Dupont’s The Huxley Fined $5,000 for Giving Bottle Service to Teens

Dupont nightclub The Huxley was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and serve a suspension of its alcohol license for serving bottles of vodka and prosecco on ice to teenagers last Halloween, according to a D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Board notice posted last week.

Triangle Group LLC, which owns the nightclub and bar at 1730 M St. NW, must pay a $5,000 fine by March 11, the panel ruled Wednesday. The business will also have its alcohol license suspended for ten days, six of which will be “stayed for a period of one year provided that [The Huxley] incurs no further violations.”

According to an ABRA case report, investigators — aided by a tip from American University — spotted “a group of patrons to be young in age at a VIP table” with a bottle of vodka and two bottles of prosecco on ice. With the help of a manager, the investigators approached the patrons and asked to see identification. Some of the minors were only 18, the report says.

All told, investigators caught eight minors drinking alcohol, and many of the minors had fake IDs, the report says.

The report reiterates that the partiers appeared to be “extremely young in age,” and concluded that the nightclub “did not take other necessary means to verify that all patrons entering were in fact 21 years of age.”

The Huxley co-owner Ryan Seelbach, who also co-owns forthcoming bar Takoda on Florida Ave., declined to comment when reached earlier today.

Bottle service photo courtesy of ABRA