So you want to take the parents out for a night on the town, eh? Unless you’re comfortable taking them out to your typical weekend clubs and bars, you may have to do a bit of research to find some, um, appropriate venues to take them to where you can still have a good time while having them pay for everything from great food to expensive booze to live music. Never fear, The Hatchet is here to offer its advice for a night out in the District, without the “Parental Advisory” sticker.
Note: Some places are 21+ to get in after a certain time on the weekends, so if you’re underage check before you leave.
Live jazz at Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.
Blues Alley is considered to be one of the premier jazz venues in D.C., with many famous musicians stopping by each year to perform in its intimate setting in the Georgetown neighborhood. During this Colonials Weekend, legendary New Orleans pianist Dr. John will headline all weekend long – Thursday through Sunday – at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are a bit steep at $50 but are certainly worth purchasing for any serious music fan. The venue also offers a delicious menu of authentic soul and Creole food, so come for dinner and enjoy the show.
Live music along the U Street corridor
U St. NW, between 10th and 16th
The live music scene along the U Street corridor has grown to be very popular over the past few years, offering the utmost in live jazz, reggae, rock and blues music. Some of the best jazz venues include Twins Jazz (1344 U St. N.W.), Bohemian Cavern (11th and U Streets N.W.) and Utopia (1418 U St. N.W.). For the rock enthusiast, there’s Velvet Lounge (915 U St. N.W.), DC 9 (1940 9th St N.W.) and, of course, the famous 9:30 Club (815 V St. N.W.), which will feature the Yonder Mountain String Band and Gov’t Mule with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals this weekend. In addition to the jazz clubs that serve food, there are also plenty of restaurants on this strip, with everything from Mexican to soul food available in walking distance from the clubs.
Shows at the Kennedy Center
New Hampshire Avenue N.W. and Rock Creek Parkway
The National Symphony Orchestra will be performing selected pieces from Bartók and Schubert this weekend, as well as free musical performances every day on the Millennium Stage. Check out www.kennedy-center.org for more information about acts, tickets and pricing.
The strip in Adams Morgan
18th Street and Columbia Road N.W.
While many of the bars located along the strip in the Adams Morgan neighborhood are known for their wild atmospheres and drunken escapades, there are still several delicious restaurants and not-so-crazy bars that are certainly parent-friendly. Enjoy a late-night meal at The Diner (2453 18th St. N.W.), listen to live reggae music or enjoy authentic African cuisine at Ghana Café (2465 18th St. N.W.), or eat soul food and listen to live blues music at Madam’s Organ (2461 18th St. N.W.). Also, don’t forget to show your parents the most unique food in D.C. – that’s right, we’re talking about Jumbo Slice! With three different Jumbo Slice spots in Adams Morgan and one on U St., there’s no better way to enjoy 3,000 calories in a single slice of pizza that’s bigger than your torso.
