Black Cat

1811 14th St. NW
202/667-7960
www.blackcatdc.com [1]

HOURS: Sun.-Thurs. 8 p.m.-2 a.m., Fri.-Sat. 7 p.m.-3 a.m.

Established in 1993 by a group of investors—mainly musicians, including local boy Dave Grohl who’s hit it big playing for Nirvana and fronting the Foo Fighters—the Black Cat favors local groups, up-and-comers, and cutting-edge bands as well as world-touring DJs.

The stage at the Black Cat rocks nightly, attracting a mixed 18-and-over crowd, depending on who is on stage. This dark, low-ceilinged space holds 550 people standing.

The downstairs contains a small stage room and a lounge. Bring cash. There’s an ATM next to the bar if you forget, but you won’t want to pay the user fees.