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U St/African-Amer Civil |War Memorial/Cardozo (Green, Yellow)
Tue-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 2:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sunday-Industry Night 1/2 price GM 9pm-12am, Wii bowling Monday-NFL +live radio broadcast from the Pub, beer specials Tuesday-Quizo! (sept)
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they don't want your business. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it to them. Great selection of (pricey) beers in an old basement bar on U street. no TVs. No standing and crowding. Board games, great location, and an attidude.
Seriously-if you can't handle the owners rules, don't go. There are some weird rules, but just follow them-it is part of the charm. In fact, I would rather if you didn't go at all-means I get the place to myself more.
The food sucks. Drink the beer instead. My favorite bar.
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This place was alright, and our service was pretty shoddy. We had a pretty large group and were willing to have a lot food! Our beers were forgotten. They do not have barbecue sauce. My bacon cheeseburger was very dry. Drinks were never served.
But hey! I was with my good friends, we were here for the national equality march and it was a good time :)
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The Beer Bars We Deserve
Agree with some of what's been written before, good and bad. Really love the "no standing" rule; love the absence of TVs; love the low-ceilinged ambience of the place; love the Metro access (right across street from U ST Green Line station). Washington is in desperate need of a chill beer bar where you feel comfortable enough to drop in (a la pub in UK or on the Continent), grab a bite with a really nice brew, hang with friends, meet new ones, etc. But, this isn't it.
Compared with good European and other US spots (namely, wonderful places like The Porter in Atlanta, Blind Lady Ale House or Hamilton's Tavern in San Diego, etc.), there's something not quite right about The Saloon: The signs -- everywhere, the signs -- are just so neurotic. Maybe owners think Americans need such bashing over the head to get a point across, but, I don't think so.
It all comes off as condescending, revealing insecurities about the owner/management; this is underscored by the advertising of the good works (and good works they are) that goes against polite society who understand not to let the left hand know what charity the right hand's performing.
Most folks I know (all folks I call, "friends") don't wear sandwich boards (let alone paint bricks with names of more conspicuous "charitable" donors -- "woo hoo! you're a philanthropist"!!) telling the world how we donate time and treasure to needy causes. We go about our business with humility, performing our craft / service (and, if worth doing -- like, for example, running a cool beer bar, or teaching, or making furniture, or cleaning a building, or driving a bus, or leading the Free World, or working in a cubicle -- it's all craft / service), and keep our good works as anonymous as possible.
But, some Washingtonians need to be noticed (cf, "Hollywood for Ugly People" moniker) and noted publicly for their charity. It wasn't always this way: The Mellons insisted that the Nat'l Gallery NOT be named after them as they helped establish it. Plenty of ordinary folk, everyday, help folks out and stay anon about it...
Also, the truly good beer bar wouldn't serve commodity (i.e. feed-lot) NY Strips and other industrial, big-agra food stuffs; instead, would seek out local, organic, humanely raised, grass-fed beef, etc., and locally sourced produce. Also, it would focus on serving beer that is as local as possible, promoting the truly super breweries that are popping up all over, many within a half-day's drive from the District.
But, as with leaders, a town gets the beer bars it deserves. However, we need to aspire to deserve better beer bars. Mouthy, disrespectful congressmen need them; self-righteous, increasingly boring, Nobel Peace Prize-winning community organizers need them... The next "beer summit" should be held in one, and, this time, with hand-crafted, American beers served (no, my friends, Bud, Miller, Blue Moon are not made by US-owned companies). In fact, there might not be a need for another "beer summit" if we had more civil places in our neighborhoods to drink good beer together, on a regular basis.
In sum: Uptight and preachy subverts even the best beer.
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You know the Cheers song had it right, and sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name.
This is seriously one of my favorite bars in the world. I absolutely love everything from the beers, the lighting, the servers and the other patrons. It's not a place for everyone, but if you like intimacy and hate getting pushed around then this is the bar for you.
The servers (though they have changed it lately) have been the same two guys for at least the two years I have lived in the area. They always make a point to say hi and give me a hug and I like to think it's just because they are nice and not because I am some sort of regular good tipper that they frequently see. They are always good with recommending a new beer and seating me quickly.
