Pros: Fun, nostalgic games
Con: Horrible Customer service and the signs for the game pricing are not clearly visible
Last Friday was my first time at this bar so I was not aware of how the game rental thing worked. I was meeting up with friends who had been there for an hour or two already. Â They said that they just went up and grabbed a game and brought it back up to the bar without paying. I did just that and the bouncer yelled at me from across the room not to steal and that I had to pay $2 per game. It was quite busy so being yelled at it kind of embarrassing when you're stone sober but I gave the game back and went to go find two dollars.
When I came back to pay, the man yelled at me about how stupid I was not to read the signs that are "everywhere." I said I was sorry and explained that I had not seen any signs. He pointed to one "menu" which I had trouble reading in the dark lighting and if I had been drunk?.... then forget about it! All this time the bouncer kept asking my why I couldn't read the signs when I walked it... so I asked for my money back and returned to my friends who already had one game out.
Later in the evening I had several strangers come up to me and say "FYI the bouncer is telling everyone you're a bitch." Â I have never in my life been treated so horribly!
When I left, I gave him a giant smile and in my sweetest voice said, "I hope you have a fantastic night!"
*Side note: Â Remember to only order beer or wine at this place! Â The bartenders do not seem to make mixed drinks besides your common rum and coke.
It's a bar that lets you rent board games. There is a "menu" of games that offers a short description of each, has a picture, and then lists the price for that game. Prices for the games differ depending on which ones you pick.
Fun concept, but could be improved if they offered food, even if it was just snack food options like popcorn or pretzels.
The first time I went was late afternoon on a Saturday. There weren't that many people there so we were able to get a table by the front window and pick whatever game we wanted. We picked Life and then Trivial Pursuit. We got drinks and enjoyed playing our games.
The next time I went, it was on a Saturday night, but my friend and I ended up leaving because we couldn't find a spot to sit to play a board game because it was so packed with people.
The third time I went, I met a group of friends there for as we were celebrating a friend's birthday. We played Taboo and it was fun, although we played it standing in a corner because there weren't enough tables/seats. It was fun, but certainly limited which games we could select because there wasn't a spot to put down a "traditional" board game.
SHORT VERSION: Friends + board games + drinks? Â sign me up! Â (though remember to bring your own food!)
LONGER VERSION: A large group of friends (20 or so people?) came here after work one day, and had some fun playing board games (we brought our own) and drinking a few pitchers of various "beverages." Â A few caveats: (1) I'm a total geek and I'm pretty much a sucker for board games, and (2) I don't drink much and therefore tend to be the awkwardly-sober one in any given group. Â Given those two caveats, I thought this place was great, for a group! Â Lots of drinks, people were pretty happy with the selection, several people bought/brought some food along, and lots of laughs and fun playing board games. Â What's not to love? Â It got rather loud (but then again, I think game nights tend to get that way!), but it was so much fun--I'm not a fan of bars, in general, but I'll definitely be back!
SO. Â MUCH. Â FUN. Â I love this bar. Â What's better than hanging out, drinking some good beer and playing board games? Â I've been here both during Happy Hour on a weekday (great $4 drink specials) and on a busy Friday night and have had a blast. Â My roommate, boyfriend and I played Settlers of Catan for hours and hours the last time we went while collectively drinking our way through a pretty significant portion of the beer selection, and it was just an awesome time. Â The only thing I would say is if you come on a Friday (and probably Saturday) night, it gets pretty crowded by like 9 or 10. Â So expect that you might have to wait for a table if you choose a board game that requires one... especially if you're a group of more than 4 people. Â Overall, SUCH a great concept for a bar, and I will continue to come here frequently!
Review Source:I thought Board Room was ok. The customer service was a little aloof and the music was super loud for a place premised on playing games (presumably while having a conversation). The beer menu seemed to have a good range, some local beers and other east coast breweries.
But, let's be real, despite any shortcomings Board Room might have I'm ALWAYS down for a few rounds of Taboo and I'm glad DC has a place that facilitates fun game night!
FATAL FLAW: NO FOOD SERVED. Keep that in mind!
Happy Hour review only:
Yes, it has HH deals on beer BUT not on all of them. When I was there, the HH specials were all the lame beers in fact.
That being said, the Board Room DOES have a good beer selection and is a nice place to grab a drink. Just don't come here expecting a great HH deal.
