Park at 14th
Last Friday, I went to a new place in DC called Park at Fourteenth. This club/lounge is right near K Street which as of late has been experiencing a whole new crop of upscale restaurants, clubs, and lounges. I looked at the website before going and noticed that it said "Cocktail Hour" from 5 to 10 p.m. I wasn't exactly sure what cocktail hour meant--was it happy hour? Were only special drinks served? Who knew. I read a review that said that it was important to be "stylish" which gave me pause because not that I would wear jeans, but who determines style? In any event, I went in my "Friday-work" attire which is not a suit but still office appropriate. We didn't have any problems getting in. The Park definitely has the feel of an older crowd and is decorated with plenty of oak. Since we got there before 10 pm, I asked if there were drinks specials and was told that they just ended at 8pm. Why wasn't this on the website? The drink that I ordered was a whopping $11. That is way too much for a rum and coke.
I asked a friend to meet me and I inquired with the superfluous three people at the entrance if jeans were ok and I was quickly told, "as long as she is stylish." That word again- stylish. My friend got in. There was no long line to enter. There was also a makeshift velvet rope as well.
I think that this place is trying to be very exclusive way too early. I mistakenly sat down on a couch and was told that that particular area was reserved for bottle service and had to get up. There was no one waiting to sit there.
Another interesting point. There were a few times while we were there that a waiter would come up to us and offer us food. At one point, a waiter offered us a little bowl of salad and another time a selection of mini hamburgers. That's good if you are hunngry, but overall, I wasn't that impressed with the place. Since last week, I have noticed that they have on their website the prices and selection of drinks between 5-8 pm. That is a good first step in the right direction. The Park will have a restaurant opening later this month.
For more information, go to www.theparkatfourteenth.com