Just saw Two Door Cinema Club and was extremely impressed with the venue. My only complaint would be that the bar is cash only but there is an ATM available so that issue is easily fixed. Can't wits to go back for another show! read more

Bring cash if you want to buy anything. No card readers and no ATMs. The building itself has character to it and will do great for just about any show. read more

I can imagine this venue is a good option for a slightly classier or more stoic show. The acoustics were great, I could hear every word (that I was supposed to.) The tiered seating is always a plus. But it's all wrong for any show where you expect to move a body part other than your tapping foot to the music. After my second show at DAR, I've decided I'll have to call it quits. On both occasions I found myself glued to my seat because no one else was standing or would stand ... at least until I couldn't take it any longer. For the first show, we were in the orchestra. I finally stood during the encore and was actually YELLED at by multiple parties to sit down. Eventually, a few other folks stood up - it was the ENCORE for crying out loud. The second, the Lumineers (at the time, up for a Grammy, the show scheduled only a couple weeks later, and the band nearly visibly pulsating with energy and excitement), went the same way. We were up in one of the upper sections but still, no one was standing ... until halfway through when the band came into the audience to play an acoustic set, and even then, as soon as it was finished, the majority of folks sat right. back. down. The other problem I've got is, at least according to what I've read by others who have faced the same miserably frustrating issue, that DAR has a contract with Ticketmaster. And *only* with Ticketmaster. And this makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get guaranteed legitimate tickets at face value before the scalpers do their thing. The two of us tried both during pre-sale with a code and then public sale, both of us sitting in front of our computers minutes before, refreshing our screens repeatedly, to no avail. Tickets were on Stub Hub in no time at all for three or four times the price. Days later we saw warnings posted on various sites that many tickets were false. What to believe? We wound up waiting until ticket prices came back down to something higher than face value but at least somewhat reasonable before buying, but we were still concerned we'd bought fake tix (and were only feeding into this abominable practice.) Finally? The drinks. I knew they'd be expensive. But when the woman upsold my hubs to a double G&T while pouring and then refused to put it in a larger cup OR to simply give me a little extra tonic on the side (unless we paid $3 for another cup ... on top of the $18 she was charging us for that one) ... I'd had it. I'm blaming policy, not her, but frankly, I don't care which it is. It's likely I'll pass the next time a show I want to see is playing at DAR. read more

I've been to Constitution DAR a total of four times. The first time, was my high school graduation, where, because my dad couldn't be there (my grandfather had a stroke, so my dad had to fly out to LA to be with him), my mom was asked to take pictures of me walking across the stage. My mother proceeds to take 2 rolls of pictures of a random girl - who wasn't even Asian. Luckily, I was just so thrilled to be getting out of high school that this only irritated me a tiny bit (so no, I have no pictures of my HS graduation, thank you for asking). The second time, was my brother's high school graduation. Evidently Constitution DAR is very popular for graduations (we went to two different HS). This time, *I* was in charge of the camera, so there are a couple really great photos of my brother in his cap and gown. *I* can recognize my own flesh and blood - even up in the nose bleed seats (we got there late). But I'm not bitter, mom. Oh no...not bitter at all. The third time, was for a Pixies concert. The Pixies are my best friend's favorite band in the whole world. So when they went on their reunion tour, we had to get tickets to see them. We got fairly decent seats up in the balcony, only a few rows back from the stage. There were to be no obstacles between my best friend and her dream of watching the Pixies live, up close and personal. Except for the stupidity of DAR's seating system. We got seats 3, 4, and 5 of the balcony. We knew that there would be 2 other random people in the balcony, which would be a tight fit, but such is life. When we got there, there were no one in the balcony, so we took the first 3 seats - there weren't any signage as to designate which seats were which. However, when the 2 other random people showed up, the usher made us get up to allow the 1 and 2 ticketholders those seats. Which we didn't have a real problem with, except that these 2 random people were very tall and big, and thusly, blocked our view of the stage completely. Hmph. Fast forward to this past October. A close friend got tickets to Tori Amos for my birthday. Due to the my previous experience with DAR and the balconies, I let her know about my experience with the Pixies, but she still wants the balcony seats as they would allow us the best view of the concert. So she calls the offices at DAR to find out if it was seats 1 and 2 or 1 and 3 that she would need to buy, to get the front row of the balcony. They tell her seats 1 and 2 would get her the front row of the balcony. Great, she buys the tickets. We have a fabulous dinner beforehand, and leisurely stroll to DAR. Once we got to our balcony seats, there were three other girls there already - taking the 2 front seats that we bought. My friend kindly asks the girls to move as they were in our seats. The girls refuse to, stating that it's a first come, first serve basis. My friend is now mad, because she *loves* Tori Amos and has been dying to see this concert for centuries, goes and finds an usher...who says that it is indeed on a first serve basis...which is completely opposite of what she was told when she called DAR, and completely opposite of my previous experience during the Pixies concert. Needless to say, the three girls sitting in the balcony with us were incredibly annoying on top of it all and talked through the entire concert. Boo. So sorry DAR, but until you get your act together, you get a lowly 2 stars from me, and a boo and a hiss! In fact, unless Ringo and Paul somehow resurrect John and George, I may never watch another concert here again. Yes, just *THAT* annoyed. read more