Good concept, festive crowd. We were there the Sunday night before Memorial Day to play - obviously - Cards Against Humanity. The whole place was pretty crowded and we only barely found a table for our group of 8, and we had to wait for CAH for a little while. Luckily my friend just happened to be carrying around about a half set of the card game in her purse, so we used that until we could grab a full set. So yeah, we got nice and inappropriate for about an hour an a half up on the top floor. (Note for Cards Against Humanity newbies: The best possible white card (answer card) to the black card (question card) will always be the one you pick up from the draw pile right after you already put down your answer. Always.)
But anyway, this place really has to do something about those hand-crafted cocktails of theirs. I was in a cocktail-y mood, so I ordered two: the Icebreaker, which sounded delish: House-crafted hibiscus soda, vodka, St. Germaine and a lime, and the Adult Vanilla Cola: House-crafted cola, vanilla vodka, and a cherry. The Icebreaker was especially disappointing and flavorless. It almost tasted like a vodka and tonic. The adult vanilla cola was fine, but uninspired. Basically, you'd be better off sticking with the pretty good beer selection here.
BIg negative for me because there's no food...boo! But they do allow outside deliveries. A few from my group eneded up leaving to eat, so it would have been nice to have known that, maybe by posting that info somewhere. No reservations taken, it's pretty much self service in the seating department. When we came on a Friday it was suuuper crowded, very loud too. We managed to find seating after about 10 mins of loitering upstairs awkwardly. The atmosphere can be very college-y - lots of 20 somethings, with an adult play room kinda feel. A few from my group were surprised that we paid $4 to play apples to apples. It did seem a little much considering. I think some sort of deposit would be more reasonable. Drink prices were fine - wines were around $7-9 I think.
I came at a different time around happy hour and the scene was much more chill, less boisterous than the weekend. Happy hours specials are also a bonus.
I guess the concept is pretty unique, but it's just not my kinda scene. I feel like I'd rather buy a few bottles of wine and play apples to apples at a friends house. It sure won't cost $4....
Fun bar that offers something different in the DuPont area. Â You can rent a board game, get a nice big pitcher of beer, and order your own food (pizza delivery and whatnot) since they don't have a kitchen. I came here in the late afternoon , when my friend says its less chaotic and less "college-y" (than at night).
We got a cheap $13 pitcher of decent beer (Brooklyn iPa) for happy hour when beers are $4. Â There is a ton of seating upstairs- so you can come with a big group and just sprawl. Â Only downside is the lack of servers and the fact that you have to pay some $5 to rent a game.
I went to Board Room on a Thursday night to hangout w/ about 20 friends from out of town. We were able to get the front section reserved upstairs by the guardrail. First off I must say that I love the fact that they don't serve food. It was very convenient with our large group to just order pizza and chill until it arrived. I was surprised that one bartender was able to successfully handle about 40-50 patrons upstairs and none of us ever waited more than a couple minutes to get a drink. The staff was friendly, the bathroom was clean and the decor was cool for the game lovers. I'd highly recommend this spot if you're looking for a laid back place to kick it with some friends before going out.
Review Source:Great idea, poor execution.
I really, really want to like this place. But I should've known it'd be a bust when I walked in and a man sitting at the bar eating from a takeout container sort of grunted at us. Oh, you want to see ours IDs? Okay... kind of off putting that you aren't situated more towards the door and/or eating on the job while you casually chill at the bar.
So we go upstairs. No tables. Okay. Bartender was alright but I just wanted to grab my drink and get out of there so we could scope out some tables. Instead, he had to go check the price for my drink and made me sit through about three or four other drink orders before allowing me to pay him.
Which then leads to the awkward stand around and stalk people when they leave to grab their table. It's some sort of weird competition with the others waiting and I would much rather they keep track of who comes first. (There were also some people later on who sat at tables without playing games while others with games in hand stood and waited for a free table.)
So, we grab a table after a few minutes (and my table hunting skills) and go get Scattergories. Come back up, open it... missing pieces. Too many missing pieces to even make it work; unplayable.
I work my way downstairs, explain the situation to the aforementioned grunter. Who, by the way, is on his cell phone the whole time he is giving out the games. I ask for Apples to Apples. I'm kind of annoyed at this point and ask for the price difference, because I remembered seeing Apples to Apples being a dollar cheaper than Scattergories. I wanted that dollar. The grunter assures me, no, in fact, it's actually more expensive. As if he's giving me a deal.
