Nick’s

I really enjoyed this place except for the bouncers on the weekends. They were very rude. If someone is trying to be courteous there is no reason that you should be rude. Until this place I’ve never met someone who hasn’t shaken my hand when offered. If you have a germ issue then you probably shouldn’t be working here.

If i could give this establishment a 0.001 thousandth’s rating I would for a north eastern country western type of bar which is nearby the Pentagon. if you’re desperate to find a country western place and capital of America then just maybe you’re lonely choice sad to say. being from the south and raised in Texas I say this there is NOT southern hospitality one bit.

The food is fantastic, servers are great, and the line dancing is a blast.

What a fun night! Great music, Justin Fabus and his band was performing. There was another room full of people watching and listening to karaōke. Met some of the regulars and they were a bundle of joy. Made me want to learn how to line dance. Kaylee was our bartender and she was very kind and enthusiastic. We will absolutely be back!

This is a friend’s favorite spot. I go with him and always have a great time! The line dancing is awesome and the lessons are great. I absolutely love their Redneck Taco! Jalepeno cornbread, pulled pork and topped with coleslaw. This alone is worth the trip.

A great venue to learn how to line dance. We went for the class and then the open dancing afterwards. It was surreal to see how all these people knew all these dances by heart. Perhaps I will go online to learn some of these moves before coming back. It’s great fun, and the people are really nice. The only thing is that, as opposed to other styles of dance that are choreographed, it is pretty hard to pick up the choreographed moves linked to particular songs on the spot.

This is a 4.5. The only thing that it’s missing is being close to a metro so I can come here everyday.
I’m so happy I finally found a place to wear my insanely large collection of cowboy boots and have no one stare me down. If you’re heading here, go all out. I mean hat and everything. It makes it way more fun!
I came here on a Friday night when there was a (very good) live band. They played a mix of square dancing, line dancing, and slow songs.
Dancing lessons are at 7:45 on Fridays, and I definitely want to come back for them. For someone like me who’s rythmically challenged, it’s a bit difficult to jump in and follow people. I had fun laughing at myself though.
It’s a really great atmosphere – partners switch up all the time, and you might get asked to dance by a regular.

I’ve been wanting to come to this place for years after hearing it being advertised on the radio as a nightclub that plays country music. Sadly, I wasn’t able to partake in the line dance lessons as it was late and my bf and I quickly stopped by for a bite to eat but I’m happy we did. Service was excellent, the bartender was really sweet and helpful when trying to pick an entrée. I had the cajun chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries and he had the chicken parm sandwich. We were both happy and fully satisfied. Can’t wait to go back to do some dancing!

Dance Hall and bar in the front, karaōke and bar in the back. One of the few dance venues in the DC area where people understand the social etiquette of dancing. Partner dancing on the outside (same pattern, same direction) and line dancers on the inside. Ladies, this is a dance hall, not a «meat market». The guys are here to dance, not try to get [xxx]. So if you want to dance then hang out on the rail; the guys will definitely ask you to dance. If you just want to watch then you may want to stay on the upper level and out of the way.
Even better? It’s not just country. There’s enough variety that there’s something for everyone (I’ve even danced the Tango a few times).
Tuesday night (7:45−8:45) offers a GREAT partner class in the back and line dance class in the front. For the $ 5 price you can’t go wrong AND you get to practice what you just learned after class as the DJ starts playing from 8:45 until closing.
Friday’s are usually wildly popular and crowded, so you might want to come Saturday night when there’s a little more elbow room.
So grab your dancin’ shoes and come on out. You won’t regret it.

I love dancing at Nicks. The line dancing is so fun and the instructors are wonderful. Tuesday nights are the best nights to dance. I hope that Nick’s will continue to play the line dancing sets on Friday and Saturday nights both in the back room and the main room. Those dance sets I look forward to immensely. I am so very tired of the wobble, cupid shuffle and cotton eyed joe but I love to dance caliente, chill factor, and M bop. What sets this bar apart from all the others are the choreographed line dances.
The food here is delicious and vegetarian options are offered (the veggi wrap is my favorite). I prefer the food here (not very expensive) to expensive restaurant food. The blue cheese dressing offered with healthy, green salad (made from lettuce that is not iceberg so has health benefits) is to die for. Cheese sticks and sweet potato fries are amazing and they even taste good the next day for breakfast. Their unsweetened iced tea with a squeezed slice of lemon is the best I have ever had. My favorite waiter, Chris Clipper, is quick on his feet and he never messes up my order.
One thing I don’t care for at Nicks is the ladies’ restroom. It is often not clean (mainly just the floors that are not clean, the really important parts are clean (toilets, sinks, mirror) and not stocked well with paper towels. I do love the full length mirror though so I can check out my rear end before exiting the bathroom.
I don’t like that the dining area (where the comfortable booths are) is closed early. I know they close that portion when patrons are no longer ordering food, but that area of the bar is a great place to watch the good dancers (and copy their techniques). It’s also a comfortable place to sit with mirrors right next to me so I can touch up my makeup.
I also, find that my ears are ringing terribly by the end of the night when I’ve gone home. The music is played so loud that I can hear it roaring even in the upstairs portion of the bar. I wish they would turn it down so that I don’t become deaf by the time I’m 40 (I’m 33). I like variety in my country music so I wish a better variety of songs were played. The band is usually good, although they play too loud, but I have never, in all my years going to Nicks, heard a female singer with the band. A female singer would certainly provide some variety as compared to all those man songs.