Ughhhhhh. Such a gorgeous venue, such incompetent service. I came here last week to catch Anthony Bourdain on his Hunger Tour. We arrived around 7 for a 7:30 show (doors opened at 6:30) and we were immediately struck by how incredibly long the lines to get in were. We had tickets off of Groupon which - according to the website - once printed, were good as tickets. So we stood in line for a solid 15 minutes only to get to the front, have the woman look at our papers and say, "oh you have to go to Will-Call." She scanned our ticket codes anyway, and then rudely waved us back outside to wait in yet ANOTHER ridiculously long line. There were dozens of other people in the same confused predicament as we were, all who had arrived in plenty of time before the show began but were now dangerously close to missing the opening. Well, at the front of Will Call there were several other management issues. There were two lines - one for TicketMaster and one for Groupon orders - but neither of these were marked so of course I got in the wrong one. Once in the (third and final) correct line, a gal came in from the Hall and cut in front of me, saying that she needed a new ticket because they had issued her one with a seat that DID NOT EXIST in DAR Hall. What?! Apparently she wasn't the only one, either. At one point one lady behind me started asking if she could speak with a manager because there was such incredible ineptitude amongst the scanners and ticket issuers. Now, it is quite possible that some or a lot of the blame lies with Groupon and how they issued their tickets, but even so, the people working just seemed like they couldn't care at all about providing helpful or expedient service. The ushers inside were scarce and the one we could flag down to help us find our seat pointed us the completely wrong direction. (I usher at a major theatre downtown so I know what the expectations are!) DAR Hall itself is gorgeous and a great venue to hear a speaker or listen to a concert, but make sure you get here in PLENTY of time because no matter how many people are still waiting for their tickets, they will apparently go ahead with the show! By the time we took our seat, we missed the first 15 minutes of the show. I felt so bad for everyone still waiting in line outside to get their tickets (not exaggerating when I say there were probably close to 100 people still waiting to get in after the show started). read more

Saw Jack Johnson here a few days ago and this was a great place for the sound and atmosphere. My two cents: 1) if you want to be able to stand up and dance, buy tickets on the floor. Yes, you can sort of dance in the raised seats, but you will most likely end up pissing people off around you. The raised seating is tight. If you are over 6 feet tall, you may want to stick with the floor seating. 2) if you don't mind sitting, the side seats, especially sections R,S and D,E are especially good since they are close enough to the stage, but not so much to the side that your view is obscured or you are too far away. Really, there isn't a terrible seat in this place, especially compared to some of the larger stadium-type venues where you need a jumbo-tron to see the band. 3) Contrary to some other reviews here, parking IS available, but be ready to pay for it. Check out the Colonial lots where you can reserve a space ahead of time (and be ready to pay ~$22 for it)-there's a link to this on the DAR website. 4) Restaurants are nearby, just not all over the place as some are expecting. Try walking several blocks toward Penn. Ave. and you will find something to eat easily. read more