The food, when I have had it, has been pretty decent for bar food. I highly recommend the fried mushrooms. In the end though, its all about the atmosphere of this place. You can go a lot of places and get a good beer, but you can't go a lot of places without loud music, TVs and pushing.
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The girls and I had our one-year Steak Night anniversary at Saloon the other night. In honor of it, I finally made a donation and will get a brick with my name on it (!!!!!!).
I don't just love this bar for its chill atmosphere, decent NY strip, and phenomenal beer selection. I love it because it's where some of my closest friendships have grown over said NY strip and phenomenal beer. And I love the work that they do outside of the bar, building schools for children in far less fortunate countries. Of course I'd like them to be open during that one month in summer, but it's worth it: Saloon is a bar that works for the greater good, be it providing space for friendships to grow or giving children a place to learn.
This bar is my Cheers bar now, and I love that I'm now apart of it as much as it is apart me.
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I'm upping the Saloon a star just because I've become a regular. Somehow, Caleb the bartender is… Read more »
Perfect if you like bars but don't like being unable to have a conversation because the music is way too loud.
The flemish sour monk beer is my absolute favorite.
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Quirky. Great beer selection. The flemish sour monk is my absolute favorite.
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I've really been wanting to come here, but every time I try I find myself in violation of the "no standing" rule. It's a shame, but I can see how it keeps the atmosphere that they want. A friend rented out the upstairs level for his bday party, and it was truly a beautiful space. They should open it all the time for those who don't mind standing. I really liked the blond beer on tap that started with an "A" - this place could turn me into a beer drinker!
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Yeah they have crazy rules are you really suprised or disappointed your not crowded at your table? Obama STAY AWAY!! Go with the Chicken Nachos, Traditional Reuben and of course a beer!
This my kinda joint. Not no silly ass sports bar wit frat boys hootin' & hollerin' or preppy dudes & stuck up beotches texting all nite. The rules are posted so sit down shut up & enjoy a good beer. I like da waiters. They have kool dreads. It pricey here but hey it ain't Colt 45 you drinkin. Beer from all over the globe. SKEETSKEETSKEET.
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Where do I start? This was the last place we visited in what was a truly epic afternoon, but as the good book says, the so last shall be first, I am the Alpha and the Omega.
This place has gone from being somewhere I had heard about and vaguely wanted to visit to challenging my no-questions-asked absolute-favorite bar on the planet - Cafe t' smalle in Amsterdam - as my new #1. It is that good and then some.
It starts with a walk down U street in the late afternoon, the sun has managed to blaze its way through the clouds, people are on the streets celebrating the arrival of Spring and what could be the end of 10 solid days of rain. The crowds are electric . Of course, the rain would come again, but for a few short minutes all the promise of spring and summer were in that short walk. The atmosphere on U Street was positively carnival-esque. We walked past Ben's chili bowl and passed about 3 Eastern European TV crews that finally got the approval from their producers to film there because Obama was there like, 6 months ago. Ben's was absolutely jammed and in the sunshine it looked like a an alien space ship that had set down on U street and was hovering up inhabitants and taking them to some far off planet for weird experiments.
And Oh yeah, did I mention we had been drinking since 1.15p.m. that sure puts a spring in your step too.
We pause at the entrance to The Saloon. It is exactly 5.00pm. It is open and we are the first customers of the day. What an untrammelled joy and pleasure that is. There are four old stone steps which take you from the pavement into the welcoming bosom of the downstairs bar, and what a warm and inviting bosom it is. It is also almost a relief to get out of the brief spot of sunshine, and we savoured the louche feeling of drinking in the day time. We sat at the bar and looked at the amazing menu.
Places that have a lot of rules and regulations over and above the bloody obvious usually annoy the crap out of me. There is always something precious and needy about them that I disdain.
The blackboard on the door says No American Express, No Standing, No martinis. There is a fourth Thou shalt not but I cannot remember it.
The menu says " talk quietly, your neighbors may not be that interested in what you have to say."
