The Saloon

Wings aside (let's come back to those in a minute), as U street drinking destinations go The Saloon is kind of a strange bird. There's no television, no standing, and more than one credit card per table costs $2 each. Notes in the margins of the extensive beer menu border on pedantic. "If you do not like beer, other places may be a better place for you". No matter though, customer condescension has proved a successful formula in the past, and if the wings were good all would be forgiven.

In a lot of ways the Saloon's quirks make for a refreshingly different atmosphere. Since everyone's sitting there's no crowds to push through, beers are brought to your table, and the music is low enough that you can actually talk to the person across the table. And since there's no TV to be distracted by you're probably actually talking. The owners volunteer and fundraise extensively for Habitat for Humanity, which makes me feel a whole lot better about the occasional 10 or $12 bottle. I ordered wings extra crispy for $10 from our friendly bartender Caleb.

If wingipedia gave an award for most unusual presentation, the Saloon would win and we could shut down the competition. My order arrived in a lettuce-lined goblet atop a white plate, garnished with a ramekin of blue cheese dressing and a single stick of celery. The wings themselves, 6 of 'em, were baked so "extra-crispy" was irrelevant -- they were piping hot and well cooked but the skin wasn't crisp. Sauce was entirely nondescript, bland but not unpleasant and miles away from Buffalo. Oddball wings fit well with the atmosphere The Saloon is cultivating. If you go it should be for the ambiance and conversation, not the wings, and I imagine the management couldn't care less.