Science Club

Dupont Circle, Washington, DC –

With its sign barely visible above the brownstone building’s doors, Science Club looks more like a historic hotel than a funky cool den of eclectic DJs, healthy eats, and solid drink specials.

There are no secret laboratories to support the bar’s name, but its weekday Happy Hour – 11am to 8pm and all night Mondays – proves Newton’s little known fourth law that a Dupont young professional in motion moves in the direction of $3 Yuenglings.

Affable suits and chill groups of creatives squeeze in along the narrow front bar or meander toward the larger rear dining room, where they grab something off the vegetarian- and vegan-only menu before the nightly DJ spins funk, soul, or hip-hop.

The understated décor is industrial/vintage, with a few large mirrors adorning the monochromatic brick walls, dim red lamps on the ceiling, and old high school lab stools along the bar for those who want to take a spin to nostalgia town.

The basement space is equally sparse, with a second bar and a Periodic Table of Elements pasted on the otherwise bare walls. Yet while the design is reminiscent of a fratty cellar – and the downstairs is dominated by a college crowd on weekends – fist-bumps and popped collars aren’t prevalent.

Nothing on the drinks list will blow anyone’s mind, but a chill, pretention-free vibe at Science Club makes it an ideal Dupont Circle spot to hang out with friends, be they preppy, flirty, or nerdy.