I attended the Owl City concert last night at DAR and have attended other events there as well, so I'm surprised I haven't reviewed it yet. Seating: I'd give 1 star to seating. For the Owl City concert, I had box seats (Box 40). The box was to the left side nearest Exit 2. The problem with box seats is that they are general admission within the box. So if you are in a box get there early to grab the seats toward the front of the box. Also, the 5 chairs that are in the box make it incredibly hard to move within the box and a struggle to get in and out of the box. For other shows I have been in the orchestra section. The orchestra has a very slight slope, so those in the back of the house are only slightly higher than those in the front and might not be able to see the stage as well as those in the upper level or box seats. The other challenge with the seats not in the boxes are they are narrow (think like an airplane). So, definitely not recommended for heavier people, those with wide hips or tall people (rows are also spaced like airplane seats.. The seats in the boxes don't have arm rests so you can spill over the sides if necessary. Staffing: As others have commented, it seems that the individuals who work at DAR have major attitude problems or are simply incompetent. Several individuals were directed to the wrong doors/sections to get to their seats. Those working at concessions were also incredibly rude and couldn't seem to get a good handle on what appeared to be chaos largely from their lack of urgency to deal with anything. Concessions: Here's my issue with the concessions they were in the most awkward of places. The band's booth was in the center area, which makes some sense, however, frequently the crowd was 15 to 20 people deep around the "U-shaped" tables. So people who were being directed to the doors to enter for their seats were trampling those waiting to make purchases. This booth was next to the area to get drinks and other refreshments, but because of the size of the mob it was impossible to distinguish one mob from another so a lot of people ended up standing around waiting for something, but no one knew what. Tip: Try and enter at the D and 18th Street Entrance. Every time I go the line seems lighter on this side for some reason. read more

Despite its morally repulsive past, DCH is one of my favorite spots to catch a show. Hey, if Ms. Anderson can forgive you so can I but we won't forget that shit. Anywho...relatively easy access if you're coming in from nova on 66 but once you get there good luck finding parking. Moderate sized, intimate, lovely and clean is how I would describe the interior but I've only been in the main concert hall so I can't vouch for the rest of the building. There's not a bad seat in the house and the acoustics are spot on. Good variety of performances year round so there's something for everyone. Definitely one of the nicer music venues in the area. read more

Over the years, I've seen a range of different performances at this venue - from Handel's Messiah to Neutral Milk Hotel - and I think it's pretty awesome that there's one place in DC that hosts such a range of shows! The hall seats over 3,700 people in a U-shape, with an orchestra section, box seats, and a large upper tier. I've been to performances in each of the three sections, and all had good views of the stage and good audio. I think they warn people sitting in the sections closest to the stage on the sides that their view may be obstructed, but I've never experienced those seats to find out if they are good or not (it also probably depends on the performance). You can enter the building through three of its four sides, but the box office and will call are in a tiny vestibule that's only accessible from one specific door (which is labeled with a sign hanging outside). So it can be an odyssey to find the right place to get your tickets... and sometimes you have to pick up your tickets and then go back outside to another entrance where they scan them. I found the sound to be a bit loud during Neutral Milk Hotel, even though we were at the back of the orchestra section in a box. I don't remember the volume being too much for any of the other shows. I'm actually really happy we had a box for NMH, because everyone stood up in the orchestra section for the entire set. They're assigned seats - sit in them! Since we were up a little higher in our box, we could see over them and remain comfortable (and for NMH, all the seats were the same price, so this privilege didn't cost any extra). I recall from past visits that the bathrooms were decent but definitely had long lines before/after the show and at intermission. So time your trips accordingly. But overall, it's a nice venue with a variety of shows and I'll happily return! read more

