http://wiki.dreamhost.com/WHOIS_records_lookup
You can use websites like http://whois-search.com or http://networksolutions.com. You can also run "whois" command from a telnet command line like this:
whois yourdomain.com
If you want to look in whois record directly on the whois server at your registrar, you can use -h option to specify the whois server.
For example:
whois -h whois.opensrs.net dreamhost.com
Here's a list of whois servers you may need to use for checking record for various TLDs(Top Level Domains):
TLD whois server
.com whois.internic.net
.net whois.internic.net
.org whois.internic.net
.edu whois.internic.net
.uk.com whois.uk.com
.eu.org whois.eu.org
.ac whois.nic.ac
.al whois.ripe.net
.am whois.amnic.net
.am whois.amnic.net
.as whois.nic.as
.at whois.nic.at
.au whois.aunic.net
.az whois.ripe.net
.ba whois.ripe.net
.be whois.dns.be
.bg whois.ripe.net
.bm rwhois.ibl.bm:4321
.br registro.fapesp.br
.by whois.ripe.net
.ca whois.cdnnet.ca
.cc whois.nic.cc
.ch whois.nic.ch
.cl whois.nic.cl
.edu.cn whois.edu.cn
.cn whois.cnnic.cn
.cx whois.nic.cx
.cy whois.ripe.net
.cz whois.ripe.net
.de whois.ripe.net
.dk whois.ripe.net
.dz whois.ripe.net
.ee whois.ripe.net
.eg whois.ripe.net
.es whois.ripe.net
.fi whois.ripe.net
.fo whois.ripe.net
.fr whois.nic.fr
.gb.com whois.nomination.net
.gb.net whois.nomination.net
.gov whois.nic.gov
.gr whois.ripe.net
.gs whois.adamsnames.tc
.hk whois.hknic.net.hk
.hm whois.nic.hm
.hr whois.ripe.net
.hu whois.ripe.net
.ie whois.ucd.ie
.il whois.ripe.net
.in whois.ncst.ernet.in
.int whois.isi.edu
.is whois.isnet.is
.it whois.nic.it
.jp whois.nic.ad.jp
.kr whois.krnic.net
.kz whois.domain.kz
.la whois.
.li whois.nic.li
.lk whois.nic.lk
.lt whois.ripe.net
.lu whois.ripe.net
.lv whois.ripe.net
.ma whois.ripe.net
.md whois.ripe.net
.mil whois.nic.mil
.mk whois.ripe.net
.mm whois.nic.mm
.ms whois.adamsnames.tc
.mt whois.ripe.net
.mx whois.nic.mx
.my whois.mynic.net
.nl whois.domain-registry.nl
.no whois.norid.no
.nu whois.nic.nu
.pe whois.rcp.net.pe
.pk whois.pknic.net.pk
.pl whois.ripe.net
.pt whois.dns.pt
.ro whois.ripe.net
.ru whois.ripn.net
.se whois.nic-se.se
.sg whois.nic.net.sg
.sh whois.nic.sh
.si whois.ripe.net
.sk whois.ripe.net
.sm whois.ripe.net
.st whois.nic.st
.su whois.ripe.net
.tc whois.adamsnames.tc
.tf whois.adamsnames.tc
.th whois.thnic.net
.tj whois.nic.tj
.tm whois.nic.tm
.tn whois.ripe.net
.to whois.tonic.to
.tr whois.metu.edu.tr
.tw whois.twnic.net
.ua whois.ripe.net
.ac.uk whois.ja.net
.gov.uk whois.ja.net
.uk whois.nic.uk
.us whois.isi.edu
.va whois.ripe.net
.vg whois.adamsnames.tc
.yu whois.ripe.net
.za whois.co.za