None of these annoyed me that much about this place, but of course, I did need to find out how tightly they enforce their policies and how strident they are. The no standing one seems to be a well-known rule - people just do not come in if there are no seats. I had to test the talking one however.
We were the only customers there. I needed clearance from the bartender.
" Look - is it OK if we talk as loudly and obnoxiously as we like since we are the only customers, then when someone comes in we'll go to a quiter mode." The barman laughed, considered my question and then asked the man I assume is the owner. They take their policies very frikkin seriously at this place, and I like that, there are no idle threats.
" Ha, " laughed the owner " that's a considerate sort of selfishness, sure , you can do that."
The green light for loud-mouthed drunken raucous revellry thus illuninated we looked at the menu.
Urbock. One per customer, served in a tiny goblet. Absolutely delicious.
Another dark beer in a large glass. The same.
The best bars are very simple operations - small, good beer, good service, good company. The ingredients have been the same for hundreds of years. This place executes them magnifcently and they do such a good job they are entitled to their anti-douchebag rules.
One final point though - I am sure the atmosphere at prime time on a Friday or Saturday night will not be the same, so I will make this my go to place for illicit day time drinking, because there is something beautiful about spending the entire day in the bar, and there is no better place to do that than here.....but .. they don't bloody open at lunchtime....that is a sin against humanity.
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3.75 stars. I've been avoiding writing this review for some time because, while I love the Saloon, I do have some quibbles:
1) I wish Commy would open the upstairs more often. It's a beautiful space, but very underutilized. A recent Saturday night found the downstairs completely packed, with people waiting outside for tables to free up (and the tables are so close together it's difficult to move without bumping into someone), yet the upstairs remained closed. And while I realize that it's more eco-friendly to use ceiling fans vice air conditioning, it gets awfully hot in that basement in the summer when it's full.
2) The Saloon probably has the largest number of German beers on tap of any place in DC (with the proliferation of Belgium beer places you would have thought someone would have opened one that served exclusively German beers), but most of them are from the Spaten/Franziskaner line. While they do make some good products, not all are created equal, and it would be nice to have a little more diversity in the draft line-up.
Yes, there are a lot of rules, but that's part of the appeal. The food is only mediocre and service can be slow, that's why its best to arrive early, grab a seat at the bar and get some pistachios to munch on. I might add that in addition to all the German draft beers, they do have a good selection of Belgians in the bottle. If only the owner would tweak a couple of things, this might become my favorite bar in DC. But what are the odds of that happening?
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At first the rules kind of irked me, just on principle. Later I realized that the Saloon is like a monastery - a little patience, let go of your ego, and you'll see that higher minds are at work here.
Interesting beers on tap and (often) above-average bar food.
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Holy Awesome Beer Batman!
I love the quiet atmosphere and drinks selection at this bar. It's the sort of place that you could spend hours in just talking (or not talking) and really not notice the time passing. It's a very simple formula really, just talking and drinking good beer, but somehow it has a very alluring quality about it.
This was a place that my buddy introduced me to but I am thinking that I will be back there again quite often in the future, at least for as long as it takes to make a good run through the beer menu.
Went to the Saloon for dinner this weekend, adequately prepped by Yelp for its vibe. I had a burger that was good, their spicy red cabbage salad (basically a garlicky, vinegar-based coleslaw - I liked it but probably not everybody's taste) and a couple great beers. My husband's rueben was tasty, he said. The rest of the menu seemed to have potential.
Here's my take on the whole "rules" question - and it's why I'm only giving this bar three stars: I'm fine with a bar with no TVs. I'm fine with a bar that cultivates a relaxed, conversational atmosphere. One of my favorite bars in Charlotte does the same thing - but here's the thing: they DON'T NEED SIGNS to do it. It's a bar that's been around for 25 years in what was originally an old hardware store. It's dimly lit and promotes a quiet, casual vibe. The bartender is very laid back and will roll your eyes if you yell his name (which I saw someone do the other day, it was hilarious). You might order your beer and dinner at the same time, but they certainly don't come out at the same time, so you have plenty of time to savor your beer. The bartender will make you a martini, but you won't ever order one because this is clearly not that kind of bar.
