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.

Was here this past weekend and watched JVB and Joshua Raw. The venue was great and staff here very…read morefriendly. I got my husband a tea and his brother and espresso shot and spent less than $5. For DC idk how that was even possible. Crowd is dependent on the show but I was upstairs cuz im an old lady and can't stand anymore.

Malik took care of us! The jerk chicken is. If you can't take the heat..... I don't know what to…read moretell ya

The live music scene was impressive. We saw Billy the Kid and the Regulators and that band packed…read morethe house. I recommend getting there early and going to the second floor bc they put the tables up at 10 and it's standing room only. In other words - very difficult to get your drinks. The bathroom was pretty grubby... Overall- a cool, live music spot.

not my first Black Cat rodeo, but first time going to an internally organized event rather than a…read moreshow. Depeche Mode dance party was so sick, so fun, honestly just what i needed. trad goth prom almost? many oldheads (og DM fans perhaps?) groovin, the ambience was perfect to relax and just boogie like you do in your bedroom. thank you Black Cat, please do a Joy Division/New Order night next !!

Black Cat is a nice intimate venue that features more indie and local talent. I came here for a…read moreseated concert (seats were first come, first serve), but it's typically standing room only. The acoustics were great! IDs were checked at the door prior to entering. I had a small bag and it was allowed into the venue after a quick bag check. I bought a last minute ticket at the door and they stamped my hand for entry. The main stage is on the upper level. I took the stairs (not sure if there's a public elevator) and as I headed up, there were signs stating "no stage diving or crowdsurfing"... this ain't the Fillmore! I didn't really explore the facilities or check out the restrooms, since I beelined to grab a good seat, but the checkered floor certainly gives the venue some character and makes it memorable. While a seated event isn't typical at this venue, the seats were basic folding chairs and tightly packed next to each other (I definitely rubbed shoulders with the people next to me). But overall, this is a great venue to see a show! Pros: - Intimate venue (no screens necessary) - Not overcrowded - Can buy tickets online in advance or at the box office in cash to avoid fees - Metro accessible (walkable from U Street Metro Station) Cons: - Limited box office hours (only open when they have shows) - Show start times aren't posted until a few hours before doors open (not good for planning purposes). Doors/show times are posted on their X (formerly Twitter) account

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.

Came here for a new event called Vinyl Revival. The concept was an album listening party and panel…read morediscussion for Lauryn Hill's album. This was my first time attending an event here. The ticket purchasing process wasn't user friendly. It was difficult to navigate and figure out how to select premium ticket options. They provided free drink tokens to select attendees so some of my friends in our group of 5 received them and some didn't. The space has a nice set up for smaller scale ans intimate events. They have a full bar a a small food menu. The sound in the space made it difficult to hear audience members at times and the format made it feel.lilw things were dragging. I enjoyed the concept but would love to see a few tweaks for improvement.

Got the crab cakes; food was okay, but the venue itself really stole the show! Honestly, it's…read moreprobably my favorite concert venue I've ever been to. The space feels so intimate, which makes the whole experience more personal and memorable compared to larger, more crowded venues. The atmosphere was great from start to finish, and everything felt well-organized. The service was also a highlight, our server was incredibly sweet, attentive, and made us feel really comfortable throughout the night. Even though the food was just alright, the overall experience more than made up for it. Between the vibe, the quality of the show, and the excellent service, it's definitely a place I'd come back to again and recommend to others looking for a unique night out/date night!

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!

I tried the Hamilton for the first time on a Saturday night around midnight, on the weekend of the…read moreUS's 250th birthday celebration. Despite this and the crowded bar area, my party of 3 was still seated immediately at a booth in one of the many dining rooms. The atmosphere was both lively at the bar area and calm in the dining areas. Despite how fancy and old-timey the building is, it seems like the vibe is casual. Our attentive waiter informed us that the kitchen closed at 12:30am, so we ordered quickly. I got the: Hamilton burger 4/5 sunny-side up egg, bacon, b&b pickles, tilamook cheddar, dijionaise, house-made brioche bun This tall burger had a thick, juicy patty that paired so well with the egg, bacon, and cheese. I opted to remove the pickles. Considering it was served with fries, this was a reasonably priced meal for a popular destination in the city. BIRD IS THE WORD 4/5 planteray '3 star' rum, smith + cross jamaican rum, daytrip strawberry amaro, demerara, pineapple, lime Sweet, fruity, refreshing cocktail! Nothing to write home about but was indeed a delicious experience.

This was always my go to when I lived in DC and where I would send friends visiting…read more Sadly it isn't as good anymore. They used to bring complimentary bread with a delicious salty butter but they now charge $9 for that. They used to have a great happy hour for drinks and bites but now they only offer $5 off select sushi rolls during HH. The selection is kind of blah now, there wasn't much that stood out for me to order. The kids meals were also mediocre, especially the pizza.

I had a lovely time at the Birchmere. It's such a quaint venue. I love that they have a lounge that…read moreincludes a bar area outside the main theater for those that arrive early. I don't mind the community seating, but I do prefer assigned seats. It would be nice if they sold seats based on the location of the table. A lot of people don't have time to get there 2 hours before a show to get a ticket number. Especially for a show on a weekday. The parking was full when I arrived at 7:15 for a 7:30 show. However, they conveniently provided extra parking across the street at St. Rita's. The sound was great. Jeffrey Osborne sounded amazing. He even walked through the theater a couple of times. It was a good time. I didn't try the food, but people seemed to enjoy it. My table had chicken fingers and the wing baskets. They said it was good. Overall, I would recommend this venue for an intimate experience. It's a bit dated but that adds to the charm.

I have been going to the Birchmere for decades. The food is much improved. Really decent portions…read moreof house made comfort foods. The service is usually excellent. Look around at the core of servers, food runners and happy people. The beer list is outstanding. The entertainment is always good-sometimes AMAZING. Robert Cray, Trombone Shorty, Keb Mo, Taj Mahal et Al. Get there early, get a number and you may very well be literally Front Row! Only buy tickets at the venue. Ticketmaster is the only safe option. But I believe in supporting venues not thieving mega corporate bandits.

Came here for a show and really enjoyed it. Service was friendly and nice. Production on stage was…read moreawesome. I stood in the ga section which was easy for me. Drinks are good but prices are high. It's probably my favorite venue in town.

Came to The Anthem to see Martin Garrix, and it ended up being one of the better concert venues…read moreI've been to. The venue has multiple floors and several bars, which helps a lot with crowd flow and keeps drink lines manageable. The bathrooms were also cleaner than I expected for a packed show. One of the biggest perks is how accessible the venue is, it's just a short walk from the metro, making it easy to get to and from the event. The sound system was great, and the lighting and production were exactly what you'd want for an EDM show. My only complaint is that ticket prices can be a bit steep, but overall I'd say The Anthem is one of the better live music venues in DC, especially if you're into electronic music. I'd definitely come back for another show.