Black Cat

A fantastic venue for local and touring shows. I’ve been able to see some of my favorite bands here. Tickets are often affordable and there is plenty of room to get a good view.There are also seats available at the sides.Kind staff at the bar.Great food and drink options surrounding the venue for a complete night.

Super unique venue. Very intimate atmosphere.Very alternative vibe. The pinball machines are awesome. Retro

Oh, the places youll go, they said, at the Black Cat in D.C.,But alas, my dear friends, it wasnt quite meant to be.The bathrooms there, oh my, what a sight,With toilets clogged and a rather unpleasant plight.The floors were dirty, the sinks a mess,It seemed cleanliness was quite the guess!And then, oh dear, the atmosphere I found,Was filled with opinions that were quite profound.Everyone there, with their views in tow,Trying to outdo each other, dont you know.Political correctness, it was the trend,But sometimes it felt forced, my friend.I remember the days of music and glee,Where venues were lively, and oh so carefree.But now at the Black Cat, I couldnt help but see,A place less about music, and more about ideology.Oh, where did the joy of music go?In the midst of all this, its hard to know.So, if you seek a place of clean and cheer,Where musics the focus, oh so clear,Perhaps look elsewhere, my friend, its true,For the Black Cat might not be the place for you.A bit of a cleanup, a dash of good cheer,Could make it the venue we all hold dear!

Mclusky! My wife and I had a blast here. We waited our whole lives to see them Live and last December we were stoked and then AHHHHHHH Postponed! We returned and we got rocked check the video! Sing it! The venue was great and the crowd awesome! You will enjoy yourselves so GO!

A DC staple, one of the least pretentious venues in the city. Love the bar selection, News Years shows are amazing!

Its a great venue for watching and listening to bands -- if you want to stand up during the entire event. Its in a nice location in the district. My nephew really enjoyed it, but he is also a teenager.

It was a great fun place to visit. Amazing staff and great music! The night we went they were throwing an art show along side a costume contest. I wish I recorded toward the end that is when everyone lined up with their costumes.

Went there to see the Hanoi Ragmen with friends and had a great time.

Mid size music venue hosting indie and punk acts. Space is long and narrow - so sight lines and sound can be off near the back but it’s still a great space. They recently downsized from 2 levels to one. Kind of sad but at least they weren’t forced out of the neighborhood due to gentrification.Bring cash. No credit cards acceptedThey no longer have food :(

I hated this venue. Ill get to the ADA/disability fails in a minute but lets just start with the regular stuff. The entire bar of lights where I was located kept flickering all night. It was terrible and distracting. The artist I went to see totally brought it but was hampered by multiple sound issues including microphone feedback and overwhelming reverb at times. She was gracious about it but it seemed like there was a speaker set up right above the front of the stage that caused feedback if the artist got the mic too high. Bad design?Okay. Lets get to ADA/disability treatment. I preinformed the venue that my party was going to need ADA seating. When we arrived they were clueless, then finally showed us to a dark nook up behind the stage halfway obscured by a large bank of speakers/thick pole and the whole thing was up two steps, one of which was obscured by the darkness and multiple able bodied people had already tripped on. Luckily no one in my party was in a wheelchair but regardless these seats were the worst in the house and an absolute afterthought. We took the stools from them and moved them to a better location and nobody stopped us. But lets talk about bar stools as ADA seating. Not great. We were all in pain by the end of the night. It was better than trying to stand but just barely.Overall this Venue was pretty terrible and they get an F for how they treated disabled people who needed accomodations. Pictured is the view from the seats they tried to give us.By comparison, I saw the same artist at The Ottobar in Baltimore last year and gave them the same notice of our need for ADA seating and they reserved seating for us ahead of time. We were seated in seats with backs with an excellent view of the stage. No sound issues either.

30th anniversary of The Black Cat. Velocity Girl reunion was great.Bad Moves second best of the 5 bands.

