The Third Edition

The inspiration for the mythical bar in the Brat Pack movie "St. Elmo's Fire," Third Edition has been a fixture in Georgetown since 1969.

By day, it is a sedate restaurant serving decent American food. Entrees range from $10 to $16 and burgers are $6. At night, Third Edition becomes a local hangout, with a quiet crowd talking, drinking and watching sports at its downstairs bar seven nights a week. Wednesday through Saturday, the spacious upstairs level becomes a college frat party, with the DJ spinning classic rock dance music and some pop for good measure.

On weekends, the Third Edition is absolutely packed, despite a $5 cover charge after 10 p.m. The upstairs is not for the fragile or claustrophobic -- the bump and grind brings dancers into very close proximity with each other.

For a breath of fresh air during good weather, there is an outdoor bar upstairs called the Tiki Bar that is set up like a Polynesian hut. Its luau motif is at odds with the rest of the dark wood decor, but it's one of the few outdoor bars in Georgetown proper. Bar prices are typical of the area, with tap beer running from $4.75 to $5.50, sodas at $3 and cocktails from $4.25 to $6.50.

-- Michael Tedeschi