The success of this place, for me, just highlights how unnecessary the postings - some nearly book-length - all around the Saloon (outside, inside, on wall, on table) are. I suppose there are a lot more tourists at the Saloon and the owner doesn't want to spend time educating them...but it can be done, just by the way the bartender and regulars act and the place looks. This kind of atmosphere cultivation is way more relaxing, in my opinion.
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Okay, I need to be honest. The five stars are as much for Commy (the beloved owner) as they are for the bar. One night, I made plans to meet a friend at Saloon. He was running late, so I sat at the bar, and Commy took up conversation with me.
First, he picked a beer for me to try. "It seems to me you'll like this one."
I sipped it, and it was good! When I reacted excitedly saying "Its great!" He got mad at me. "You reacted to quickly!" He said. "Give it time to set into your palette."
Throughout the night, Commy made subtle and incredibly correct observations about my personality. "You have a story to tell, and you like to talk." He said, pouring me another ale. "You have a very high level of communication, but you're not really an optimist."
He's dead on.
There is something so special about his understanding of people... and also, beer.
PS: No, you can't stand here and Commy will laugh if you ask for anything other than beer to drink. Deal with it.
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I had heard so much about the Saloon back when my sister went to Georgetown and the Saloon was on M Street. Even my mother told raucous stories of her times with Slim and a gold paint pen to write her own name on the infamous bricks. As an under-ager, I had always glorified the Saloon to a heaven-like place, where the beer flowed freely and skinny bartenders made you feel loved.
Shockingly, despite my nearly 3 year stint in DC, I never made it to the hallowed ground. It had moved to U Street, and despite me going to that neighborhood more often than I went to Georgetown, I still never found myself within its walls. On my most recent visit to DC I knew I had to make a stop, and with my former roomie in tow we hit the bar.
As much as I like the no standing policy, it certainly make things difficult if you've got a crowd, want to meet other people outside your party, or have friends who are going to join you later in the evening. No matter, I suppose you just have to plan ahead.
The beer list here, is of course, wonderful. The kind of beer list I miss, with a great wide range of things on draft. Seasonals, trappists, porters, whatever the heart desires is all available in frothy, fresh form. I got my first Maibock of the season, and it was as delicious as I had remembered. Our server was astonishingly quick, pouring the roomie a sample before she had any reason to complain. He "knew" exactly what she needed.
The Saloon is truly a great bar, but I agree that even with the move to U Street it's having a hard time holding on to a diverse clientele. Yes, I am a white girl, providing no diversity whatsoever, but this certainly was a Georgetown-type crowd that seemed to have found themselves on U accidentally, and felt the need to huddle together at the Saloon for protection.
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The funny thing about the rules which are all covered throughout the reviews (no standing, no loudness, etc) is that this place has a beer list primarily with high octane Belgian and German beers. It's almost like they want to encourage us to break them! The first time I was here after a few pints I was ready to write the rules on my hand to make sure I didn't forget. Don't think it's an act though... the rules ARE taken seriously, and you can tell by the way the servers nervously enforce them that the owner is determined to do things his way. Myself, I think it's kind of funny and have no problem following the rules. Howevuh, I know many people hate it for this same reason.
Great beer though, decent-ish food (you can do better on U easily), and an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the city. If you like your booze imported and strong, and enjoy quirky hole-in-the-walls this is a must visit. Just make sure whoever you come with will enjoy it too.
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I fancy myself a dive person, although I don't think I would ever want to take one, but I'm also at the age where sometimes I want my bar experience to be one in which I am able to chill and kick it with friends. A friend of mine and I went last week in the late afternoon, a time that I admit we would be able to find seating just about anywhere, sat and started salivating at the beer options (a lot of Belgian beers).
We did order food, but I felt a little misled on our pub grub. We ordered nachos with chicken strips and I was expecting some nachos with three large chicken fingers on top. What we got were some nachos with thin strips of chicken breast scattered throughout; no breaded horribly bad for you goodness, but goodness none the less and probably better for me to go along with all of that beer.