The DJ is pretty good most of the time and its a fun place to dance. The music can be a little too loud at times but isnt intolerable. There are places to sit at the bar and against a wall. Drinks are expensive but thats expected, honestly. Staff is kind and efficient. Theres a bathroom at the entrance. Had fun at 2000s indie night!!

Saw Tortoise that night. while mainly SRO we got seats off to the side. the sound was perfectly mixed. they bring a great lineup to the area.

Sound is not the best here. like 3/5. free bench seating in the back is great for intermissions.

Ive been to this club a few times over the past 15 or so years. Always liked it. Its a long haul for me (~1.5 hr drive), so I dont go often.

Performed there with my band, The Missing Peace (check us out) and the staff was extremely nice to us and treated us with utmost respect despite opening for a huge artist. Also music venues normally carry a stigma of being stingy with their alcohol in their drinks but Black Cat served great tasting, well mixed drinks - best venue i’ve experienced in the DMV area!

Love the atmosphere here. Amazing venue and easy to get to being so close to the metro.

This was a great place to see a gig.Huge respect to whoever is maintaining the rest rooms, by a distance the best I have seen at a gig venue.

First time visiting the place. Came for performance bt Adore Delano. The show was great! The venue was perfect, friendly staff, clean, and much larger than I expected. I really enjoyed my time there.

I saw Everything, Everything here. The band let me down by not playing their most famous song, but the venue was small and the speakers were huge. There was quite the line for a relatively obscure band, so show up early or nudge to get close!

Saw Boy Harsher here on April 10th (2022) and it was the first time seeing this duo. Dark, early new wave-inspired songs, very synth-heavy with pounding minimal beats made for a great show at this raw venue. It was my first time back here in about 20 years, still has a great vibe if not the best acoustics. If they had better sound here and some better vantage points for the folks that arent 6 feet tall, Id definitely give it 5 stars.

Great little rock venue, but due for new sound system! Didnt do the artists justice at the gig I was at this weekend.

Great experience! Nice smaller venue, with a wide variety of bands

Im always gonna be a fan of a club thats named after a cat and sells merchandise for said cat lol. Now i just need to afford the picture I found at micheals in virgina lol. You guys rock.

Love this club. Great sightlines & sound, quick bar service, and an amazing calendar of shows

Really happy to have finally checked this place out after living here for 10 years. Awesome venue. Sound was awesome. Ordered a double bourbon and ginger ale and it did me well for the while Show. Saw Nikki Lane and Drayton Farley.

Great venue to see musicians of all sizes. From small, local bands to well-known folks, they all play here. Bar is reasonably priced, staff good.

Great venue to see a show.Killer sound, Ambience.Excellent bartenders.

My sister drove almost 4 hours to see the show Friday night. She ended up with an extremely drunk couple behind her, bumping into her, stepping on her, etc. When she politely asked them to stop, the man shoved her, hard. She moved, but they continued to harass her, fake coughing in her hair, pushing her, etc, when asked them please leave her alone, the man shoved her again. People around her stepped-up and tried to help my sister, but the harassment continued. My sister repeatedly tried to find a staff member to help her, but there wasnt any staff to help. She ended-up leaving, calling me as she walked to her car, scared and upset. Why wasnt staff on this? Why werent they available-out, making sure stuff like this doesnt happen?

Basic amenities with focus on the music! Photo while awaiting the Codeine show. Nice floor tiles.

The drinks service was so bad that I ended up not buying a beer. The bartenders were sitting down to watch the show. They were also swiping shots from the top shelf when they thought that no one was looking. It was not at all crowded with about 20 people in the bar and only the red room was open so there was no good reason for such lax service.

Love this venue, always a fantastic show, great people, good drinks, always feel super safe here. Always looking forward the the next show!

Popped in here randomly while visiting from out of town. All the staff were incredibly friendly and willing to drop knowledge on where else to visit. They had BRIDE OF PINBOT which is one of my favorite machines. And there were credits so you know we played for an hour. Went to a hip hop show and a 2000s dance party so the vibe was well rounded.

