Phase One

John, Just saw this pop in. Wow — I had a very similar experience except was with male friend — she was fairly short and rude. She also wanted $ 20 and let countless others enter as she told me about the fee… sounds like I gave up much faster than you — not much to debate. I wasn’t paying $ 20 — and moved on to the next spot — hope management takes a look at this — unless that is their direction — to only allow lesbians in… thanks for sharing.

the phase is great! it has different segments so you can do what you wanna do and not be bumping into to people. the dance floor is a little small but it’s kinda cute that way.
the only downside is they only take cash.

I was especially excited to visit this place as it was listed as the first lesbian bar in the US. Unfortunately I never felt so unwelcome in my life. As soon as my partner and I walked in we were warned that it was a gay bar and asked if I was comfortable with that. as I a very out queer female I was taken back and shocked at being judged; very off putting. After paying the $ 5 cover we sat at the bar and ordered a few drinks from the unhappiest bartender in the world. She was unfriendly to the point of being rude, ruining our entire experience. The music was outdated but the crowd seemed to be nice. Nevertheless, please take the previous reviews lightly and don’t have high expectations for this girl bar as it will disappoint. At least the drinks were reasonable.

Too bad about the $ 10 cover– they lost out on a party of 7. We took our business to the gay boy bars in DuPont.

The only lesbian bar to still be in continuous operation since the days of Stonewall. It is truly a dive bar with really awful food and sometimes bad drinks.
44 years ago I wandered into this place, while working as an intern in DC, and had my first dance with a woman. The song was, «Love on a Two Street» by The Moments.
After the dance my partner asked if I was «kiki». She was obviously «butch» and wanted a «femme» and I was delirious over being in held in a woman’s arms and I had no idea what «kiki» meant. Years later I found that the term, «kiki’ was a derogatory term for confused.
Throughout the 70’s and the 80’s there were many hot discussions between «role-​playing lesbians» and «lesbian-​feminists». Many of our discussions ended up late at night at the Phase over a drink and a dance on the little floor. It was one of the few safe places we could go without being called, «muff-​divers» by men whom we declined to dance with.
The Phase is iconic in LGBT history. Despite it’s ugliness, let’s preserve it and not let it become a redevelopment like Rhodes Tavern.
Enjoy it for the experience as to what gay bars used to be like. Will gay bars still exist in the future?

Still my favorite bar. I’ve moved away since my last review, but cant wait till I’m back in town again to swing by, grab a beer, hear some great music and see familiar faces.

Worst place ever ! I visited DC for my birthday and one of my friends got too drunk so another friend went to take her to the bathroom bc she was throwing up. Then all of a sudden the DJ goes on loud speaker and says bc the rules of one person in the bathroom at a time we ending it early and then they tell me and my friends we have to leave. I had a full drink and they say «my voice is gone but it’s usually intimidating but u need to chug your drink and go» RUDE! Never again I rather go to a straight bar with people who have class than this hole in the wall!

Great staff and I loved the atmosphere. They even had 2 non-​alcoholic beer choices!

The sweat-​filled, humid air combined with the pompous-​to-​air-​headed bartenders (depending on which one you can get to wait on you), the tiny dance floor, overpoweringly-​loud music blaring from (what seem to be) blown or really cheap speakers, and the overall too-​packed-​to-​move-​without-​some-​ugly-​ape-​groping-​you atmosphere make this place unbearable. Not to mention when you ask the staff what’s happening at the other location, they just talk shit about how it’s «owned by a man» and «not worth your time.» (News flash: the same man owns both locations.) I’ll stick to the Dupont location, Cobalt, or just about anywhere else (even straight clubs) with a dance floor big enough to fit more than 12 people, just to avoid this place.

Only tolerant place for a wanna be girl to go to in DC!
The New Years Eve party here, each year, is FANTASTIC – can wear my supercomfy black knee high boots with skirt, tights, pantyhose and super soft blouse that shows my «developing breasts» and get kissed and touched in «all the right places!»
Lesbian women really treat me as EQUAL and a SISTER!
Angela (bartender and Bouncer) IS COOL – She’s GREAT and always lets me in!
Thank you Angela – Love, Stef

Hole in the wall, fun lesbian club. Go for karaōke on Thursdays. Cash only. $ 3 PBR «pounders».

I love The Phase! When I first moved to DC the other interns and I would meet here for cheap happy hour beer. Now that we all have full time jobs we meet less frequently but I still find time to go. Especially to their special nights and events. If you’ve never been before be sure to check out the DC Kings drag king show. Every second Sunday of the Month! Sure to entertain!

I was an out-​of-​town visitor to D.C. & Phase One, but I wasn’t really impressed. Went on a Friday night, and it was a mix of younger girls to ⁴⁰⁄₅₀ something year-​old lesbians that have obviously been going for a while, which was cool.
I didn’t like the bouncer or bartenders, who seemed to cater more towards their local regulars. Drinks were weak for the price, so I switched to beer. You get a $ 1 drink ticket with your $ 5 cover, which I’ve never heard of before? Cash only bar which I personally prefer, because you know how much you’re spending.
There was an 80s «dance party» going on, which would have been more fun if the bar/​club/​whatever it is wasn’t such a weird mish-​mosh of… things. There’s a bar, a tiny dance floor, a random useless front area, a pool area… just so much going on. I couldn’t really get a feel for the vibe because of it, and just altogether wasn’t into it. Crowd was very nice, just not what I’m in to. And I will say that the music they chose was fitting & fun… but I’d pass. Or try out Dupont, for more of a club/​dance atmosphere.
It was cool though that there were lots of lesbians who have been going here for years, I can understand why they enjoy it. As a visitor, I definitely got the feeling that it was more of a place for local women. Just not my thing, but it wasn’t a terrible time by any means.

