Go for beer and maybe some pub grub. The Saloon seems to have a very solid beer selection, but is signficantly lacking in other areas. The difference b/w this place and other beer-specialty places (like Rustico) is that the Saloon doesn't care to be a real "full service" bar or a bar that cares much abou its patrons. You could say that The Salooon perhaps takes its "no frills" theme a little too seriously (see pic #6). If you want to be a no frills bar, that's fine, but you can still be customer-friendly. I have to think that part of the reason that this place is able to stay in business is b/c of their good location; it's definitely not b/c of their great customer service. This place is what it is, and you can take it or leave it. 1.You're not allowed to stand up here. OK, that's great that it'll never be too crowded but it's a goddam bar, not a sporting event. This is going from one extreme to another. 2. They won't split a check. What the? Is this too complicated for them to do? Does it inconvenience them too much? You won't find this policy in the vast majority of respectable, full-service establishments. 3. No TVs (ok that's fine, it's not a sports bar) 4. No shots. I assume this means no mixed drinks, too. Does the owner realize that you can still be a genuine beer bar and serve shots? (Again, see Rustico). 5. Food can be hit or miss (apparently). I ordered hummus and got ultra-thin wheat pita bread (this must have been straight out of a bag; give me a break, give me real pita bread) with HOT hummus. WTF? Hummus is supposed to be COLD (or maybe room temp, but not HOT). The fries were more enjoyable. Our bartender was actually pretty attentive; some readers of this review may find it ironic that I just wrote that. The bar's location is good, virtually right across the street from the U St. metro and the bar helps build schools in 3rd world countries. read more

This bar is essentially empty and every time my friends and I start laughing, the older guy behind the bar comes over and starts lecturing me about how we should be quiet. We do not plan to come back here, not because we are being told to quiet down, but because he is being really patronizing and rude. Four thumbs down. Awesome waitress and good overall atmosphere, though. read more

I really want to give this place a four or five star rating. The beer selection is pretty good, and the atmosphere is pretty good. I can usually find a place to sit, even on weekend nights. And yet . . . the owner is either unable or unwilling to provide me with basic information on when the place is open. There are hours available here on yelp, but they aren't posted at the door, so I'm not sure if they're correct. I would call and ask, but the number posted here and elsewhere is disconnected. Of course they don't have a website, which wouldn't normally be a big deal . . . if they could simply post hours somewhere. This is compounded by the fact that the place often closes for a month at a time to go build a school. And then there's the example of today. I went by at 3:30 to try to see if it would be open this weekend. There's a sign posted saying it's open for the month of August. So it should be open today, August 31, right? Well, the door's locked. So yeah. Until they bother to find some way to let me know when I will actually be able to exchange my money for their beer, I can't really rate them very highly. read more

I had heard and read great things about The Saloon before I went, but I honestly didn't know what to expect. The Saloon goes on my very short list of favorite bars in DC. There's no standing and no TVs. No cell phones at the bar, either. The staff are all incredibly friendly and helpful. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but our server helped me pick out not just beers that I would tolerate (which is all I usually do with beer), but beers I would actually LIKE. That is good service. It's a great place to go with friends when all you want is a drink and some good conversation. I loved it. read more

At Saloon, the customer is not always right, but if you're into a no-fuss scene, you'll fit right in. It's quiet and relaxed with a neighborhood feel and a great selection of bottled beers and tap. The food is not good, so don't go there expecting a 5-star meal - but go expecting great drinks, a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of regulars. read more

They have a nice selection of beer. I really liked a grapefruit flavored beer they served. Service was really nice. We also ordered some food that were quite tasty. This place is a bit quirky in many ways. They also use their profits to fund building of schools in Poverty struck regions in the world. Beware! Standing is not allowed. They also recommend you to order beer first and wait a bit after that for ordering food. read more

This is place with good burgers, a great variety of beers and "rules" that encourage you to interact with your fellow patrons while trying to ensure that you'll get a seat and have a good time. The bartenders are knowledgeable and it's a cool place to hang out. If you're looking for a place where you can linger at the bar, watch tv and play Words with Friends on your phone while nursing a glass of water, this is not the place for you. Oh, and I love the fact that the bar helps build schools in developing countries by tacking on a $0.25 contribution to every check. What's not to love about drinking good beer in the name education. read more

