Flash

Street parking around the venue, arrived around 10:30 pm. Two floors of music. Bar on the second floor wasn't very crowded, didn't have to wait long for service. I stayed mainly on the second floor, got crowded for the headliners but I had room to dance. There's an elevated areas on both sides of the dance floor with limited seating. A string of bathrooms towards the back stairwell. Complimentary water if on the back of the bar as well. Sound was turned up later in the evening, thankfully I had my ear plugs. Overall a good expernce

First time trying this place after doing extensive search where to find house music in DC. They definitely have house vibe in some extent, but place was dead on a Saturday night. Of course, it’s not their fault, however, charging $30 per ticket for a dead place was absolute crazy. There was maybe 10-15 people.. And when it was that slow, thought they might take request, but nope - don’t even bother reaching out, they are too cool to listen you. We didn’t have a good experience at all.

I’m honestly still in shock over what happened tonight at Flash. I was on the top (third) floor dancing and then went down to the second floor where my friends were. As I walked in, I gave a casual peace sign to someone near the door. Moments later, a staff member told me I was “done” and began escorting me out — without any explanation. I asked repeatedly what I had done wrong. Why are you kicking me out? He just kept repeating “you’re done” like a broken record. Within just a few minutes, about six other staff members surrounded me. None could explain why I was being removed — they were just following the lead of the first guy. I want to make it clear: I wasn’t aggressive, I wasn’t even interacting with anyone besides my friends. I’m active military and have absolutely no reason to cause trouble at a nightclub — I have more important responsibilities. As about six staff members began forcing me out, my shoe came off just a few steps from the second floor. I realized the situation wasn’t going anywhere, so I told them I would walk out myself. They backed off, let me put my shoe back on, and I left peacefully. After being forced out, I spoke with a passing police officer outside asking for advice on the situation. He told me the club has the right to refuse service no matter what. I get that — but I also believe customers deserve basic respect and a clear reason for being kicked out. This was my second time at Flash. I had a great time the first time, and was excited to return with friends. But after tonight, I can’t see myself coming back unless someone from management can explain what happened. I see now that this place has a lot of low reviews online. I think it makes sense now. I don’t recommend this place. Time of incident: 3:08 AM on 8/23/25. 8/26/25 Thank you for responding. I appreciate the effort to review the situation, but frankly, it doesn’t feel like the issue is being taken seriously. Normally, if I had done something wrong, I’d be the first to own up to it and move on. But that’s not what happened here. I was removed without explanation, and none of the staff could tell me why — even after I asked repeatedly. For context, this wasn’t my first time at Flash. My first visit was a great experience, which is why I came back — and why this incident was so unexpected and disappointing. After reading through other reviews, it’s clear I’m not the only one this has happened to. One review even describes two people being kicked out under similar circumstance. Their group of 18 people left the club in support. Stories like that — and mine — suggest a pattern of poor communication and questionable decision-making by staff. I understand your team wants to prioritize safety. But that should never come at the cost of clarity and respect. I hope future situations are handled with more professionalism and transparency.

Flash is my vibes. Super chill, great music, people there were friendly and easy to mingle with. Bartenders were great and never took that long to get a drink. Bathrooms were nasty and could be way cleaner but it's kinda what you expect there...definitely will go back to Fladh on Sundays this summer!!

be aware, the bouncer that works here is violent and he body slammed my girl friend to the ground. she lost her purse and tried to go back inside to find it. he could have easily used his voice or grabbed her by the shoulder. a full BODY SLAM to where her cheek hit the floor is diabolical. will definitely not be back,would rather go to a club that values their attendees and does not physically harass women!

I always have the best time at Flash!! I'm usually at events when I'm there so I can't speak as much to regular nights there but I've never heard anyone trash talk flash and it's been there over 10 years so safe to say, it's a great spot the folks love!!

