Verizon Center

I love this venue. There is a metro stop right beside the building. Will call is right inside the entrance. Make sure you visit the web site before you attend a concert or game so you know what NOT to bring. There are tons of concessions inside, not to mention a salon and restaurants. Parking is pricey so you may want to take metro or look for a parking meter that allows you to pay with a phone app.

I’ve been here several times and it’s just going down the hill.
I think they need to employee of get a better contract to keep the place clean. The seats are filthy and getting old. Which is so uncomfortable for people to sit and watch their entertainment for at least an hour or more.
Then the food shops are slow and lines are ridiculously long with staff who are no in rush to get the line down.
Stairs are old and stiff. Signages are not clear to direct people to elevators or escalators.

Bottom Line: A large venue in Chinatown for watching the Capitals, Wizards, concerts and other special events with convenient access to the Metro.
Just one mile from the National Mall is the Verizon Center. The Verizon Center is probably best known as being home to the Washington Capitals NHL team and the Washington Wizards NBA team. However, you can find many other forms of sports and entertainment at this Chinatown arena including the Washington Mystics WNBA team, concerts, figure skating and coming this Fall, arena football.
The Verizon Center says its a state-​of-​the-​art facility. I guess I am really not sure what the standards are for state-​of-​the-​art arenas but I did find the jumbotron/​scoreboard to have interesting and crisp graphics. I also like that they have the long continuous electronic billboards that run almost the entire circumfrance of the arena’s seating area.
The concessions here are just ok. They are mostly run by Aramark but you’ll find some options from Papa John’s, Green Turtle and Chick-​fil-​A. I personally would love to see some more local restaurants and eateries take up space here like &Pizza or some of the Federal City’s awesome food trucks.
The Verizon Center has a team store and the gear changes depending on which sporting event is going on. For example, if there is a Caps game, they will only be offering Caps game and if there is a Wizards game, then that is what is for sale. But don’t despair, yes, you can get all your must-​have Washington Mystics gear here and I suspect the lines are probably short! The store is open two hours before Wizards and Capitals games, and one hour before Mystics games.
Thankfully the Verizon Center basically has its own Metro Station which makes getting to big events easy. The Metro stop is Gallery Place/​Chinatown on the Red, Green and Yellow lines. Also, if you want to drive, they do have parking for $ 40 but plan to arrive early for the event and prepared for lots of traffic in the area of the arena and several street closures.

Find street parking if able. The parking at Verizon was $ 40 the night I went. The complex is large and there are many nearby restaurants. We had seats in the 400 section. Now I can’t be sure if I was disappointed because of Verizon or the band’s sound system. From our seats the quality of the sound was awful. We couldn’t hear the lead singer when he was talking. I was at a concert here over a year ago and it sounded great. So… in terms of the verizon center itself… the bathrooms were clean and stocked. There was plenty of places to get food and drink. Security was quick and easy.

Came to my first Caps game here! Tons of seating. It was a great time. Never thought I’d be a hockey fan, but I loved it!

This review is in relation to tickets purchased for the Capitals game that was scheduled in January and then rescheduled to April due to a snowstorm.
I wanted to provide some feedback about our experience and especially with about the «VIP”​tickets that were purchased.
While I am thankful that we were able to finally attend the game, the fact that it was scheduled at the end of the season and had absolutely no bearing on the Capitals league standings was a bit disappointing. Because it held no weight, 3 of the top players were not even suited or on the ice during play… my fiancé’s favorite players are Backstrom and Ovechkin… one of the reasons for the purchase of the tickets was specifically to see them play. While I know that a players participation in a game is never guaranteed, the notion is that you expect for them to play in the games. Even to have them suited and sitting on the bench, would have been nice for the fans and certainly expected for paying ticket holders.
Access to the Etihad Lounge, free food and beverage is certainly a fabulous selling point for VIP tickets… the reality, not so much, in fact, not at all. We were seated in section 114, where the lounge is closer to ¹⁰⁶⁄₁₀₇ section… quite the walk to run and grab a beer… you miss a good bit of the game… there is nothing convenient about the location. The food is fabulous, I must say… however, it is so crowded that unless you are one of the lucky few to get in line first, you can expect quite a wait to just get to the food and then you can expect for the bowls to be empty and needing to be refilled… (which you either wait on or leave and have to do the line again). I expect to wait in line when I’m among the 1000’s of regular ticket holders in the common areas… but certainly not in a VIP lounge. Disappointing.
I was under the impression that we received a free t-​shirt with our ticket purchase… when I approached the table and the individual that was handing out the shirts, I asked if we were eligible (because I really was not sure, it is not printed on the ticket) and he looked at our tickets and told us no, but then offered to give us one anyway… we received one t-​shirt for two tickets. (After researching our ticket purchase at home, we each should have received a free t-​shirt.)
The seats are extremely crowded and the view is terrible for a VIP designated area… You are better off sitting in the club level.
My fiancé and I talked about the game on the way home… where I apologized to him because I thought this was going to be an «oh my god, that was awesome» event for him (tickets purchased as a gift) and it certainly did not live up to that and certainly not what I would consider a «VIP» experience. He was nonetheless grateful for the gift, however, I was extremely disappointed.
I paid way too much money for these tickets and will never again do it… and I would discourage anyone that is considering it.
Update, 5÷1÷16: A representative from Washington Capitals reached out to make this situation right… I appreciate the efforts. While it doesn’t erase the bad experience, I feel like they tried to compensate for the money I spent so that we could walk away with a more positive experience. I feel it important to note that I never heard back from Monumental Sports.

