I'm only reviewing this as a venue for a show, not as a place of worship. I went to see Stella here a couple of weeks ago. Tickets are for unassigned seats, so we thought we came early enough for decent seats but we were going to be ok with sitting in the middle/back. Unfortunately, I would say only 30% of the seats even have a decent angle. Probably a quarter of the seats wouldn't give you a view of anything at all. Which is crap, because everyone pays the same. Our seats were mediocre, and we could only see the show while standing. Now I can give this props for it's history and "look." I can also give a tip of my hat to being cool with musicians and comedians doing shows here. Us Jews are pro-fun. read more

What a beautiful, unique venue! They have a ton of awesome talks and events - definitely get on their newsletter mailing list to see what's coming up. I saw Elizabeth Warren speak here last spring. I'd recommend getting there early, especially for popular speakers/events; we got there 20 minutes or so before the talk started, and the only available seats were on the second floor, with the stage view semi-obstructed by the balcony/poles. read more

Never encountered a place like this. Home for Jewish life and services of all types. Beautiful venue and amazing programs run by dedicated people keeping a young vibrant Jewish community in DC thriving. read more

Great venue offering interesting speakers and events in smaller rooms, all in a beautiful building. The 930 club of small room speaking tours in DC. read more

As far as concert venues go, I think this is as good as it gets. I saw Fiona Apple here last night and it was incredible! The synagogue is very intimate and there really isn't a bad seat in the house. All seating was in the pews and there was balcony seating as well. Very pretty stained glass and painted cupola.The sound and the staff were great. The fact that they serve beer here is seriously making me consider converting to Judaism! read more

Went to see Beirut here last night (see them if you ever get the chance) and had a tremendous time. It's hard not to be completely distracted by how amazing the place looks and how great the acoustics are, but as Justin W. points out, it's not all roses. We got there maybe half hour after doors opened and there weren't really any good seats to be had, we sat in the balcony at a steep angle to view the stage. Fortunately, people started standing later on and we were able to see ok. That said, very little to complain about with a great show at a beautiful, unusual venue, next time I'll just get there earlier. read more

Disclaimer: I'm reviewing from a book signing, not a religious experience. I was recently in town for business and saw that Diane Keaton was doing a book signing at the Sixth & I. Not knowing a thing about the location, I figured "it's a 'church'.. how bad can it be?" I bought the ticket for a great price and didn't think twice. Grabbed a cab and off I went. Upon my arrival (about an hour in advance but right when the doors opened), I was greeted by a friendly face from the Sixth & I reminding folks to have ID, where to go, etc. The people that were around me in line (that wrapped around the corner) were so friendly. Some from out of town, some with religious experience with the establishment. Regardless, everyone in the place was lovely. The seating is padded pews that are original to the building. Very comfortable and wrap the room to make it ever so cozy. I was sitting in the 2nd to the back row and I could still see the "stage" perfectly. (I also got to see Diane up close since she entered from the back..yahoo) It's actually amazing how nice and friendly people are in open seating. People packed together and fit everyone in without a problem. There is also a balcony area but I didn't sit there so I can't review. Those that work for/at Sixth & I were also very nice. From the woman who organized the event to those helping people find seats, tickets, books, signing, etc... all so polite and kind. I was also able to grab a cab back to my hotel after about 2 minutes outside.. great timing or luck on that one. The only downfall of the experience were the support poles that could disrupt your line of sight.. BUT they are few and far between and people tend to be very nice and make room for everyone to see. Thanks for a great experience Sixth & I. read more

This place is super neat! I have been here twice, once to see Laura Marling and Alessi's Ark perform and the second time to see Amy Schumer. The synagogue itself is absolutely magnificent and the acoustics are excellent. I sat upstairs both times and had no problem viewing or hearing the show. The ambience is intimate which makes it a great place to bring a date. They have wine and beer downstairs too! They are constantly adding new shows to their calendar, so I would recommend checking their website or subscribing to their email list to stay up to date. The best advice I could possibly give would be to get there EARLY! Many shows are general seating so if you want a good seat near the stage, you need to beat the crowds to them. Other than that grab a drink and enjoy your show! read more

First of all, great sound system! I don't know why I've never come here for an event before--it's so close to me and they seem to have a lot of interesting things lined up. I went here for the first time last night to see Biz Stone, the co-founder of Twitter. The acoustics are great, the space is small and intimate (which makes going there to listen to anyone speak/perform awesome), and overall I had a very nice experience. My only complaint would be the seating could be more comfortable but I'm not sure that was a high priority when constructing this building! I'm excited to check out their calendar and go back! read more

Love the programming. Story District does a fantastic job there. Great time at Simchat Torah. Rabbi Shira is a wonderful person.

