Steve’s Bar Room

On a random amazing visit to DC, a friend an I were walking down the street and a guy told us about a club upstairs. We were looking for the next place to go and figured why not. We got into this shoddy elevator stuffed with probably too many people. The doors opened, hip hop blaring and we stepped out. Dancing, tequila, and hip décor. Probably one of the best nights of my life. So fun. Craziest part was I never even knew what the place was called or what street it was on. The night ended pretty crazy. Bummed that now that I know, I see it’s closed. What a great place and experience!

I realize that Steve’s is now closed, but this review is to reminisce. Steve’s was a legend in my book and it tears me to write in past-​tense.
In college I frequented on Thursday nights for the «95 Live» party in which they only played old school music (think Wu tang clan, Diggable Planets, Kris Kross, Montell Jordan, LL, Busta, Mariah Carey, Boys II Men). This was perfect to break the monotony of the over-​played radio hits I had heard at other places.
Steve’s was truly a hole-​in-​the-​wall bar and I loved it. It was hard to find because there was no sign and it was only reachable via an old, creaky, elevator. There was no cover, a relaxed dress code, a vending machine with beer, and a photo booth. I mean, what more could you possibly need? The main dance floor was small, but cozy. There were couches and tables if you got tired from dancing. Also, the patrons were completely unpretentious. I’d met everyone from doctors to janitors there and they were all just looking to have a good time. Eventually I discovered the «VIP» area. You had to be a regular to visit this area (or be invited by a regular). It was much more spacious, though… I had no idea Steve’s was that big!
Well, my nights at Steve’s are over, as are my nights in D.C. in general (there’s no correlation between the two, I just moved to Philly :)) I am still on a quest to find a similar venue up here.

CLOSED. This place was really fun, and different!~ CLOSED. DC needed a place like this. (Though sometimes the crowd was a bit odd and sparse) I’m quite sad that I won’t be able to dance to sick beats, i.e. Biggie while there are 90’s music videos playing on the jumbo screen. $ 20 open bar Saturdays were killer, too, because they made their drinks STRONG.

I’ve been meaning to write a review for Steve’s Bar for awhile now, and I’m sad to say that I’m finally doing it to bid adieu to this fine place. Yes, Steve’s Bar is now closed. (sad face)
I’ll miss your funky elevator up to the dance floor. I’ll miss your PBR vending machine. I’ll miss playing $ 5 worth of erotic photo hunt. I’ll miss watching my friends dance on your tables. I’ll miss your eclectic music mixes. And I’ll also miss your $ 20 open bar on Saturday nights.
Rest In Peace, Steve’s Bar Room. Dupont Circle won’t be the same without you.

I left my credit card there and have been back twice to get it, both times around 8:30−9pm, the elevator was stuck and there are no stairs to be found. I’ve emailed, I’ve called, with no luck and no ability to leave a message because the voicemail box is full. I’m pretty perturbed at this whole gig, and am hoping someone gets back to me stat.
If it weren’t for THAT whole thing, I’d probably rate it higher mostly because it’s a perfectly perfect dive. Somewhat sketchy, good music, no pretension, plenty of room to dance. If you go in the back room beware of the nasty looking couches that have surely seen a lot of raunchy action in their day, and take note that you will leave smelling like food because there is a random ass Indian buffet hovering in the corner. None of it really makes sense, but that was its charm.
Someone that works at Steve’s: PLEASE fix the elevator or clue me in as to how I can get my credit card back!

I’ve had the misfortune of being dragged here on two occasions. I have no idea how this place gets away with charging a cover. I guess I can get over having to enter through a weird lobby, riding a sketch elevator, and paying $ 10 for sub-​par drinks. But then there’s the bad music, the musty carpet floors, and the high amount of creepers lurking in the dark. No thanks.
The vending machine with PBR is great but not enough to tempt me to ever go back.

