Great beer list, decent food, skee ball, karaoke, pub trivia, board games... Need I go on? This place like totally has it all. Each bar has a slightly different beer list, so be sure to check out each of them. They even have an entire bar devoted exclusively to seasonal brews. If you like beer, this is a great place to do some drinking. The food menu is decently priced and has some flavorful options - everything from hot dogs to nachos. You order at the bar, they give you one of those vibrating / light-up coaster thingys, and then you come pick up your order once your thingy goes off. On popular nights, like trivia and karaoke nights, it can get quite packed. Definitely best to come early if you want to grab a seat. For those into karaoke, Mondays are league karaoke nights. Only league folks can sing from 7-9pm, and then it's open karaoke from 9pm onward. However, the league hours often go past 9pm, so it might be 10pm or later before you actually get a chance to sing. But the song list is good, it's a big stage, and there's several screens with the lyrics (including a huge one behind the stage). It all takes place downstairs here, which is a fun, open space with two bars and skee ball, pool, Big Buck, etc. In sum, this is a great place to come play and drink. read more

Penn Social - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So this review is completely on the vibe of the place. It reminds me of a small Dave and busters. It's crazy because I've lived here for two years and never heard about this place. I would definitely come here for a "fun" date. I got the old bay and honey wings which were just okay. Everyone I was with loved them tho. Maybe I'm just wing picky but I wouldn't get them again. read more

Pretty poor. Bartender has no idea how to make common cocktail. Place dead and dingy. Large screens have poor resolution.

Great drinks, timely service and clean. I had a good time there and will probably go back.

When there isn't an event, this is your standard sports/game bar with games on tv, games on arcade, and board games. Games Galore! A nice bar area with various beer taps and liquor selections complete the area making it a fun place to hang out. But I've only been here for events such as record shows and art festivals. That's when it can get ugly. If they have an event here, you better get here early and proceed with caution. I was here a month ago for the art/booze/pancake festival. We got there around 7 when the event started and the line we were in looped around the other side. They had two lines on opposite ends; one is for those with tickets/no tickets and the other is for VIP where they enter right away. It got to be a hassle because none of the lines were labeled confusing people. The VIP line died down so they told people with tickets to go the VIP line and enter. But the ticket person at the door said VIP only. How you gonna tell us to go somewhere and then deny entry after moving to another line!? Discombobulation at its finest (or worst?). After a massive discussion (loud discussions I should say) amongst employees, they formed a third, yes THIRD line for VIP only. So one for VIP, one with tickets, one without tickets. While its a stressful situation, the employees did it to themselves with poor planning and selling two types of tickets (VIP and regular admission) just to make an extra buck or two. That's some Dan Snyder shit right there! Fortunately after an hour wait we finally got inside for the event which is in the lower level. The event had multiple urban vendors selling custom made artwork and models at exorbitant prices that would cost an arm and a leg. I found some magnets at a friendly cost but that's the only item priced decently. Vendors were friendly and they have a lot of nice pieces on display. And of course there were complimentary pancakes so I didn't go hangry like the people in line. I think this place has good things going for it and people seem to enjoy it. The staff just needs to get their shit together when coordinating arrival to an event. Last thing anyone wants is a riot! read more

Penn Social - Butterflies when Trump opens his mouth! - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The remodel effectively kills this sports bar as it now effectively a dead event space on a Wednesday night, leaving much to be desired. When you enter the renovated space, it's feels like it is trying to be trendy but still has leftover elements from their last concept, and it just doesn't work. On hump day, their digital display menu shows BOGO specialty cocktails, but the bartender did not promote or did she seem to be even interested in our large group's business. I ordered the pineapple mezcal, which came from a tap and was charged full price. When I initially asked about the special, she only stated that it was an active promotion. However, after seeing the overcharge, I followed up and she then clarified I had to either order two at once or leave my tab open which would have been useful information to have been disclosed before I paid because I thought she would have just given me the second drink later or made sure that I did truly want one drink. Against my better judgement, I ordered another drink, and she poured my draft beer order from a bucket...I think that is more than enough said. There was no attempt at service recovery so if this experience was indicative of the new atmosphere then this venue may have tough times ahead. read more

If you want a fun place to hang with friends, Penn Social has a bit of everything. This former comedy club is huge. You can't really tell from the outside how giant the space is. If you don't get a chance to walk downstairs, you will still have a ball just on the first level. There are tons of board games and TV screens to watch sports. The decor is really fun. Whoever filled this place with art, cartoons and awesome props did a great job. The lower level has at least five giant TV screens throughout the area. You can play video games or just keep score of your favorite team. Almost forgot, it is also a bar..... read more

