In 2001, Club Modern sprung up from the ashes of Sports Fans, a bar that I knew and tried to avoid when I was at Georgetown. Georgetown had not really seen anything like Modern when it emerged and it continues to buck the trend by not only sustaining – but actually succeeding in an area of DC that has traditionally been devoted to pubs and bars that cater to the preppy, white Georgetown crowd.

Cost – $$

Service – B+
The service is pretty good. The club’s owner is John Boyle (Nation and 5) and he seems to do a good job creating a laid back culture in clubs that aesthetically seem to warrant more of a sense of exclusivity (not a good thing). In other words, the services is good. The door can sometimes be a bit annoying but that is not because they are trying to keep the place exclusive – it is because they are trying to avoid a fire hazard I believe.

Food – ?
I don’t think they serve food at Modern but I could be mistaken.

Decor – A-
The decor in Modern is pretty funky. There is fairly plush seating, an interesting sunken bar, and a spacious dance area. Not that I dance at clubs or anything but I like the general layout of the place.

Feel – B+
I haven’t been to Modern in a while but that is not a statement about the quality of the place – that is probably more of a statement that I am getting old and decrepit. I would say Modern is one of my top three favorite venues in Georgetown (in addition to Maté and Mie N Yu) actually and does a great job blending hip-hop/funk with Georgetown WASP, if that makes any sense.

Club Modern is located at 3287 M St NW. They can be reached at 202-338-7027.

What’s the Buzz:

January 6, 2008 – Modern Lounge (DCSocialite) – Modern lounge is a great place to visit in the Georgetown area. I have been going there for over two years now and still go there almost once a week. Moderns sunken circular bar provides a great place to hang out and get drinks. It is pretty easy to get a drink here even when its packed because of the bars design. The best thing about this club is the fact that the people that work there are extremely nice they are so friendly they make modern a great place to be.  Full article…

October, 2001 – Modern (Washington Post) – In this post-postmodern world, naming your new club simply “Modern” seems a refreshingly archaic idea. The very idea of “modern” seems quaint, so 20th century, conjuring abstract paintings and amoeba-shaped coffee tables. It’s an almost old-fashioned idea, the need to trumpet the fact that you’re not old-fashioned. Full Article…

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