Red Palace

H Street Corridor, Washington, DC –

Crammed into two adjoining row houses, Red Palace is a quirky kingdom of rock music, carnival curios, and tasseled boobies. Formed when two former neighborhood haunts – The Red & The Black and The Palace of Wonders – joined forces, this funky two-story den now provides a one-stop shop for indie/punk music and burlesque shows all week long.

Old photos of New Orleans, book covers, and random snaps of the owner’s old dorm room clutter the walls in the first bar, while a second bar around the corner prominently displays a chaotic hodgepodge of circus oddities.

Taxidermy animals, shrunken heads, mummified corpses, and even jars of “pickled punks” take up much of the dim room, forming a macabre background for the tattooed goths and relaxed residents who settle into the wooden booths for a beer or to catch a sci-fi film on the TVs above the bars.

Concerts throughout the week make for a crowded upstairs area, as indie and heavy metal bands draw a diverse mix looking to thrash on the small dance floor, though the popular burlesque performances and magic shows also pack the house.

Eclectic and lively, Red Palace is an eccentric hotspot patrons would be crazy not to enjoy.