Well, no. I look up the price later on my phone, I was correct. Really wanted to go and give that guy an earful, but at that point, it wasn't worth it. Our Apples to Apples set was also stacked with double decks and we kept drawing multiples of the same card.
So... again. I really want to like this place. I will probably give it another chance. But it needs some sort of organization very badly. The games we received were in poor shape and I cannot get past the incredibly poor service.
Great little spot. Â Friendly bartenders, and great ambiance. Â
I can't comment on the games, as I went there to get work done on my laptop. The staff was very attentive but not pushy, and didn't seem at all put out that I was taking up bar space with my laptop. Â Free wifi, but it actually works and provided decent speed.
I have gone twice during the middle of the week, and was always able to find a place to sit. Â They have a decent selection of beers, and a great location.
I think I have found my new hangout in DC.
Cool ambience... That is about it. I went with my girlfriend on a Fridat. We arrived at the bar and sat right in front of the taps. Not a Single bartender or server noticed us, let alone take our order. Tried to get the attention of one bartender, however he kept his focus on the register then walked into the back. After 20 minutes we left. On the way out we inquired about the games. Very surprised to find out there was a fee... Overall very disappointed!
Review Source:Loved this place. You walk in to see a huge chest of games you can play just in front of a huge, fully stocked bar. What else could you want for a Friday night?
You can bring your own games or use some of theirs, which is a pretty diverse selection. Also, no food, so order pizza from around the way. The crowd seemed diverse -- some coming from work, others more relaxed, but all in all a great vibe. Great beer selection, full bar, so plenty of every kind of libations to make sure you knock over the Jenga tower.
We had a reservation for 6:00 and that seemed a good choice because it was getting pretty crowded when we left at 9.
I've been here twice late on a Friday night and both time there was little to no wait for a table for a group of our friends. The downside is the games we want are never available so we play truth or dare jenga and the stuff written on the pieces is incredibly lame for the most part and you can only play for a few min before it gets repetitive. The bartenders are nice, the bouncer was nice, the patrons are all very nice, the place itself is a fun spot. Gives you something to do other than just sitting around at a bar. I always have a good time here and recommend it to everyone. It's nice when you can find a bar in DC on a weekend evening and get a drink in less than 2 minutes.
They do not have food here but they allow you to bring outside food in which is really great. There are plenty of places around there to grab food at and take with you.
For what this place is, a divey bar with board games, it is pretty fun. But in terms of a fun place to go on a Friday or Saturday night, I would pass. The crowd is not every social, the staff are not at all nice, and the vibe is so low key I want to take a nap!
Board Room is great for visiting during the weekday, when you know you don't want to go home but you don't want to get too drunk. Maybe also good for entertaining some virtuous business partners, who want to sip their beer while playing Sorry.
I don't know. Board Room wasn't all that great, but it wasn't all that bad either. Definitely 3 stars.
It's late on a Friday night and you're in Dupont Circle. There are quite a few well-known places to go. You could go to 18th Street Lounge and pay a cover, but you know you really don't want to do that. Then someone has a bright idea: let's go play Scattergories. Journey up Connecticut and you've found your home--Board Room.
This is really a brilliant idea. It combines a trendy bar, focusing on microbrews, with a large selection of classic games. I've seen Jenga at a bar before, but it was a good idea there and it's a good idea here. You're studying International Relations at George Washington or American University--perhaps Risk is more up your alley? They of course have Apples 2 Apples and its edgier cousin, Cards Against Humanity. I just wouldn't recommend Monopoly, at least not if you still want the people you came with to still be your friend at the end of the night.
Board Room is pretty trendy right now in a very trendy location. I'm a bit worried it might jump the shark. But I'll still take it right now over most of the bars and clubs in Dupont.
Like, I wanna booze but I also wanna DO something...
Kill 2 birds with one stone and get to Board Room. The place has a great vibe - loud and lively on the weekends without being too 'sceney' and still fun on the weekdays. Perfect spot to take a date after dinner at Bistro Du Coin (weekday) or with a big group of friends. Great if you have someone in your crew who doesnt drink or is (woof) pregnant because they can still have fun.