Best beer in the area, love the German/Belgian selection. Yes there are rules, if you don't like that, you probably shouldn't come here. Yes they have a 50 cent surcharge for building schools, if you don't like that then there are plenty of other places on U Street to choose from. But if you are discerning about what you're drinking then come here and try it out! It's harder to get in on a weekend since they don't allow you to stand, but on a weekday there's no issue in bellying up to the bar. It's one of my favorites in the area. read more

"If you do not like beer, other places may be better fit you." One star for one reason: the "one check, one credit card" policy. "No standing. No chewing gum." ... What? Seriously though, more than one reason. Service was slow, and the waitress was a space cadet. The menu is organized in a very odd way and its hard to understand what's what. The drinks and beers are nothing special. The "boozy pineapple" is a 1 inch wedge of pineapple... tiny. Pretentious, pompous, and arrogant. Over priced. I will definitely stay home instead of giving this place any business. read more

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. read more

Nice local bar, especially for the area. Excellent selection of bottles and taps with proper glassware. Complementary pistachios. Not a date place or a pick up place--more a place to chill. We need more smaller saloons. read more

Why can't more bars be like the Saloon? Super friendly staff, no standing room, no unnecessarily LOUD blaring music to scream over and Excellent beer selection! Came here last Saturday around 11:30 and it was comfortably full with plenty of seating for my girlfriends and I. The waiter was super attentive and friendly. We only stayed for one drink but this is a place I could see staying all night drinking with friends and having a blast. They have a full menu and I'm sure the food is great. Can't wait to come back! read more

great beer, got suckered into trying the urbock 23degrees, which was a very flavorful beer, friend got abbey pale ale (corsendonk?), easily the better beers i've had. great service (answered a lot of questions), good beer, and great casual atmosphere. tho, they have so many rules!! kinda felt a bit pretentious. also, can't split the bill between 2 credit cards unless it's $70+ or else they'd charged you money for splitting the bill. but loved the fact that the owner is so passionate about philanthropic work. definitely will be back =) read more

The most reading material provided at a bar you could possibly find. I was so intrigued at the how they "encourage" you to not be glued to your electronic devices and like....socialize! I had the weirdest mix: burger with a chardonnay -- I KNOW! Weird, but heeey after a long ass week, i deserved it, despite its abnormality. Anyways, I really like the environment and how chill everyone was. I especially like their philanthropic edge of building schools. Very much enjoyed it. read more

Decent establishment on U St. Came here on a Friday night with some friends, and had only one thing in mind: drinking. And this is all this place is good for. You aren't allowed to stand, which I find odd, but whatever. My friends and I grabbed a table upstairs and proceeded to browse their beer list, which is pretty impressive. The atmosphere was pretty chill, and definitely not too noisy. This is a good spot to sit back, relax, and grab a drink. read more

Getting some very Brooklyn/hipster vibes. I like places that have distinct character - a mission, if you will. Note the rules: no standing, no tv, no split bills, no ordering alcohol & food at the same time, no whining, no martinis, etc. You might say they're being pretentious...but I'd say if you weren't a downass person to begin with, then maybe you shouldn't be here! Also, I didn't know there was such a thing as a non-profit bar? So this means you don't have to feel guilty about drinking anymore because you're helping them build schools in developing countries! Great beer selection, decent food (tried the chili covered nachos, hamburger and "poor man's chicken soup"), fun vibes...this bar doesn't take itself too seriously (and somehow, at the same time, VERY seriously) and you shouldn't either! Highly recommend. read more

I went here in December on a double date and was quite grateful for the wide range of spirits available when the other couple started to get a bit over the top lovey-dovey. Moonshine soaked blue berries? Not very tasty or good looking, but for 50 cents, they sure pack a punch, so sign me up! In addition to the intentionally attitude-y signage and menu, my favorite part about the whole place is that any of the profits it generates after breaking even get donated to building schools and housing for needy families in Africa. You can even donate money to whatever the current project is and get your name on the wall. This place is small and easily overlooked if you're walking by, as it's on the basement level, but it's well worth a stop if you're looking for a bit of novelty. read more

Fantastic beer selection, you'll always get a seat since there's no standing allowed. Atmosphere was laid back and relaxed, I think it's a great bar to sit and relax with friends. read more

