Spectrum Lounge! Listen, if you want good African food, football (or fútbol), Afrobeats, and…read morepeople who came OUTSIDE to enjoy themselves, this place DELIVERS, abeg! And when I say these people PARTY, I mean they PARTY PARTY!
I've been here about three times, both before and after their renovations, so Auntie has some history with this establishment! I believe it's Cameroonian-owned, and I appreciate having another African spot in the DMV where we can enjoy our music, food, and culture without having to travel all the way into DC!
Now, let me explain the setup. Downstairs is the lounge, where you can eat, watch a good match, socialize, and catch a little vibe. Upstairs? HAAAA! That's a different ministry altogether! The Afrobeats are AFROBEATING, the energy is HIGH, and these people are not playing when it comes to dancing! If you're looking for a proper African party, upstairs will give you what you came for!
BUT WAIT OOOO! Let's discuss these renovations because WHO authorized the shrinking of the downstairs lounge? Before the renovations, the lounge was spacious enough to actually LOUNGE! Imagine that! I could come in, find a comfortable spot, enjoy the music, order some food, watch a match, and mind my grown-woman business without feeling obligated to join the upstairs Olympics of dancing!
Now? The lounge is significantly smaller, and I'm sorry, but that was NOT an improvement in my book! Everything doesn't have to be a nightclub experience, abeg! Some of us just want to sit pretty, gist with our friends, enjoy some good music, and go home at a reasonable hour. Is that too much to ask?!
And this is exactly why I hesitate to recommend Spectrum when my girls and I are looking for a local spot to unwind. The old lounge gave us OPTIONS. The new setup? Ehhh...not so much. What was up with the closure of the building last year? The place was closed for months with rumors flying anyhow!!!
Now, PARKING! JESUS, TAKE THE WHEEL! Because finding parking around here requires patience, prayer, and possibly a small miracle! It's ATROCIOUS! Haba! We came to enjoy ourselves, not participate in a parking wahala of a scavenger hunt!
All jokes aside, Spectrum still has plenty going for it. The food is good, the Afrobeats are HOT, and the upstairs crowd knows how to have a GOOD time! I'll give them their flowers for that.
But management, if you're reading this, Auntie has just ONE request: BRING BACK MY SPACIOUS LOUNGE! Some of us want the African vibes without the full nightclub commitment!
Will I return? Of course! But it depends on my mood and what kind of outing I'm planning. For a proper party? YES! For a relaxed evening with my girls? I'll have to think twice.
And please, somebody do something about that PARKING! ABEG!