After writing my concerns below, Pros contacted me vie email. They said they have to buy the tickets several months in advance and assume the risk of not being able to fill all the slots. The park quickly sells out all its tickets to this event in advance. They readily offered my money back. During prompt email exchanges with them, based on my needs, they even suggested I try their competitor, Meetup and they provided me good guidance on which events of Pros would be best for me. They were honest about marking up the price, since this is what the market will bear, and they were straight forward, no pressure and prompt. For this I give them 5 stars and I plan to attend their moonlight event at the national arboretum. In case any men are lurking, I am an active 53 year old physicist, sailed an awesome laser regatta this weekend...okay I capsized in the high winds on Saturaday but got a 5, 3, 4 (out of 22) on Sunday beating some of the top men around and I love to ballroom dance (yes, I joyfully let the guy lead). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- posted earlier I am attending the moon light tour of the National Arboretum with Pros this Friday. The normal cost of this tour is $22 per person by the Nat Arb and $550 for a private tour of 25. Pros is making at least $17 per person on this event. This is okay if they are providing something other than a web page to sign up for something. I have seen other dating services do this. That is, they see an event open to the public in town and offer it as their own with a higher fee. I do not begrudge them making a profit if they are providing a service worth $17 per person. Also, the reviews on Yelp, go from 5 star to zero star with nothing inbetween. That seems suspicious. I have been leary to try the speed dating because I do like whistles and bells going off every 3 minutes. I found another site Speeddating DC which offers upscale venues and a saner meeting arrangements of only 10 or so people at your pace. I would go there but they only cater to 45 olds and under. I am giving this event 2 stars and will update it after this Friday based on how well Pros in the City spends the additional $17 per person. If they are trolling this site I hope they see that I expect to have a good time but think I should understand exactly what I am getting for my money. read more

I have been to a number of their speed datings over the past year. This group hosts speed datings every day, and has pretty much cornered the speed dating market in DC. They advertise many of their events as "more men needed" but their ratios are usually pretty close. Sometimes there are a few extra women and sometimes there are a few extra men. I actually prefer when there are a few extra women because I enjoy the breaks. Their weekend events and their events based on age that I attended have gotten 50 or 60 people at them. But I once went to a pet lovers dating on a Tuesday, and that had only about 25 people at it. So these seem to vary in size based on the day of the week and the theme. I judge these events based on the best person I meet, not the worst. Using that as my criteria, these events are great. Every time I go, it is a different group of people, which gives each event a completely different feel. Sometimes I end up going on subsequent dates with 2 or 3 different guys. Other times, I end up not going out with anybody. But I would say that anybody with reasonable social skills who goes to a few of these is going to meet somebody they like. In the interest of full disclosure, there are always at least 2 or 3 guys there that I would not ever be interested in. They are nice enough guys, but they are just guys that I would not ever be attracted to. I usually just talk to these guys about their work, so they are more likely to feel a romantic connection with some of the other women. What these events provide is the opportunity to make a connection with somebody. What somebody does once given that opportunity is up to themselves. It is probably not going to happen by going to just one event, but if you go to a few of these you are likely to meet somebody you like here much quicker than you would through bars or online dating. The events are well run. They usually have 3 or 4 staff there, and the owner is always present. Their online follow up system is great because it enables people to be able to contact each other after the event without you having to tell anybody your last name or email address. Thirty dollars is a lot for an event, some of their events get loud or crowded, some of their venues charge a lot for drinks, and some of their events can be difficult to find parking for. But if you are single, I recommend trying them out. read more

I am newly single, and like most people right out of a long-term relationship, I am trying to redefine myself and make new friends/connections that aren't connected to my ex in some way. I wasn't exactly sure how to go about this. Some of my friends told me to try internet dating sites and friend finders, but I am very weary of that. I don't like not being able to see the person I am talking to and trying to form a relationship with. So, the only other possibility I could think of was attending social networking events, which is how I found Professionals in the City. It was just a broad web search for social networking events in DC that I performed and their site popped up, so I checked it out. There were so many different types of events. They ranged from group vacations to cooking classes. I was a little overwhelmed and nervous, since I would be going alone. But I figured there was no big loss in trying it once- I could always leave if i felt really uncomfortable. I ended up going to one of their speed dating events for travel lovers. I figured that was a good fit for me, since I love to travel and wouldn't mind meeting people who shared the same interests as me. When I got to the event I was so surprised at how welcoming the staff was and how comfortable they made me feel due to the organization of the whole thing. There was a really good mix of men to women, and I actually made some new friends! I didn't meet the "one" at the event or anything, but I had great conversation and had a few outings that resulted from my attendance! All in all, it was a fun experience and helped me to meet new people! I definitely recommend Professionals in the City to others, it's a little scary at first to walk in not knowing anyone, but the staff help to ease the nerves! I didn't know much about them and I was weary at first, but I'm so happy I went outside of my comfort zone and tried one of their events. I plan on trying out some of the other events that they offer, since this experience went so well. So, we'll see how those go! read more