During this pandemic time, Flash has turn its rooftop space to a sit down place for Electronic music lover. Reservation is required for seats with 90 mins time limited. Same regulation of wearing mask, remain seated etc. are applied. Sandwiches menu are added along with drink menu. It seems like drinks were customized for fall season, we tried all the cocktails on the menu but only 2 we like( don’t remember the name.) It was ok, we were happy to help support the place and at the end of the night, we ordered our favorite drinks out of menu instead. The staff are super nice and attentive, ask them question regarding to the venue if you want to know more. The merchandise downstairs is for purchase helping support the place. Ask staff for the website or if you have problem access it like I did, they accept cash. They said they might open for brunch with live DJ on set. If we all keep supporting this business, I’m sure we will get to have one of the coolest brunch place in DC soon. Review as of 09/2020

Honestly a terrible place. The fact that I paid $35 to get in for bad DJs and no one dancing, is and then paid another $16 for an awful drink is criminal. Do not go here.

Visiting from Chicago and was lucky to come across this great spot for house music! Saw DJ Spen and Teddy Douglas. What I loved is they have the free option on the first floor with solid local DJs. Entry for the 2nd and 3rd floor was only $20 (bought on Resident Advisor) which is nothing for that quality of artists. Plenty of staff, friendly service, and reasonable drink prices. Also in my experience you can't find many clubs with an open air rooftop open until 4am. Will definitely be back here.

Worst service ever. Prices horribly high. Ambiance is abismal. Never go here it's terrible.

This place was...not great. I like a good dive bar and such but this venue just felt sad and creepy. Traversing the multilevels didn't help, each successive area was like peeling a rotten onion. The techno beats were meh. Note that I went for the "Bound" party which is promised to be an LGBT event catered to the kink community. Many people were either clearly straight or not wearing kink gear. Not sure the confusion there. Overall the space, crowd, and vibe was just not my cup of tea. In the words of former American Idol host, and session musician bass player Randy Jackson: "it's a no for me dawg".

I love coming to Flash, they're probably the best nightclub in DC right now. The first floor is nice, with a sit down bar and a dance floor. The second floor epic, I always feel like I'm in a bubble (in a cool way). My one complaint with this floor is that the lights can be way too over the top sometimes; I always bring sunglasses now. Additionally, every drink I've gotten on this floor is way too sweet. Drink prices are typical to most DC bars. The top floor is my favorite for sure- the ambiance is sweet, and well lit, making it easier to talk to people. The balcony has a gorgeous view of the city, and feels tucked away into the clouds. I really appreciate how the exterior of flash is dingy, and easily overlookable- it adds something for me. One thing I will say, as a young woman, I do always get approached by weird men here. The ratio of men to women is like 4:1. I would not feel good coming here alone. Staff is mostly women, and the venue does a great job of having security, but that does not change the fact that I can feel men staring at me almost constantly, in a way that is as bad as other clubs in DC.

I love this place but the lady at front who sells tickets should go back to customer service academy. My sis and I were there at exactly at 12 midnight on a Friday night and she said it's actually $30 per ticket when the guy at stairs told us it was $20 2mins prior. We asked her if she can give us a break and she said "it's 12 now we can't " very rude, you would think she's the owner with that attitude

Came here for an evening out with friends. Its one of the late night after hours spots in DC. One night we arrived just after 3am but were unable to get in due to DC laws. However, on this night we were able to make it in earlier and it was a really fun experience. We opted not to pay the $30 to go upstairs so instead we stayed downstairs and hung out with the techno crowd. It was a good time and we met alot of really chill people.

The cover to get inside can be very pricey at times. Once you're upstairs the speakers and the backdrop will have you transported to another world. If you're really excited about the DJ the night you go, I highly recommend doing it! Drinks are average priced and the downstairs area is also pretty fun too. The last time I went my friends and I were able to take a photo in their Photo Booth.

Wasn't open on time. We double checked to make sure we had the right time but we were told it wasn't ready.

The booking is amazing, but Security are NAZIS. I know about nazis because I studied pre and post war German History. You not allowed to dance at this "dance" club. Garbage, just skip this place and look elsewhere if possible. See what else is around and there are definitely options. There are other very cool venues in the city that are less fascist. The sound system is sick, but again, you can't actually dance, just subtly gyrate whilst looking at your phone and drinking your drink. PAH SHAW. Get a life. (At least on Friday/Saturday which is when all the best talent is booked...)

