Penn Social

Bartenders are friendly, there are game tables, and it's a convenient location. The food is unmemorable. I was hopeful by the promise of Detroit-style pizza but in practice the crust was fairly soft and the sauce and toppings weren't particularly flavorful.

Left a marketing card on my car and had to spend 30 min trying to clean it up. Stop using trash to market your self. I changed this to a 4 star because Penn Social said someone who is using their venue did this and not them. I would recommend to disallow this to people who use your venue.

Scam. Since when is a “pint” the same size as a mixed drink? In no definition of the word pint in any country or region is it this big. The cup is clearly marked 12oz as mentioned in another review, the owner replied saying it’s 14oz when filled to the brim (which it was not). An American pint is 16oz and a British pint is 20oz, far off from the 12oz that is given to you. Completely scummy tactics, the OZ of the drink should be listed, not some seemingly arbitrary definition of the word pint. The owner is using what’s called a “cheater pint” and hoping no one notices, they’re 14oz and typically only filled to 12oz, so they pocket the difference from only giving us 75% of the real pint that’s listed on the menu. It would have been completely fine if the volume was listed and I knowingly paid $8 for the beer, but this is not the case at all. It’s just downright dishonest to say you’re getting a pint and then not giving you a quarter of your beer. This kind of thing is actually illegal in the UK and Europe, and enforced very heavily. Update: I see that the owner replied to my comment stating that the plastic cup is “16 oz to the brim”. Seems like lying is the name of the game at Penn social because he directly stated in another response that the cups are 14oz to the brim. Screenshots are attached.

Came here for the Christmas drinks and really enjoyed my time. Friendly bartender, a great spiked cider that wasn’t too sweet. And nachos piled high with cheese and toppings. Go and have a good time.

We went to Penn Social for their Profs and Pints night which we were super psyched for since we'd never been. We ordered beers at the bar (a little confusion with the bartenders there but not a big deal). We then sat and ordered food. I got my wings in about 10 min, right before the event started. My partner's never came. About 30 min later we asked about his sandwich and we were told 5 min. After another 10-15 I tried to go upstairs to see if they could help - since a lecture was occurring we didnt want to interrupt by asking again downstairs. The guy upstairs wasn't helpful at all. Back downstairs i asked the guy who told us 5 min if the sandwhich had arrived, he tried to just send me off to someone else. The sandwich never came (it was 1 hr and 21 min total that we waited) and it kind of soured the whole experience. We decided to leave during the break to get him food and when we told the bartender the situation he seemed way more concerned about telling the kitchen to not make it (which we were 99% sure they were never going to) than providing us the refund. It took a bit to just get him to remove the item, let us pay and leave. Profs and Pints is a super cool concept and would love to attend a lecture somewhere else, but never again at Penn Social.

Came here for Profs and Pints. The fact that they host these events gets them an automatic star. Good selection of beer on tap and the prices are decent. Very efficient bar service; they handle large crowds well. We had the hot honey pizza and BBQ wings (they gave us the wrong sauce but we were too hungry to care). Food is solid and about what you expect for a bar/event space. Can't say I'd hang out here outside of an event; just isn't my thing.

I went for the Firehouse Fridays event with country swing/line dancing and it did not disappoint. There was plenty of room and good vibes all around. I highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun activity or a place to go dancing. The event lasted 9:30-12:30 with the lesson at 8:30–the cover is $15

Went for a prof and pints event so not sure if that was a factor vs just going in on a regular day. The beer I ordered was terrible (not because of the style but because it was completely flat and stale from the tap). The cheeseburger sliders were good but I got a side salad for an upcharge which they served to me completely undressed- not a drop of dressing and they didn’t ask me if I wanted it when i ordered so I presumed it was a house dressing, but it is literally dry greens, tomatoes, and onions for an extra charge. The beer sucked so I decided to discard it (still paid) a got red wine instead. They gave a 2.5-3oz pour instead of a standard 5-6oz pour. Felt ripped off but still tipped decently 20 (food and beer) and 18 percent (wine)- just won’t return or will not order anything if I do.