I’m exposing the severity of my nerd card here, but they have a wolpertinger mounted on the wall wearing a pirate eye-​patch and DJ headphones. I mean, hello, that’s awesome in itself.
Bouncer seemed nice, and I guess he’s scary enough that one of the creepers who came up to me backed off when I walked off.
Comfy seats to lounge on around the dance floor. Enjoyed the shots and red bull vodka, though for the sake of my wallet I’ll opt to pregame elsewhere. Props to DJ ChildsPlay for spinning awesome tunes once the place filled out, and extra oomph from the drumbeat boys. Too bad he can’t see half his results, but hey. We left when most of our group was done for the night, but a couple of us got drawn back up to the second floor because of the sweet music. I’d come back to dance more.

Dance! Dance! Dance!
Finding a good dancing venue is hard, for reals. I don’t wanna be in a club setting getting hammered like a barely legal C-​list celebrity. I also don’t wanna be surrounded by douchey dudes. All I want is some good beats, space to dance, and chill peeps.
Steve’s is one of my faves in DC. Steve’s can be a bit hard to find, just look for the street numbers on buildings. There’s a coat check downstairs (FREE, tip please). You take an elevator which drops you off near the DJ/​dance floor (the elevator direct to dance floor was pretty neat-​o). Also, there wasn’t a cover for Friday night around 11 pm.
The bouncer is awesome. He has a super chill vibe. He also keeps his eye out for a$$holes. For example, weirdo tried to keep sticking his a$$ out and hit me and my posse with it (if I had a pointy purse, I would have shoved it at his bung hole region, maybe), but the bouncer remedied the sitch. Ladies — dance in fear of not having someone’s junk touch you!
The beats were very danceable — great mix of hip hop/​pop and lots of great old skool Cali songs! My legs ached the next day from bouncing.
Drinks are mega cheap — $ 10 for top shelf dirty martini=)
The lounge is on the small side, and it can get hot. The best spot on the dance floor is directly across from the AC.
Good beats, good peeps, and a great place to dance your pants off.

Such a weird place.
First of all, I was shocked when I found out that this place even existed, because I’ve walked by there so many times. Turns out that they don’t actually have a sign. There’s just the entrance to a random lobby, and you have to know that it’s on the 2^nd floor.
So, really, the best way to describe the place is that it’s a high school party in your parent’s basement while they’re out of town. Low ceilings, loud nineties dance music, mismatched couches here and there, carpeted dance floor, a random mattress where I’m sure people have had sex, everybody is drinking PBR, and the occasional creepy old guy who does not belong but shows up anyway.
Really, not my scene, but then again high school parties never were.
I can see the appeal though.

Steve’s Bar Room is a fabulous place to go dancing. Granted, I have only entered the premises after long bar crawls, but it’s definitely on my list of places to keep going back to. The music is always fun — usually a mix between your favorite old school 90s, but none of the cheesy stuff. They also mix it up a bit. It’s hard to sit still and be a wallflower here.
I tend to like to be more anonymous than is possible at Steve’s. Anyone sitting down around the perimeter has a full view of everyone on the dance floor so I feel a little on display. And I don’t particularly have the best dancing skills and sometimes just want to act silly, which can be a little intimidating with various eyeballs bopping around, people watching. But if you can get over that, Steve’s is sure to be an enjoyable time.

Khalib, I plead the «fif» as well. Ain’t gonna incriminate myself by sharing too much about my attendance at yesterday’s reggae night. Just know that Steve’s may have ruined me for other bars. There was some hilarious random sh*t going on (dude who brought his own drum to the bar and «broke it down» in the back room, I’m looking at you…), and it was the best time I’ve had out on a Tuesday night in the contiguous 48.
A sketchy lawyer I went on only one date with told me about the place years ago, making it sound like some secret den of debauchery. I doubted its existence as a real bar, thinking that he had just described an unlicensed strip club, but left the strippers out in polite company. Seeing it in a Unilocal event listing confirmed that it was legit for me, and I decided to give it a go.
Get there around midnight, and don’t be scared off by the scruffy entrance. Press onward and upward to the second floor. Once you get upstairs, the vibe is chill, doowutchyalike.
The friendly bartenders (including the owner, who was literally spitting fire in the air at one point), unpretentious multi-​culti clientele, and great music have made it hard for me to muster any enthusiasm for invites to stuffy buppie lounge nights in DC for a while.
There’s no dress code or attitudes. The constantly opening elevator makes you feel like something highly dangerous is about to jump off at any minute, but in a good way.
Last night’s bonuses: 1) a Caribbean buffet in the back room, 2) A surprisingly clean bathroom stocked with all necessary paper products. And did I mention there was no cover? Take that, buppie lounges!
Sketchy lawyer, I apologize for thinking the worst.