Had an awesome time. Love the updates, took my son and my nephew to their first show to see the slackers and mustard plug. Absolutely amazing. Had a great time. 10 out of 10 definitely would go again.

Great venue for an awesome show. Nada Surf crushed it. Cool venue, affordable beer and merchandise, good vibe.

Great spot to see a show, lots of bands play here before they play the 9:30 club, Anthem, etc.

There was a young lady who served us at the bar during the Mae show on Sept 21, 2023. I forget her name, but she was the only female behind the bar (forgive me for assuming). We were the oldest folks in the joint, but she provided beers and shots, comedic relief, and a really fun time. We dont get out as much as we used to, but she made our night much better. Thanks for the sweet time, you little devil. Big Caution...we will be back!!!!! 😍

I support them even the place is old and lacks care and maintenance and the bad quality sound.They bring good bands with lots of fans, but they definitely disappoint me for not being able to check in all the fans of a full show on time, I mean they even started the show with a huge line waiting outside in the coold, I lost more than the half of the show even I was in the door on time, and lots of guys behind my in the line maybe just get in when the last band where playing.

Great venue for live music. Ive seen well over 25 shows here, seeing such artists as Mudhoney, Blitzen Trapper, Ex Hex, the Toadies, and Local H (who sucked). They have daily Happy Hour drink specials and some pretty kickass vegan nachos.

Bar guys were really nice, friendly atmosphere, clean bathrooms.

Love this venue. Professional staff. Well ventilated. Good sight lines. Fair pricing. They book great bands. Been going here for 20+ years (including the prior location a small bit down 14th st.) Nice to see the neighborhood grow up and prosper around it.

Intimate venue with very old school vibe! Will be back for more shows. Drinks are a bit pricey tough!

Great venue for smaller shows. Tallboy beers, but its tiny and everything is cash only. So bring cash if youre drinking or buying a ticket at the door.

Had a great time seeing Flobots. Bartenders are great. Tip them. Well.

Ive been going to The Black Cat for over 20 years. Lots of good times there, though it is sometimes hard to be truly welcomed by the regulars, even after you become a regular yourself (my experience, YMMV).See music up close and personal. Sound is good. They finally started taking credit cards a few years back, that makes things easier. Lots of up and coming (hopefully) local music. Always an interesting crowd. My second-favorite DC music venue.

I have been to many venues across the states and the Black Cat is the best. Super inclusive space. There are tons of gender neutral restrooms. The sound is amazing. The best part of all is the staff. I have been to many shows here and it feels like home.

My partner and I went to Indie Sleaze Night Dance Party recently and it was super fun. Great shows. Great bar and staff. Love Black at DC

Nice neighborhood club. Come as you are. Unpretentious. Went there to see Lady Wray. Got up close and personal with the artist. Crowd was cool. Staff super cool. Coat check person gets a special shout out. Good times and good music. Highly recommended. Will definitely return.

Acoustics were horrendous. Dont waste your money.

Covid testing requirements were listed clearly and visibly written on the venues website. The venue was pretty clean and the restrooms were surprisingly kept up which is rare.. The front desk/counter lady was extremely polite and nice. I will definitely return for another awesome musical performance! DC music shows! :)

Highly recommend grabbing a beer at the Red Room bar and then seeing a show at the back stage or Main stage (2nd floor). $5 PBR, $7 good drafts.

Kinda small venue smaller than 9 30 club, best place to hang is definitely by the speakers in the front. Decent acoustics but they bring some cool shows... beverages and service is right on.

Very nice experience. Some seating available.

Definitely a crowded venue, when its a notable artist playing. But they let me bring my camera in, and I really appreciated that!

Nice venue!

I love this place. It is my favorite venue for live music. The space is the perfect size for crowd to patrons size. The staff is very professional and laid back as well. Drink selections are a perfect mix of craft and traditional beers. Cash only is actually a plus.

Love this place. Been going here for 25 years. May be the best venue from an audience perspective in DC and surrounds.

