Kitty’s Saloon

The drinks are stout and the waitress Sonia is incredibly personable and legit. The wait for a drink is essentially non-​existent, b/​c even though it may get busy the staff are incredibly attentive.
Moreover, I personally like when the staff can engage in witty banter, to include crude humor – while many in D.C. espouse their ability to engage and appreciate witty humor, it’s not really the norm; the staff can certainly hold their own and likely make you doubt how witty you really are. This obviously doesn’t apply to me… I’m as witty as they come
While entirely legit when busy, would recommend checking this place out as a pre-​game spot on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (obviously a fan of the Oxford comma) before checking out the plethora of options that exist in the vicinity.

I’d consider Kitty’s Saloon a classic H street dive type bar. It’s a more renovated and has a couple tv’s. I stopped by on ½ price burger night which is on Monday’s. The custom burger was pretty good. It had a nice fat ratio and you can add toppings that you want including a fried egg. The wedges were also good and hot. They also have a decent draft list but at the time I wasn’t in the mood for a beer.
The service was interesting. I stopped by on NCAA basketball championship night but the bar was pretty empty and they had one server taking care of everyone. She was nice, friendly but lost in the sauce and seemed spacey. I think she said she was new and it showed. She didn’t know the beers on draft and wasn’t sure about answering the couple questions I had about the menu. She also refilled my ginger ale with water. Nothing horrible because she was very friendly but interesting.
All in all it’s not a bad spot that I wouldn’t mind checking out again. Be careful parking though. This trip those vicious DC meter maids threw a ticket on my car after I paid for parking because they can’t read what zone they are in SMH. Irrelevant to the review but it happened on this trip.

Every cocktail I’ve had here has been delicious. The bartenders usually can make you something based on what you typically enjoy if you don’t know what to order. Every cocktail I’ve had has been fairly strong, so make sure you eat. I have had the grilled cheese triangles and they were amazing. There’s perfectly toasted cheese on the OUTSIDE of the sandwich too. My only constructive criticism is that I could have used just a bit more of the tomato soup to get my sandwich-​to-​soup dipping ration right.
I’m really glad I live in the neighborhood so I can stop by often!

Big fan of this place. Both Bartenders on Friday make great cocktails. They can recommend something based on what you usually like, which is nice to be able to try new things. They have a small selection of good drafts if cocktails are not your style.
Food is very good. I got the Alligator fingers and gf got the grilled cheese triangles. Both came in size much larger than we expected.
Really nice atmosphere and enjoy coming here a couple times a month.

Went out on the town solo last night, and this place made it effortlessly easy and fun! They mix mad delicious cocktails, and the place is full of a light and friendly attitude, they seem to know what you want before you do! Shout out to my bartender Murphy for the best Old fashioned I’ve had in a while. If you stop by for a night cap, Kitty’s will not disappoint.

Awesome food. Awesome service. Simple menu, but food was fantastic. Definitely recommend the grilled cheese and the poutine fries. The atmosphere is great too-​rustic, good music. I will definitely be back.

Next door to Queens. Great bar staff. Old school saloon with Clint Eastwood movie posters.
GreAt tequila!

