Wow I can't even count the number of shows I've seen here in my lifetime. As I'm originally from…read morePittsburgh, it was nothing to make the drive to catch some of our favorite bands performing. This old school punk venue has been around since the early 80s and I started seeing shows here in my late teens. The history behind this place is just mind-blowing and incredible. To me it's one of the best places to see a live band. The sound is spot on. I've seen Fugazi (sadly never got to see Minor Threat), Bad Brains, and several other bands here. Iconic and legendary venue... for music lovers it's a must at least once to see a performance here.

Solid concert venue in a convenient location in DC. Parking is available on surrounding streets if…read moreyou arrive early enough. You can also pay for a parking pass through their website but the lot only opens up an hour beforehand so be sure to plan your evening with that in mind. We ended up parking on the street for only $3 since we arrived early to grab dinner nearby. The entry line was super long and literally went around the block but it moved surprisingly fast. Staff was friendly and helpful at the door. The inside was dark when we arrived and it would've been nice to have some house lights so people could find their way around the venue a little easier. The AC was cranking and the temp was comfortable. Upstairs has standing room and some bleachers which provides a good view with less of a crowd. Their VIP area looks nice and I'd be interested in splurging next time for a seat and a better view. There's bars downstairs and upstairs and even some food concessions. Getting out of the venue from the balcony was a bit stressful with only one way out. It makes you imagine what would happen if you needed to get out in a rush... other than that, it's a good space.

Came here to watch a concert. My friend had bought tickets. We realized that we were there the…read morewrong day but decided to stay. The band was great. The service efficient. Very casual venue- everyone standing and in jeans. I particularly liked the size of the venue.

This is the place great bar has all of the cool bands, super friendly people and when I didn't…read morebring cash the bartender said no problem and give me a drink for free. I made sure to pay them next time I came in, but they were super chill about it and that's how you know you're in a good spot.

My friend and I were ready to wind down for the night, so we stopped by The Hamilton for cocktails…read moreand dessert. And let me tell you, I LOVED the ambiance! The rich woodwork and high ceilings give the place such a beautiful, classic feel. We ordered the chocolate mousse, which was light and came with plenty of whipped cream. My friend got the pumpkin cake, which was apparently so good he barely left me a bite! I also tried the Honeymoon Phase cocktail, and it was quite a nice pour. Our bartender was awesome. Verdict: A lovely spot to end the evening with dessert, cocktails, and a beautiful atmosphere. I especially enjoyed the interior! I'd definitely come back to try more food!

For starters! I needed to move my reservation and called- spoke to Nicole. She was SO sweet. I…read morecould literally hear her smiling through the phone while assisting me. She changed the reservation, added a birthday note, and wished my boyfriend a Happy Birthday. I later had the pleasure of meeting Raven Jones! The "hostest with the mostest". Raven was funny, kind, helpful, and friendly! Gave us a great seat and wished us a good evening and him a happy birthday. Our server was Aaron. Aaron did his job- nothing beyond that and nothing memorable- just his job and that's fine. My only issue with the evening is Aaron did nothing to acknowledge the reason we came to The Hamilton. I thought- well we changed the time of our reservation so he didn't know? I shared the information with another server privately to inform Aaron and watched the server tell Aaron the news and surprisingly- Aaron still did nothing.. not even say "Happy Birthday". I was a bit disappointed by this. We closed up and carried on with our evening. The food was exceptional and the service was FAST! We enjoyed the evening overall and I'm happy I chose this location.

Now that I am no longer in college, I am really starting to see the Anthem in a new light:…read more + Friendly staff that takes security seriously + Large open and clean space with plenty of room to spread out + Easily accessible: Standing room, chairs, bathrooms, parking lot. It has it all! + Great food and drink options...including a late night coffee bar + Flexibility: Goes from comedy show to concert to charity event easily. + Beautiful: A little gritty and a little modern. State of the art sound system. Location can't be beat! This truly is a special place in DC

The efficiency of this place! The lines moved fast at every point--to get inside, to buy merch, to…read moreorder drinks. The staff know exactly what they're doing. Bathrooms were spacious and clean, and there are elevators to all three floors. The venue is big, and there is GA standing space on all 3 levels, but I wish it was more clearly marked. It does seem worth it to buy seats for a guaranteed view. Warning for sensitive ears that it is LOUD. They were handing out earplugs at the guest services table inside the main doors.

