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.
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.
[...] combined with Midtown’s great location on the Dupont Circle club circuit (which now includes Current and Fly) should ensure a pretty solid balance sheet for the club for at least the next couple [...]
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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.
[...] is Sun Lounge. Although it doesn’t currently have the same Q Score as nearby Midtown and Current Lounge, Sun Lounge delivers a high-quality product that seems to be on the [...]
I recently had dinner at Current on a Saturday night, and have no plans to repeat the experience. First, the bartenders are lovely and attentive, so if you just want to drink, then Current is a fine place. However, for dinner, our waiter was also nice, but the hostess wavered from indifferent to downright hostile, our food took over an hour to come with no apologies for the wait, and the sushi was room temperature like it had been sitting for a while and tasted bland and stale. I’d probably do a happy hour here anytime, but mediocre food and terrible service…no thanks!!
[...] past year or so we have seen the emergence of a series of new clubs in the Dupont area including Current, Midtown and most recently, Spot. However, we haven’t seen the same trend in the quality of [...]
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[...] person in Dupont Circle at a given point on a Friday or Saturday night, I’m convinced that Current Lounge would sit in the center of this diagram. I’m convinced that the primary reason it draws [...]
[...] mixed reviews, there hadn’t been a major club opening this summer until Eden. Similar to Current, Eden has been built on the ashes of a once successful venue that began to sputter over the past [...]