Location is big and I had an amazing timewith my girls. If you ho before 9pm u have to pay a «cover fee» for a table. After 9 it gets pretty full which is great. They have 2 dance floors, one of it is with karaōke and the other one just Country music with line dances :) Both dancefloors are amazing, really enjoyed my time there :)

Had a great time! Great county music, affordable beer and good, solid American food. They get busier after 9; just be prepared to pay a cover for the guys.
Bonus, two bars and dance floors.

I hit up Nick’swith some friends last Friday night. Definitely a great bar if you like country music, however if that’s not your thing you might want to choose another place. Beware of parking problems, as the lot can get packed; if you can grab a taxi or Über and save yourself the hassle.
Cover was $ 5 for women, and I think men were $ 7? Drinks are priced appropriately for a bar in that area of Alexandria. I think I paid between $ 4 and $ 5 for my beer. One of my friends ordered the sweet potato fries and mozzarella sticks to snack on. They were both awesome, greasy bar food, nothing gourmet but exactly what you want to accompany your alcohol. Not sure how much they were, as I didn’t pay for them.
We didn’t really get to line dance a lot, as it was mostly Texas two stepping by the time we got there (after 10pm). However they did have some more line dancing in the back room where karaōke was going on. Nick’s did have a live country cover band, who were very good. I believe most Friday/​Saturdays they do have live bands. All in all, it was an awesome Friday night out with friends and if you are looking for a country bar in the metro area, this is it.

This is probably the worst/​bizarre bar/​customer service experience I’ve ever had. The only reason I give 1 star is cuz the ppl who teaches the dance lessons were great and that was pretty fun for the whole 30 minutes that lasted.
Now for the cons… there is a $ 10 minimum order for EACH person that wants to sit at a table not including drinks or u have to pay a $ 10 fee just to sit down… our waitress also gave my bf a snarky attitude when he ordered water with his meal which was well over $ 10. We got there around 630. We got our food at around 745. Took about an hour to get our food when there was majority empty tables when we ordered. The food was actually pretty decent. Id say a 3 out of 5. Throughout the night we consistently ordered drinks and my tables tab ran about at least $ 200 total and the waitress, which is a skinny tall brunette girl wearing uggs, asked my bf and my other friends multiple times what they were doing when they weren’t ordering drinks back to back and told us we can’t sit at the table unless we kept ordering things. She literally said «so what are you guys doing? You can’t sit here if you don’t order more» with the most type A self-​righteous attitude ever. That is absolutely the most backward way to earn tips. You want us to keep ordering obviously so you get more tips but what’s the point of all that work if you’re going to be rude? I happily tipped her enough cents to get to the next dollar on the bill and I don’t even think she earned that. Don’t think I will ever come here again because of the rude and unprofessional staff

Guys pay cover, girls do not. I paid a cover for a night of dudes having a hosted dance off by the female DJ in there boxes for over an hour. We all left among plenty of other people. Never again…

I’m originally from NYC, as liberal as they come, and if you’d told me 10 years ago that I’d be hitting a country bar to get my dance on every weekend, I’d have laughed.
But I love this bar. All are welcome: young and old, city and country, gay and straight. It’s what I love about it. Just don’t bring your drinks on the dance floor, and you’ll have a great time.
But definitely get there at 7:45 for the lessons. You WILL want to dance. And eat. Their food is way better than I’d expect from a honky-​tonk bar. If they have the campfire steak on special, you really don’t want to miss it. But the bartenders are really friendly, and will steer you to whatever’s best that night.

