There used to be a club located in Dupont called Dragonfly that Dean and I used to hit up with some regularity. It was great as a starter, intermediary or finishing venue for an evening in DC. The one consistency was that there was always a pretty good crowd, good music yet it was never difficult to get a drink. Then, somehow it inexplicably shut down and has been dormant for the past year or so. Current has been built on the ashes of Dragonfly and subsequently, has a lot to live up to.
Cost - $$
Service - B+
It was a little amusing that the doorman thought I was trying to BS my way into their soft opening by saying I write about the DC nightlife. That being said he still let us in without a problem and so that was a plus. Upstairs, we got served without much difficulty and the bartender was pretty cool. Later, some chubby Patrick Bateman wannabe was getting a little overbearing and there was almost an altercation but the Current staffer came and handled the situation with relative aplomb.
Food - ?
Decor - B+
It looks like they have modernized the look and feel of the venue a bit although I always dug the simplicity of Dragonfly. They’ve tried to glitz it up a bit and give it a more high-end feel. The bar has flip-flopped to the other side of the upstairs area and they’ve added tables for bottle service. Generally speaking, it has a pretty slick, contemporary feel.
Feel - B+
Current has certainly jumped on the high-end bandwagon that seems to be emerging in the DC nightlife scene. Dragonfly had a unique personality and a defined character and may have been a bit more laid back - You knew that you were going to get good service and a laid-back fairly attractive crowd. Ultimately, the question for Current will be whether they can create a solid and loyal following like their predecessor. I’d say they are off to a solid start and we’ll be watching them with interest as they begin to try and stake their claim in Dupont Circle.
Current is located at 1215 Connecticut Ave. NW.
I recently had my first experience at Current….it’s not bad, but I do miss Dragon Fly because it’d built a niche for the reasons that you mentioned.
Current certainly is more upscale with attractive clientele to boot….but it seems like it’s trying to be what a lot of other bars are trying to be, and other than hardwood floors, I’m not sure what it can ultimately do to make itself different.
You know, I miss Dragon Fly also. I can’t describe it but Current just doesn’t have the same feel. Dragon Fly had a definite personality in the Dupont area. Maybe it will just take time.
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I went to Current Lounge last night for a friend’s birthday. I liked the vibe of the club, it has a clean look that uses a lot of white and blue.
Drinks were expensive but the service at our table was great. I also thought the DJ did a great job of mixing different genres of music and had everyone dancing until 3am. It wasn’t overly crowded, but we still had fun and I would reccomend it as a place to go when club-hopping.