4.5 stars
Before Kitty’s Saloon opened they were marketing themselves as «contemporary redneck cuisine» and I thought for sure I would hate it. It sounded trashy and I’ve spent my whole life getting myself out of the trailer, why would I intentionally put myself back there?
Because the shit tastes good, that’s why.
Kitty’s opened while I was deployed but Justin and his parents tried it out while I was away and reported back that it was worth a trip. We went a few months back and I had the spicy catfish with gumbo and grits. The portion size was generous so I had leftovers for lunch. The fried turtle pie for dessert was great but I’m sure horrible for me. Might not be an every visit kind of sweet but definitely worth the indulgence once in a while.
Last week we were walking by and the sign outside offering happy hour beer (5−7pm) and half-​priced burgers (every Monday night, all night long) and we couldn’t help but go in. The burger was simple but great and was cooked to perfection which is surprisingly hard to find. The add-​on bacon is thick and well worth the added $ 2 and you can also add on American or cheddar cheese or a 50-​cent side of brown gravy for dipping. It came with potato wedges that had a nice crisp to them and a lot of flavor in the batter too. The beer menu is short but at half-​priced, there are enough decent options for $ 4. Overall, a great meal for cheap. I think two burgers (with add ons) and a total of three beers was still $ 20-​something. Not bad at all.
The restaurant itself is small. There are three two-​top tables, a small shelf against the wall you can stand at, a window table that fits 4 or so, and a bar that might sit 8 or 10. This really does have the look and feel of a neighborhood bar. I haven’t been on a weekend and I presume it gets a bit more busy then, but I think it’s a great spot for a quiet dinner close to home with surprisingly good food.

3.5 Stars
I dig Kitty’s, but it’s still a work in progress: a bit bar, and a bit restaurant. Their short menu of modern «contemporary redneck cuisine» includes sausage stuffed chicken wings and gator bites with spicy remoulade (one of the best alligator dishes I’ve outside of the Deep South) as well as more substantial plates such as bourbon braised bison short ribs. The theme is reflected in the somewhat rustic, western-​ish décor complete with mounted buffalo head behind the bar and vintage Clint Eastwood posters.
I say work in progress because there’s not much non-​bar seating downstairs and the upstairs was still under construction when I stopped by, giving it the feeling of something half complete (It occupies the first floor of the H Street row-​house that used to house the Moroccan restaurant Souk). One thing it does possess, however, is what has what has to be the widest bar in DC. Their six draft beers include Shiner Bock, Atlas District Common, Bells Two-​Hearted Ale, and Omegong Hennepin. The cocktail list is short, but includes the Louisiana Purchase, their take on a Sazerac made with Old Overholt, sugar, and absinthe.

This is the definition of a hole in the wall place.
Small restaurant but pretty cool rustic interior, service was great, friendly bartenders that were also your servers.
Small menu, pretty common among these NE H street restaurants, the menu we got was also slightly different than the one on their website, not really a problem.
We had the grilled cheese and the wings to start, grilled cheese was good, nothing special though, tomato soup that came with was also not too special either. Wings were great, the chili sauce tasted great and had a spicy kick. The sausage stuffed part of the wings were interesting, it tasted good, but it was the first time I’ve had wings like that.
But all in all,
grilled cheese: ok
wings: pretty good
When we ordered our entrees, we encountered a little hiccup. Originally, we asked for the shrimp and grits, and the fried chicken. Our waiter replied that they were out of both things. A little disappointing. He didn’t really specify why, but something about the upcoming H street fest. We then decided to both get burgers. Both with cheese and mine with bacon. Burgers were perfect. They meat part was comprised of short rib and brisket which tasted awesome. The bun was also a little different but still good. Fries that came with the burgers were also great.
Overall, very nice and friendly service, great food, and a nice atmosphere. Hopefully next time they’ll have the things we ordered originally because we will be back!

I don’t post many reviews on Unilocal but felt compelled after my first experience at Kitty Saloons. The place is pretty rustic but we had a cool spot right in the window which was pulled up so it felt like we were eating outside. The menu was pretty simple. I ordered the fish tacos and my wife ordered the burger. After so many disappointing meals on H street we were blown away by how good the food was. The burger was cooked perfectly and was mixed with pork that made you savor each bite. One of the best burgers in DC without a doubt. The fish tacos were hands down the best I have had in the city. Blackened catfish that was crunchy with an amazing Russian dressing and a creamy salad with bacon. Not the healthiest but one of the best meals I’ve had on H. I highly recommend kitty saloon.

