"The legendary Dupont Circle nightclub that closed during the pandemic after 25 years in business reopened in a new Northwest neighborhood last fall. Lovingly known as “ESL” by regulars, owner Farid Nouri’s two-level, 5,000-square-foot comeback in Shaw is about half the size of the dearly missed original. Similarities include an airy rooftop deck, full-service bars on each level, and the ability to host multiple live acts at once. Many of the same resident DJs and eclectic jazz, funk, reggae and Latin acts are back, too." - Tierney Plumb, Tim Ebner