I met my husband at a Professionals in the City Speed Dating event. I think everyone gets to a point in their lives when they are just ready to meet that certain someone. I had been single for over a year and was not meeting anyone. I had tried a few singles groups and was repeatedly disappointed, so I was reluctant to try this group. This group hosted a "bring a friend" speed dating event that a friend of mine wanted to check out, so I reluctantly agreed to go. The event was NOTHING like what I expected. Everybody was friendly and normal. The event was really fun. I ended up going to a number of events over the next several months. The events were all extremely well run and professional. Every event I attended had a completely different batch of people at it. I met a lot of great people, including what are now some of my closest girlfriends. I am pretty picky about who I date, so sometimes I would go on a date with somebody from an event and other times I would not. However, every event had at least some men at it that I would consider dating. That was definitely NOT the case with other groups. On July 18, 2008, I met Tom at a Four Minute Dating event. He had been to a number of Professionals in the City events, too, but we had never met before. He is everything I ever wanted. On August 8, 2009, we were married. I can't imagine my life without Tom and I realize how lucky we are. I am very grateful to Professionals in the City for bringing us together. If its events were not fun, I would not have continued going and I never would have met Tom. I highly recommend this group. read more

I attended a speed dating event for singles in their 20s and 30s hosted by Professionals in the City recently and had an amazing time! The event was very well organized and I really enjoyed the setup that was used to mix the participants. Normally I am not one to participate in such events, but a friend of mine had recommended that I try it out after telling me about the great experience he had, and the girl he met. So I decided to try it out, and I was not disappointed. A lot of times with these sort of events you find yourself with that "weird" crowd, and honestly I had my doubts going into this event. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised with a varied, cultured and classy group of people, and I was able to meet a number of attractive, smart and fun women, who I felt I really connected with in a short amount of time. What I think really separates Professionals in The City from other similar services is their desire to offer a large variety of events with different common interests to ensure that participants will be able to connect. I really appreciate that aspect of their service. In addition to that, you can find a dating event for just about any activity from salsa dancing to cooking classes, so there is something for everyone. Furthermore, all of my interactions with the staff were delightful. Everyone was very polite and helpful, making sure that I was comfortable and attended to at all times. All things considered, Professionals in the City is a great way to meet someone that shares your interests in a well organized, friendly environment! read more

I attended a speed dating event with this company a few months back. If you are looking for something new and different to do I would say go for it. I have been dating for a while and I was tired of the same routine. I signed up for a speed dating event with this company on a whim. I saw a living social deal for half off so it was a really great deal! (I have a bit of an addiction to living social/groupon). I would suggest looking at all the events they have to offer before you pick an event to sign up. They do speed dating events for different age groups, religions, and even career/interest. Age range is an important factor to me so I signed up for the speed dating for woman in their late 20's / early 30's. They have other events as well but my living social was for speed dating so that is what I signed up for. I thought the event was organized. There was a good mix of guys for me to talk to. It was surprisingly relaxed. Much less pressure than a blind date or meeting someone from online! The process of signing up was also really easy. The staff at the event was friendly. I am an avid googler and after I purchased the living social deal I looked up the reviews. I was a little worried about all the negative comments I saw but I figured one evening out was worth the risk, plus I had already paid for it. My only thought is a lot of the reviews were over a year old. I cannot speak to the experience of anyone else with these events but maybe the company has improved since then! read more

Don't be afraid.. I am a professional poker player so sitting at a table all night is not the most conducive job to finding quality women. I signed up for their mailing list and got a ton of great advice about where to meet quality people with lots of helpful hints. I highly recommend signing up for their mailing list. Tons of great places to go for singles events and all kinds of useful advice. My only problem was I still did not get off my butt and go to many of the places they suggested. So I tried the speed dating night. WOW! I don't know if such beautiful and intelligent women show up all the time or they all happen to be at my event. But when I first walked in I thought I must be in the wrong place. I literally have never seen so many beautiful people in one spot. What the heck was I doing here? But I think one of the advantages of being a man is it is okay if we are ugly. I am not the most attractive person on the planet,, but my mom still loves me. I actually connected with one very successful business woman and we have been going out for a few months now. How could a top CFO fall for a guy like me? I don't know but Professionals in the City made the connection. I can not believe how lucky I am. Things are going great and I just wanted to take the time to say thank you for all your company is doing for single people that don't have time to really go out and meet people. Keep up the good work. read more