4.5 stars. Overall,…read morethis is a really great place to see a show. I came to see Flawed Mangoes and for the most part it was a great time. The venue is like a really clean dive bar that hosts live music. The staff were all very polite and incredibly welcoming. To be situated at the Wharf, the food and beverages were surprisingly affordable... at least by DC standards. The general admission tickets are for standing only. I paid for premium seating and got, well... an actual seat. Unfortunately, this is where I ran into issues. I really wish that Union Stage would offer more smaller tables (1-2 tops) because I had the unfortunate experience of being forced to involuntarily third-wheel some random couple's date night. As someone who frequently attends concerts alone, I hate communal seating. If I'm paying extra for a seat, I don't want to spend the evening sharing a table with strangers. In this case, the couple who joined me at my table spent much of the show carrying on conversations, using flash photography despite it being prohibited, and generally making themselves unwelcome part of my concert experience. It was distracting, annoying, and made it difficult to fully enjoy the performance. Adding more 1-2 top tables for solo concertgoers or couples would significantly improve the premium seating experience by giving people the option to enjoy the show uninterrupted and with the company they actually chose (and paid!) to spend the evening with. It's also worth noting that there is no wait staff to serve you at the tables. So if you grab a seat at a table, make sure you have something to put on the table to indicate that it is occupied. There are QR codes on the table where you can order and pay, but you still have to go to the floor to pick up your food. I got a half cheese pizza and an Aperol Spritz. The pizza was good by dive bar standards. Nothing special about it, but it hit the spot. The Aperol Spritz was also surprisingly good. The sound system is great. However, we need to talk about the lighting situation. I'm not sure if this is how Union Stage typically operates or if this is something that can be attributed to the artist, but the lighting choices for this concert were overwhelming. I've been to dozens of concerts over the course of my life, but I've never had spotlights that repeatedly point directly into the audience, but that was my experience throughout this entire show. I had to put on my sunglasses in this dark venue to keep myself from being quite literally blinded by the light. The background lights and everything were fine, but repeatedly shining spotlights into the crowd was not a good choice. The most expensive part of this night, by far, was the parking, which is not the fault of the venue. I paid $38 to park for 4 hours, but fortunately it was a very short walk to the venue. There are multiple parking garages as well as an extremely limited amount of street parking near this venue. The garage was the only feasible option that evening since so many people were out for the concert, viewing the World Cup, as well as attending events at other bars and restaurants in the general area. All told, I had a really great time at Union Stage. While I hate traveling into DC and I'm not keen on spending $40 on parking, if there's another artist performing at this venue that I want to see, I would definitely come back.

It's a solid venue for smaller artists Id say a few things hold it back. 1 ticket check is at the…read morebottom of a long stairwell in the basement it should be at the top it would cut down congestion especially since food is run down the same stairwell. 2. The sound system probably needs an upgrade prior to artist coming on stage the music being played was not really audible and didn't carry any thing to the crowd. The merch table being by the entrance caused more congestion. 3. For the seated area unlike what's displayed on the ticket sites they are in the back not the front not a big deal I prefer standing but could disappoint those who pay the premium price for those. Staff are really nice and friendly and prices are more then fair on drinks and food.

Awesome room with great acoustics. The band we saw was incredible!! Didn't have any food but the…read moreservice was spot on. The wine we had was low quality but it didn't matter because the experience was so great!! Check this place out.

Blues Alley has maintained their street cred after all these years as being one of the best places…read morein town to catch a live jazz performance. I enjoyed the crab cake with a Caesar salad. The cocktails were veteran made and solid. The dining room is intimate, adding to the connection of the artists and the show. Deborah Bond dropped her new album Amber Dust, a true R&B artist keeping the tradition of the music well and alive. She hosted a listening party show with a customized cocktail menu with drinks named after her latest album! The show was amazing and the sound was clear. Although the menu is a bit limited I enjoyed my crab cakes, which had no filler. Oh and be sure to save yourself time and park in the parking garage across from the alley. This is an amazing little space with big names. Every time I've come here I've always met with the artists after the show. So if you're a super fan and your favorite artist is performing here, GO!