All in all the service was great. We stood only to go to the bathroom and neither of us really order martinis anyway.
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This is the whitest bar on U Street. It feels like Georgetown - in terms of the clientele.
That said, it's super cozy and has a great European beer selection! I like the wooden booths and tables, big and small, for groups of friends.
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If I owned a bar, it would be like this one.
No TV's blaring, and you have to sit down and talk with your friends. What a concept!
I loved the selection of Belgian beers (well the beers in general), and the cool atmosphere.
I'll come back someday and try the food.
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After hearing some of my foodie friends rave about The Saloon for weeks, I decided to finally check it out on Friday night, and brought two of my college buddies along for the fun. I couldn't have gone in expecting more, and had a positive attitude. But by the end of the night, my dissatisfaction with this bar would culminate with a necessary confrontation with my waiter after having had just about enough of Saloon's unwarranted pretentious.
Let me preface my thoughts by saying that in theory, Saloon should have been an ideal bar for my tastes -- great beer, a comfortable, quieter atmosphere, and more mature crowd is usually to my liking. Saloon did accomplish the aforementioned three characteristics, but failed badly on too many other fronts.
First, Saloon is unapologetically pretentious. The "no TV, no standing" sign out front is blatantly geared to keep out the Adam's Morgan-loving horde of ignorants. I'm fine with catering to a particular clientele, but how about being a little bit more discreet? Secondly, I can sort of deal with pretentiousness if it means I'm getting a high quality experience. To me, $12 beers on draft that I can buy at my local Harris Teeter for $2 doesn't warrant the attitude (by the way, the same cannot be said for the truly unique collection at Brickskeller). Also, the acclaimed Urbock 23 -- it's nothing special. Tasted like a desert wine with bubbles. I wouldn't worry about customers ordering more than one -- to do so would be to spend recklessly on a thimble of beer that just isn't what it's cut out to be.
My next point. The service was prompt, but frankly annoying and a bit offensive. When we ordered our second round, our waiter made it clear that this beer would be "hoppy" -- as if the idea of flavor might scare us away. Unfortunately, the beers he delivered were anything but hoppy -- they were brown and flat. I asked him if he'd made a mistake, told him this beer was more "malty" than "hoppy," and he responded by running to the bar, grabbing a sample of a "malty" beer and telling me that I was wrong. That's fine, maybe I was, but my friends agreed that the beer had zero hop.
When it came time to order some food -- my friend went for the french fries, expecting a Belgian treat, complete with fresh mayonnaise (extremely gross, but sounded delectable at the time). Instead, the fries resembled those at my high school cafeteria, and there was no mayonnaise. If it were a less self-applauding bar, I wouldn't have cared, but the level of expectation had been raised, and I was disappointed yet again.
The night ended appropriately. When the check came, I put down my American Express (the cash one -- the one they give poor people) and the waiter literally picked it up, and flipped it across the table, declaring "we don't take this -- rates are too high." Are you kidding? You just charged me $50 for a couple of beers but AMEX's rates are too high? Having had enough of this treatment, I took my waiter aside and let him know that I was disappointed with my visit. He was nice enough, and shook my hand.
I guess that pretentiousness and beer just don't go well together. Beer is inherently common -- it's a beverage we can all drink in copious amounts and act like barbarians with. It's not meant to be over-analyzed or put on a pedestal. I like good beer, as opposed to domestic yellow water, but I don't need to make myself feel better than everyone to enjoy it. Apparently, Saloon's management feels differently. To me, such insecurity makes me think that Saloon secretly knows the truth: it just isn't that good.
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Saloon is among my five favorite bars. It has an actual identity. Like an independent bookstore, a locally owned record store, a really good liquor store, or a place that actually repairs things - it's a place with a specific character.
And the owner - motivated, apparently, more by a desire to create something special than to create a financial juggernaut - is OK with it if you don't like the bar he has in mind. There are plenty of the kind you like all along U Street. Or in Georgetown ... or pretty much anywhere you look.