A friend and I attended this group's 20 questions speed dating. We actually got about 30 questions in all because we had about 30 rotations of 3 minutes each. The "20 questions" part is that the guy leading the event announced a different question at the beginning of each of the rotations. My favorite questions were: Who is somebody famous that you want to meet? Do you believe that ghosts exist? What was your first childhood memory? Despite the brevity of each rotation, I had a number of interesting conversations and a lot of fun. Both the quality and the quantity of people were impressive, and the questions were good icebreakers. The attendee names at check-in are organized by first name, so if you go by a different name than your legal first name they might have some trouble finding your name on the attendee list. They had some trouble finding my name because of this, but they resolved the matter quickly and they were friendly about it. Also, the room was darker than I would have liked, which made it difficult to take legible notes on the sheets that they gave us. Besides that, everything went smoothly. The crowd was attractive and intelligent, it was a well-organized event, and many people remained after the dating portion of the event to continue our conversations. I definitely recommend this group to people looking for alternatives to the bar scene and to online dating. read more

Professionals in the City was a good experience for speed dating. They were well organized and friendly, and they got a good crowd. I signed up online for their speed dating. Their website is easy to use. I immediately received an automated email confirmation that enabled me to upload an optional photo an optional description of myself. Their system does not let you see who the other attendees are at the event until after the event but you can upload any information you want about yourself before the event. On the day of the event, the group was easy to find and sign in was quick. They had us mix informally for about 20 minutes as they waited for everybody to arrive. Then they gave each person a sheet for taking notes, and they went over how the process works. It was hard to hear all the instructions, but the instructions were also printed on the notes sheet they gave each person. At the event, there were about 40 people present, so there were about 20 rotations. The dating portion of the evening took about 80 minutes. Definitely use the bathroom before the dating starts because there are no breaks once you start. Afterwards, a lot of us stayed longer and continued mingling. I went in expecting the worst, but it was actually a really good group of people. I would definitely recommend this company for speed dating. I had a lot of fun and would do it again. read more

I had a great first time experience with these people. I was fed up of going out every weekend with my friends with the hope that i would meet a nice guy. I got talking to a co worker, as we girls do, about relationships and she told me to take a look at prosinthecity as she had heard great things about it from her friends. So like anything in life, if you want something, you got to go get it yourself. I wanted to meet a nice, intelligent, handsome guy. I booked the next speed dating event on the calendar (i knew the longer i left it, the more nervous i would get ^^). There were plenty of nice guys to chat to and flirt at the speed dating event I went to here in DC. Everyone was so nice, and I was surprised how relaxed and fun speed dating can be, I was nervous at first but soon I realized that all of the people here were looking for exactly the same thing as me so it actually helped the situation and we all didn't have to guess whether we had a girlfriend or boyfriend everyone knew that everyone else was single, it was great. The people at prosinthecity put on a wonderful event for us and i will be coming along to some more of their events next month, hope to see you there :) read more

A night on the town is always fun, but when your in a city that you may not know its always to check out yelp and i guess reading the reviews about this place, i knew that yelpers couldn't be wrong! The other night, my group of friends like seven guys and girls had an amazing time. THIS PLACE ROCKS!! We all had a freaking blast!! I thought there would be issues with overcrowding and very old crowd, but that wasn't to be at all. We got there around 10ish and we all just hung out. The facilities were great and not overcrowded at all as i thought they could have been. We all were able to get around and go to each of the rooms and they all clean and popping. The restrooms are incredibly clean and the service there is awesome!! We all had lots of fun, they have so many options and the drinks were very easily accessible! I loved the great music & totally danced my heart out! Can't wait to have this much fun again!! Thanks! This totally made our trip to DC. read more

This is the best group in Washington, DC for meeting new people. This is also the largest and most active group in Washington, DC. They host events every day. Their best events are their speed dating events for singles, their Janine Driver seminars, their summer jazz events, and their Roberto Donna cooking classes. They get a completely different crowd each day, which gives each event a different feel. Their events that I avoid are the ones that don't have much of a social element, like their theater tickets. If you are just going to watch a show and there is no social element involved, I just don't see the purpose in going with a large group. Everyone is very friendly. Michael, who founded the group, is frequently personally at events and has a way of introducing people around and making all feel welcome. It is a fun bunch of people and a great opportunity to meet new friends. If I could give this group six stars, I would... read more