"You can THANK ME NOW..." I saw Drake here and it was a blast. We had seating to the left of the stage on the balcony and we had a great view of everything. The venue was clean and organized. It was easy and fast to get in & out. I would definitely recommend seeing a show here. All the seats seemed like great ...nothing behind the stage like other venues. Enjoy! read more

I will never, ever, ever ever go here again. I will forfeit a good laugh before I go back to constitution hall or shall I say town hall. Paid $25 for parking which was 4 blocks away and closed at 1:30am. On the walk to the venue there was plenty of street parking. Next, our show started at 10:30 pm however they did not open the doors until around 10:45 pm in the winter. RUDE! I paid my money let me in don't make my tardiness be due to your Ill preparation. As old as the building is you would have thought they knew something about event planning and crowd control by now. There were lines all over the place, with no direction as to which line was for what. Once entering they sell food however you must eat it in the hall with no chairs....say what? Then there were only two cash bars set up for a comedy show...how was this even feasible? After waiting in line I purchased a plastic cup of wine for $10.50. So much is wrong with this picture. When directed to our seats I was floored at how small they were with no aisle or leg room. This place needs to be closed down or remodeled. Will not be back for any show no matter how good as long as it is here. Show ended at 1:52am mind you the garage closed at 1:30am. Where was the communication? read more

I'll just say it right off the bat - PARKING BLOWS! Obviously, it's DC, but really, I've been there for a few concerts with friends and every single time we've gone, we've had to park on some road where parking probably wasn't even legal and around there, you almost always have to parallel which is no surprise for a city like DC. I just wanted to warn you though. The venue itself is AMAZING. There's so much history behind it and you can't help (or at least I can't) but think that you are sitting there in this gorgeous room watching a concert in a space where history was made. I saw Bright Eyes with Feist there last year and it was probably hands down one of the best concerts I've ever been to. It's a venue that's seated so that's nice because you have your own space and won't have to worry about not being able to bring a purse/jacket etc. It's a larger venue but it isn't so large that the performances don't feel intimate. Again, going along with what others have said about this place, it's really not a place where they encourage standing up. During the Bright Eyes concert, he asked for the audience to get up and waltz, which many people did (and btw, people waltzing up and down the aisles of Constitution Hall was pretty surreal), but within minutes, secruity had reseated everyone. Regardless, I really like this venue, it's clean, and the crowd is always good. read more

Beautiful venue. I attended the Sarah Mclachlan concert yesterday. What a great place. Not a bad seat in the house!. Acoustics are great in this building which is located in the heart of dc!. read more

I've been to DAR 3 times. The 1st was for my grad school graduation, the 2nd was my twin sister's grad school gradation and the 3rd was for the Royal Comedy Tour show. We sat on the floor in row GG. The seats seem to be fine during both gradations, but the seats were very uncomfortable at the comedy show and I almost got whiplash from having to move my head side to side so I can see the comedians with the distorted view caused by the people sitting in front of me. The hall itself is lovely, but the seating is awful. Next time I will make sure to get tier 1 seating. read more

I visited Constitution Hall for Russell Peters: Almost Famous World Tour Saturday show. The establishment was really crowded however the ushers were quick to get people to their seats. I sat in the upper sections and the seats were not too tight. They have two large televisions on either side of the stage for people in the upper sections to see (however I could see the stage with no problem). Not much of the interior has changed, I was here for high school graduation 7 years ago. I do not know how parking will be, street parking was crowded and the garages have hours that correspond with standard 9-5 jobs. I would recommend the Metro if you plan on seeing a show at the Constitution Hall. Overall, I would return for an event at this establishment. read more

I had not been to DAR Constitution Hall since I graduated in 1977. Went to see a show this month and I was shocked that this venue had not be updated since then! With all the great talent and shows performing there they should at least offer comfortable seating. The show was great, but unfortunately not able to really enjoy it because of cramped orchestra seating. Please update the seating in this historic landmark! read more

The venue itself is good. Even the "cheap seats" are good. However, the parking situation is TERRIBLE. There isn't a designated garage nearby. Street parking is a bit limited. read more

I've seen a couple of performances here. I believe the last one was Jill Scott a few years ago, and I've never really had any complaints about the seating or acoustics. I really enjoyed each of the times I've visited. Parking is an issue, as usual - but, that is no reflection on the Hall. That is just the nature of the city. read more

Like others have said the sound here is great. I like that it's a smaller venue so you can see from pretty much anywhere. It's been a while since I was there but I would definitely go back. read more

Lauryn Hill & Nas Concert!!!! I have seen the Queen in concert!!!