Fantastic place to grab a quiet, grown-up drink on U Street. Had heard many things about this place and was noticeably intimidated to be standing looking for my friends when we walked in. But once seated it was perfect. Think Brickskeller only nicer (though with a smaller beer list) and less people. Maybe we lucked out on a cold spring Saturday night as the place wasn't even close to packed. Maybe half-full. Also there is a huge upstairs with even more sitting. Plus, the owners make proud fact of their contributions around the world using funds from the bar, pictures and testimonials are posted all around the place about funding schools, hospitals etc in third-world places. I'll drink to that. read more

Wow! I LOVE this bar!!! We stopped in before heading to U Street Music Hall and we had a great time. The beer selection is incredible, the food is decent, and the service is wonderful. I can't wait for a reason to visit again!!! read more

me and my friend went on a friday, because they do comedy shows. first off the comedians were great no issue with them. but the workers geez. when we first sat down the waiter had an attitude with us, because we weren't ready when he first came by, then we realized that the comedy show was upstairs , which he didn't tell us and we told him, and he freaked out on us saying, "y'all stressing me out" we tried to ask him if he's gonna bring the food up to us or not but he stormed off. the attitude really blew us. anyway we were stressed because we didn't know about the food situation so we ordered upstairs the food legit took like 45 minutes to reach us and the owner got pissed at us yelling in front of everyone while the comedy show was going saying u don't order food twice from a non profit. i get that it's a non profit , like that's nice and everything but we are still paying for service and it was honestly unacceptable. the owner and the server were both assholes and me and my friend couldn't help but think they treated us like that cause we were black( there wasn't a lot of us in there) and young. no matter what there's no reason for the treatment. i understand the issue with ordering twice but everytime we tried to talk to the server he stormed off, so like what did u expect. the place is very quaint, but not worth it, felt dirty in there too. read more

After a long day touring Washington's major tourist spots my friend and I decided to do a little bit of exploring around the U Street district. Compared by many to that resembling San Francisco's Haight Ashbury District we found this nice European style bar in the middle of the street. They have a wide selection of moderately priced beers and it's nice to see something different for a change with the rules that previous reviewers have gone over already. At first I was a little hesitant because of the fact that the bar was filled with all white people but after being welcomed in we felt more comfortable as time went on. Now onto the service, by no means should you go here if your in any way politically charged or if you like to hear yourself talk. This is a small bar and since it was packed we sat at the bar area and was allowed to order food with our drinks (even though the rule states that you cannot). Already having a long tiring day I ordered a Stella (a common favorite) along with a burger and fries along with some fried calamari on the side. Both were cooked to perfection but wanting a little more I ordered their Tuesday Night Special which for 10 bucks came with a steak, baked potato, and a side salad. I don't know about you but in my book that's a steal. Along with a great conversation with the bartender with encouragement to tip well and our night was complete. If you want to try something different for a change you should come here for sure. If your looking for ordinary and plain, then this is not the place for you. read more

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! read more

My first time to the Saloon ... call me smitten! Simple, straightforward bar. No martinis, just beer and what I assume is decent bar food (I was just there for drinks prior to a dinner engagement). Friendly servers, not crowded (they have a 'no standing' policy), and chill. A perfect spot to catch up with friends without the pretentiousness that cloaks many of the U Street area bars. read more

This place has a nice vibe and decent beer selection. It seems that they need a larger waitstaff to serve all three levels during peak hours. The food was not memorable as good or bad, so I would say it was good for pub food. read more

I loved it here. Awesome variety of different, foreign beers. Lovely, intimate environment, like being in someone's house. Good food. Friendly staff. Love the no-standing at the bar policy, as well as the TV-free environment, which might be a first in DC. Despite being right on the heart of U Street there is a humanity about this place that sets it apart. Can't remember the prices on most things but I don't remember feeling annoyed. I plan to become a regular here. read more

I actually like all the rules. The "no standing" ensures it will never be too crowded, and the "no TV" means you don't get obnoxious sports fans when all you want to do is to actually hear your friends' conversation. I love the brick surroundings and the atmosphere as a whole. (And the fact that they build schools is pretty awesome.) There are great choices for beer and the service is always pretty fast. Saloon is unique, reasonably priced, and a great late-night hang-out. read more

