Two blocks north of Dupont Circle on Connecticut Avenue, a new venue for Washington, DC nightlife welcomes patrons with board games. Board Room DC is a bar where board games not only feature prominently in the decor, they’re also available for visitors to play!

I’m not really in to the bar scene but I felt right at home in Board Room DC. The wall art consisted mostly of vintage game boards and boxes. A few tables up front had traditional checkerboard and Backgammon patterns. And the main bar downstairs was painted with Mr. Monopoly figures.

Throughout the bar, but especially upstairs when I visited, groups of people were playing games and having a blast! I saw Scattergories Categories, Jenga, Cards Against Humanity, Trivial Pursuit and others.

In fact, when you arrive at Board Room DC, you’re not only given a menu of drinks but also a menu of games. Games on the menu are available to rent for $1-4 (no time limit) and consist of mostly lighter traditional and party games. Die-hard hobby gamers might be disappointed by the offerings, though I think they’re pretty much appropriate for the setting. Also, the owner told me she’s very happy for people to bring their own games. So if you feel up to Twilight Imperium in a loud bar with a few drinks under your belt, have at it!

The drinks available at Board Room DC covered a decent range. I had a very nice hard cider. If you want some food to go with your drinks, though—even just some nuts or pretzels—you’ll have to pick it up next door. Board Room DC’s license only allows them to serve drinks.

And in terms of the crowd, what you get at Board Room DC is pretty much what one would expect from a Dupont Circle bar—young professionals taking a break from aspiring to Washington policy-making and power-brokering. Thursday night 8:00-10:00 it was pretty crowded and the game tables all appeared to be full. After that, it started thinning out a bit but still remained busy until I left at 11:00.

Overall, Board Room DC is a welcome addition to the community from this DC-area gamer.

Board Room DC provided nothing for this review. However, if you mention this article when you visit, maybe I can get a drink out of it next time!