Nice venue -- Comfortable, it's in DC, ample women's restrooms. OK sound system. For rock shows (e.g. Franz Ferdinand, the Strokes) I've found tiered seats to be better than the orchestra, where you're not able to see a thing once everyone stands up (unless you're over six feet tall or in the very front). However for shows where you don't expect people to stand up and dance (e.g. Al Gore, Jill Scott) the orchestra is better because you're often closer to the stage. read more

Very Nice venue, I went here on Saturday Feb 28th to see The I Got People Inside My Head Comedy Show ft Nephew Tommy, Eugene Ferguson, Oatmeal from the Steve Harvey Morning Show, Cupid, Prescott Gilliam, Tony Roberts and Junior from The Steve Harvey Morning Show. They tore it down, I mean you laughed from the beginning to the end. Thanks DAR Hall for allowing them to come..... read more

Constitution Hall lucks out in the size department...larger than 9:30 club, smaller than Verizon center and I can't think of another place in the district with the same size of seating. So it's a great place for bands that are getting big or have just hit it big to play before they start packing arenas and turn into u2. The problems with the venue are similar to what others have said - parking sucks, no really close food, and it's in a weird part of town for concerts....more of a monument row venue than anything else. That being said, some fun bands have come there (I've seen Belle & Sebastian and Modest Mouse there and both shows were great). It's definitely a kick to see some good rock band in a stage that strongly betrays it's origins as a place for theatre and opera. read more

This building is gorgeous but not an ideal venue for concerts. If you can get a seat around row H, I think that's the best place to sit. The balconies just seem way too far away from the stage and it's hard enough to get really into a concert here. Like Mary L. said, security is very strict about making sure everyone stays in their seats which can really affect the energy of the crowd. That being said, when I saw Arcade Fire here it became my all-time favorite concert. There was so much energy on stage it didnt matter that we were stuck in our seats. Overpriced beverages and snacks are served in the lobby (cash only) but you can't bring them back to your seat. The Exchange Saloon is probably the closest place to grab a drink/food before the show and you can usually find street parking around that area. read more

My first experience at this venue was the Gladys Knight and The O'Jays Family Reunion concert. Good: It's in a great location close to the White House. The staff is extremely nice. The place is cavernous and doesn't feel claustrophobic. The seats are soft and comfortable and leg room is adequate. Bad: The ushers didn't seem to be able to seat people promptly. A large cluster of people who arrived late formed in the aisle blocking the view of everyone behind them for the first three Gladys Knight songs. Even when everyone sat it was still very difficult to see from the floor. I had to try three soap dispensers in the ladies' bathroom before I found one that contained soap. They allow drinks in the seats, which some may think is a good thing, but someone spilled theirs on the floor and I spent the whole evening slipping every time I stood up and it got all over my shoes and purse. Kind of gross. I would go see a show there again and, while it's not the worst venue to see a show, it isn't one of the best one I've been to, either. read more

I guess the only reason why this place is used as a concert venue is that there is no medium size concert hall in DC. This place's acoustic is simply horrible. This place also feels too formal as one of a performer recently said that he feels like he's about announce his running for presidency. Lincoln Theater is bad but this one is the worst. read more

Got the boyfriend tickets to see Russell Peters on Oct. 25 at DAR and we had a great time! We got free parking on Constitution Ave. and walked over, but noticed a bit of metered parking spots closer to the venue. We got there an hour early and waited for the doors to open and watched the meter maids at work (smh). The venue is nice, but dated. Replacing the floors and seats wouldn't hurt. Overall a nice venue. We had 3rd row aisle seats on the right side facing the stage and my boyfriend was even poked at during Russell's show! Yes we were that close! We had an AMAZING time. Don't skimp on the seats here, it'll be worth it getting close seats. The sound was fine and the ushers were helpful. Nothing negative about this place. read more