Real food review! Although they were out of 3 out of the 4 dinner entrees (gritts, fried chicken, and some other things), at least they had their burgers. Just as the bartender promised, they were delicious. It had an amazing percentage of fat and salt– similar to shake shack’s combo– flavor wise. They were cooked PERFECTLY medium rare with a nice fat crust. They were gigantic, I was overwhelmingly stuff and I barely touched the side of fires. With two strips of bacon and cheese, the burger was seriously beyond what I expected and worth the $ 15! The side of fries were forgettable and definitely needed the gravy for dipping. I love gravy so I appreciated the side order. As far and beyond as the burgers were in expectation, they stuff wings fell flat. It was coated in a spicer than normal sweet and sour sauce. For $ 8, I would expect more than 4 wings with only 2 of the 4 being stuff. I would not suggest getting them, instead get the alligator fingers and we will definitely be back for the burgers!

Consistenly friendly bartenders that allow you to make the music selections from your Spotify from time to time. And a great beer selection.

GET. THE. BURGER. You won’t regret it.
In terms of cocktails, this place serves my favorite Sazerac in DC — on the menu it’s called the Louisiana Purchase. I don’t know what the recipe is but from what I see on the menu it’s a pretty standard Sazerac, only they may be using some super secret ingredient or ratio that makes it hit the spot. Either way, GET IT. And the burger (if you’re super hungry).

Came for food, stayed for drinks and friendly staff. The food at kitty’s is awesome! (I had the burger and alligator fingers) along with some unique cocktails that’ll have me coming back.
The friendly staff made kitty’s a way better experience than I expected. From recommended drinks to hilarious antidotes kitty’s made me feel like an old friend.

You know those places that you stubble upon when you’re not looking? Places you never knew existed between two known spots… yea, that’s how a friend and I found Kitty’s. Kitty’s is, in my opinion, a place where you can meet with a few friends and end up staying all night. It’s just that quaint and cozy.
Kitty’s has an eclectic feel. It’s like a place your homeboy set up to be a man cave (you know: something about the colors aren’t quite matched, there’s animal heads on the wall, cheap drinks and sports playing on tv). Yea, I said man cave, with a cute bartender (Kris).
When we arrived, we were immediately greeted by the bartender. She was very friendly and helpful. My friend and I were starving and just wanted a place to chill out on a weeknight. No frills, just food and possibly a drink (which never happened, because I became too sleepy to see after a while). Kris, navigated us through the menu and explained to us how the kinks were still being worked out… they’d just opened the week before or so. My friend and I found that (1) kitty’s severed reasonably cheap drinks and (2) had a southern fare. Surprise, surprise, southern fare from a place that looks mannish and is bordering on hipster (H Street restaurants and shops have no limits on the stakes it will take to be different). Well, now, I had no choice but to be intrigued. Meatloaf, gumbo… I wanted the chef (David, studied in TN and lived in CA for some time, was brought over by the owners for a «different type of feel») to make me a believer, and in essence, keep me coming back for more (I’m such an optimist it sickens me at times). Well, here’s the run down, to which I’m sure my friend might disagree, but it’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it!
Meatloaf: (filled with all the good stuff — bell peppers, onions and was glazed with a stewed tomato type of paste… could be more tender, and more seasoned. I know, I know, they were just a baby and still needed to unfold the magic, but this is, in fact, SOUTHERN FOOD. As the name implies, I expect said food to teeter on a heat attack after consumption of bold flavor and high fat ingredients (which should have tenderized the ground beef).
Mashed Potatoes: overly and exceedingly met my expectation. Rich and creamy, they lay beneath the meatloaf, almost too good to eat. What’d David put in those things? Heavy whipping cream? A pound of butter? I was dazed and confused after a taste. I was also very impressed.
Gumbo: gumbo holds a special place in my heart. Not only because I LOVE it, but because I have very fond memories of helping my grandfather cook it as a child. Every chop, every stir of rue comes to mind whenever I have a bowl of gumbo. Well, with every taste of this bowl, filled to capacity with okra and lacking huge amounts of flavor, I grimaced. I was so disappointed, I moved the bowl out of my sight, so that I wouldn’t have to think of it any further. I washed the taste out of my mouth with a gulp of sprite. It had no seafood, no chicken, no way of winning me over without an ounce of flavor. Here’s a tip to all: boil shrimp shells, crab shells etc., to make a stock. This will be the base of your gumbo, shrimp and grits, etc. Merry Christmas and don’t say I never gave you anything.
Overall, I think kitty’s deserves 2.5−3 stars until I can reassess. I have high hopes for you, given your southern charm and cheap drink specials.