Don't come unless you are about the music Bring good energy Don't take photos Be courteous Report any creeps to security

Very cute vibe if you enjoy techno. I've only been to the first floor (kind of confused why the 2nd floor is $25). Pretty diverse crowd.

bouncer wearing a fedora called me a "crazy fucking bitch" because i was trying to get a friends attention inside and had to slightly raise my voice. wasn't even drunk. threatened to kick me out if i "didn't act right" and then went to the friend who i was trying to talk to and said "she's being crazy and she's on thin ice". he then proceeded to follow me to every single level and would glare if i was dancing. don't go unless you want to be in a GTA club and sway alone like an NPC.

The worst club in dc. They charged us $40 at the door and then the dance floor flooded. Never come here.

I am a regular guest at Flash Night Club, as I follow quite a few DJ's. However, this past Friday night might be my last visit. I had an altercation with an aggressive, unprofessional manager, who came out of the door, charged me with accusations of "jumping the line" and continued to embarrassingly debate with me. I have never seen this guy before. And when I tried to defuse the situation by saying it's a misunderstanding, and shake his hand about the situation, he said , "No, I don't need to shake your hand. You just need to move." At that point, I had to determine my next actions. I still feel some type of way about the incident. On top of that, it was a close friend of mines birthday. So a group of us felt really uncomfortable.

Stay away from this dark dungeon. They use the same old trick of holding lines outside to make it look they are extremely busy and there is no room to stand inside. So you wait and then get in to pay $20 to find out it's complete empty. Reason being? They are price with their drinks while they have below average DJs playing house music. They need to up their game. I usually pay $20-$40 at Echostage to see a top DJ from around world and pay less for drinks all night. Why Flash is charging so much is beyond me. Never again.

If you're above thirty and like shitty music then you would prob enjoy this. If you're off Molly it would probably be enjoyable

Tonight was my first experience with flash despite being a 10 year+ DMV resident and big electronic music fan and I have to say....I really liked it! One of my all time favorite groups was here so I had to go...when I bought the tickets it was advertised as a "secret venue" ...intriguing right...and it ended up being flash. Here's the bottom line with this place: It is an absolutely outstanding venue to watch DJ sets and get real into the vibes that the music and the performers bring. They do have strict rules about not being on the phone and, I completely understand why they are doing this - they are going for a very pure raving experience and truth is it works! I think what they are missing is advertising - this place has huge potential, and I feel like right now they are not quite attracting the crowd that they want, and patrons that support what they are going for want. I think that can be worked out, and I'll be back.

Flash is by far my favorite club in DC. They bring in the best DJs and have a phenomenal speaker system on the second floor. The lighting system is also insane and I love how there's multiple floors with different DJs. Honestly, there is no other venue I've been to in DC other than Echostage that makes you feel like you're in a club in Berlin. I always buy my tickets presale online and had no issue going to top floor. Also-- I met the manager and he is super kind. If you're into more techno/house edm I definitely recommend going to Flash on the weekends :)

When you show up to a club dressed up for your friends birthday and are told you are "too dressed up" and not allowed in. What a disgrace- what has DC come to?! Then hearing the long list of rules from security waiting in line saying "no touching, no eye contact, no cameras..." what am I walking into, a strip club? WTF.

** 3.5 stars ** I was excited to finally check out Flash for Bedouin this past weekend. Gotta love the camera flash decor on the main floor. It makes for unique light effects, too. As other Yelpers have mentioned, to get to the main club floors, you also go past a classic photo booth. Crowd was pretty chill until an hour into the main act, where the crowd gets shovey and less respectful of dancing/moving space. But it wasn't much different than other venues of this type. Sound system is excellent. I think I identified Funktion One speakers. High quality vibes. Bathrooms on the main floor are a little unfortunate. Not many places for it to go, but a line ends up taking ample space on the dance floor when it moves slowly. Bartenders were efficient and generally generous on the alcohol used in mixed drinks. No body check, which was a little surprising.

So we paid a lot to get into this club, and the only good thing about it was that the lady who took the money was super friendly and I really appreciated her customer service. Aside from that they had already closed the rooftop and we still got charged for that experience, and they were still open which I believe they weren't supposed to be because I was told that I was not allowed to take a video of myself while in The club. This to me really killed my vibe, and even though they played great music I feel like they could do better with price, and allowing people to take pictures or videos of themselves.