It's interesting that so many folks complain about the no standing rule.
There are so many places in DC (and every city and most substantial suburbs) where you can go stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a bunch of other people in a roomful of noise and obnoxious, loud "conversation" and "grab a beer on the way to ..."
But the Saloon is very deliberately not one of them. When it opened on U Street, the "renaissance" was not yet in full swing between 16th and 9th. As the area's developed a party-hearty following, the Saloon's quirky rules have made it - usually - an oasis of civilized behavior, civil discourse, and good, good beer.
Of course, there are still groups who come in and want to treat it like their beloved college pub, a long-tabled rathskeller. When they show up, it only takes about four of them to dominate this small room. One or two people who absolutely MUST be HEARD by EVERYONE on the BLOCK because what they're going to say is SO EXCITING can still wreck an evening there.
But those people show up everywhere intoxicating beverages are sold. At least at The Saloon, on any given night, you stand a better than even chance of actually hearing the conversation you would CHOOSE to listent to, and possibly of actually meeting someone interesting and sharing few thoughts.
So you can't stand up here. You probably can't "grab a quick beer" here. (Why not down a couple in front of the fridge before you leave your place?)
And the management might just go ahead and politely ask you to stop shouting.
Woo Hoo, indeed.
(And don't miss steak night!)
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Okay, just to get it out of the way, I hate places with rules and admonitions (e.g. Colorado Kitchen, God rest its soul). I think we can all agree on this. However, this place is the closest thing I have found to one of my most favorite bars of all time, the hard-to-locate L'Oasi della Birra in Rome. The Saloon has a similar (literally) underground feeling (though certainly not to the same extent), and it sort of feels like a little secret, which is also appealing. I actually really like their "no standing" policy. It lets you feel like you can settle in and stay a while, and it really cuts down on the noise.
As far as the beer itself, they have a great selection. As you would expect, the Urbock is uber-delicious. Surprisingly enough, the food was pretty decent. The fries were awesome, and extra points to them for not listing them on the menu as frites just to be assholes.
Contrary to other postings, we had great service, though we were at a table and not at the bar.
All in all, I dig. Like a lot.
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I think the reason that I love this place so much is the simple philosophy behind it: it's there to foster conversation. This doesn't just mean conversations with the friends that you bought, but conversations with the guy at the bar next to, the people a few tables down, and the bar tenders. There are no TV's, the music is soft, and the shouting frat-boyishness of so many bars is discouraged.
On its own, this philosophy is an excellent, but combined with fantastic beer and a great vibe, it becomes transcendent. The number of taps is superior by anyone's standards, but considering that they are all beers that you can't get anywhere else in DC its tough not to call it excellent. The brick interior and thick, rough cut tables lend a rustic feel to the bar and makes it easy to relax.
My only gripe about the place is that the food is only so-so. It's pretty standard pub fare, not terrible, but not special. If they improved the menu, this place would be off the charts.
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I loved this place! I'm not that into bars, or beer, but I love being able to go to a place where you can have a drink AND a conversation and no one is rushing you to get out. Perfect for a low-key night. I don't mind the rules at all- I love that there's no standing allowed-that way you know you're guaranteed a seat if you get in. Loved it!
Love how laid back this place is. I even love the "rules" (keeps it from turning into a place like Marvin). Feels like a neighborhood bar full of regulars. Ordered the Purple Haze $6/bottle and really enjoyed it. Really appreciate the wide variety of beers; I can only describe the selection as thoughtful. Just wish there was a Belgian framboise on the menu. Can't speak to the food as we only had drinks. You can buy the glasses they are served in and that funds their school building program. Speaking of which, the Saloon will be closed from Aug. 9 to I believe Labor Day. A great place to come when you actually want to talk to the people you came with.
The Saloon is THE place to go if you're looking for a fantastic beer menu (and the beer is actually in stock - Brickskeller you break my heart) and owner Commy is a delightfully snarky break from the monotony of other bartenders. Frat types beware, much to everyone else's joy, your loud sense of entitlement is not welcome, or tolerated, here.
