Where to Go If You're Under 21

It's Friday night, and 18th Street in Adams Morgan is hopping, with thousands of folks dressed up and ready to party. This is arguably the hottest stretch of bars and clubs in the area. And there's a bouncer at every door checking driver's licenses, turning away anyone who's not 21. Even Tryst, the strip's lone coffeehouse, cards everyone after 9. No matter where you go -- Arlington, Annapolis or Georgetown -- the process repeats itself.

"We're all just gun-shy," says Brian Harrison, the owner of the Reef, one of Adams Morgan's most popular bars. "It's all too easy for someone [underage] to wipe a hand stamp off, get a different bracelet or get around [other safeguards]. And then I'm screwed." The Reef admits minors until 9, but after that, Harrison says, "It's just not worth it."

The years between 18 and 20 are an awful limbo -- old enough to want to go out, but not quite old enough to get in to the places you want to explore.

So what's left? If you're looking to go dancing, some of the area's most exclusive lounges and nightclubs, including MCCXXIII and Dream, offer a "college night" once per week, which attract mixed crowds who sip sodas as well as cocktails.

Earth, for example, combines house, trance, hip-hop and international DJs on Thursdays at the lavish Dream nightclub, which features three levels of dance floors and bars. The Platinum Club flirted with 21-and-over nights for a while before deciding to open its doors to everyone Thursday through Saturday for hip-hop, house and Latin music on two dance floors. (Sundays remain 21 and over for hip-hop.) Nation welcomes the Goth crowd (Alchemy, Thursdays), internationally famous house and techno DJs (Cubik, Friday) and gay clubbers (Velvet Nation, Saturday), admitting everyone over 18. On the rock side, the Mousetrap, a long-running Britpop and indie rock dance night, happens once per month on the main stage of the Black Cat, as are all of the '80s, electro and indie nights on the club's smaller back stage.

(See the full list of events at the bottom of this page.)

Music fans don't have as much to worry about. Many of Washington's major concert venues, including the 9:30 club, the Black Cat and the Birchmere, are all ages, all the time. But some smaller clubs, including Iota, DC9 and Madam's Organ, are 21-and-over. Others compromise -- Galaxy Hut is 21 and over during the week, but all-ages during the concerts held Saturday through Monday.

Most regular swing-dancing events, such as those at Glen Echo's Spanish Ballroom or Chevy Chase Ballroom, are all-ages. (The exception is Lulu's, which is 21-and-over.) Sadly, many of the area's biggest and best salsa nights are off limits to those under 21.

The real problem is that there are loud clubs and concert venues for under 21s to visit, but not many places to just hang out with friends.

Many of the area's pool halls have very limited hours for minors. Buffalo Billiards and Ballston's Carpool only allocate a few hours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Others, including Bedrock Billiards and the Shark Club, are 21 and over at all times. The only 18-and-over billiards hall worth mentioning is Georgetown Billiards, located near the university. A virtual off-campus rec room, the bar has a variety of video games, darts, foosball, ping pong and an air hockey table.

One option is the Black Cat's Red Room, which features an excellent jukebox stocked with rock and jazz, a pool table, large booths and video games. You can order from the Food For Thought Cafe on the other side of the club. The downside: it's loud, smoky and packed on weekends.

Coffeehouses are a traditional option, and the Dupont Circle branches of Cosi, Arlington's sprawling Common Grounds and Glover Park's Zebra Lounge are excellent, and offer plenty of opportunities for people-watching.

18-and-over Club Nights

There are plenty of other mainstream clubs that open their doors to under-21s on certain nights. Here's a guide to the clubs that let everyone in to dance. Unless otherwise noted, all events listed are 18-and-over, and IDs are required.

Thursday
Alchemy -- Alchemy, a night for the goth and industrial music scenes, often features well-known live acts on Nation's large stage. When there's no band, however, admission is two-for-one between 9 and 10.

College Night -- It's College Night every Thursday at Apex, a staple of the Dupont gay circuit. DJ Timothy Mykael spins dance music from house to trance. Anyone with a college ID gets free admission, and it's $5 for everyone else. Doors open at 9.

College Thursdays -- Although the swank Platinum club calls it College Thursdays, the dance floot is often full of people who've already matriculated. DJs spin hip-hop on the main floor and house and Latin in the basement lounge. Get free admission before midnight with a college ID. Doors open at 10; and while jeans are allowed, athletic apparel isn't.

Earth -- Earth follows the established format of having a different kind of music on each floor: house and international on one; salsa and merengue on another; hip-hop on a third, plus an outdoor deck.

Polly Esther's -- If you're under 21, this is the only night of the week you can groove to retro '70s and '80s music as well as current dance tunes at the downtown branch of Polly Esther's. Afro wigs and bell-bottom jeans are optional, hats and athletic wear aren't.

Friday
Cubik -- Simply the biggest and best dance night for fans of electronic dance music, Cubik (formerly known as Buzz) welcomes international DJs on the level of Paul Oakenfold, Bad Boy Bill, Tiesto and Fatboy Slim to Nation. It's a rave-style event, with lots of younger -- and we mean mostly under-25 -- people dancing and having a good time indoors and on the large patio. Dress is very casual, and lines can be long, so arrive early. (Admission is generally cheaper before 11, and there's an open bar from 9 to 10.)

Plush Fridays -- The main floor at Platinum is now ruled by hip-hop, with house, techno, HiNRG, trance and Latin in the basement and VIP lounge. Doors open at 10, and there's no admission charge for ladies until 11.

Polly Esther's -- The smaller Rockville location of this retro club features two rooms of music from the '70s through the current dance charts. The club sponsors regular dance contests and other events.

Saturday
Beautiful Saturdays -- You'll hear hip-hop and R&B on the main floor at Platinum, with house, hip-hop and trance in the VIP room. Doors open at 10.

Liquid Ladies -- One of Washington's most popular dance nights for lesbians and their friends finds uptempo dance and party music at Badlands.

Velvet Nation -- Largely gay, largely raucous. Famous touring DJs (and the local team) spin house, techno and other club music at Nation. Doors open at 10.

Rest of the Week
Spank Me -- An 18-and-over night at MCCXXIII, one of Washington's most discerning lounges? Apparently so. On Tuesday nights, you still have to dress to impress, but there's hip-hop and top-40 on the main dance floor; house and trance up on the third floor in the B.E.D.-like Spank. (Get $3 off at the door by printing a coupon from http://www.panoramai.com/panorama.html.)

Liquid Wednesdays -- DJ Super Slice and the Muzik Nashun (DC Live) spin reggae and soca on hump night at the Crossroads, while DJ Celo, the Super Funk Regulator (formerly of WKYS and WPGC), handles hip-hop. You must be 18 to enter.