A solid place to go watch sports near downtown. They have a normal bar upstairs and then more open space downstairs with sports with the sound on. Also games tp play downstairs like ping pong. We got the pretzel with queso which came with two good sized pretzels but the queso could have been better. I also tried their pizza and it was not bad. They have good deals and cheap drinks and plenty of space so I would go back to watch sports.

I recently visited Penn Social and had the Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza. It was good, but I wish it had a bit more cheese to really bring out those flavors and make the dough less dry. The crust was interesting--like pretzel dough turned into a pizza. One of the highlights of my visit was the Profs and Pints event on Tuesday nights. It's such a fantastic way to make college-style lectures accessible to the public. The range of topics keeps things fresh and engaging. The atmosphere is lively, with plenty of screens for sports and a great selection of drinks. The service was efficient.

I've been to Penn Social on many occasions for work and personal events. This past Friday I went and tried a blackberry margarita and it changed my LIFE! The team at Penn Social is professional, friendly, and helpful. If you haven't been there check them out and try their Detroit style pizza! #HappyEating #HappyDrinking

Honestly, Penn Social has really upped its game in the past few years. I've tried a few of their Detroit style pizzas, and have really liked all of them. I think my personal favorite is the pizza with pepperoni, hot honey, and jalepeños. They've got a great bar selection as well!

The only good thing about this place is Profs and Pints. The food was flavorless, the chips and guac felt straight out of a grocery store, the tomato soup seems dumped out of a can, and even my diet coke tasted watered down. You can really feel the lack of effort in the business. On top of that, it took almost a whole hour for us to get our food. There is a lot of potential here--the interior space is nice, there's crowds attracted by Profs and Pints--but right now it's just not it.

We came to Penn Social for a Veterans Comedy show and the vibes were awesome! Totally forgot to take pictures but the atmosphere, food, and drinks were great and decently priced. We were in the basement for this even and it was sweet with games, a stage, and a full bar.

TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE! Do not bother coming here. The food needs seasoning, the bartender and manager need some customer service training ASAP! The nachos came out with barely any toppings, and when you ask for extra, they will charge you an exaggerated amount. The upstairs service act like they cannot order specific things because they only do certain things and are not willing to go and work with the downstairs kitchen. The manager was extremely aggressive when speaking to him about some of our concerns, and became very defensive. He started yelling, it was not able to hear us out. Our group of six people were very calm and try communicating with him, but it was impossible, trying to talk over someone that was not willing to let us get a word out. TAKE YOUR MONEY ELSE WHERE. Note- As the manager responded to this review. We are still here and he can try to make it right instead of being DEFENSIVE and hide behind a screen. It's extremely hard to mess up chips. All we are saying is that it needed more toppings and the customer service needed to improve. He is clearly proving my point by being disrespectful and defensive. The nachos need to improve by adding more toppings. The tortilla chips is hard to mess up, so there are nothing wrong with that.

We Stopped by Penn Social for a quick bite to eat and drinks before going to see Dave Chappelle at Capital One Arena and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed my visit. While there were quite a few people at the upstairs bar we were able to find seats at the bar. I must admit I am not a beer drinker but I heard they have a good variety on tap and in the bottle. I went with the mulled cider and it was good. For food we went with the crab cake slides, chicken quesadillas and the chicken tempura. For bar food everything was cooked/seasoned well. Penn social offers a ton of specials on food and drinks which will have me go back and visit.

Not nearly as busy as I'd expected for a Friday night, but this was during the caps game. Really great beer menu, good cocktails, and good food. Service was a little slow, but all employees were super helpful and nice. Very loud inside.

Decent sized facility, I'd have to visit during a normal event. Bathrooms smelled and looked like restrooms at an aquatic center. The event I attended had the place packed beyond comfort, you couldn't even move your chair. No room to enjoy yourself. Poor ventilation and they would probably get a code violation for the amount of people inside the venue. Wouldn't even let you out to catch fresh air. Transition from one band to the other was horrible especially for the last act.