The bar itself is cozy and comfortably adorned. Don't sit at the bar unless you're there to drink. As soon as we sat down, Commy brought over samples of two Belgians for us to try, what service! If you're looking for an elegant establishment, this isn't your joint, but if you're looking for a nice, quiet bar with an excellent beer selection, you'd be hard pressed to find better. This is our new favorite. Cheers!
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Best beer in town, and best place to really talk over a beer. No TV, no standing allowed. The owner is exceptionally quirky, which is part of the appeal - he will not let you drink or eat faster than he judges is good for you. And if you are a jerk, he will tell you, with the aim of helping you heal :) Food is fair, but good enough. We need more real places like this.
no american express, no tv, no standing, no martinis says the sign as you walk down the stairs into the bar that feigns modernity and coerces civility like a totalitarian high school principal.
and it's no joke. you must sit on your bar stool or you will be asked to leave. if there are three of you and there are only two stools left at the bar, you'll have to find someplace else to go, because the establishment will not allow 2 people to sit at the be while the 3rd member of the party stands about. and of course the establishment has the right to evict anyone from the premises who engages in boisterous conversation or loud bellowing.
with rules like these it is fitting that the beers on tap are almost all from the fatherland - germany. you've got great german beers (your dunkels, hefeweizens, black lagers, etc) and a bevy of belgian beers in bottle form. you'll be greeted with a menu to help you decide which kind of beer you may be in the mood for and each beer is served with a little glass of water (to help with the dehydration i assume). this place takes beer drinking seriously. with all the rules plastered about the bar, i don't know what would happen if you walked in and ordered a miller lite.......... it's quite possible that would put you up against the wall and execute you and then throw your carcass into the alley for the rats to gnaw upon.
this is a chill bar - whether you like it or not! frat boys, face painters, and pbr drinking hipsters.......... stay away.
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Closer to 3.5 stars, but I'm feeling generous.
You should know the deal already - no television, no standing, rules listed at the door. If it offends you that badly, I have a feeling they're not interested in your business. But if you're looking for a solid beer selection or a quiet place to chat with good friends rather than to see and be seen, The Saloon is it.
The staff and owner are helpful and interesting conversationalists. Last time, the owner told me I have an "illumination about me." I still don't know what that means, but it was pretty amusing while I sipped my spiced wine with brandy. Check it on a weeknight, and I doubt you'll be disappointed.
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Ah, yes, The Saloon. Large beer selection and unlike Brickskellar, they're rarely out of a beer that's on the menu.
I like the no standing thing too. It's the kind of place where you can hear yourself think and hear your friends talk.
It would get five stars if they had a few more domestic beers. I try to be adventurous and try imported beers sometimes but 9 times out of 10, I prefer a good domestic microbrew.
People thought this was:
Best German taps and Nuts
Nice pub atmosphere, FIne selection of German style beers on tap, Featured EKU 23 and someones Maibock, Hoppiest beer was a Hopfen pilsner.
Upstairs not open at happy hr.
Got no attitude from anyone, was really hoping for some control freak excitement as mentioned in other reviews.
Cashews and 2 kinds of Pistachios by the cup at the bar.
Hey "better than me" dork, the Fullers porter at the Elephant and castle had more than a HINT of butterscotch ? Suck my used beer.
People thought this was:
Love it. No martinis of any kind allowed. Just really really good beer. This place has a great atmosphere, people who come here tend to be much more down to earth than other bars in the area. You don't get the feeling anyone is out to impress other people or just trying to take someone home that night. It's a great place to catch up with old friends or just enjoy the night.
The beer, which is served in very large glasses, runs around $7 a glass, so it can add up. However, this doesn't seem pricey for the U st area, especially since we are talking about real beer here and not miller light.
Sometimes, the bar is full and since there is no standing allowed, you have to leave. This is always disappointing, but it does make sense.
One more thing - the waiters and the owner who is usually found behind the bar are awesome -- great service and interesting folks.