I went to DAR Constitution Hall for an event during the day featuring a speech by a member of the President's cabinet. The nearest metro stations are Federal Triangle and Farragut West. The bus station is closer, at NW C St & NW 17th St. The entrance is nice with plenty of doors to enter. The seats are comfortable. There is little space between the seats so be prepared to be close to your neighbors (especially choosing who gets access to the arm rests). From the orchestra seating in the back, it is difficult to see the stage. I recommend any seats other than the back orchestra seats. The stage is nice with the names of the 13 colonies above and patriotic symbols. The acoustics are ok for a speech. The mic had a lot of static during the keynote speech. However, if there is an event with singing I think the sound quality will be poor. The seating and sound quality needs to be improved and it is difficult to get to when taking the metro. read more

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My first event at DAR was for Shecky's Girls Night Out. It is probably a good venue for concerts, but not for something like Shecky's. The space was too small, hot and uncomfortable tor an expo type of event. Bathrooms on lower floors makes it inconvenient for those with any types of disability, having to navigate the stairs. read more

The inside of the building is quite clean and the seats are good. I must echo the same comments from another reviewer. Staff - Rude and condescending! Parking - Prepare to pay $20 plus for parking or take your chances with the parking meters. Outside of building - It is to small of a space to accommodate thousand of people coming out all at once after the graduation. Driving - Well good luck! Staff - I need to repeat - Very rude! They should move the graduations back to University of MD, College Park read more

This has to be the only place in ths world who doesnt take credit. Will call is a hot mess. Lady had a nasty attitude, bit over all its a cool venue. Doesn't matter where you sit has an ok view from everywhere because it's a small. The atm fee was 4.99 & the bar & food spot only takes cash. read more

Went here for the 1st time to see Russell Peters. Very happy with this venue and the location. Beautiful inside and comfortable seats. I think the size of this place was perfect no matter where you were sitting. read more

Nice concert venue. Went here for Second Glass Wine Riot convention. I'd definitely return to attend a show.

Saw Death Cab for Cutie here last year. They were pretty sweet. Sound could have been better though.

My high school graduation was at DAR. I've also seen shows like the Black Keys here, bands that are not quite big enough to play the Verizon Center, but are too big for the 9:30 club, or folks like Sting, Bruce and Paul Simon who could play somewhere bigger but are looking for a more intimate venue. While it is better than Verizon center, DAR is still not a good concert venue. The main problem is that the sound is horrible. It's just a cavernous space with muddled sound and weird echos, it's rare that I want to go here. read more

This is a lovely venue. I flew out to see my favorite band perform here in 1998 and still consider it to be one of the best shows ever. This is a really intimate venue without a bad seat in the house. The sound was good, the staff was good and the building itself is gorgeous. read more

Not in good shape, and was really DIRTY when I went to see Mike Epps last week. Parking isn't good at all! Decent show though! I had really good seats! read more

My friends treated me to Shaq's All Star Comedy tour for my birthday. The whole experience was great. No wait to get in, helpful staff, no wait at the bathrooms. Everything seemed to run efficiently here. And the show was great! read more

Went here for a formal event and it was clean and easy to get to. The police escort didn't hurt.

Great venue for the Russell Peters Stand-up comedy show. Very intimate and somewhat similar to an opera house layout. Affinion Crocket was a great front act and built up the hype before Russell came out at 8:30p. Place was easy to find, at the D St. across the Elllipse 17th St side. Did not park on the streets but could have. Opted to park in a garage to be on the safe side. A good 3 blocks walk and did not get jammed when the show ended which surely took those who parked around a good amount of time to exit the surrounding streets. Sound system and huge video screens were good contrary to some other reviews. DJ spinbad was also on stage to provide the mix. Great place and show and will definitely worth going for any event. read more