Stopped by Penn Social for happy hour and to reminisce with a friend about all the fun times we had at Penn Social pre-covid. Be aware- at this point, either Penn Social is false advertising, or they have yet to update Google, websites because it is no longer a "sports bar". It's a fancy, expensive coffee shop with two large TVs on the wall. They do serve alcohol, and you're welcome to get a drink at 16-18 bucks a pop. We were so saddened and tried to go downstairs. It was locked. Apparently that's only an event space now.

I've been to Penn Social a couple of times, most recently for a Professors and Pints talk. Penn Social's ambiance is fantastic, with games, a spacious hall, a large bar, and good acoustics. I ordered the margherita pizza and the crab soup. Other than taking over 15 minutes to arrive, it was fantastic. The pizza was fantastic with delicious cheese and sauce and was a fair price and size, not just for bar food. The crab soup was affordable, had lots of crab, was creamy and not too salty, and came with three large bread croutons for dipping. I highly recommend going to an event at Penn Social and looking forward to my next event there!

The fun, lively sports Penn Social that we once knew before COVID Is now GONE!!! Even the outside sign looked fancy af. My guest and I were curious if they were still open and maintained the same fun, so we stopped over after Axe throwing on a Saturday afternoon. This place is a gentrified coffee spot now. It sucks ass. The life of the place is all gone lol. The big sports / play area downstairs was roped off and is only used for office/company events.

Their pizza as AMAZING! So good, we ordered a second one! But their order process and service, very "meh" They use an online menu for drinks and food (Toast). Great! Easy! But they never tell you that YOU have to go to the bar and pick up your cocktails. We sat there for 20+ minutes waiting for drinks. The pizza was delivered and then were told to go to the bar for our (now warm) beers. *The table of ladies next to us had cocktails delivered 2x while we waited. What's that about???? Would go back for the pizza but not the service nor the cocktails.

I've been to Penn Social numerous times as a good buddy of mine used to bartend here on Friday nights. At 45 years old I feel I'm far too old for this venue nowadays. The downstairs area is huge and definitely mostly filled with people just out of college it seems like. I've always had a good time here but feel it's just way too young for me now.

Great food and fast service made this place a must eat. I would definitely recommend going here!

Came at happy hour for March Madness. They had almost no happy hour deals, literally only on miller light, what kind of happy hour is that? There was also virtually no atmosphere despite being St Patrick's day and the second day of March Madness. Bar in the basement felt like a hotel conference room or something. Just not a fan, will always choose Franklin Hall or something else over this place for a big game

It's been a long time since I was at Penn Social, but I stopped in a few nights ago for a quick drink and a few games of pool with some friends. This place definitely is more of a post-work happy hour scene, but it's nice and relaxing once the crowds thin out. Drinks are easy to get and there are plenty of tables and open spaces to hang out. The downstairs area has games and other things to amuse you if you get bored.

This place has terrible service and outrageous pricing! Should be illegal how much they mark up their liquor. 0/10, do not recommend.

We have been in contact with Penn Social for nearly two years trying to coordinate with their team to host an event. We have been given the runaround, at best, and often mostly just ignored. We've partnered with many venues across the country to host popular events. Penn Social's lack of communication has been very unprofessional.

I came to Penn Social for trivia and it was an interesting experience. Let me first talk about the good. The service was excellent, everyone working here from the trivia host to the busser to the counter staff was excellent and exceptionally friendly. However, the ambiance and food were not as good. First, for trivia, the structure of the room made it so you couldn't really hear the host above other people talking. For a coffee shop/bakery on the top floor, that was kinda weird and made trivia much more frustrating. The host did her best to make it so we could hear but some of the teams made it harder. Additionally, if I am spending $18 on a pie, it better be damn good. I got one of their meat pies, and it was more like an upgraded Panera soup. The meat was flavorful but I don't think anything labeled a pie should've needed a spoon to finish. The crust was good while the potatoes were meh, but my main issue with it was, while the vegetables on the side were seasoned, they were a bit bland. However, the pastries were really good. My friend got the lemon muffin which was actually exceptional. I wish I had gotten that rather than waste $18 on their meat soup.

Good place to spend time and watch games. Lots of drink options and you can go off menu too since they have a full operating bar. I got a Moscow mule. When we went there were several tables in the middle reserved for Oklahoma alumni watching the game. We couldn't sit in the tables that had the best views of the screen, but overall a good place to go with a group of friends. They have some bar food and games like ski ball, basketball and connect four to play as well. Very large area in the basement and lots of tables.