People thought this was:
Everything you've heard about the Saloon is true. It's got a great beer list, very tasty high quality bar food. (but yes it's still pretty much just the basic bar menu) Most importantly, if you can't sit down you don't have to go home but you can't stay here. The no staying unless your sitting policy is great. I love places that aren't too crowded, where you can look across the room and spot someone at another table and ask what they're drinking. It's friendly, social, and rewards loyalty.
I recommend the cheese fries, one of the Belgian or occasionally German beers on tap and a bit of time to enjoy yourself. Come early if you want a seat, or be prepared to drop back by a couple of times during the night in order to find a table to saddle up to.
People thought this was:
It's a pub. Wooden booths and tables. Cozy nook in the basement. If you're lucky, you can get a seat by the window and watch the bottom halves of people walk by and maybe talk about their shoes, if you're into that kind of thing. Personally, I have a thing for boots.
The beer selection is awesome. I don't know much about beer, but I know it's awesome. I can feel it. Also, the bartender we had, was really nice and helpful. I didn't catch her name, but she had short blonde hair and good energy. I didn't know what to get, so I asked her to recommend me a beer based on what I liked, and she was all over that.
I was there on a Tues. night so it was a pretty mellow crowd, but that place is probably hoppin' on a weekend night. No doubt.
Great place for beer, casual crowd, friendly service.
People thought this was:
It pains me to lower the Saloon a point - it really really does - but I just can't justify giving the establishment all 5 stars when the food is mediocre.
It kills me because this is one of my favorite places to drink in this city, but a bar burger is a bar burger. The food is not bad by any means, in fact I often times want just some decent and filling bar food. It is just not up to snuff with some of the other burgers and sandwiches you can get in this city.
I do this for you yelpers, even though it hurts me inside.
People thought this was:
Now, I cannot write about their food because I have never eaten here, but I think this could be one… Read more »
No TV? No standing? No problem! If you want to drink and watch TV and stand shoulder to shoulder with some jerks drinking watered down beer, go to a frat party. The Saloon is an oasis on U Street where, lately, you can barely navigate the crowds on the sidewalks. Commy and his team of knowledgeable beer-slingers may be strict, but they don't disappoint. Any time I've been saddled up at the bar and unsure which selection to make, a sample sip always seems to slide my way. Let the beer sell itself, a great approach! So if you're up for an evening of conversation with friends and great beer, check this place out. If you're looking for something a little more raucous, this may not be your thang. But hey, be polite, use a coaster.
People thought this was:
Go here to not be seen.
Friendly, helpful, classic bartenders.
A lot of wood, bricks, and charm.
I had a hamburger, a dunkel, and a spiced wine with brandy -- all exactly what I wanted on a cold winter night.
They like their rules although I am not sure how many people actually pay attention-- no cell phones at the bar, cash preferred, etc.
If I lived in D.C., this would be the kind of place I'd come every Friday night to unwind.
Aside from being a beer hall and being snobby (in an unpretentious way) about it, The Saloon has one major positive going for it that no other bar I've ever been to has implemented:
As a rule, they don't allow standing.
This is a fantastic rule, and one that probably keeps their profits down a bit (beer and food prices were average for this area). So if you come in to The Saloon and they are no seats ... well, better luck next time. And they don't have a problem kicking you out (to wit: they kicked out a group of four octogenarians who we should have made room for, because if you're approaching 80 and still out kicking it on a Friday night, well, you've earned my respect).
Since they don't have the crappy American light beers I normally would partake in, I decided to be a little adventurous and the wait staff was more than accommodating. The pointed me in the right direction for two out of the three beers I ordered and we were all very happy that they kept bringing the magic cheese fries* for the entire time we were there.
I wish there was a place like this in New York.
* - Magic quality? Disappearing.
People thought this was:
this has all the ingredients of a place i would hate.
rules
almost all white crowd
central location
but the interaction of the aforementioned ingredients, mixed with the personality of the ethnically ambiguous bartender actually pulls it off.
or i was just drunk enough not to mind
People thought this was:
Neighborhood: U Street Corridor
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: U Street Corridor
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: U Street Corridor
Category: Music Venues
Neighborhood: U Street Corridor
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: U Street Corridor
Category: Jazz & Blues
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