**** 3.5 stars ****
I’m not gonna lie, I absolutely expected to hate this place (in all honesty I never thought I would actually come here), and to come here writing a scathing review about their nonsensical «contemporary redneck cuisine» concept and sure to fail restaurant. However, I’m somewhat pleased, and surprised, to report that this is a solid 3.5 based primarily on the food, with plenty of room to move up to a 4. I’m not recommending anyone rush out and snag one of the few seats here, but don’t necessarily shun it the way I had planned to.
The only real reason I decided to give this place a chance was because my parents were in town, and their eating habits trend towards basic /​comfort over adventurous or fine dining, and since Kitty’s inexplicably hailed itself as home to rednecks, well they pretty well fit the bill. Truth be told, their description is as meaningless as I had imagined, there’s basically nothing here that would remind you of anything stereotypically redneck related. It’s more of a cowboy western vibe, if I had to guess any one type, and the menu matches. Rednecks don’t eat bison, or seared endives, and although some of the dishes are traditionally Southern they don’t really strike that chord either.
Nevertheless, the food menu reads relatively simple, with several things even my typically hesitant parents found approachable, and a few dishes I could expand their experience with such as the alligator «fingers» (re: tails). My mom’s burger and fries were quite good, and at $ 10 a pretty solid deal (extra $ 1.50 supplement for cheese though, and extra $ 2 for bacon). This would make a good pairing for one of their under $ 10 cocktails, a nice treat to find in DC these days. The two we tried (Bourbon Sour Thyme and Autumn for Rickey) were both well made, although not very boozy (a positive for some, negative for others).
The larger entrée items were the real standouts though. When I received my shrimp and grits I wasn’t exactly sure they had sent out the correct dish, as it’s visually very different from any version I’ve ever seen. Maybe that’s the Savannah way of doing it, as the menu title implies. The flavors though were fantastic, with a generously spicy broth engulfing the whole dish, and grits that held up remarkably well throughout the duration of eating them. I would say it included about 8 large tail-​on shrimp as the main feature. My dad’s bison shortrib was also packed with flavor, and fall apart tender, and definitely a considerable portion size for the price. We finished up with a unique dessert interpretation of the fluffer nutter sandwich, with bananas in between flash fried bread, and a marshmallow dipping sauce with grape coulis. It was messy, sure, but that dish was about as close to redneck inspired as we could find on the menu and for $ 6 would easily satisfy someone’s sweet craving.
Probably the biggest downside to Kitty’s, and this is more relevant now in the winter than other seasons, is that there is very little table seating, and one of the few is in their large front window area, which has poor insulation and caused us to have to wear our coats throughout the whole meal. There is heat which hits the rest of the dining area, but none there. Luckily I’m not someone who gets cold too easily, but I could tell my mom was verging on miserable but she toughed it out because my dad (a huge Western fanatic) loved the aesthetic.

Nice find through Unilocal’s «hot new businesses».
Try the wings. Just do. Even it’s $ 8 for 4. The sausage stuffing, the chili sauce, totally worth it.
The poutine was okay, a lot closer to chili cheese fries than poutine and the fries (crinkle cut frozen type) were a miss. The sauce was at the thickness of syrup, and way too salty. There wasn’t enough cheese, and gouda wouldn’t have been my choice even for a «fancy» poutine. I wouldn’t order it again, too many good things to try on that menu: grits and gumbo bowl, catfish, etc.
Nice whiskey selection (had a solid 2oz pour of the 4 Roses small batch for $ 10). The service was very attentive, and I’ll make sure to go back.