Pretty poor. Bartender has no idea how to make common cocktail. Place dead and dingy. Large screens have poor resolution.

Been here a couple of times since it got revamped as a coffee house/Cafe. Great to hang out on a cool space with friendly staff. Good coffees and muffins and I just noted a dinner menu I'll have to try another dat!

Super fun with games and a great social experience. Was with a group of friends and it had a lot of options for games. Food was ok but is expected for bar food.

Definitely a go to place for happy hour or a drink before the caps game. The location is prime! The menu is mostly bar food and not my favorite pre game snack. The downstairs has a large area with good happy hour vibes.

My review is for a concert. I can't speak on anything else as far as food or drinks because I didn't order anything but the sound was amazing in this venue. It is an intimate venue, I saw DC Native Kevin Ross here and the show was phenomenal. I would definitely attend a concert here again.

So this place was listed as a big 10 football bar. They did have about 10 TVs around the room in the basement area and tons of tables for seating but they schedule certain games on certain TVs and you're forced to see yourself around the game you want to watch. I asked if they could move my game to one of the larger TVs being it was hidden behind a pool, but they said no even though there was hardly anybody in the bar at that time. So I was a little frustrated by that. Anyway, my first drink I ordered rosé which was $9 and ok but came from a box. Next I ordered the brut for $10 and it was Chandon. Now idk if that was a mistake but I was PLEASANTLY surprised haha stayed for a bit after that! Bartenders weren't super friendly but it's a good spot if you're only in it for the games.

My wife and I went to Penn Social last Saturday (1/27/24) to grab a drink and watch a college basketball game for my birthday. We went to the downstairs part. When we asked if we could change any 1 of the many TVs to ESPN to the game I was interested in watching, the two female bartenders there were insanely rude and said that all of the TVs were already being watched despite there being several TVs without anyone sitting close by (there was less than 10 people there total). When I tried one more time ~30 mins later, their answer changed for some reason and they said "they don't change channels" on the TVs lol. For that reason, we left after 1 drink instead of buying more drinks and dinner. Perhaps they were having a bad day, but I will not be back.

This place is a complete former shell of itself. Pre-Lockdowns it was THE PLACE to go post event at Capital One, Saturday and Sunday football, NBA playoffs and finals or Pre-Game. Penn was also a happening place to gather with friends and play games while a DJ played a mix of music that had the dance floor jumping. It served as an alternative to a night club. A great place for a first date or third. The bartenders were friendly and fun. You go there enough , they'd definitely greet as a friend. This current Penn Social has no flavor. It's just a bland coffee shop that has events. Such as disappointment but at least I can say the bathrooms aren't as disgusting.

The remodel effectively kills this sports bar as it now effectively a dead event space on a Wednesday night, leaving much to be desired. When you enter the renovated space, it's feels like it is trying to be trendy but still has leftover elements from their last concept, and it just doesn't work. On hump day, their digital display menu shows BOGO specialty cocktails, but the bartender did not promote or did she seem to be even interested in our large group's business. I ordered the pineapple mezcal, which came from a tap and was charged full price. When I initially asked about the special, she only stated that it was an active promotion. However, after seeing the overcharge, I followed up and she then clarified I had to either order two at once or leave my tab open which would have been useful information to have been disclosed before I paid because I thought she would have just given me the second drink later or made sure that I did truly want one drink. Against my better judgement, I ordered another drink, and she poured my draft beer order from a bucket...I think that is more than enough said. There was no attempt at service recovery so if this experience was indicative of the new atmosphere then this venue may have tough times ahead.

nice vibes came her to checkout the photobooth. kind of looks like the mall photobooths

Description on Google search showed it was Sports Bar. Arrived to find it was revamped to a coffee shop that also serves beer, wine and some spirits. We ordered beer and margaritas. No sooner than we sit down and an employee tells us they are closing the inside at 6:00 pm (in 5 minutes) for a "private" event. The decent thing to do was to let us know before we ordered and forced us to chug our drinks.