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Atmosphere fun especially for game day They have TVs and arcade games IPA was good Food is straight bar food and mediocre at best Overall all good Staff was nice read more

Penn Social - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Always a good time here! The downstairs area is spacious and perfect for groups. The happy hour specials are pretty good. I recently had the honey old bay wings and I'm sold - I'd come back just for that. read more

Penn Social - honey old bay wings - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Went here on a Saturday about 4pm after doing some exploring to catch a pre-season game. I met a couple people who said I should check it out. I walk in and security guy asks what's in my bag. I say cake and he says leave it on the table no outside food. (Sigh). I sit at a table and wait for 10 minutes and no one comes. I go to the bar and he says all orders are from the bar (sigh). I order wings and a coke and then I have to pay first (sigh). What if the food isn't good and I already paid? Hmm. Can't leave a tip at end if I wanted. Wings were ok but other stuff like the experience. I keep seeing that people in DC are missing good attentive, welcoming service at establishments in DC. Even at sports bars in the south you get much better service, more and larger tv's with every game and table service from waitresses. DC y'all missing out. Can't see why this place was recommended. read more

Stopped in here for a quick drink before heading to the Nationals Game. They had just opened but welcomed my friend and I to the bar. The place is huge and if you don't think so then head downstairs to the bathrooms where you will find another expansive social space with several televisions, plenty of seating, bar games (and board games) to keep you occupied and possibly make new friends. We scored $2 off drafts and if you are concerned that the tap list is not expansive enough - again head down stairs, there are several more varieties of beer to choose from. We did not get any apps (which there were specials for during happy hour) but they looked delicious. We stayed upstairs chatting up the bartender, a local Washingtonian, for some local tips and conversation. He and all the staff were very pleasant and accommodating even as more customers came in. I also loved that their tap list was electronic - a great way to keep up to date on what is on tap AND they live streamed their social media. I know it was live as I posted a picture to Instagram and minutes later I got my 5 minutes of fame - pretty cool. A great casual environment that was a great find on our way to the baseball - would definitely stop again for a beer and possible some games! read more

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My wife and I went to Penn Social last Saturday (1/27/24) to grab a drink and watch a college basketball game for my birthday. We went to the downstairs part. When we asked if we could change any 1 of the many TVs to ESPN to the game I was interested in watching, the two female bartenders there were insanely rude and said that all of the TVs were already being watched despite there being several TVs without anyone sitting close by (there was less than 10 people there total). When I tried one more time ~30 mins later, their answer changed for some reason and they said "they don't change channels" on the TVs lol. For that reason, we left after 1 drink instead of buying more drinks and dinner. Perhaps they were having a bad day, but I will not be back. read more

Fun venue, diverse crowd. There is something for everyone-a quieter top floor with a pool table, good for chatting. A full service bar downstairs with arcade games and giant jenga. They turned the middle into a dance floor after 10 and music was good and tons of dancers. Had to minus a star because the DJ didnt come until 12:30, before that they just played a hip hop station. And they replayed some songs like 24k magic (dont get me wrong, love me some bruno mars) 4x while we were there before the dj arrived. That was annoying. Also the ground was oddly sticky. read more

This place is a complete former shell of itself. Pre-Lockdowns it was THE PLACE to go post event at Capital One, Saturday and Sunday football, NBA playoffs and finals or Pre-Game. Penn was also a happening place to gather with friends and play games while a DJ played a mix of music that had the dance floor jumping. It served as an alternative to a night club. A great place for a first date or third. The bartenders were friendly and fun. You go there enough , they'd definitely greet as a friend. This current Penn Social has no flavor. It's just a bland coffee shop that has events. Such as disappointment but at least I can say the bathrooms aren't as disgusting. read more

Wow... yeah won't be going back. To expand on your SHITTY bartenders: 1. One was wearing sweat pants. Come on man... have some self respect. 2. They were more interested in talking to each other than actually pouring a beer. 3. They got our order wrong, and 4. I had to ask them if our order was ready, at which time they discovered it was sitting on the SHITTY bar, cooling to a nice cold temperature. And aside from their inability to actually pour a beer, if your staff can't work a remote control I can send a 5 yo over to show them. The Clemson game was on BEFORE the other games they had no problems watching. Since the statement escaped you earlier, the majority of the bar was there to see the other games. DC is a tough town for bars... how the hell are you making it? read more