Come here to dance. If you're going clubbing to pick up women or to get hammered and act a fool, go somewhere else. This was the best nightclub I've ever been to and I've been clubbing for years. The sound system is incredible, they have great artists playing (both local and famous), and the ambiance/vibe is on point. It's as close as you can get to a Berlin techno club without going to Germany. Posting this the morning after going, I can still feel the bass pumping in my throat. Absolute 10/10, a must-go if you like electronic music and dancing.

Good House Music. Friendly staff. Great DJ's Cool crowd. Definitely want to come dance there again.

I recently went to Flash again after being at Echostage the night before, and it was striking how poorly operated Flash came across. Yes, I'm aware that the atmosphere, crowd/scene and music are different between the two. The irony is that with Echostage being 10x bigger than Flash, 10x more people, and more "mainstream" - they treat their customers much better. What really made me not want to return to Flash is their policy of unnecessarily holding the line, even for ticket holders. At Echostage they attempt to move people in as quickly as possible. At Flash, they blatantly hold the line to make the club appear more popular from the street. I paid for a $30 advance ticket, and for that I got the privilege of standing in a huge line for an hour as the doormen let people trickle in every five minutes, and when I got inside it was nearly empty. 50 people standing around, everyone on their phone. Lame. Even with the bar nearly empty, it took 20 minutes to get my very overpriced drink from the arrogant, angry bartender, who then also blatantly overcharged me. When I pointed it out, they disappeared for 10 minutes to 'correct it' lol. At Echostage you rarely wait more than 5 minutes to get a drink, even when it's packed, the bartenders are relatively friendly, and the drinks are actually quite reasonably priced (for a nightclub). It was also notable that people at Echostage generally seemed much happier - more people smiling, laughing, meeting new people, etc. I spent 3 hours at Flash, and of that I spent 2 hours in line: 1 hour outside to get in, 30 minutes to get my first drink, 15 minutes for the restroom, and another 20 minutes for a second drink. When I was at Echostage with several thousand people, I probably spent 30 minutes total in line. Also another review mentioned that "massive" DJ's play here - that is not the case. It's more accurate to say they are "promising up and comers" or "well-known in their small niche", or "formerly huge" like Louie Vega, Goldie, David Morales etc. If they are currently "massive", they are playing Echostage.

Literally my first time going there and the bouncer accused me of having a fake!!!!! He accepted my friends ID's even though I'm older than them!! And guess what? He even took my ID and wouldn't give it back. He threatened to call the police and I told him too because that's my id he was trying to steal, but ultimately wouldn't call police!!! Club is really biased towards middle age white people and not black women. Would not recommend for POC. Sh**ty club..

Not sure why it has taken me so long to write a review for this place because I literally talk about it every single day to my friends and family. This place is HOME for me, the patrons are genuine music lovers, and everyone I've met has been friendly and respectful of the music culture that house, deep house, tech, drum n bass you name it! The sound system on the club level is soul-bumping, heart-pumping immersion into deep space nine, for real! I feel VERY safe as a woman at this venue, and that is saying something in regard to DC nightlife. Truly, we look out for one another, it is judgment free, and when I say the vibe is just a WHOLE mood? It's a WHOLE MOOD! I would pay DC rent just to have free access to this place every weekend. Seriously, Flash is my new spot, I will never leave you, I love you flash!

Seems like all of the negative reviews are from normies who don't understand club culture. It's truly one of the most innovative clubs on the east coast, there is a reason massive DJs will play for such a tiny club. I encourage anyone who has anything negative to say to educate yourself on the culture of underground dance music. Sunday Love parties are incredible while in season, every time I've been I had an incredible time.

I was badly beaten by 3 bouncers at once and they hit me so hard they cracked my back teeth. I was in the wrong at first because I tried to take a water bottle in but they over did it with force. One them also choked me out and I debated on going to the hospital because I wasn't sure how much damage they did to my legs while beating me all I want is a refund for the night but I don't even know how to do so because they won't answer my calls

Flash seems pretty cool? The cover is $20 which is way too much and I probably stayed here longer than I wanted to because of it. I guess that's the point but that's annoying, right? The music is good though. Really upbeat techno.

