Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Guide to Washington, D.C.
by Jeff Berns
Introduction
Washington, D.C, is home to a vibrant and active (and activist) lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered community. You will find many LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly restaurants, shops, and nightlife within a few blocks of the Convention Center in the neighborhoods of Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Shaw and U Street. The guide below directs you to some of the online and print LGBT travel guides and directories available and gives a run-down on some of the places to visit in the neighborhoods surrounding the Convention Center and on Capitol Hill.
For further reading on the history of LGBT Washington, see Frank Muzzy, Gay and Lesbian Washington, D.C., Arcadia Pub., 2005 (ISBN 0-7385-1753-4), or visit the website of the Rainbow History Project (which includes historical LGBT walking tours of D.C. neighborhoods for download; look under the heading "Tours (walking and otherwise) of Historic DC GLBT Sites").
SR-SIS Standing Committee on Lesbian and Gay Issues Events
Business Meeting
Sunday, July 26, 4:15-5:15 p.m., during the C programming block.
Location: Washington Convention Center Room 143 C.
Reception
Sunday, July 26, 8:00-11:00 p.m.
Location: Hotel Helix Lounge and Patio (1430 Rhode Island Avenue NW, tel. 202-462-9001).
For details, see the SR-SIS Newsletter.
LGBT Guides to Washington, D.C.
Pride in DC: Official GLBT Travelers Guide
Published by Destination DC, the city's tourist board, you can access this handy guide over the web or download the book.
The Washington Blade
This local LGBT weekly newspaper was first published in 1969. Copies are available at local businesses, in boxes on the street, or online. It publishes a weekly "Out in DC" section listing community happenings and includes an extensive community calendar. The Washington Blade also publishes an annual dining guide listing restaurants catering to or popular with the LGBT community. Each issue contains a bar map and nightlife guide.
Metro Weekly
This weekly news magazine has extensive nightlife and community coverage. Copies are available at local businesses, in boxes on the street, or online. It provides an online directory of community resources, a nightlife directory and drink specials listings, and a calendar of upcoming events.
FunMaps
The ubiquitous LGBT map publishers provide an extensive listing of D.C. resources on its website. You can also download their D.C. map.
The Other Pages
"The Complete Guide to LGBT Living in the DC Metro World" publishes an annual directory of community resources, groups, and businesses, both in print and online. Print copies are available at local gay-supportive businesses.
Neighborhoods
Dupont Circle
The heart of the D.C. gay and lesbian scene is located at Dupont Circle NW, the intersection of 19th and P Streets NW, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire Avenues NW. Here you will find the largest collection of gay-friendly restaurants, nightlife, shops, and other businesses, located north from the Circle on Connecticut Avenue, west on P Street, or a few blocks over on 17th Street NW. You can also join the many locals lazing in the park and around the fountain. The LGBT history of the neighborhood is described in a walking tour from the Rainbow History Project. Listings of local establishments can be found through the local business association.
Along Connecticut Avenue north of the circle you will find Lambda Rising (1625 Connecticut Avenue NW), the area's GLBT bookstore and de facto community center. Here too is the Human Rights Campaign's Action Center and Store (1633 Connecticut Avenue NW) for all your equality gift needs and active wear. For a different type of active wear, visit the Leather Rack (1723 Connecticut Avenue NW ). Up the hill, at the corner of Florida Avenue NW, you will find the Fab Lounge (lounge bar, 1805 Connecticut Avenue NW).
The business strip west of the circle along P Street houses some neighborhood bars and dance clubs, including The Fireplace (2161 P Street NW), Omega (2122 P Street NW), and Apex (1415 22nd Street NW).
Along 17th Street, between P and R Streets, you will find LGBT bars and restaurants with a more neighborhood focus. Popular eateries include Annie's (steakhouse, 1609 - 17th Steet NW), Dupont Italian Kitchen (Italian, 1637 - 17th Street NW), Trio (diner, a former waitress of which was the prototype for Wayland Flowers' Madame, 1537 - 17th Street NW), Jack's (continental 1527 - 17th Street NW), and Hank's Oyster Bar (seafood, 1624 Q Street NW). Bars and clubs are Cobalt/30° (Friday happy hour and late night dancing, 1639 R Street NW), DIK (above Dupont Italian Kitchen), and JR's (especially for happy hour, 1519 - 17th Street NW). The popular gay-friendly restaurants Skewers (Middle Eastern, 1633 P Street NW), Café Luna (Italian, below Skewer's), and Bua (Thai, 1635 P Street NW) are on P Street just east of 17th.
Logan Circle
East of Dupont Circle and centered roughly at the intersection of 14th and P Streets NW, this neighborhood is rapidly becoming a new center of LGBT activity in the District. Find out more about neighborhood business from miDCity, the local business association, or take the LGBT history walking tour from Rainbow History Project.
Most of the businesses are along 14th Street NW, running from Thomas Circle NW (at M Street MW) north to U Street NW (see below). Amid the galleries, home furnishing stores and theaters in the restored automobile dealerships of the 1920's you will find bars, restaurants, and hip boutiques. Among the unique shops on 14th Street are Pulp (cards and gifts, 1803 - 14th Street NW), Home Rule (housewares, 1807 - 14th Street NW), Go Mama Go! (gifts, dinnerware, and artwork, 1809 - 14th Street NW), and Universal Gear (men's wear, 1529 - 14th Street NW). For eateries, try Rice (Thai, 1608 - 14th Street NW), 1409 Playbill Café (American, 1409 - 14th Street NW), Thai Tanic (Thai, 1326-A - 14th Street NW), and, for dessert, Artfully Chocolate & Kingsbury Confection (1529C - 14th Street NW). A few restaurants are located on P Street NW, just west of 14th: The Commissary (American, 1443 P Street NW), Logan Tavern (American, 1423 P Street NW), both across from the Whole Foods Market (1440 P Street NW). Also here is Halo (martini bar, 1435 P Street NW). In an alley south of Thomas Circle NW, you will find the Green Lantern & Tool Shed (cruise bar, 1335 Green Court NW).
Shaw/U Street NW
U Street NW, once famous as the "Black Broadway," has come back after some lean decades as the "New U," a vibrant neighborhood of restaurants and nightclubs. miDCity's directory covers this neighborhood as well. Among the gay-fiendly restaurants in the neighborhood is Busboys & Poets (restaurant and progressive bookstore obliquely named for Langston Hughes, 2021 - 14th Street NW). You can also browse G Books (new and used gay-themed books and magazines, 1520 U Street NW). Two popular bars may be found on the eastern end of the strip: Nellie's Sports Bar (neighborhood LGBT sports bar, 900 U Street NW) and Town Danceboutique (late night dance club, 2009 - 8th Street NW).
The nearby area of Shaw, between U Street NW and the Convention Center, with businesses scattered along 7th Streets NW and 9th Street NW, is where you will find The EFN Lounge (bar and lounge, 1318 - 9th Street NW). The DC Eagle (leather bar, 639 New York Avenue NW) is just a half block east of the Convention Center.
Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill, in the area around Eastern Market Metro along Pennsylvania Avenue SE and 8th Street SE, is an area defined by rowhouses and small neighborhood shops. Browse the stores (listed in the Capitol Hill BID's directory), take the LGBT historical walking tour, or come for the weekend open-air market at Eastern Market. This neighborhood is where you will find Phase One (525 - 8th Street SE), "the oldest lesbian bar in the country," and Remingtons (country-western LGBT bar and dance club, 639 Pennsylvania Avenue SE).