Penn Social has been on our list of places in DC to go but sadly continued getting lower and lower on the list. We were finally able to cross it off last night after looking for a bar with friends. In an odd move we stoped in on a Sunday night right before 8pm. We were ID'ed as soon as we walked in the door- safety first. The upstairs was completely empty and we were directed downstairs. Once you get downstairs you'll immediately pass the bathrooms-keep that in mind if you're lost theee drinks in. There's only one bar and while we were there only one/two bartenders. There were times were the bar could've used more employees. I attempted a vodka lemonade but alas they don't carry lemonade (Wait what?). Instead I went with a vodka pineapple which appeared to have plenty bottom shelf vodka. The rum and Coke on the other hand did not have a lot of rum. Between the four of us we ordered eight drinks and spent about $80 (#welcometoDC). The overall cons: The crowd is definitely young, at twenty-six we felt a little too old for this bar. This may not be a con if you're 21. The bartender was rude and service could've been better. Lastly, a basketball game came on and it was SO loud. I honestly feel like the game could've been muted and music could've continued. There were a lot of points during the game that I saw people covering their ears. ((This is easily avoidable if you don't go during a game.)) I wouldn't mind stopping back in here but would probably put more thought into when we stop in. This appears to be a solid bar for the young DC crowd. read more

Penn Social has a lot going for them. They are in a fun location (Chinatown). They have a MASSIVE downstairs that can hold any size of group. They have cider on tap (Bold Rock from VA). Despite all of this, Penn Social only gets a three. A lot of their board games are beat up (They only have a Spanish version of Bananagrams). Also, the people who frequent this place don't seem like the best of people. They all seem stuck in college and it can give this bar the "tool" vibe. read more

Good spot for sports, nice bar food, drinks a little pricey but not bad, nice music as well, oh and did I mention this place is has games which is super dope. read more

High energy, fun place! Before you walk into the door, expect to be carded. This 2-story sports bar is a great place to hangout, complete with TVs and games, like shuffle board and basketball! We came here during a special private event- the Urban Land Institute Trivia Night, which occupied all of the downstairs space, sitting at least 300 people. We indulged in a buffet of bar bites, like hummus, spinach dip, chicken nuggets, meatballs, pretzels and melted cheese, veggie sticks and an array of dessert cheesecakes. All of them were fairly satisfying. My favorite was the pretzels dusted with sea salt and I topped it with the melted cheese sauce, typical of a nachos cheese topper. I gave this place a high mark for the overall ambiance and flexibility of the venue. This is a great option to get food and enjoy an array of activities after! Good place for a first date ;) read more

nice vibes came her to checkout the photobooth. kind of looks like the mall photobooths read more

Penn Social - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

WHAT A SUPER BOWL! I came here with a ton of friends to watch the Patriots take on the Eagles. The game was a nail biter, and JT delivered an unforgettable performance! Penn Social's got all the necessary elements of a great Sports Bar: Sports, Food, and Entertainment! Huge screens and speakers to make you feel like you're at the game, $9 wings and $8 off pitchers for their Sunday Night special, and premium arcade games that make you feel like you're a kid again (similar to Dave&Busters). I'll be back for the NBA Finals - VVP read more

Penn Social - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Definitely recommend going to the bar down stairs. The bartenders are much nicer! Chris is the best bartender. There's so much going on, like games, music, socializing read more

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Hands down my favorite bar in DC! Games, great craft beer, and plenty of space. I'm in love! It is a pity you have to spend $10 minimum for credit card, and because of the amount of drinks I received, by the time I closed out my tab, I had actually only bought one drink. It was cheaper than $10 obviously with hh. The bartender was nice about it and gave me a heads up for future reference. I still can't get over the beer selections. I tried two different double IPAs, both so so so so so good, and could not lead myself astray. Beer+game combination kept me there for a long, long time. Can't wait to be back! read more

There's two floors which helps with the traffic flow. Games on both floors and lots of tvs to watch sports. Based on the wall art it's catered to be a Big 10 football bar but there were some passionate UCF fans leaving cards with their fight song in the bathroom. You're lucky to find a seat later in the evening. We didn't eat here, but your best deal is to split pitchers. Don't expect anyone to come to your table-you'll get quicker service running up to the bar. read more