If you're in college, it's great. Everyone else, go elsewhere. Friendly staff. Spinach and artichoke dip so thick it's like cream cheese. Wings were good.. blue cheese, very liquid. Fair to good choice of beers. Super basic. We stayed downstairs where the crowd was. Lot of games for the college kids to play. Oh.. and just say yes you've been vaccinated.. and you're in!

Really bizarre. Went on a Sunday night and it looked closed from the outside with the dark tinted windows but as soon as we opened the door we were greeted by someone checking ID. Two levels, the top level was completely vacant. Downstairs is a pretty large space with basketball, cornhole, skeeball, arcade games, large projection screen and one long bar. We approached the bar to get drinks and stood there for awhile with only one bartender chatting it up with customers. I walked over to him where I pointed to the large group of us at the end waiting for service. He was apologetic and we got our drinks quickly. I was more surprised he was the only bartender. We purchased a card with $20 worth of credits and we played almost every game in the place and left about 1 hour later. It was an ok time to kill for an hour but I wouldn't come back.

This place is absolutely amazing. The location is great, the place is massive like an iceberg, upstairs looks big but it's just the tip, downstairs is where the fun is. If you're a sports fan you have 360 degrees of giant screens showing all major professional sports. Staff are amazing. They make you feel at home. I'll be returning. Many times

High energy, fun place! Before you walk into the door, expect to be carded. This 2-story sports bar is a great place to hangout, complete with TVs and games, like shuffle board and basketball! We came here during a special private event- the Urban Land Institute Trivia Night, which occupied all of the downstairs space, sitting at least 300 people. We indulged in a buffet of bar bites, like hummus, spinach dip, chicken nuggets, meatballs, pretzels and melted cheese, veggie sticks and an array of dessert cheesecakes. All of them were fairly satisfying. My favorite was the pretzels dusted with sea salt and I topped it with the melted cheese sauce, typical of a nachos cheese topper. I gave this place a high mark for the overall ambiance and flexibility of the venue. This is a great option to get food and enjoy an array of activities after! Good place for a first date ;)

Good service and cool events hosted by this venue. (We stopped by to see the Lin-Manual Sing-a-Long Concert benefiting Everytown for Gun Safety. Great performances from La Ti Do LTD.) Unfortunately, the food is some of the worst I've had in DC. I got chicken sliders (including too-sweet coleslaw and potato chips). The sliders were super dry, almost inedible. My friend ordered pizza, and when I tried a slice, I had flashbacks to middle school cafeteria pizza. Really horrible taste. Is it the preservatives? Is it fake cheese? Anyhow, I won't be back unless Penn Social hosts another super cool event. I'll eat anyplace but here.

Definitely recommend going to the bar down stairs. The bartenders are much nicer! Chris is the best bartender. There's so much going on, like games, music, socializing

I came here on a Saturday night and it was pretty busy. Security is at the front of the establishment checking ids. There were two floors and we went downstairs to the lower level where the games were located. This was my first time coming here but what my friend told me that there used to be games all in the whole downstairs section. The area is now mainly with tables but there are still skee-ball, connect 4 and a few other games. The room is full of tv's which I think would be a great place to watch sporting games if that is your thing. There was a line in the middle of the room for the bar where you could order food and drinks. The line moved pretty quickly and while my friend ordered drinks I was able to find 2 seats for us at the bar. We ordered the nachos which were good. We ordered shots which were nice and the prices were good as well. There were places along the bar where you could select music to play and the people next to us made some good selections. After some time had passed a dj showed up and more people started to dance on the dance floor. Oh yeah when we got our food the bartender gave us a buzzer and that was to let us know when our food was ready and we had to go over to another area to pick it up. We didn't know that so when the buzzer went off the ladies sitting next to us let us know. I would come back here and one of the staff members mentioned to us that they plan on making changes to the downstairs area and adding bowling lanes to replace the games that they lost due to Covid.

Good spot for sports, nice bar food, drinks a little pricey but not bad, nice music as well, oh and did I mention this place is has games which is super dope.