Who wouldn’t love a sport’s arena? I’ve been to several arenas throughout the US in different states and the Verizon Center ranks as one of my favorites. Last night was the Wizards vs Hawks game. We were able to get tickets for seats in one of the suites upstairs. Spacious, private bathroom (with a large TV inside), lounge area, bar seating/​section and very comfortable padded chairs. We took the Metro (Red Line) into Gallery Place /​China Town which is a few steps from the V Center and walked to a Thai spot to eat prior to heading in to watch the game. The V. Center is in a great location and is surrounded by a lot of eateries and lounges — so prior to or after an event; you’ll be able to find something to get into. The food vendors within the Verizon Center move the lines quickly especially during half time. Prices are significantly marked up for a beverage, coffee, popcorns, nachos, hot dog, etc. but… that’s at any sporting event. Oh, I saw the Kevin Hart standup comedy show here a few years ago with my brother… OMG, LOVED IT!!!

I visited here last week to watch the Pens (my hometown team) take on the Caps (which resulted in an epic win for my Pens but I digress) and felt I had just a good hockey-​watching experience here as I have had at the newer Consol Energy Center, the Pens home ice. The strongest thing Verizon Center has going for it is its location. Gallery Place is serviced by just about every metro line, making it an ease to get to since, I’m only assuming, parking is ridiculous for an event. We had seats rather high up, in 443 yet, we were center ice and still had a really great view of the game. I can’t say the same for Consol, as I have really only enjoyed the view when I’ve been close to the glass. I’ve sat in the «nosebleed» sections at Consol and arguably did not have the same fantastic view I was able to get at Verizon.
There are quite a few food options, including a chic-​fil-​a, BBQ, Rita’s, and Papa Johns, in addition to the typical hot dog, burger, chciken tenders, etc. I was starving so I had a chicken sausage and it wasn’t terrible for stadium food. I’ve definitely had worse food at stadiums. Beer is expensive at around $ 10 a pint, but they did have quite a few craft options that are not typically offered at stadiums. There were a couple of sit down restaurants inside VC, not to mention all of the surrounding places to eat in Chinatown.
I enjoyed my hockey game at VC and would be curious in seeing if you can get the same awesome view at a concert or other non-​sporting event!

We went to an event at the Verizon Center that had assigned seating by section. When we arrived, there were no seats left in our section, so the usher was able to find us even better seating on the floor. They have decent concessions located all over the arena. All in all, we had a great experience there.

— Seats are so cramped, especially up top in the poor people seats
(Youre knees will be in pain afterwards, if you don’t get up and stretch them periodically)
— Not only are the cramped, the passing lanes are virtually nonexistent
(It is difficult to pass even if people are standing)

Was on a vacation to DC and watched the Knicks come into town to take on the Wizards. Our seats were high up, but we could see all the action. I had never been to a pro basketball game before, and this was definitely a treat. I had a blast watching the game — esp since it was a close game!
Despite the massive # of people, we were able to get in and out of the arena quickly, even with the increased security when entering. I was definitely impressed with this place, and wish some of the events in Alabama were run as smoothly as this event!

This was my 2^nd NBA arena. Washington Wizards vs. Philadelphia 76ers 4÷1÷2015. The whole experience sucked. The arena was dirty and old (I actually saw water dripping from the ceiling behind a food counter) and the staff working there were kinda rude. We had ok nose bleed seats (Section 200 Row F) and the Wizards were playing one of the worst teams in the league (76ers) that night. The arena was not full and the fans were not into the game at all. This experience was far from what I got at the Quicken Loans Arena (CAVS). Don’t think I’ll be going back to this arena.

