Review of Penn Quarter Sports Tavern

I wanted to go somewhere that I’d never been for my second review, so when a group of new friends asked me to join them at Penn Quarter Sports Tavern recently, I was thrilled.

If you were Napoleon Dynamite’s uncle Rico, you could probably toss a pigskin from DC’s #1 rated sports bar and hit the U.S. Capital. Penn Quarter Sports Tavern is nestled near the corner of 7th Street and Indiana, which is just 3 blocks from the Verizon Center and right across from the Archives Metro station.

photo credit: yelp.com

Atmosphere and Service: The tavern is definitely a sports bar, boasting 30 HDTVs with every sports package available. The interior is small but comfortably spaced, and the clientele around me ranged from politicos in suits to the uber-casual. Classic rock can be heard over the Tavern’s speaker system, but they turn off the Queensryche and the Skynard whenever a big game is being played. I was informed that while the bar never hosts live music, they live and die Redskins and the speaker system will hold its own against even the largest crowd of DC sports fans.

I wasn’t aware that the bar had two levels when I first walked in, so I took a seat at the downstairs bar next to the Tavern’s open kitchen. The bartender immediately introduced himself and shook my hand. I would soon come to learn that this was the level of service that I would continue to see during my visit, very friendly and very attentive. I ordered a bourbon in addition to my pint of beer, and the glass was filled to the brim. That was nice to see in a city where many restaurants use a measuring device on their liquor to make you feel as ripped off as possible. After chatting with the bartender a little, I settled my bill and he told me that I needed to check out their newly renovated upstairs.

The Downstairs Bar

Downstairs Bar.

I definitely preferred the second floor to the dimly lit downstairs, but both had great bartenders and very friendly service. Both bars have the same tap selection, but the upper level appeared to have a wider choice of distilled beverages. The upstairs also serves each of the beers in their appropriate glasses, which is something that craft beer drinkers recognize. During the time I visited, the upper level was hosting a private happy hour in the area away from the bar, complete with a food setup. I’d totally recommend the tavern’s upstairs area if you and your friends want a low key place to get together. You can contact them at info@pennquartertavern.com to reserve space for a private event.

The Upstairs Bar

Oh, I should definitely mention the outside seating area as well, since it’s the only place for blocks that currently has one. Outdoor seating is always a plus in my book, and the area was enclosed with space heaters for the winter. It was very comfortable despite the cold weather that day, and a great escape for patrons that don’t want to stare at sports while they’re hanging out.

Value: It’s a bar in DC, so I didn’t expect the drinks to be cheap. The beers were reasonable though, ranging from $4-$6 for pints, $5-$7 for a 23oz glass, and pitchers from $14-$18. I paid top dollar for my top shelf drink, but the great pour made up for it. Oh, I’d be remiss if I also didn’t mention the “Bucket Special” that runs all day every day. If you buy five beers you get one free…not to encourage binge drinking or anything. After 7pm the tavern also offers ½ off a rotating featured food menu item. Overall the value is very good.

Overall: Ok, in terms of the beer selection, Penn Quarter Sports Tavern is not a worthwhile trip for a craft beer seeker. While there is one rotational tap that changes every few weeks, the rest of the beer menu only features the usual suspects.

While their current beer selection isn’t at all exciting, I was informed by the manager that Penn Quarter Sports Tavern is looking to bring in some more craft beer choices in the near future, including something from a local DC brewery! I’m looking forward to that, but in the meantime I’ll probably be drinking something other than beer if I make it back to the Tavern anytime soon. Penn Quarter Sports Tavern is a great place to watch sports, but it’s also a really great place to go if you’re in the mood to just relax and kick back with your friends in a very friendly, very casual, and very laid back setting.

Till next time, stay thirsty DC.

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