I love the events there but I will no longer be purchasing or attending another event there. Last time I attended, they confiscated a pack of gum out of my purse and said I couldn't bring that in to the event. Now, just tonight they told be I couldn't attend with my knitting even though I have attended many many events there with my knitting. So I can get on any plane in this country and pass through TSA just fine with the same knitting, but I can't enter this place! Ridiculous. read more

I also saw Andrew Bird here, like Chrystina Z. below. The venue was straightforward. Yes, the acoustics were great, the space was roomy and ornate, the seating was tiered and cushioned... It was just kind of weird to be in a Synagogue during Hanukkah. I would definitely come back... But I can't imagine why I'd give it additional stars, it was a building. Served it's purpose. read more

I've never been in a synagogue before. I've been in a Quaker meeting, Catholic Church, Unitarian Church, Episcopalian Church so I didn't know what to expect. I also imagine there are all sorts of synagogue architectural styles. Just like there are modest Catholic Churches and cathedrals. This place looks a lot like the Unitarian Church on 16th st NW. there's a nice balcony and there are pews and there is a big religious symbol above the center stage. It's located near one of the worst neighborhoods (not crime wise - just character wise) so that's a knock. But it's a well appointed central chamber. They have lots of secular events. It's a progressive congregation from what I understand. They even have stain glass windows. I thought only us gaudy Catholics and the like spent all that time on expensive decor. But it was a friendly vibe and a pretty building. It met my religious building expectations quite well. read more

I was also here for the sold-out Rodriguez show - my first time in this lovely building. I don't know what their regular concerts are like, but I got the feeling that maybe the hordes of folks crowding in to see Rodriguez were a bit more than the staff was used to dealing with. It was all general admission seating which was kind of a PITA because (a) you had to get there early and sit through an opener who was frankly nowhere near the Rodriguez talent level in order to keep your seat for the main show; (b) I got the impression that a lot of the people who came had not been out to this type of concert in about 40 years or maybe never and had no sense of how to behave, e.g. don't talk loudly while the acoustic musician is playing; and don't go in and out the swing doors making light stream in 100 times while the guy is playing, and pushy old ladies, do not come up to me and demand that i and another guy next to me (stranger) scoot over so we would be behind a huge post and unable to see the stage and give said pushy old lady our seats with the actual view...NO, JUST NO. I have had similar problems before at shows that attract lots of entitled 60-somethings but there are usually professional ushers at those gigs who can hopefully sort things out so I don't have to. Also at the end of the show, everyone was herded out a tiny exit rather than utilizing several exits, resulting in it taking about a half-hour to s-l-o-w-l-y empty the place out...and to make matters worse, some dolt decided to do a videocamera interview with some people, using a super bright light and a huge camera rig, right in the exit doorway, in a spot that blocked about 50 people from getting past him. On the plus side, I did get a seat with a reasonably good sightline of Rodriguez (though I was in the back), the sound was decent downstairs where I was, the building interior is beautiful, and the pews are padded and have slanted backs and are much more comfortable than the hard wooden straight-backed things Ive encountered at some other "worship space" venues. Given that I bought a ticket to this show weeks in advance, though, I would have appreciated the seats being either automatically assigned or maybe a choose-your-own-seat map so I could have been closer to the front without having to stand in line way way early (which I understand might not have helped given that there was reportedly a huge line trying to crash into this place at door-opening time). read more

Very cute building and a great place for a book lecture/signing.