I found this place via Yelp and decided to add it to my birthday itinerary for the weekend. It is definitely as lively as other visitors have mentioned. There were quite of few live games going on but my friends and I honestly only came for the happy hour specials (4-7pm) and the arcade games... So imagine my disappointment when I found out that the majority of games were at an additional cost... WOMP. And, to add insult to injury, my favorite game, Connect 4, was missing pieces so I never got to complete a solid game... yet another WOMP WOMPPP! The female bartenders also weren't the friendliest.. The prices they said for certain games didn't match what other workers told us. The chicken poppers were AMAZING though! Our party legit made 6 orders and ate every bite! LOL I'd most likely come back now that I know what to expect... I'm like a kid in a candy shop when it comes to adult arcades.. But it was slightly disappointing for my first time. read more

Penn Social - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Can't love it but can't hate it. Penn Social is your all around sports bar that offers mediocre football drink prices but has enough space for you and the 15 other groups of people you realized wouldn't fit in the typical D.C. Sports bar. I will say I do like their trivia nights - it's a good atmosphere and there is room for everyone. They have an upstairs and a downstairs. Along with ping pong, board games, shuffle board, etc. it's definitely a great place for groups and indoor drinking when it's cold. The food is terrible. Don't come here for the sports bar food, it's not worth it even a little. I would compare this place with buffalo billiards in DuPont but at least they have a decent menu. Great place to catch big games. We came for the super bowl and enjoyed ourselves. Always expect it to be crowded. We've also stopped in for other big D.C. Events like the debates or election night. Pretty reliable for what you get. read more

Penn Social - Literally the worst $12 nachos ever - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was my first time coming out to Penn Social. It was really nice. One of the best looking clubs I've seen in a long time. The DJ was on point and the vibe was there. I would recommend this spot. It wasn't crowded at all. The bartenders were really good and they have $2 Jell-O shots. read more

Penn Social seems to be a hit or miss for me..... and more often it's a miss. On the many times that I've went, the bar is either packed with the dance floor empty or the other way around. I guess it depends on the night that you go. The games that they have around the perimeter are fun if they're not missing pieces or too sticky from other people's spilled drinks. I do like the DC themed artwork on the walls though. And they also have two floors. But otherwise nothing that stands out too much that compels me to continually come back. read more

Great place for team buildings and hosting events. Very spacious! The main floor is ok once you go below; it's a different world! Be sure to check out the basement! read more

Very cool bar. Situated on two floors, the bottom is reserved for bathrooms and larger parties whereas the top floor is reserved for smaller parties and board games. When I went, there was a football game going on so the place was pretty packed. Me and a friend got a pitcher of the cider on tap and watched the game at the bar. The atmosphere is super inviting and the bartenders are extremely nice. As out of towners, we felt like we were home because everyone was so inviting and open to start conversation with each other. We didn't order any food, but they did have a small selection of bar food. The typically chicken nuggets, fries, and wings. read more

This bar was not prepared to host an event for DC's law schools. For the amount of people who showed up there was only a single bar open with two bartenders; specifically the female bartender was very inattentive and ignored entire portions of the bar waiting to order drinks. It took any individual maybe 30 minutes at best to get a drink. What should be a great venue to watch sports and play games was ruined waiting for your chance to order. read more

Penn Social is one of my favorite happy hour bars to go to. The crowd is nice mix up of young, diverse professionals. The energy is great and almost infectious -- when you walk in you can just tell that folks are having a great time. There are two floors -- both have fully staffed bars. The spot is riddled with free board games you can play like battleship, cards, boggle, and connect 4. There's a rack where the games are kept on the first floor; make sure to swing past and grab a game before getting a table. There are also a number of shuffleboard tables, cornhole, ping pong, and arcade games to play. No such thing as having nothing to do at this bar. The drinks are always well made and well priced. Happy hour, which extends until 7pm on weekdays, offers rail drinks at $5 and a selection of beers and wines from $4 - $6. There is a pretty good happy hour food menu also. I usually get the wings, yum. They also host a lot of fun weekly events like art shows, live music specials, trivia, and more. I used to frequent Penn Social for the late night dance club scene also but of late I have chosen to go elsewhere. They play less hip hop and pop and more electric/EDM sounding music...which makes it tough to dance. They also do not have a DJ; they seem to play all of their songs from someones laptop...no mixing involved..just one entire song..then the next entire song. This can get a bit tiring. Looking for a late night move, try elsewhere...but Penn Social get five big stars from me for happy hour! read more