We went to this place for a friend's birthday and the good company of the people around us was the only redeeming factor. The service was terrible and the drinks are overpriced. I was actually told at the bar that I wasn't allowed to pay my tab. I had to go to a table and sit down and then pitch in for the larger bill at the rest of the table. Aside from the weird rules of this place, it makes no sense to say that you'll be by soon and then never come over to take orders. It took forever for our friends who arrived after us to get a drink and the single one I ordered was overpriced and average tasting. We don't expect to ever come back unless there is a serious customer service makeover. read more

Everything I want in a dive bar. Good but simple food (wasabi corn nuts are a must) and beers. I love a good martini, but give them mad respect for not serving them there (if you want a good martini, head to a lounge or upscale bar - not a dive). I also love the environment, no TVs/electronic distractions=you talk to your neighbor!! Last time I was there, I met a great couple and I ended up playing some drinking games with them! But what I love most is that they're committed to giving back! I hope to earn a regular status there soon - it's now my go to place! read more

It's a fine line. I like how this place is meant for serious beer lovers to converse - too many other great beer bars get overrun by loud casual drinkers swilling booze. At the same time, there did seem a certain austerity and stuffiness to it which keeps me from saying "I'm a fan". Further, the beer selection isn't really all that great. I did greatly enjoy the Urbock 23, but we didn't stick around for a second. read more

I really enjoyed dinner here on Friday. We arrived around 8:30 or 9:00 and the downstairs was quiet with just a few other people around. I ordered the turkey burger which was fantastic, and my companion had the reuben and said it was good. The atmosphere was very pleasant -- cozy and conducive to conversation. The service was not friendly, but quick and accurate. I'd like to return to sample the beer selection! read more

Love the beers, love the atmosphere. It is a perfect place to sit and talk with friends and newly met friends over a good beer. I'm a huge fan of them always bringing water to the table and making sure its always full w/o even asking. I've never had the food so I cannot speak for that. I just love a cozy, quiet bar that knows its crowd and doesn't cater to the transient DC group read more

This was the second bar that I went to in DC. I came for the great beer selection from around the world. But what is amazing is that they help to build schools all over the world. Not what you would expect from a random bar on U St. It has a great, comfortable vibe. You just settle right in for a long evening and get lost in the beer menu. read more

Beer is there main deal. However the drunken blueberries are a must. A blueberry soaked in moonshine for a whole year. Have one!!

Awesome place! I invited a couple of girlfriends out for dinner and happy hour. We ordered their awesome jalapeño and cheese potatoes, and ended up getting another plate because they were that good. The waiter (I wish I knew his name!) was so nice and attentive, and he was so helpful! He gave great food and drink suggestions. A great place that supports a great cause. Can't get much better than that! read more

Perfect way to end the day of the Women's March in DC. Amazing beer selection, friendly service, and delicious fries. Didn't get to try more of the pub food, but the food we could smell seemed great. All that said and it's a not-for-profit, to boot! I live in NY but will be sure to come back every time I'm in the DC area. read more

My favorite bar in DC. Great beer selection, very friendly staff, and overall a perfect place to hang out with some friends and have a good conversation. Also, just realized they have an upstairs, which is nice, though I prefer sitting at the bar. read more

Great beers, uptight management, keeping it a good thing in a town short on places where you can drink great beer, and hear your friends talk. read more

This is a restaurant I really wanted to like! The atmosphere is warm and cheerful and the beer list is good. It would also seem that the owners use some of the proceeds to fund schools in developing countries, which is great. The wait was minimal on a Friday night at 9pm. The food is very standard bar fare - mostly burgers and fried appetizers. Unfortunately, the service was terrible. We were seated in a little space on the 3rd floor, which was empty except for one other group. It was extremely dark and we had to use a cell phone flash light to read the one menu we had. We needed 5, but the server forgot to bring us more. Also, he only brought 4 waters because he said he couldn't carry any more at once, but then he never brought another one. It took forever to get beer and he basically never checked back with us, so it wasn't possible to get more rounds. (Also, the burgers were all really overcooked.) Later we noticed that our server was also the bartender on the 2nd floor. He had way to many tables to give effective service. It feels like it would have been better to have us wait a few minutes in order to have a server that could actually accommodate us. read more

Love the Saloon. It had a fantastic beer selection and the service is great. Good vibe, good people, good food, good beer. One of my favorite bars in U street. read more