There are many reasons why I’ve been a fan of Steve’s Bar room:
1) I personally know one of the DJ’s on Saturday nights and he spins a mean selection of new hip hop (which is GOOD, not lame), as well as tossing in the good underrated MC’s from the past and present
2) the fact that I get to hop onto an elevator that drops you off onto the dance floor immediately? There’s no gradual transition, & I dig that
3) They have just launched Tuesday Reggae nights & I felt like I was in the islands but this time with AC :-)
4) Steve actually is there and interacts (unlike some other owners I’ve seen at DC venues who think they’re «above» their customers), I like when someone interacts & helps their staff, it speaks VOLUMES of how they handle life in general & treat others… which is what he did on this night. :-)
Let me just tell you the awesome experience I had last night, the vibe of the night was already off to a great start, they had one of the Ritz very own chefs supply some AMAZING Caribbean food for free the night of this launch, and when you give me some of the best Jerk chicken one woman could ask for… I will love you for life. Therefore I love this dude. CHEF IAN JOSEPH
The bar tender (s) were friendly and completely made my night… I told her I like Vodka and I like orange flavors, but I didn’t want a screw driver. This girl hooked me up and I kept coming back for more, now THAT’S how you earn a great tip folks!
The DJ played every song I used to have on this old Roots Reggae mix that hit my happy button & made life feel perfect that night. DJ FYAH OATS & THE GLOBAL NETWORK. Thanks to Life Massive
(
) for putting this together and starting something great that this city has been needing for a LONG TIME. They put on a great place to spend my Tuesday nights after a long day of hard work to unwind without the hassle of most lounges… this is a new scene that needs to be discovered by those who frequent Marvin’s & Patty Boom Booms, you’ll love this new scene if you haven’t tested it out… next step… working on a HH for this same night & event earlier in the afternoon ;-)

In the words of the great Dave Chappelle.
[singing]
Tron: There are! I say there are so many amendments in the constitution of the United States of Americaaaa! I can only choose one! I can only choose ooooooone! I plead the fif! I plead the fif! FIVE! 1,2,3,4, fiiiif! Anything you say! FIIIF! Go ahead and ask me a question!
Senator: How do…
Tron: Fif! I like to show all of you a secret document!
[pulls out a piece of paper saying «FiF”]
Tron: Fiiiiiiiiiiiiif!
Seriously, it is wild as all hell in this bar. I have no idea what’s going on here half of the time. One night I’m pretty confident I got eyeballed by a tranny streetwalker. Another night the music went from house, to reggae, to impromptu rap battle accompanied by African drums. People are hopping on and over the bar and the bartender randomly shows women his abs. For all the other things I’ve seen see the statement above. Steve’s Bar Room is more than a bar it’s an experience and if it’s your bag it could be a lifestyle. I don’t care if you only do it once but you must go because I can guarantee that unless you spend your days at strip club run by the Hell’s Angels you probably haven’t been any place quite this crazy.

There is a PBR vending machine in this place. If that doesn’t demand your presence, then you’re crazy.
It’s a random place on the second floor of a building, and they charge a cover, but not in an annoying «clubby» way, but in a «shit, someone has to pay for the elevator» way.
It’s a fun place, the bartenders are quite friendly, and the DJ was good. The music videos for the songs were playing on the tvs, and since it was 90s rap music, it was pretty entertaining. Sipping my vodka and watching MC Hammer jam in the parachute pants, all while perched in my stilettos on the orange bar, I must say, Steve’s is quite a place, and I will definitely return.