I like watching basketball games at the Verizon Center. I’ve had seats in several locations and have been able to see the action fine. The center is located convenient to Metro’s Gallery Place station and easy to get to. When leaving, I often walk to the Metro Center station to avoid the main crowd and having to change train lines. The food concessions are ok and offer something for almost everyone. The food and beverages are pricey but as a popcorn lover, I take advantage of the bottomless popcorn. I was pleasantly surprised to see the beer concessions operating at college basketball games; they had not been in operation when I previously attended college games. There was a good selection of beer from the various concession stands. The beer may have had something to do with my observation the crowd departing after the game seemed rowdier and more boisterous than in the past.

The metal detector process on the Clyde’s alley side needs to be managed better.
Go Xavier!

It’s hard to believe that I’ve been living in the DC area for almost 5 years but I’d never visited the iconic Verizon Center until this week! And I just so happened to visit it twice this week! The arena is quite versatile, as it hosts concerts, basketball games, and hockey games, all in the span of one week!
My fiancé and I visited the Verizon Center for a Muse concert and then a Wizards basketball game over a matter of 4 days. The Muse concert was INCREDIBLE! It’s always been my dream to see my favorite band live and I’m so glad we got to do it. The acoustics, the light displays, and just about everything about it was incredible! I loved the fact that we got seats, as many other venues don’t offer that. Having seats gave us ease of mind about getting there a couple minutes late. And it’s also so nice to be sitting and enjoying your favorite band. We had incredible seats for the Muse concert — at the very front of tier 2! The Wizards basketball game was great too, but our seats were much higher up. The «nosebleed» seats aren’t the best! But you can still see everything and it’s worth it.
If you don’t already know, the Verizon Center is conveniently located right next to the Gallery Place — Chinatown metro station and right in the heart of DC between Chinatown, Penn Quarter, and Metro Center. There are plenty of restaurants and bars around the Verizon Center to dine at before a show or game. They also sell food and alcohol at the venue, but I can’t really attest to the food, as I didn’t order any. My fiancé ordered a beer and liked it well enough.
I’ll certainly visit again! I’m sure there are going to be great concerts at the Verizon Center in the future. And I also want to go to a Capitals hockey game at some point!
Oh, and this is my 1900^th Unilocal review! :D

I really can’t complain about this place. I have been coming here for years for Georgetown Basketball games and I always have a great time. The surrounding Chinatown area is awesome for an after game meal and drinks.
Typical food inside the arena, but I love the DC theme everywhere. It’s clear the love their city. Public transportation there is awesome, the metro lets out just underneath the same building. You may not want to drive there — parking is pretty expensive unless you park a few blocks away and find something on the street.
I’ve been in a few 200 and 300 level suites and they are always great. Some food and liquor to enjoy throughout the game and 12 private seats available in each.
Hoya Saxa!

I been to quite a few stadiums in my life… and this is one of the better ones:
1. super accessible be it by metro or parking garage ACROSS the street
2. One of the cleaner stadiums I have ever experienced.
3. Easier access to alcohol and food than most stadiums I been to
4. Acoustic experience can be better… but still pretty amazing
5. Great views all around!

Good place to catch a game, although it will cost you (between tickets, parking or Metro, any food or drinks you want there). That being said the Verizon Center is one of the best arenas I’ve been to (among DC, IL, CA) and so I give it a high ranking that it deserves. Even has beer from Goose Island in Chicago (312 better than all the light beers they serve) Even though our party was seated in the 3^rd to last row up in the back, I could easily follow the puck and players during the Nationals vs Canadiens game (see picture for view). The boxes are also nice, but not necessarily the best place in the house to view a game or concert.

Me & James went here to see the Hornets @ Wizards game.
We had tickets in the Acela Club.
Sat on the Ledge and had an excellent view of the floor.
The food from the buffet was really good to. They had a carving station for pork roast & turkey breast which was excellent!
You get beverage service at your seat.

We recently went for a Capitals game and, let me be honest with you, we were WAY up there in the nosebleed seats. The good thing about the Verizon Center is that there are literally no bad seats. We were able to see the the entire ice and still be able to read the numbers on the jerseys even from that far back.
My favorite part (as always) was more the food than the game. They offered unique selections and a variety of options. My suggestions: ginger wheat beer, BBQ pork poutine, and a cup of doughnut holes from Dunkin Donuts. You might be asking yourself, what the heck is poutine?! Don’t worry, I had the same question. Poutine is thick cut french fries, a thin gravy, and a topping. Their topping choices included BBQ pork or bacon ranch. The pork was peppery and moist. I would 100% recommend this to the next guy. Now go, enjoy a game or concert, and get yourself some poutine ;)