80s Dance Party, Lesbians, & an alternative for the ladies sick of sausage fests.
My friend was in town and I wanted to bring her to where the lesbians were at (without overpriced covers, drinks and fights).
I had low expectations, but was very surprised by the fun time I had. Cover was $ 5, and I was handed classes for a 80s Dance party. The music was GREAT, the little dance floor was filled (but had enough room to dance) and I thought the people were great.
The bartenders were not the nicest, and my friend wasn’t impressed though.
Nevertheless, I had a memorable night, got some great pictures, and will definitely be back for an alternative to the gay boy scene.

Phase isn’t fake and flashy, its comfortable like your grandma’s house, if your grandma encouraged boozy bacchanalia. Actually, you could call it the Ben’s Chili Bowl of bars; Its been around forever, you’re going to get messy and it is always delicious fun. Why risk disappointment by going somewhere else when you’re guaranteed a memorable night here? It’s the best dive bar eva’

There is a special place in my heart for The Phase. I’ve been going here on and off for…(was going to put a number but suddenly felt very old) a long time. No visit to DC is complete without catching up with some friends here. Kind of a modern-​day lesbian cheers if you will. With more drinking and dancing. The DJs are pretty good with requests (a few bucks won’t hurt) and will keep everyone shaking it as best they can. Drinks are strong if simple, and cheap (esp with your drink ticket from the cover!).
Take note and acknowledge from other reviews:
Yes it’s cash only
Yes there’s usually a cover (pretty standard for gay spots in DC)
Yes men are supposed to be accompanied by a woman
No it’s not a restaurant, Unilocal.More like a Dive Bar, but you’re welcome to bring in outside food.
Overall, a great spot to stop in and dance the night away. Are there things I wish Phase had that it doesn’t? Sure. But it’s been around for over 40yrs and I certainly hope it will see 40 more.

Phase 1 is an institution!
There is something to be said about having a lesbian neighborhood bar in your city. Where the drinks are cheap, the music is good, and every body knows your name. I know its cliché, but Phase 1 is like a family.
This is coming from a dive bar aficionado however… there aren’t many frills at the Phase, its not a «club», its more of a lounge. A place where you dont go to «be seen». Its honestly perfect for having a few drinks with some friends, or on a friday or saturday, cuttin loose a little.
Ahhh. And when you leave DC… you will miss this little bar. You will miss Angela knowing what you drink, and the rad events they have benefiting this or that…(slut night, phasefest, etc) but really, you will just miss having a low-​pressure place to have a little fun. Because there isnt anything like it, anywhere else.

Great drinks, great bartenders, and small dance floor with a great DJ.
As a male, I was served ok, and I showed respect for the girls.
…but why is it that every time I go to this bar, there is always a couple bitter lesbians looking for a fist fight? You can watch them wander thru the place looking for someone to make eye contact then watch them get in their face like, «what u lookin at!»
I’ll stick to 17^th street where the drunk boys just wanna have fun.

Damn, this place has really gone downhill.
Why capital city lesbians can’t do better than this, I don’t know. In short: There always seems to be a cover charge, even though nothing special ever happens there — just the same old faces, same old music every time. Half the staff is friendly, the other half (including the manager) will treat you like absolute shit if you let them. One of their toilets doesn’t flush; it hasn’t flushed in months, actually, and no one seems to want to fix it properly. There are only two toilets period, which leaves only one adequately working toilet for the entire establishment. The bar is cash only (wtf kind of bar is cash only???). They don’t care enough about their business or their customers to provide an ATM, which forces patrons to exit the establishment and trek up to 7 – 11 for additional cash. Wah-​wah.
It’s really far away from any other gay nightlife, so if you get bored with it, which will take, on average, less than an hour, it will take you at least 30 – 45 minutes to get out to Dupont or any other area with gay/​lesbian bars if you’re utilizing the public transportation. More importantly, about 90% of the girls who go there are, on a scale of 1 – 10, a 2 or less in my opinion. And by «2» I mean «Buzz, your girlfriend… woof.»
I can understand going here if you live in the neighborhood, but with all the incredible gay/​lesbian nightlife deliciousness happening in the Dupont area and in NW in general, why waste time at this dump?

I don’t know what all the hype is about. Visit it for its historicity, ok. It’s been around since 1970, I think. So, I’m not saying it shouldn’t operate, it’s just not for me. But, given that it’s an all (or mostly) women’s place, I’d still be open to giving it another go.
First of all, it’s far from me. I know this might not be the case with everyone, or maybe if I had a car it would be ok. But, it’s just not convenient for me to get there without a friend who has a car.
Second, there’s a $ 5 cover. I don’t mind paying a cover sometimes, but it does discourage me from buying drinks. And the music and the crowd should be amazing for me to consider paying a cover on a regular basis. Phase is more like a neighborhood bar. Why is there a cover?
Finally, it felt more like a party in someone’s apartment or a rented room than a club or a bar. The ambience just wasn’t there. There’s a small dance floor across from the bar and a pool table in the back with florescent lighting (or something equally unflattering) overhead.
The verdict: We left ten minutes (or less) after arriving. The music was good, but I just didn’t feel like hanging out there because of the reasons I discussed above.