peeled (it’ll have AAA in the title).
Thanks. When I looked on line, I couldn’t find any late movie showings nearby, but when I actually called the places, there seem to be several. One theater with good late movies and a bar is called Visions Cinema-Bistro on Florida. Anyone been there?
And Asylum, I wasn’t sure if I had the postcount to hang with “real Dopers,” but I see we’re both long-time low posters. I need to get out and off campus more, so I’d love to do a dopefest. I’ll keep my eyes open for the thread. Thanks!
Visions is a great place, which often shows indepedent and short films you won’t find played anywhere else in DC. There’s usually a DJ spinning music a few night a week (anything from hiphop to house to down-tempo), and there’s a bar area as well. It’s not too far of a walk from either the south end of Adams-Morgan or Dupont, so you’ll have tons of options nearby.
OK, looks like I’ve got a date planned! If we go see the Oscar shorts at visions, we’ll probably need to go there first. Get drinks and tapas in the lounge then head into the movie, and follow it up with a beer and discussion at Bickskeller. If I get out of dinne (a church event that was planned weeks ago) soon enough (or if I talk her into eeing Donnie Darko at midnight instead), we can go to Teaism first, otherwise, I’ll have to save that for a second date (or back up if she really doesn’t want to see a movie–I believe in being flexible.)
I’ll check back for any last-minute suggestions this afternoon, but I think this is it.
Thanks a lot!