MIA Lounge

Dupont Circle, Washington, DC –

The flush of neon leaking from the entrance and the prominent sign featuring the silhouette of a provocatively posed lady in place of the “I” make Miami-styled lounge MIA hard to miss.

Then there’s the six-foot rabbit. More on that later.

Catering to a young crowd of clubbers dressed to impress and looking to move, the venue focuses on flashy design and high-energy dance music, and manages to support an upscale aesthetic despite the absence of a cover charge and a long Happy Hour during the week.

Once inside, guests discover a stark white, high-ceilinged space full of draping curtains, flashing strobes, a wall covered in sultry lips, and more than a half-dozen projectors that produce 3D images on any surface in the room.

DJs spin house, hip-hop, techno, and usually a little Top 40 from their high perch above the dance floor, while scantily clad house dancers perform stupe-thigh-ing feats from stripper poles.

Three bars, including a VIP-only drink station upstairs, usually ensure quick service, but most of the dapper young dudes and dolled-up ladies in attendance aren’t there to nurse a drink – nor talk, for that matter, given the blistering sound system.

Regularly joining in on the fun is a man in a giant bunny outfit – the club’s mascot – who shows up to grind with the girls and help everyone at MIA have a great night.

…or assume they’ve been dosed with LSD.