I saw the Mika concert here April 10, 2013. We had a great time, and enjoyed this small venue. There are almost no bad seats; there are a few seat that would be behind a column, luckily were weren't in those. The neighborhood felt safe, which was good, since we showed up early to get good seats (general admission.) Parking anywhere in that area is outrageously expensive, if you can find it. I recommend taking the Metro to Chinatown/Gallery Place and walking the few blocks to the venue. You can walk through Chinatown, which is a nice walk anyway. read more

Absolutely stunning venue. I saw Kishi Bashi perform here & the acoustics were magnificent. Lots of cool speakers and events- can get pretty cramped. read more

No, I am not Jewish and yes it's a no alcohol venue with a significant amount of obstructed views of the stage to confirm what other reviewers have said. But I was still excited to see Fistful of Mercy so we got here when the doors opened only to be subjected to the worst opening act ever (an hour after the doors opened). If there are no assigned seats with a free for all under General Admission and the show is scheduled from 8-10pm, the audience should not be subjected to an opener. Period. I seriously thought of leaving before Fistful of Mercy came on because the opener was so horrible and went on entirely too long for such a short show. I will seriously think about my decision in the future to purchase tickets for any other band here given this experence. read more

I went to Sixth and I this past weekend to see Vijay Iyer's trio. Here are my impressions: 1) Sixth and I has a great concert calendar. They program different types of musicians throughout the season, many of whom are really great. Iyer's trio was sooo hot! 2) Physically, the synagogue was quite lovely. There was plenty of comfortable seating, and I could see the stage even from the top of the balcony. 3) Acoustically, the experience left a lot to be desired. The natural acoustics were not well-suited to a jazz trio. The drums echoed oddly, the bass was weak, and the piano lost a lot of tone through the room. I saw that they had everything wired and amplified, but the balance was still off and the speakers hissed and buzzed. For the overall experience, I am giving Sixth and I three stars. I had a very nice time, and the music they bring in is great. Unfortunately, the poor acoustics do detract from the listening experience. read more

Absolutely terrible concert venue. Acoustics are the only reason it gets one star. The bar is poorly managed and incredibly slow. If you go to the bar during the show make sure you are prepared to miss 3-5 songs. Seating is in pews -- people reserve entire rows with coats and brochures for their friends. No one stood up, even for a rock show. When we stood up in the crowd we were asked to sit down by the people behind us. Really awful place for a show. read more

A great place for neighborhood events .... I went to a couple of book readings over the last month and it's a really nice space.

This is one of the most beautiful concert venues I've ever been to. The giant stained glass window is breathtaking. I saw The Heavy, The Silent Comedy and The Skins there a few weeks ago and could not have had a better time. Great seats, great acoustics, nice people who work there, clean and spacious bathrooms and great music. I will definitely be back for more shows. read more

I've been to 6th and I several times for both music and comedy. They book great talks and shows, and I would especially recommend shows held in the new smaller downstairs space - it's super-duper intimate with comfy couches where you can sit inches from the performers. The main synagogue space is gorgeous, and being an old lady at heart, I love shows where I can sit the whole time (they don't usually book acts where you would want to be up and dancing and such). However, be sure to get there early for sold out shows, because the columns in the space and the way the balcony is laid out creates some blind spot zones. When I went for a sold out show this weekend, a lot of people ended up standing in the back for this reason. Also, the pews don't allow for much leg room, such that I can barely cross my own short legs, so taller folks would be more comfortable arriving early to snag an aisle seat. read more

went to see Al Gore for a book event. very well run, and i did like the intimate space. but there are definitely many seats throughout the venue that do not have a good view of the stage. when it gets crowded that's definitely an annoyance. the feel was a blend between organic and majestic. read more

What a great place- Sixth and I always has hip and cost-effective activities, and it's easily metro accessible to boot. Also, since different groups rent the space out, there is something for everyone. read more

So I came to book signing for Issa Rae and I understand the staff wants to be thorough and organized but, they're is a difference between anal and systematic. There was no need for them to be so uptight in organizing the crowd. We payed to meet Issa Rae and have a good time not scolded at like children. The staff sucks! Point, blank, period! read more

This is a terrible venue for concerts. The acoustic of the place is very bad and they force you to buy their branded cups for $4 if you want to have a drink. Absolutely not recommended! read more