Kitty’s is a fun place with a bit of a mix match of everything. They’ve been open for 2.5 weeks and this is what I can tell you about them thus far…
— They have an upstairs that will open in November.
— Southwestern themed ambiance with a taxidermy bison head above the main bar. Apparently the thing died of old age on a farm in upstate NY, and they felt so inclined to bring him to Kitty’s.
— You have the Southern/​Creole inspired menu by Chef David who spent 14 years of his life in Nashville… we touched base on some Tennessee stuff with me being a native of that lovely state…
— Mason jar lighting which I have found to be at quite a few new restaurants around the district. I am going to steal this idea eventually when I get my own home.
— Wooden beams that make up the bar are from an actual old barn from the 1800s that were brought in for this place.
— Here is where this got a little odd for me… the bartender, Kristen (Kris), told me that the owners are from Cali. A southwestern/​southern/​Creole menu bar on H Street owned by some Californians. For some reason that was just random to me.
— The prices are from $ 6 – 10 per drink. I’d say to find a featured cocktail on their drink list for $ 6 made me light up because you can’t find a $ 6 drink without it being happy hour or rail liquor. This impressed me.
— Friendliest folks in the world. They have their system going and it works for them. Don’t change the hospitality.
As far as food goes — our grits and gumbo was a bit of a miss for both Adrienne and I. I loved the grits. I, however, did not like the okra nor the fact it didn’t offer some sort of seafood base in it. Gumbo without seafood is like chicken without waffles or making bread gluten free. C’mon! You just don’t do it! The grits in this were really good though. I think if they made grits a solo item, I would definitely be a buyer.
The meat loaf with stewed tomatoes with mashed potatoes was excellent. I loved all the sweet and savory flavors. Chef David was explaining to us how he creates all sorts of different concoctions. He event takes some flavors and ingredients from Morocco integrated into some dishes. To say the least, he is very creative and has a touch.
Now as far as the environment goes — this is definitely your typical H Street kind of bar. Laid back, relaxing, don’t have to try too hard, and just let it be sort of place. More communal than to each their own. It’s my kind of place.
I look forward to returning. I want to try one of their drinks next time when I am in, and not fresh off a plane from Memphis like I was last night…

You need alligator fingers! Seriously, $ 9 buys you deep fried chunks of tail, goes great with craft beer, can’t say that it tastes like chicken :). Great southern theme in Kitty’s Saloon, a bar & restaurant with poutine, jambalaya, grits plus a decadent short rib & brisket burger. Interesting house cocktails like the Autumn for Rickey are just $ 6 – 10 so you won’t break the bank here. Thanks Roberto for the fine service! Fine food at reasonable prices so I’m a new fan.
Taps: 6 crafts, that night the selection included Shiner Bock, Atlas rowdy, Abita Amber, Goose Island IPA, Dogfish Head 90 and Allagash curieux, the last one a Belgian aged in bourbon barrels, rare strong and yummy (also spendy). Drafts $ 8 – 12. No mass lagers or lite beer; a big selection of bottles & cans too.
Place had been open just 2 weeks when I stumbled in, I recommend you give it a close look. Their upstairs wasn’t yet open in late October 2014 but they claimed it’s coming soon.
Tried the seared endive salad from the «roughage» category, a huge plate of carefully grilled endive hearts with itty bitty little mild red teardrop peppers and slathered with grated manchego cheese, great ($ 7, cheap). Followed by blackened catfish and grits topped with a dollop of okra and sausage gumbo, perfectly cooked fish and creamy grits, extremely reasonable at just $ 12. Great food and fast service too.
Vegetarian rating: 2 stars for a thin selection. Grilled cheese triangles are a great nibble and the salads look fine, but no veggie entrees. And the gravy on the poutine ain’t veg, it’s made with andouille sausage. Chatted up the chef about veg entrees and he said he’s getting to it, working in a very small kitchen. Stay tuned.