Tips: Note they don't serve food but you can order food to be delivered or bring your own. Remember silverware (especially if you have a birthday cake) because they don't have any. Lesson learned. Games are rented (a few dollars depending on the game) by the guy near the door. Make friends with a group near you and you can switch games when you want to change it up without having to rent a new game.
YAHTZEE!
After one short visit to Board Room, this Dupont bar has quickly turned into my favorite Happy Hour joint - SORRY Circa and Sign of the Whale. Â Beyond the simple fact that you can rent board games to BREAK THE ICE on that first date, Board Room has some of the best drink specials with select beer, house wine and rail drinks for $4 till 7PM every night of the week. LIFE doesn't get much better than that!
OPERATION Hungry? Ask the bartender for a take-out menu to have food delivered! Won't get in any TROUBLE for that Domino's craving!
So, take a RISK and get a CLUE - Board Game is the best thing invade Dupont since THE SETTLERS OF CATAN!
I came here with in a friends for a happy hour. At first I was skeptical, thinking, "Yeah, this bar is another attempt to pander to twenty-somethings thinking that my generation only likes light entertainment and 90s nostalgia." I left in a different mood.
Between the reasonable beer prices, adequate space and wicked fun game of Jenga(!) I started to become a believer in the bar's concept. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, and it is tough to be cynical about that.
One note: I was told by a friend that the bar does not serve food. Â A workaround for this problem is that they do allow patrons to order pizza from outside shops. Cool.
I'm fully prepared to be the first person in the history of Yelp to give the Board Room DC two stars.
It's not that great, there I said it.
I wanted to like this place--no scratch that. I wanted to fall in love with this place, have a torrid one night fling only to realize we couldn't live without each other, and make it a regular hook-up until one of us realized sh*t was getting too real and then break-up via text only to later drunkenly tweet my undying love for them thus making us a couple again.
Yes, THAT'S how bad I wanted to be in favor of the Board Room---but in all honesty it should've been named the BORED Room. This place could've been SO much more than it actually was.
I went on a Saturday evening with a group of friends. I only trekked into DC because the bartender told me via pre-driving phone call that "We're really slow right now" when in fact they were incredibly packed.
So skip the fact that it took me 45 minutes to find parking (which I never did, I just used a $20 parking lot!), and lugged a bag of our own games from a 15 minute walk away. Once inside no one ever checked IDs at the door (can we say liquor law violation?), and we found literally the ONE table that was left. It was a crappy piece of real estate located on the top floor right up against the guard rail but we were desperate. I was stuck in my chair for most evening due to people being crammed up behind me. And getting to the unisex (ewww!) bathroom was an adventure all on its own.
We noticed many people taking tables that could've been used for "board games" but instead were drinking  or using coats to "hold spots". In a place that has standing room only there needs to be some regulations on holding spots. I don't approve of it in the movie theater and the same goes for crowded bars. The noise level was impossible. Mostly because it was impossible to hear anything. We pantomimed most of the 2 hours that we were there or yelled in each others faces. The little table that we did have could hardly hold our drinks let alone the board games, and food we ordered off-site (yes this place serves NO food--not even some chips or french fries to get some food on all the booze you're drinking).
There was no rhyme or reason to the madness at the Board Room. The elevator didn't work, there was no food, I couldn't hear my friends to talk--forget explaining rules to board games, and it was more crowded than a Justin Bieber concert during middle school Spring Break.
For the reviews I kept reading that whined about DC not serving alcohol after a certain time...STOCK UP!
You're better off staying at home with friends, sitting around your table playing any board games you want, listening to whatever music you want, being able to actually HEAR them speak words to you.
Board Room can keep their "board game" collection of Yatzee and Mousetrap---I'll be home playing Settlers, Monopoly, and Munchkin with the case of beer I bought beforehand.
Overheard after 20 minutes in this place: "hrmm. This is not what I imagined" I couldn't agree more with the random couple that walked into Board Room on this rainy Saturday afternoon. I don't know what I was expecting but it's definitely much louder and more boisterous than what I initially imagined. Which is a plus!
I think the typical experience is to wander in as a group and throw massive amounts of side-eye at everyone carrying on and having a good time. (Lots of yelled Sawwry!! and "you sunk my battleship!") After a couple drinks though your group will be part of the masses as you get absorbed into the gameplay.