I came here actually just looking for food in the area and then I passed this place. The debate was going on downstairs so we decided to stay for that and it was honestly a great time. The bartenders were extremely nice and talkative and the drinks weren't weak at all. The energy throughout the place was good as well. I didn't have time to try the food because we tried to put in a order just a little too late. But overall, and contrary to other reviews I thought this place was pretty solid and they offer some games and a lot on the big screen. read more

Penn Social - Sports Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

You can never go wrong with grabbing some drinks and playing games at Penn Social! With multiple TVs and so much to do, the bar caters to everyone in your group. We ordered the chicken bites and pretzels with cheese that was all typical bar food, nothing special. I suggest ordering pitchers so that you don't have to wait for beer at the bar. The happy hour goes until 7pm! Penn Social is the perfect place to go before events at Capital One, only being a few blocks away. Time always flies by and it is always a great time. read more

Went here with hubby to meet friends to watch a football game. This is a large bar and arcade venue that seems pretty popular. Not crowded on a rainy Thanksgiving Sat. My drink was weak. The menu is VERY limited without a semblance of anything healthy. Guac with chips was a small portion of guac with lots of chips. Quesadilla was fair & served with guac & chips, again a small portion of guac with many chips. Three bbq'd chicken sliders were pretty good, served with potato chips. This is just bar food, folks! Not a veggie in sight, & forget about a salad. Ha! Fairly friendly servers. Near a Metro station. Good place to watch a game of you don't care what you eat. read more

Penn Social... you must come at least once if you live in DC! Happy Hour 4-7pm: $5 pretzel & cheese $7 quesadillas (chz/chx/veg) $9 nachos $2 off draught beers Come on a weekday and it's chill, come on a weekend and it's half chill/half party. There's lots of games like skeeball, jenga, foosball, and shuffleboard to keep you entertained... not to mention lots of TV screens downstairs for your sports and political debates needs. Note: If you decide to do bar trivia Tuesday nights at 7pm, you must come earlier than half an hour to get seats! May the odds be in your favor. read more

Came here for the DC Week opening party on a Friday. I will preface this by saying, it is NOT my cup of tea. I love board games and was a master foosball player in highschool, but I also like nice lounge like establishments and this was more of a college (or recent grad) dive hangout. It's interesting reading others' reviews about the difference between the two floors. It was all the same to me (though I could have done without the weird live music on the lower level). But it was open bar with DC Week, so that made it a little better. I wish I could give separate stars for the establishment and the food I had because the sliders were THE most juicy sliders I've had. Ever. I was really really surprised. Will I be back? Not unless a friend is having a birthday party. For those of you who enjoy grungy places and games....enjoy. read more

Happy hour review: Signature cocktails are $5 instead of $10-12. Choices include a tequila option, dark liquor (whiskey I think) and a vodka. Yummy and not watered down. Discount on beers as well. The food choices are good. Only available in the bar area. I really enjoy the atmosphere- young professionals and can get crowded. May be too loud during happy hour for a quiet date but great to grab drinks with friends. Friendly staff. Recommend! Removed one star because service can be slow. Should have more wait staff during peak times. read more

Washington, DC is lucky to have a place like this! While the crowd seems to be a quite a bit younger than me (I'm 37), I love the concept. Games galore & a nice sound system = a good time. This place is huge & boasts a nice dance floor on the bottom floor. Plenty of drinks to choose from, with drink specials & bar-type food. I really like that they have pitchers of water at the bar, where you can help yourself; no bothering the bartenders for "can I just have a water?" Don't hang out a long time after the place closes, the police come pretty quickly & ensure you're leaving the premises...no hanging around outside. This seems to be a hot spot for birthday gatherings & bachelorette parties. read more

1. They were not prepared for the crowd for the first NFL Sunday of the season. 2. There were more people at the door checking IDs then there were servers. Real talk. 3. You have to arrive early to get a seat downstairs with the enormous TVs. 4. One of the TVs upstairs needs a tune up - the color is shot. 5. They should of told us at the door if we were supposed to go to the bar and get our own drinks before sitting down. We watched a few people do it but did they just get tired of waiting? 6. Seems like a good football atmosphere, but since no servers were in sight and the thought of watching a greyish screen on Opening Day wasn't appealing, we took off for another venue. No bueno and I hate writing bad reviews. #sorrynotsorry Maybe we'll try again another time. read more