Definitely a fun spot for an intimate concert experience. I have been here a couple times for…read moreEDM-type performances. Some really great artists come through this spot. I saw Krewella and Vicetone. Much more low-key than EchoStage or the Anthem but totally fun in its own way. Specific takeaways: - Location: Very convenient, accessible by car, foot, taxi, metro-- right in the Dupont area. - Layout: Get super up close to the performers-- it almost feels like you are partying with the folks on stage. - Music: Great sound quality, both for live sets with instruments or electro mixes. There are less lights or lasers/visuals than other venues just because of the small space, but still a great environment for a show - Prices: Extremely affordable ticket prices - Wait: Almost no wait times-- they get folks in and out very quickly - Audience: FOr the concerts I attened, pretty young. Probably 21-35ish, with most people in their early 20s. People are a bit more chill than at Echostage, where there is a lot of pushing. There were several mosh pits breaking out at the Soudcheck concerts I attended though, if that is your thing. - Drinks: Good drinks, without too much of a wait, can be a little pricey, but that's really just DC for ya -Space: Can be a bit tight of a squeeze for more popular shows

I've seen a few DJ's here and it's always a vibe. It's a pretty small venue which is nice.read more

I like this place! Went to see Holy Wave on a random weekday. The food was good, the bartenders and…read morewaitstaff were cool. I'd definitely come back. Fries, 1 chicken & 1 cheeseburger slider, and the Pearl Street Lite Lager hit the spot! There's indoor/outdoor seating, standing area right in front of the stage, and blocked off restaurant style seating in the back of the venue. It's small and perfect for bands with a niche crowd. It feels a little divey without being dark, dirty, or grungy. The show started at 8pm and the band performed for about an hour and a half. Perfect plan if you want to hang out during a work night! I tried to find parking along the street, but I ended up biting the bullet and went to a garage nearby. It was worth it; ran me about $25.

I didn't even know this place was here! I thought the waterfront only had The Anthem. Neat! My…read moregirlfriend invited me to a concert here -- they're a restaurant and bar as well, but I was only there for the show. Not sure how the shows affect regular patrons, but I showed up about a half hour before the show started. I showed my ID and ticket to the host, and went on inside. The venue is nice -- and the stage area is fairly small. There are several tables that can be reserved as well, but they're behind the standing area, so it might be tough to see the stage if there are any tall people. We enjoyed the show and I thought the sound system was good. There was no barrier between the people and the stage, so it felt intimate and I would go back. I need to try their food and drinks!

Is it a nice venue? Yup! Not super cozy, but surprisingly intimate when the music starts. I found…read morethe interactions with the performers one of the highlights. And you will definitely have a seat. Will it be a good seat? That's another matter altogether. Frankly, I found the way The Birchmere's ticketing system works super confusing and not all that intuitive. If you're in-the-know, you'll get a great seat. If you're coming from out-of-town without any familiarity of the system or show up late, you may be hosed. And the staff, frankly, aren't very helpful in illuminating what all you need to do, even when pressed. I guess that's because just about anyone new won't know, and so will likely pester them with the same questions. And this happens over and over, day after day. I get their impatience. So, why not just print up a flyer, posted to their website, that says what the steps are? Barring that, let me help you be in-the-know. Here's what you need to do: 1. Buy your ticket, preferably in advance. You can pick up the ticket at will-call day of. That won't be a problem. 2. Arrive before 5 to get your chit. This established your place in line. It's open seating, so the lower your number, the better your potential seat will be. 3. Come back promptly at 6 (or just hang out and have a drink until 6). They'll start calling numbers at 6. 4. Grab seats at a table which you think will give you the best vantage if the stage. 5. Since you have 1.5 hours to kill, grab some food. (Clearly, they expect you to have dinner here.) Or grab a drink and nurse it for a while. Order another before the show. There. It may lead to a better experience at the venue. I would've given The Birchmere 5 stars if it weren't for the confusing ticketing system. I really did like the venue, and now that I'm familiar with their arcane ticketing and entry process, my next visit (and there *will* be a next visit, since I already have the tickets!) will be oh so much better. I hope that yours is too. :)

The parking is free here. Don't let third party vendors convince you otherwise…read more The first come first serve means get here before the doors open. Other reviews explained this very clearly. Obtain your table number by getting there super early, so that you can be near the stage for better eye view, otherwise there is a strain to see. While I like this venue and that there are seats with tables, It was a bit tight, which is to be expected for a concert type venue trying to squeeze everyone in. Although I wasn't close to the stage I had a few decent views of the artist. Raheem was extremely entertaining and he walked around the venue towards our table. Overall a decent first time experience. The quality of the live performance was really nice and his mic was on! I say, stick with the dry red wines! The processco I was given tasted flat. Perhaps it was expired.