I think board games in a bar environment is a can't miss proposition really. Games are a few bucks and they have a pretty solid lineup. This is in addition to a solid drink selection and very nice bartenders with plenty of cheap drink specials. Pack some Flippin Pizza from next door (or your food of choice) and you're in for a great night.
On Saturday, March 9th I reserved a section of the upstairs bar at Board Room for my husband's 30th birthday party. We were expecting about 100 people over the course of the evening, and the staff told us to expect big crowds that night.
Steve Mirsky helped us throughout the night, and was very attentive, efficient, and helpful. He made sure we had plenty of space, his staff was very helpful in continuously checking on us, clearling out empty glasses, making sure the bartender knew our group, and responding to our questions and concerns.
Overall it was a great experience, a really fun night with just enough space, plenty of tasty drinks, and attentive and helpful staff.
Thanks again to Steve Mirsky for the great service- you really made the evening, and we'll be coming back again and again!
Let me paint a picture for you. You're sitting around your apartment with friends, playing Apples to Apples and drinking a couple frosty beverages. A pizza arrives, pepperoni of course, and your buddy comes back from the fridge to inform the rest of you that, sadly, you're out of beer. It's past 11 pm, so because of ridiculous DC laws, a beer run is out.
This is why Board Room is amazing. Never again fear that your game night will end beer-less. Drink with (responsible) abandon. Order a pizza. Enjoy your friends. Never mind that it's a little loud and a little cramped. Have your friends over and you won't have to clean up after them in the morning.
This bar is awesome. Came here on a Saturday afternoon around 4, and it was packed. Luckily enough my group was able to snag a table by the stairs, and that is when the fun insued. I mean, you get to drink at a bar and play games. How awesome is that? My group settled for Yahtzee, which made us absolutely the loudest group there with those damn dice rolling in that plastic container. It was absolutely awesome.
There were happy hour specials when I was there, so beers were only $4, which isn't too bad, especially for dupont. They don't serve any food, but allow you to carry in stuff from other restaurants.
I totally am going to come back here on a weekend for a night of drunken board games. So awesome.
I loved this bar in Dupont. Well-priced and expansive beer selection, friendly service, and a good crowd. Seating is first come, first serve, unless you reserve ahead of time. They have a large selection of games for varying "rental" prices. Trivial Pursuit was $3 when we were there around 7pm on a Saturday. If you'd like to play Cards Against Humanity, you rent at the bar...and have to surrender an ID in exchange. Too many people stealing it!
No food, but if you get pizza from down the street, mention you're here and they'll give you 25% off.
Holy #%($, this place is amazeballs!
We just finished playing Taboo. And it was just about as fan-friggin-tastic as the scene from Four Christmases with Vince Vaughan. And now, at the prime age of 27, I'm currently kicking ass in a game built for ages 6 and older -- MOUSETRAP!
I feel like a kid in a candy shop...or better yet, like a beer drinking adult at the Board Room! Absolutely brilliant concept bar.
PS. They let you bring in food from outside!
Great concept!! We had friends from Atlanta come up, and were looking for a low-key New Year's Eve. Hard to believe we're 25-26 I know, but we've been there and done all the crazy wild NYE parties. So, we found this place. They had good drink specials, a wide array of board games, and had a countdown to 2013 with the whole place involved. It was perfect! This place is nice and clean on the inside, and I played battleship for the first time ever, and beating my husband at it made it that much better! We also played games we've never heard of with a "loser buys the next round" stake that made this place even more fun. Other patrons were cordial, and we even made some new random friends for the evening.
The only downsides include no coat check, no sort of grub whatsoever, and seating is extremely limited! We got there super early to make sure we could get a seat since all the reservations were full. People ordered pizza from elsewhere because they didn't have a single thing to eat on their menu. Party foul, and loss of potential money there. The people ended up sharing slices with random people. Come on, have some pretzels, or other lite type bar food please! Then we had to make our own coat check by grabbing a chair, and next thing you know multiple other tables used our same chair to start stacking all of their coats! How did I become the coat check?!!?
