Black Cat is a music venue, bar, and cafe all rolled into one. The upstairs main stage plays host to some of the most popular independent and alternative bands while the first floor back room has smaller acts playing in a more intimate setting. The main bar or Red Room has one of the best jukeboxes around and a pool table and pinball machine to keep things interesting. The Food for Thought Cafe features an extensive vegetarian menu but also caters to non-vegetarians as well. Black Cat’s crowd changes depending on the bands but for the most part, it’s a destination for area hipsters and the like.

Cost - $

Service - A-
From the doorman to the bartenders, the service has always been good. No complaints here.

Food - B
The Food for Thought Cafe isn’t a gourmet eatery but it isn’t trying to be. If you are looking for a better than decent bite to eat at a very reasonable price, this place does the job - especially for vegetarians. The bar has a pretty good selection of micro-brews and imports and seems to stock a number of bourbons and whiskeys.

Decor - C+
Like most music venues, it’s mostly about the music so there isn’t really too much going on. The Red Room and cafe both have a vintage feel which is part of the non-pretentiousness of this place.

Feel - B+
I like the Black Cat as a bar and music venue a lot. The regular crowd is always pretty laid back and fun which makes for a really cool place to hang out. My only minor criticism is the line process to watch bands sometimes makes for an overly crowded Red Room.

Black Cat is located at 1811 14th St. NW. They can be reached at (202) 667-6960.

What’s the Buzz:

January 2, 2007 - Playboy Honors Black Cat (DC Metblogs) - Congratulations to the Black Cat, named as one of the 10 Best Rock Clubs in America (warning, link is to Playboy. Seriously, if you’re at work, and your IT department is cuckoo for cocoa puffs, you may want to wait til you’re at home, seriously. Full article…

August, 2006 - Black Cat (Washington Post) -Foo Fighter Dave Grohl is part owner of this second home for D.C.’s indie rockers. Check out the bands or go to the Red Room to shoot pool. Full Article…

The Rock and Roll Hotel is a concert venue / club located in the allegedly up-and-coming H Street corridor in Northeast. It includes the name ‘Hotel’ in its moniker because it allows for the renting out of private rooms in the upstairs bar/lounge area.

Cost - $$

Service - B
I guess the plus-side to going out in the H Street area is that there are no pretensions whatsoever at the door nor do they play favorites at the bar (unless they actually know you).

Food - ?
I don’t even know if they serve food at the Rock and Roll Hotel although I’m not entirely sure if the ambiance is entirely conducive to building an appetite.

Decor - A-
There are mannequins affixed with bovine skulls hanging from the ceiling in the main bar, and a red haze that pervades the entire club. I know that sounds really odd and borderline disturbing but I really like the decor in the Rock and Roll Hotel. Also, because of the segmentation of the upstairs space, there is kind of a cool feeling that you could walk 10 feet and be in an entirely different world.

Feel - C+
Hanging out at the Rock and Roll Hotel is the closest thing in real life to being in a David Lynch film. The place definitely has character (and characters) - I’ll give it that. Rock and Roll Hotel isn’t really my cup of tea personally but I would recommend it to anyone who wants a different type of DC experience than what you would get in Dupont or Adams Morgan.

What’s the Buzz:

March 29, 2007 - DC’s Rock & Roll Hotel Competely Haunted by Dead People (Wonkette) - The horrible noises heard after hours at the newish Rock and Roll Hotel — which is a bar with live music, not a hotel — are not just rats or people having sex or other people being mugged outside. Full Article…