It is so hard to meet a bunch of single these days without going to lots of bars, clubs and trying to find someone that matches your professional interests. I lived in DC for 6 months and never came close to meeting this many amazing single women in one place! The couple times I went to the speed dating event held by Professionals in the City there were almost 100 people there. I got to meet some amazingly beautiful women that I will most likely have a lifelong friendship with. I wasn't ready for the long term commitment but this speed dating service was exactly what I needed to run into like minded people and have a whole lot of fun doing it. I was worried about the whole speed dating thing, sounds kinday wonky. But I'm soooo glad I tried it out. This is definitely something I will be doing again. Thanks a lot for a great event you guys! Couldn't have been better. Please send me notifications for the next event!!! read more

My gfs and I checked out this place about a week ago for the New Years eve party and It was probably one of the best parties I have ever been to. It has a great group of people, all very positive people. I'm still shocked by all the good looking people with personality I met here. The place is really nice as well, i remember getting lost in all the multiple rooms they have each with its own different kinds of music. The DJs were great in each room, now that I think about it, there wasn't one bad room the either place.. The drinks were crazy and everyone from the guys at the door to the bartender knew everyone was out to mingle and have fun. The service they have is probably what made this place over the top!! Professionals knows how to keep the party going. This was the second year that I attended this party and it is totally worth it. I can't wait til next years, but i'll be checking then out hopefully this weekend!! read more

I travel through DC quite a bit and look for easy ways to mix and mingle with others from the area. I came across Professionals in the City by a good friend who lives in the city and recommended that I go to one of their events. I recently participated in their 4th of July Extravaganza to mingle and catch the fireworks display from a cruise boat. We lined up and made our way onto the boat to check in and were greeted with the friendly staff for the evening. Everyone there was very organized and move us along to each station smoothly. We all got our drinks in a rather timely manner and the short time in line allowed us a chance to mingle with those around us. The rest of the night was a blast and we met a lot of great people over the course of the evening. A great time had by all and a perfect way to spend this year's Independence Day! Look forward to the next event when I'm back in DC. read more

I went to their speed dating event this past Sunday night. I loved the event and had a blast. Their online message system after the event is easy to use. In addition to sending people messages, their system also lets people post pictures themselves and short profiles. This is a nice plus because it makes easier to remember who you met and what you talked about. The only thing I think could be improved would be if they gave out pre-printed sheets at the event with everyone's name and dating number already on it. Since its such a fast-paced event to begin with, any time they could save us at the event would be great. That said, I thought it was great fun and would do another one for sure!! The folks who ran the event were friendly and courteous. The variety and quality of the daters was excellent. I'm sorry I wasted $250 on e-Harmony last year. This is much more fun and interactive. read more

Let me say first that I've never been to a speed dating service before this one. So going into this, I had no idea what to expect. I was a little nervous but I figured I'd give it a go. When you travel as much as I do, it can be hard to find things to do. I went to the event at K Street lounge. I was a little "fashionably late," which turned out to be fine. There were plenty of people already socializing when I got there and it made it easy to jump right in. The venue was really nice, an excellent choice with great ambiance. Loved the couches and the high ceilings made for a very open atmosphere. You may not meet the person of your dreams on the first try, but contrary to what you may think, real, successful people go to these things looking to have fun and meet other professionals. All in all, I'll definitely be attending another event when I get back to the DC area. read more

I've attended many events through this group. I've also been to events with other groups. This group's events are far superior to anything else out there. The crowd here is professionals. The turnouts are large. The events are well organized, and this group does what it promises. Singles' events are inherently hit and miss. The quality boils down to what particular men and women happen to be there that day. The one time that I went to an event with this group that had a small turnout was on a Monday, so I would probably avoid going on a Monday again. I am pretty picky, so I prefer having a lot of people to choose from. I have had the most success with this group's weekend speed dating events and with its events that focus on certain age ranges. Overall, if you want to meet a lot of people in a short time, I definitely recommend this group. read more

I've been to a their speed datings at K Street Lounge and at Zen Bistro. They got about 70 people at K Street Lounge and about 40 people at Zen Bistro. Both are good venues for speed dating, although the two places are very different. K Street Lounge is a very large space with high ceilings. However, drinks can be on the pricey side. Zen Bistro has nice character to it and good drink prices, but it is definitely smaller than K Street Lounge. These are fun events. Don't go with the expectation of meeting the person of your dreams. Rather, go with the expectation of meeting fun people, and you won't be disappointed. I had about a 20% match rate at each event, and I matched with some really good people. I've been only to Professionals in the City's speed datings, so I can't comment on their other events, but I highly recommend their speed datings. read more