23.

It’s not my age…anymore.

Far from it, actually.

What it is, is a relatively new hangout in downtown Orlando, and one that gets high recommendations from me. Some folks I’m acquainted with invited me there one night last week to hear a friend DJ. I’d been to 23 Orlando once before a few months back and have been looking for an excuse to go back, so I jumped at the chance.

Let me begin by saying what I don’t like about 23. Firstly, it’s on Church Street. Now, I realize here on this blog I don’t really divulge too much personal information as I don’t feel it’s an appropriate venue; I have another blog for that. But if you did know anything about me you’d know I’m not the biggest fan of going out in downtown Orlando — more specifically Church Street. It’s essentially a big frat house party, with the kinda people you’d expect at a frat house party to go along.

And while I haven’t been to 23 on a Friday or Saturday night there’s a slight chance this may actually be the kinda people who hang out here. So that’s what I don’t like.

What I do like, though, is the interesting decor and layout of the club. It’s on the second floor, and a long, narrow staircase leads up to the entrance. And the interior is unique from other Orlando bars in that it’s centered by a wood/rustic atmosphere (but without being woods-y.

23’s website, 23Orlando.com, is actually a great resource for those interested in visiting the bar. There’s a brief description of the bar, a photo gallery (including some of the patrons), contact information and the “join the newsletter” feature. One feature I particularly like is their event calendar — their regular weekly events are posted right there so you know what’s going on before you head downtown.

Here’s the schedule:

Though having this schedule available for viewing on their website, as with any business hours of operation can change. Therefore, I strongly encourage you to check the site and/or the the 23 Orlando MySpace profile before heading to downtown Orlando. You might even want to give them a call.

Of course I always like to provide as much input as I can on these posts, so I must bring up to things to think about before going to 23 Orlando:

– There is an enforced dress code, particularly for men. This means no flipflops or tennis shoes.
– Drinks are pricey, especially after any of the “early” promotions they might be having.
– There is likely a cover on weekends. Since both evenings I went to the venue during the week, I cannot say for sure.