Kiki

Meet Kiki, an Exciting New Gay Bar Replacing a Pair of Shuttered Shaw Dives | Eater DC

"I’m looking forward to Kiki, a new LGBTQ-friendly establishment on U Street NW that hopes to debut in mid-December on the former Velvet side with two dance floors, a stage for weekly drag shows, and a bar pouring margaritas on draft alongside classic (but not overly elaborate) cocktails. Owner Keaton Fedak plans to expand by next May into the adjacent former Dodge City space to add a modern lounge and a sports-themed bar dedicated to LGBTQ teams (Fedak plays in D.C.’s Gay Flag Football League), and to connect the locations via a backyard beer garden with roughly a dozen beers on draft; there’s room for a food truck and a food partner is TBA. With cosmetic upgrades, wall accents in all‑inclusive colors, a mural quoting “I like the wine and not the label,” and rotating events from a Thursday underwear contest to a “Brews, Beards, and Dogs” happy hour plus regular drink discounts, the goal is to create a safe, Cobalt-like dance-floor vibe and help rebuild a gayborhood in Shaw." - Tierney Plumb