I like this place. Â You have beer, and board games. Â The location is great because while they don't have food there are plenty of options to acquire it. Â You can even have food delivered. Â
I met a date here and we played UNO. Â She won both times, but that's not the Boardroom's fault so they can't be blamed for that. Â However the bartender was awesome as he was low profile in terms of checking in on us but at the same time was always there with a beer in hand to strike at the right time. Â
As far as games go they have a menu that you can check out and they have a wide selection available for "renting". Â The games aren't free though, but I'm fine with that if that means that the games themselves are intact when you rent them. Â I'm sure if they weren't then you wouldn't be charged.
Definitely some place I intend on going back to with a group of friends.
Dupont needed something like this. Too many douchey bars/clubs has made Connecticut Ave a college town. Board Room felt like a haven.
It's all pretty innocent. Board games and such while you drink. It's a great atomsphere for groups of people looking to have a good time bonding with one another, without getting plastered.
It's a new spot, but it's already pretty popular. So if you're a big group, call ahead. Seating is in high demand and it's just no fun playing a round of Uno standing up.
The Board Room was a much-needed addition to this side of the circle. I almost always find myself walking south instead of north on Conneticut Ave, and walking toward the Board Room I found myself happy for a little change-up in my regular scene.
The place is obviously new - the seats cushioned and comfy, the bar slick and shiny, and sign outside still hardly visible. The bar is adorned with drawings of board game characters, showing off the famous Monopoly man on many an occasion. There's a long hallway of a downstairs with short tables and chairs, the bar, and bathrooms in the back. There's also an upstairs with a smaller bar and similar tables.
The cool thing about the Board Room is, well, the board games! Where else can you relive your childhood memories while getting tanked? They've got battleship, yahtzee, hungry hungry hippos, connect four (a fav of mine!), Uno, Jenga, and more, more, more. For only a few bucks here and there you can set your game down, have a blast with your buddies, and enjoy your cold brew all throughout. They've even got some arcade games to play including the one and only Pac-Man!
Speaking of the brews, this bar has a pretty great draft list, with almost all of the drafts coming in affordable pitchers too ($16-22). It includes some Racer 5, DC Brau, Dale's, some New Belgium beers, and more crafts among all the standard beers you'd see. The bartender will let you try any of the beers too, so get a sample and make smart decisions with those taste buds. There's also a happy hour here where most of the drafts are only $4 a glass!
My roommate and I settled on a Star Hill Northern Lights IPA pitcher, which was perfect since we were looking for something to warm the tummy after the frigid journey we made walking here. The bar also has a couple nice flat-screen TVs to peruse if you're not trying to play some games (but then why'd you come?)
I would go out right now and grab three of your childhood friends and head over to Board Room cus you know the funnest games are four-player!
Really really great addition to the Dupont bar scene. Board Room is the perfect choice if you're looking for a chill night that's a little different from your standard bar.
Like any good DC bar, Board Room has a solid selection of beers, including some local favorites, like DC Brau, at decent prices ($7 for ommegang witte, $5 for yuengling). I would recommend sticking with the beers here though. Cocktails are not a strong point of this bar.
Unlike other good DC bars, Board Room has a  variety of old school board games for just $1-5. (Note: the price of games seems to vary here by day of the week. On a Saturday, it was $1-5 depending on the game. On Wednesday it was $2 paid just once and then you could play any game you wanted.) By old school I mean good 'ol battle ship, monopoly, and one that I never thought I'd see again, HUNGRY HUNGRY HIPPOS!!!
A few irrelevant but fun observations of these games:
 1. Even in a crowded bar, one could always pick out the group playing hungry hungry hippos. Apparently those hippos are very hungry and the players are just as excited as the hippos they're controlling.
 2. There's supposedly only one set of jenga blocks with sexually suggestive and impolite pictures and words crudely drawn on them. However, I'm skeptical. This particular set has found its way to me every time I've come here, which is quite a feat given the number of people and number of games they have...
Which is another good thing about Board Room. Not only do they have a variety of games, they have a good number of copies of each kind so that you never have to wait to long to play it. This is very smart of them given how crowded this place can get by 11pm. While there is a good amount of seating, if you get there too late, you might have to hover for a while. Oddly enough, while they fill up relatively early in the evening, they've always cleared out by 12:30 in my experience despite closing way after that.
Anyway, FYI. Board Room allows you to order food to be delivered there. We did it with Dominoe's pizza and we've seen the delivery guys from Flippin' pizza (next door) come through a few times.
Overall Board Room is a fun places to start your night whether you're hanging with your own group or out to mingle.