Have been here with friends. I only go here because friends happen to be here but this place is super pretentious and fake. Staff is not helpful or customer service oriented. I truly after a good over 20 times having to meet friends here can say this place does have a nice atmosphere besides the staff.

I went to Sunday love event this past weekend. There was a wellness workshop that I attended that granted free admission to the club afterwards. The rooftop is beautifully decorated. The resident DJ AHYOKA was such a vibe, I really enjoyed her set! The whole staff here was super nice & welcoming. I also enjoyed how the second floor had vendors. I would advise not driving in & trying to find parking, that was a little tricky for me. I'm excited to be back to check out more events!

I don't quite understand all of the negative reviews on here but alas... I enjoy going to Flashy Sundays when the club hosts a gay crowd once a month and other LGBT special events. The club level (2nd floor) has the best sound system you'll hear on the East Coast and quite possibly the West Coast as well. The lighting system is also unique and pretty cool. The only other place I've seen this type of lighting has been at The Week in Rio De Janiero. If you want international club quality (sound and lighting) this is a hidden gem in Washington, D.C. and the USA. However, it is a club. Know what you're getting into before you go. It's not for everyone.

Spilled my drink...and didn't admit it...lost 11 dollars...not happy...:((( Friend ended up leaving due to the sickness of it all. Best to avoid since there are better places down the street... The bartender's name was Montrose and looked like he was Eastern European.

This place is boring. Upstairs tickets ($30) are not worth it, you get access to two floors of crappy DJs. Everyone else upstairs looks bored as hell too. Lights are cool though, hopefully they can distract you from the music.

I've been meaning to come here for the looongest time to see some locals deejays and friends but to be honest...I'm sooo lazy to drive to DC for the past 3 years (I think my age has caught up to me...). Hahaha! Anyway, I've decided to tag along with my boyfriend for a rooftop event. Basically to see his friend perform. Once you arrive at the location, there's small fee depending on the event. Usually $10 to $20 but there are online deals prior to the day of event. The front staff were extremely nice but the bartenders are 50/50. There are no elevators, just stairs so make sure you're dress comfortably. The dress code is casual but stylish. First floor is mainly the bar area with some space for dance. Move up to the second level to the dance floor with fully stocked bar. I didn't have to pass through the photo booth but my boyfriend showed me and we went around it. It's a very small and intimate venue which makes it great for music lovers. The drinks are somewhat on the higher priced range for the amount given. Typically 11+ for cocktails and the same for shots. Beer was free during my visit because Corona was sponsoring. If they weren't it's typically from $8 to $10. This is probably normal for DC venues...although I get better deals at their neighboring bars (just saying). Bottom line: I enjoy the venue because I'm a fan of deep house and house. I like the fact there's now one in the DC area and I don't have to reminisce my days of nyc deep house days (loord I was 16 to 19 yrs of age, eek). I could just come here if in the mood. The frozen drinks are amazing and try to catch the days when there are sponsors. The crowd is semi-diverse. You'll see a lot of younger folks...mostly in mid to late 20s. Very few 30s and above during the day but maybe it's different at night. I'll try one night sometime later too. If you're into deep house and prefer to dress down...come to Flash.

Three levels of underground warehouse music from local as well as international talent coming out of funktion one.....either you get it or you don't If fancy/corporate/commercial/top 40/radio music is your thing....keep on looking...lol

The tickets to go up to the rooftop are super overpriced. Also, I got kicked out for the most petty reason. The bouncer had told my friend not to film video. I jokingly made my own fun at this and flicked the bouncer off, and he then decided to kick me out. Everything I had done was not to harm anyone. I did not know me simply playing around would diminish his ego enough and lead him to kick me out of the bar. This was the very first bar I've ever been kicked out of. Please hire bouncers who aren't as sensitive, as flicking someone off does not warrant being kicked out of the bar.

This place sucks. Online doors say 8pm, get there and we're told doors are at 10. That is straight up false advertising. I want a refund for my tickets.

DO NOT GO! paid $30 to get in and was horrible. Got taken upstairs , bad music (I love house and it was BAD). Then literally got kicked out for taking a photo of my friends. I legitimately think illegal activity is going on and they don't want proof. 0/10 do not Recommend. Place should be shut down. I hope law enforcement get involved, genuinely worried about people's safely.

