Cloud (9?)

What used to be the old Savino, Cloud (http://www.clouddining.com/index.htm) is now a restaurant/ lounge bar/ dance place that gets pumping late nights. Perhaps it was the changing multi-colored lights and the white curtains that prevented us from checking the place out for months since it became Cloud in spite of being right in the building I work in (One Dupont Circle). A few months ago we decided to check it out and had a fun enough experience the first time to return back there.

Both times Cloud had fun music and the place was quite full even at 8 pm with well dressed people. The waiters are all dressed in white and the bartenders are quite efficient—they sure know how to make a good martini! I loved the butterscotch martini (good for people who like sweet drinks) a bit expensive at $9 a glass. Big Head enjoyed her blood orange cosmo at $8 a glass saying it was “amazing, very refreshing.” The website claims they have happy hour specials with $3 shooters and champagne Fridays thought that might have changed.

The bar area near the front entrance attracts a slightly older crowd. Last night there was a group of Latinas celebrating a bachelorette party. It was fun to see the male stripper do his thing while the ladies (and some males) cheered on. The dance floor located at the back attracts a much younger crowd and that gets packed by midnight with people bumping and grinding to hip hop and other popular dance tracks. The first night we went there one of our 30 + year old friends, a successful doctor was rejected outright by a girl who told him he was too old and remarked she would be turning 19 years next week! That same night we were quite scandalized by the scantily clad youngsters they continued to bump and grind with every person they encountered on their floor.

All in all, it’s a good place to get dressed up and party. But if you don’t have the energy to pretend like you’re below 25 years, sit by the main bar and enjoy the martinis while you people watch. Cloud has a $10 cover charge although ladies get in free before 10:30 pm but the bouncers are open to negotiation regarding women. Last night for instance they allowed 2 girls and one guy in for just $10. They also have valet parking which is convenient since Dupont circle can be a pain to find parking.