DC9 Nightclub — Restaurant in Washington

Came out to DC9 for the Ha Vay concert and overall had a decent time, though the venue definitely had some ups and downs.

We arrived right when doors were scheduled to open, only to be shuffled up to the rooftop bar due to technical difficulties downstairs. We didn’t actually get into the venue until closer to 8 PM, which was a bit frustrating since doors were supposed to be at 7. That said, the rooftop staff and bartenders were incredibly friendly and clearly doing their best to keep things running smoothly. If I were one of the patrons up there just trying to enjoy my dinner, though, I probably wouldn’t have been thrilled. There were a ton of concertgoers awkwardly queuing around tables for a solid 30+ minutes.

The rooftop itself is nice! Plenty of fans, so even in hot weather it wasn’t too uncomfortable. Staff at the door checking IDs were also super chill and welcoming.

DC9 itself is really cool. It’s a multi-level space with several bars, lots of character, and what looks like a pretty solid food menu. However, I will say: if the show is sold out, expect it to feel cramped. Whether it was this particular crowd or just the venue at capacity, it felt really stuffy. Concert etiquette was kind of out the window—lots of pushing, no personal space, and very little room to move around. Honestly, I think they could’ve sold 25–30 fewer tickets and still had a packed, but much more comfortable, experience.

The sound quality also left a bit to be desired, some mic squeaking and audio weirdness here and there throughout the show, so I suspect those early “technical difficulties” never fully got resolved.

On the plus side, they have screens around the venue so even if you’re further back, you can still watch the performance, which is a nice touch.

All in all, we were thrilled to see some of our favorite artists in such an intimate space, but the experience as a whole felt a little chaotic. With some tweaks to crowd control and sound, DC9 could be a killer venue. For now, I’d say it’s worth going—but maybe not for a fully...

The show gets a 5 out of 5 star review. But the place is just a 1 star. Went for a show and the show was amazing! Its the only thing that saved the experience. But the bartender in the bottom bar during the evening made waiting for the show to start a horrible experience. Everyone in my group is in the age range of 22-30 and we were told, at the door, we could go up to the rooftop bar until the show started, due to it closing at that time. We tried to go up there and the bartender yelled at us. He told us to "find a seat and sit down because we cant line up and block the stair well cause its a fire hazard." We were trying to go to the rooftop bar though. And then immediately afterwards, other people stood in the stair well and were blocking it and he didnt say anything to them. People were continously going up the stairs, even a group with a small child. When we were told everyone under 21 had to stay on the main floor until show time. The bartender was VERY loud and VERY rude, for no reason. Even when people from my group went to get a drink, he was rude. Not to mention the ONE mixed drink, he made, tasted HORRIBLE and made one of us sick. Just cause you can pour some liquor into a cup, doesnt mean you should be a bartender. He had the worst customer service etiquette I have ever experienced anywhere in my life. He needs to be humbled or...

I went to see a Finnish Hard Rock band, who plays on bluegrass instruments. Due to an accident I had last year I am unable to stand more than 15 minutes at a time. The manager was extremely understanding and helpful, made certain I was able to get one of the few seats available in the stage area. We arrived early, found free on-street parking almost across the street, Had dinner, met the staff, and everyone from the door person, the extremely sweet bartender downstairs, the bartenders upstairs, and on the roof were all great. The food..different but wonderful. We shared the Pickled Shrimp, Fried Chicken with hush puppies, and Bourbon Balls. Drinks were reasonably priced. The food was fabulous and very reasonable for DC. I make a point when I travel to eat at places recommended by the Road Food people and this was better than their top rated fried chicken dinner at the Southern Kitchen in New Market, Va! Who ever heard of pickled shrimp? Well it was amazing!! VERY different, VERY good. The patrons that this club draws were even nice, which is unusual in a city bar. The sound was good. I have been a sound engineer for 30 years and I am hard to please. They did a great job, sounded very good, powerful yet clean but not ridiculously loud. I definitely recommend this club highly and will be back, even...