For locals, Steve’s Bar Room is an institution. You go there to dance. You go there to be somewhat anonymous. You go there because you just don’t give a flying FUC (Funny, Useful, Cool review votes on Unilocal!)
To some it may seem odd to enter a small lounge through the entry of an old, gritty office building. But not if you’re used to Steve’s. When you head to Steve’s, you pretty much can locate your destination by the thumping music randomly pulsing through an open, unmarked door on Connecticut Avenue. But not in a sexy way. You will then walk to the old, rick-​rackity elevator and probably cram in there with 7 other strangers. It will then take you about 30 seconds to go up one floor.
Enter: Steve’s Bar Room.
You’ve got the DJ with his laptop to your right. Bar to your left. You’re usually surrounded by a sea of random people. I feel like Steve’s Bar Room attracts a crowd that does not want to deal with some of the more pretentious venues in Dupont, but may not truly appreciate the traditional dive bar. The bartenders are always cool and friendly. The music is usually with a beat.
And, that’s about it. That’s Steve’s Bar Room. A room full of controlled, unassuming, simplistic randomness on the second floor of an office building.

SKETCHY ASS PLACE.
if you can get over that and into the elevator, find your way into steve’s bar room, complete with a vending machine providing beer and a bar providing overpriced, underpoured beverages.
the mix of people here was mind-​boggling. yes, it was nice to have different people come together in one spot, but it was… cliquey. if i wanted to go back to high school, i’d jump in a time machine, thanks.
the music and clean bathrooms were actually the salvation. but if you’re like me and that just isn’t enough, you might want to look elsewhere.

2.5 stars.
PBR in the vending machines! Congratulations you’re adorable.
Didn’t encounter any of the rude staff that others have commented on. Bathrooms were decently clean. The mens room had an attendent (ask me how I know) which is annoying when you’re in a place with CARPET on the dance floor. Yes, i’m deducting 2.5 stars for placing carpet in a bar. A) Gross. B) Really?!?
Great DJ though.

None of my friends had really heard of this bar before, but decided to head out there for a friend’s birthday night out this past Saturday. Perhaps it was because of inauguration weekend… or the fact that I was lucky… or maybe even that I attract crowds wherever I go (I wish!), but the place was decently packed when I arrived a little past 11pm.
I admit the bar was a bit hard to find, and the elevator a little shady, but that has never stopped me from getting a drink before!
The DJ that night was playing great dancing music, mainly pop and 80’s sing along type songs (as far I remember anyways). The bar was cozy, and felt a tad like someone’s house party which made it easy for me to not lose the people that I can gone with! The bartender Adam (Steve’s brother I was told) was also great, so I have to give him a shout out in my review!

My friend was a promoter here for a while, so we came here pretty frequently. Not really by choice though. More for the cheap drinks and b/​c of our connections. Since he stopped working here, I haven’t been back.
There’s really nothing special about this place. There was never ANYONE in here! The bar was always empty and the dance floor was dead. The only people dancing were me and maybe 2 other people. That’s not awkward or anything.
I don’t think I ever came here on a night that was busy. They have a back VIP room which is cool… but only if you come here with a ton of people. Otherwise, you just feel secluded in a backroom.
Overall, meh.

Steve’s Bar Room is hard to notice if you’ve never been there (oh, and if you forgot the address). With the help of locals, our group managed to get there.
Besides one low-​key sign outside, there’s not much else to call out this nightspot. We waited in line, handed a bouncer our free passes (get them from their web site), and crammed into an elevator to go up.
A few moments later, the doors opened and we were greeted by a sleek bar and a cool, cool atmosphere. It’s almost like you’re at a long-​time (but sexy) friend’s place. A bartender offered free drinks to my friend, who was newly engaged — she happily accepted, of course. We planned to head elsewhere but the friendly crowd and engaging DJ (DJ Tru, their resident DJ) kept my party there and hopping all night long! In case you need to relax for a second, there’s plenty of sitting room. Recommended.