It pains me to see some of these negative reviews about such an awesome place. Nicks is a great place to get together with friends and learn how to Country Line Dance, East and West Coast Swing, and Two Step. Live music every Friday and Saturday night coupled with a smaller «country dive» feel really lend to the experience of honky tonk meets big city.
If you dont know how to dance they do give CHEAP lessons on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. I recommend getting there by 7:45pm to make sure you get the full instruction and understand some of the unofficial rules of the dance floor. Bounce staff do aggressively enforce rules to not only create a safe environment for those of us who get into dancing, but also encourage new comers to enjoy themselves in a responsible way (i.e, not spilling drinks on people and getting into fights).
As one of 3 country dancing bars in the DC metro area, and the closest by far, I really hope ya’ll will come try it out. Say hi to someone who looks like they know what they are doing and almost all of us will help you out! We look forward to seeing you there!

Let me give you an honest review. Caveat, I’ve been there on and off for 3 years, it’s my go to bar when I need a night drinking, dancing and having a blast.
Is it nitty gritty, a little worn down? Sure
Are the people a little more rude than at a bar down south? Welcome to d.c.
Will they kick you out for being gay? We have guys who two step together to entire songs– so don’t knock a girls drink on her and then be rude.
Is it the only place on the eastern seaboard that you can get karaōke, and a live country band every weekend? You’re damn right. At least if you want country music.
The beer is cheap, the happy hour special is killer, and the people are friendly.
The ambiance is country western/​military supportive (that’s the next round of new painting) we’ve got at least 40% vets or active duty there of the 300 plus people on a Friday night. Of the people who go there often– most of them are affiliated in one way or another with the service. It’s the nearest bar to multiple military bases that has natty light on draft. It has natty light on draft.
If you don’t like country music don’t come here.
If you don’t know how to dance, ask, and if you get run over? Stay past about 11pm and the over 40 crowd clears out, and the floor gets a little more empty. I’ve been dancing country western for years, and yea– I get run over in the front bar. The back bar with karaōke has it’s own dance floor, that’s usually towards the side of empty except for me, and I’ll always make room as long as you’re moving in the proper direction!
The food is tex mex/​Americana with a down home twist. They’ve got killer brisket that smokes all day. They’ve got sweet potato fries for the latest craze, and their special of the week is usually spot on. The cook in the back has worked for 5 star restaurants as an executive chef.
The bar tenders are friendly, the bouncers are a little harsh sometimes, but they are pretty fair. The waitresses transition through every 3 – 6 months so sometimes service can be spotty.
If you’re bigger than a group of 5 – 6 I’d call ahead by a day and let them know.
So grab your boots, grab your partner and come one down for some two-​stepping and don’t mind our wounded warriors, and active duty, we kinda like em, just a bit.

The place looks like hell from outside. It’s in this ghetto looking shopping strip mall and has a ghetto looking patio. You see a mix of «woo» girls, cowboys and guys trying to look tough by wearing matching «i look tough» shirts (really men… I never understood why it’s cute that guys dress alike but it’s a crime for women).
Once you get past the odd mix of people who are always on the patio and get inside the place livens up.
Lets start with the bad since it’s not that much… other than the place being REALLY loud and the bartending service being REALLY slow… the place is great.
Now how to make your experience at Nicks (for a guy trying to meet women or is new in town) I would suggest to anyone coming that this is the place to go to meet people and be social without the sense of reprisal that being social and friendly would normally get you in a sketchy bar. Everyone here is for the most part approachable and whatever vibe Nicks has it promotes social interaction if one is to take the oppurtunity and capitalize off of it.
How would you capitalize off of it?
Well it would definetely help if you knew how to swing dance either west, east or lindy. There’s also country texas two stepping which is fun and easy to learn. So if you know how to do a couple inside turns and outside turns and talk you’ll be fine.
You could also start by going at 8pm and go for the group line dance. There’s always a mix of women range from old to young in there. Learn to do a line dance and gives you a good excuse to talk to the girl beside you.
Dancing starts about 9:15 and there’s always the regulars who are there. They are easy to spot because they are for whatever reason hanging out by themselves or being super social butterflys. Chat with them and get your dance on. Or if your feeling really ballsy just ask that cute girl you were standing next to.
Rinse and repeat this process throughout the night.
Oh yea did I mention that this place has an easy two girls for every guy ratio? Don’t beleive me? Walk in and when you pay for your entrance look at the sheet. The second row of hashtags is the number of women, and the third row is the number of men.
Oh yeah one more thing… I don’t know why… but this place seems to be jammin alot more on a Friday’s than Saturday’s.

I really don’t like this place. I went once when I first moved here… and then once again recently. Hasn’t changed much.
Or maybe it’s because I’m from Philly and we don’t listen to Cotton Eye Joe and get excited over it.
Everyone complains about the dudes who go out to Clarendon and their popped Lacoste polo collars but pretty sure that testosterone driven, drunk, tobacco chewing men in flannel pattern old navy shirts are worse.