I was a shut-in early this year because of my social anxiety. My co-worker and girlfriend noticed this and encouraged me to re-live my college days. I felt like I was ripped away from my safe space. I got into Flash with my buddy, said some guy Dixon was gonna DJ, went upstairs to the main floor, I remember the bass hitting me and... nothing. I don't remember anything else. Just flashes. I took an uber home and I remember feeling... happy & content. Fast forward to June this year, my girlfriend left me. I thought it was forever. I was devastated. My buddy suggests Flash again. All I can remember was that I had never danced or jumped so hard for so long. The lights were magic. The sounds were powerful. The crowd was carefree and in-tune. Fast forward, to last Friday, I was feeling lonely. My newest partner left me. Guess where I went for rejuvenation? Flash is my church. My therapy. My safe space. I love Flash.

more like 3.5 stars i came here for an event, for an EDM themed party and it was fun but the only comments i can make is for the drinks and top floor area the bartender is nice but this is not a fancy or even full bar by any stretch of the imagination, alot of the mixed drinks i got were watered down and the pina colada frozen premade things on tap was really bad however the ambiance was very nice and it was cool to people watch if you are into that kind of that or just like watching ppl get their dance grooves on to music thats hard to dance to parking-street or garage overall, it was ok, i might come back for another event

Flash is racist. I was in a group of people and my one brown friend was not allowed bc he was drunk (note: I was significantly more drunk). I don't understand. It doesn't make sense. We want to spend money at your establishment. I will not go again.

How about a little bit of consideration. You have to pay 20$ to gain access to the top floor, to see some dj that no one has ever heard of. On top of that there are TWO bathrooms to accommodate the hundreds of people that have increased urination due to drinking. Like I was literally waiting for the bathroom for more time than I was dancing and having a good time. Other than that it's a good time. Get your bathroom situation figured out it literally ruins the entire experience.

Me and my friends got recommended this place to dance. We got there pretty late night around 2am. Crowd was sketchy, kinda odd. Sadly most of them wasted or high, harassing my girlfriends harassing them and asking them for paid sex. More than that, they didn't like being rejected, this girls they don't talk English tho, so they tried to make our night miserable insulting us Music was Excelent, they only serve shots after 2:30am... which is kinda lame having such a bar set up and having to tip bartenders that don't want to mix.

This place is worth paying for! The music here is great and they have an awesome sound system. I loved the rooftop too. It was cute, but the sound system was not as great as the dance floor. The vibe is great! It's must when you are partying in DC!

There are people who come to this bar who do not know how to behave in a place like this and frankly they ruin it for everyone. If you do not appreciate music you will not enjoy Flash so I recommend that you stay home instead of ruining everyone else's good time. This is one of the most well run clubs I have ever visited. The staff from the doorman to the security to the bartenders to the coat check are so professional. Patrons who take pictures or are falling down drunk are taken care of immediately. Personally, I love that there is a venue in DC where taking pictures and selfies is prohibited- not everything needs to be documented. I have never had a problem with my tab being overcharged and have always found the bartenders to be extremely attentive.

Loved it. Fun atmosphere, no dress code. I recommend getting tickets ahead of time. I left feeling very elated from the house music vibes, and will definitely be coming back. The drinks were expensive, but not more than normal DC prices- about 9$ for a gin and tonic. I could see someone's experience here varying greatly based on the DJs and who's performing that night. But if you like house music and are looking for something a little off the beaten path, definitely check out Flash

Flash attracts a grown-up crowd who appreciates the sound system of U Street Music Hall, but seeks ambience, clean floors, and a great view. With the recent addition of a rooftop bar, it's worth the trek to Shaw. - First Floor: Bar, dance floor, and photo booth. Perfect for those on a budget, or waiting for friends before heading upstairs. - Second Floor: Medium-size dance floor with its renown sound system, lounge chairs around the perimeter, and a bar. - Third Floor: Retractable rooftop and side-panels, (kinda) dance floor, and bar. It's a beautiful (albeit noisy) view of the Shaw neighborhood. Overall, you won't have a problem getting a drink -- or finding great music -- at Flash. It's worth the cover fee of $10+

A lot of harassment. They need more bounces and people on the floor to keep things safe.