It's not the most-hopping spot on M Street, but Mr. Smith's is a great place if you have only a few bucks in your pocket. Although many make the mistake of believing Mr. Smith's is merely a restaurant with a bar at the entrance, there is so much more to this well-known Georgetown pub where a teenage Tori Amos once tickled the ivories.

Every Friday and Saturday, Mr. Smith's features local rock bands in a space above its restaurant with no cover charge. The bands may seem a little obscure, but that doesn't deter the crowds that fill up the small library-like setting. (For fun, count the copies of "Tabby Lane," a tawdry novel by local author Gunnar Savers on the shelves). There are a few tables at the back of the concert area and church pews to the side, but this twenty-to-thirty-something crowd usually stands in the middle, to better dance. If the decibel level gets a bit much, you can always slip downstairs and sing along with "New York, New York" or "Country Roads" at the piano bar. Parking can be tricky, but there are two ramps (at $8 to $9 for the entire night) a block from the bar in either direction on 31st Street. If you are feeling short of cash, your best bet is to go up the hill and park in a neighborhood.

-- Shayla Thiel