We love the nightlife

U Street has been bustling with great nightlife for years. Recently, more and more bars, restaurants and clubs have been popping up everywhere for the next generation of Washington professionals to enjoy. Here are some good ones to check out on your next night on the town.

Tabaq Bistro
1336 U St. NW
(202) 265-0965
tabaqdc.com

Mojitos at Tabaq Bistro are a domino effect.

{mosads}With bartenders stirring up around 150 a night, 10 bottles of rum don’t last more than an evening at this Mediterranean-infused hotspot that opened almost four years ago.

“One person at the table orders one, and then everyone else is in,” said Matias Camozzi, one of the bistro’s bartenders who used to work for an environmental interest group on Capitol Hill. “Most will usually have, like, three apiece.”

In the ground-level Red Room, women in dresses and stilettos sit at a candle-lit, high-top table sipping martinis during happy hour, which runs Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and advertises buy-one-get-one-free drink specials. The bistro also features dozens of small plates like hummus, eggplant wraps and chicken kebabs.

The rooftop deck, which flaunts views of the Capitol and Washington Monument — particularly omniscient at sunset — tends to attract young professionals.

Depending on the weather, the glass rooftop can open or close, so Washington summer storms won’t spoil a night on the town.

— Nanette Light

Café Saint-Ex
1847 14th St. NW
(202) 265-7839
saint-ex.com

Upon arrival at Café Saint-Ex’s quirky corner location, you know that you’ve found something special.

This bistro-style restaurant and bar is reminiscent of an old-fashioned airplane hangar, complete with rusty propellers and antique clocks ticking off the minutes in five different time zones.

The menu is minimal, but what they offer is superb. Be sure to try the Fried Green Tomato BLT for a sweet and savory bite of summer. Their Sweet Potato Fries are seasoned to perfection.

Café Saint-Ex touts an extensive wine and beer list that features libations from all over the world.

While the last of the dinner crowd shuffle out onto the street, Café Saint-Ex morphs into a hotspot for night-dwellers. The dark, cozy bar area features plenty of seating to unwind with close friends.

{mosads}For a different vibe, head downstairs to Gate 54 — Café Saint-Ex’s nightclub counterpart. With a different DJ spinning each evening after 10, this art-deco lounge is normally packed with people.

— Anna Deeds

Policy
1904 14th Street NW
Policydc.com

For just opening 10 weeks ago, Policy is quickly becoming a U Street hotspot. With a menu featuring a fresh, eclectic blend of globally-inspired American dishes paired with a trendy, contemporary atmosphere and an assortment of inspired specialty drinks, Policy is sure to please.

With intense yellow neon lights radiating from its doorway, the place is hard to miss near the intersection of 14th and U streets. The décor is post-modern, with red leather booths, graffiti-inspired artwork, obtuse geometric light fixtures and wallpaper featuring D.C.’s finest: fire hydrants, parking meters and rats.

“Truth, Love and Liberty” is Policy’s motto, and it also reflects what the restaurant is about and the food they serve: “Liberty to explore all cultures, Truth in using the best quality ingredients and Love, the Passion that drives the food.” Policy is committed to using fresh, local-harvest fruits and vegetables, and the menu is vegan-friendly.

— Katelyn Ferral

Marvin Bistro
2007 14th St. NW
(202) 797-7171

{mosads}Interested in taking a trip across the Atlantic with a quick layover in the South with no flight needed? Of course you are, so take the Metro to U Street, walk to 14th and stop at Marvin.

For those tired of the conventional Capitol Hill bars, Marvin Lounge offers a distinctive taste of one of the world’s other leading political centers, Belgium.

Sick of buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks and the typical beers found in most bars? Marvin offers what managers call, and patrons agree are, the best fried chicken and waffles in town. Wash down those treats with a Hoegaarden or Leffe Brun (both Belgium beers) and you’ll see why people keep coming back. Marvin Lounge specializes in a fusion of Belgium delicacies with a twist from America’s South.

With a DJ spinning anything from jazz to funk every night, a rooftop open year-round and a cavernous lounge, you may end up telling the boss you didn’t feel the Blackberry vibrating in your pocket.

— David Shalleck-Klein