Went to Penn Social for the NFC and AFC Championship games, and it was packed! There are two floors with screens everywhere! For the games, they put out extra chairs and tables and it was a blast to watch the game with so many people while also getting a chance to sit down. Along with multiple screens to watch the games, they had fun arcade games around so there is more to entertainment if you don't care much about sports. The wings were really good. I ordered the buffalo wings and they were thick and meaty (I've had some sad looking wings at sports bars before). It seemed like they were grilled which i liked since it didn't feel heavily fried. One of the best parts for me is that they have an elevator. I am still recovering from a knee injury so walking up and down stairs can be pretty tough. I'm glad i was able to still enjoy the atmosphere without struggling with the stairs

I came here a while back with a friend for brunch. For $19 we had a three course feast. Normally when I see brunch pre-fixes I expect to go to McDonalds afterwards bc I know I'll still be hungry. But that was not the case here! Each portion was hearty and full-sized. Not only were the portions filling, but the menu had a large variety of options. The servers were friendly and there is plenty of seating. Of course this place gets packed during sports games and is known more as a sports bar, but I highly recommend coming here for their food!

Seems like a fun place to go with large groups. They play live music which is nice, but its nothing you can dance to. People end up crowding the "dance floor" but just to stand around. Best bet is to find a table, enjoy the music, and sip on your drink... which may take you a while to get.

So this review is completely on the vibe of the place. It reminds me of a small Dave and busters. It's crazy because I've lived here for two years and never heard about this place. I would definitely come here for a "fun" date. I got the old bay and honey wings which were just okay. Everyone I was with loved them tho. Maybe I'm just wing picky but I wouldn't get them again.

When there isn't an event, this is your standard sports/game bar with games on tv, games on arcade, and board games. Games Galore! A nice bar area with various beer taps and liquor selections complete the area making it a fun place to hang out. But I've only been here for events such as record shows and art festivals. That's when it can get ugly. If they have an event here, you better get here early and proceed with caution. I was here a month ago for the art/booze/pancake festival. We got there around 7 when the event started and the line we were in looped around the other side. They had two lines on opposite ends; one is for those with tickets/no tickets and the other is for VIP where they enter right away. It got to be a hassle because none of the lines were labeled confusing people. The VIP line died down so they told people with tickets to go the VIP line and enter. But the ticket person at the door said VIP only. How you gonna tell us to go somewhere and then deny entry after moving to another line!? Discombobulation at its finest (or worst?). After a massive discussion (loud discussions I should say) amongst employees, they formed a third, yes THIRD line for VIP only. So one for VIP, one with tickets, one without tickets. While its a stressful situation, the employees did it to themselves with poor planning and selling two types of tickets (VIP and regular admission) just to make an extra buck or two. That's some Dan Snyder shit right there! Fortunately after an hour wait we finally got inside for the event which is in the lower level. The event had multiple urban vendors selling custom made artwork and models at exorbitant prices that would cost an arm and a leg. I found some magnets at a friendly cost but that's the only item priced decently. Vendors were friendly and they have a lot of nice pieces on display. And of course there were complimentary pancakes so I didn't go hangry like the people in line. I think this place has good things going for it and people seem to enjoy it. The staff just needs to get their shit together when coordinating arrival to an event. Last thing anyone wants is a riot!

Atmosphere fun especially for game day They have TVs and arcade games IPA was good Food is straight bar food and mediocre at best Overall all good Staff was nice

If you want a fun place to hang with friends, Penn Social has a bit of everything. This former comedy club is huge. You can't really tell from the outside how giant the space is. If you don't get a chance to walk downstairs, you will still have a ball just on the first level. There are tons of board games and TV screens to watch sports. The decor is really fun. Whoever filled this place with art, cartoons and awesome props did a great job. The lower level has at least five giant TV screens throughout the area. You can play video games or just keep score of your favorite team. Almost forgot, it is also a bar.....

This bar was not prepared to host an event for DC's law schools. For the amount of people who showed up there was only a single bar open with two bartenders; specifically the female bartender was very inattentive and ignored entire portions of the bar waiting to order drinks. It took any individual maybe 30 minutes at best to get a drink. What should be a great venue to watch sports and play games was ruined waiting for your chance to order.