The Black Cat is one of the best rock clubs in Washington, D.C. Rock clubs are supposed to be a bit gritty, and the Black Cat delivers - it is dark, the bars are cash only, and it has an edge to it. But if youre like me, that can be what you want when youre seeing a smaller show. The bartenders pour a solid drink, and youll find decent beer available at decent prices. It is a rock club, so it gets busy, and youre going to have to wait since there are always people looking to drink - just be prepared. Ive generally found the bartenders get the job done and are cordial, even if not the warmest folks out there. They have a small back stage where locals and smaller touring acts play - word to the wise, it can get crowded back there, and the sound can be pretty variable. Ive seen some shows back there that are fantastic, and some...not so much. But the star of the show is the stage upstairs. They book top quality acts, and with a recently updated sound system (as well as a great sound engineer behind the board), youre going to get a show that sounds great. It is all general admission, so if you want to be up front, plan on arriving early.

Love going to shows at the black cat. The bar upstairs is no longer cash only, but they will not keep tabs. Drink prices are fine. The bathrooms need some help but its a small fun venue, its fine.

The best dive music venue in DC. Like the 930 Club but smaller and better. Sound quality excellent!

My favorite live venue in DC. The right amount of grunge, low lighting and tastefully under-maintained place youd hope to see a good new bad or old favorite. Sound quality is good, decently stocked bar and just an absolute blast. If you see a band youre interested in, definitely check this place out!

Visiting from out of town and multiple staff went above and beyond to make sure we had a great night. The manager (I believe) was very helpful and bartender was sweet. I wish this venue was closer to me.

Great venue with a cool vibe. I like that there are two bars so its never very hard to get a drink. They also have water jugs to you can get water without having to bother the bartender. There is some seating in the back if you want to rest your feet. They blasted the air conditioning while I was there for a show so it was really cold even with the amount of people in the room.

The sound person thinks theyre powering Capital One Arena and not a tiny club. Even with earplugs all you hear is a wall of unintelligible noise. Completely ruins the show. Ill never waste my time or money at another Black Cat show.

Black Cat rejected my friend even though she was underage and hadn’t drank…she waited so long for this concert - Surf Curse is her favorite band - and they just threw her out because someone in her group over 21 was drinking alcohol. I have never met such a mean venue. My friend was completely sober and was waiting for this night. I’m just really disappointed. What a ruined evening.

Large dance floor. Staff is hit or miss, some are very friendly and welcoming, the others act like they are doing you the favor by being there. Drink prices are ok, they are no longer a cash only bar, but still have not caught up to the times and let you open a tab, you have to run your creditcard for each drink. Music was extremely loud. It should not hurt to enjoy music.

Saw Homeshake on 3/24, and had a fantastic night. The updated concert room looks/ sounds amazing and offers great new sight-lines. The atmosphere is really unique and refreshingly rock and roll for the DC music scene.

My favorite venue for small shows and events. It has a really unpretentious, laid-back vibe. Its a DC institution for a reason! Their music-themed dance parties (Depeche Mode Dance Party, Cryfest-the Smiths vs. The Cure, etc.) are especially fun. The bar is cash-only so remember to bring plenty with you if you want to avoid the ATM line. The drinks are reasonably priced.

Great for shows. Drinks are way overpriced tho. I suggest pregaming before before going here for shows. $20 for a small Dixie cup mixed drink.

Went to Black Cat for the first time in October 2019 to see (Sandy) Alex G. It was an amazing show and I really love the layout and overall vibe of the venue. Its a very open, convivial space and it almost gives me the same feeling that college house shows did, but a larger space and nicer. Im sad that the venue has suffered a lot during the COVID shutdowns, but I bought the Vans shoes that they have through their website that supports the venue. Cant wait to be able to go back again in-person and experience a great show again. Please support this venue in any way you can-- purchase the shoes, donate, etc. It has been around since 1993 and is extremely deserving of the support. Its my favorite venue in DC.

Its a great place to catch a live show. The staff is amazing in keeping up with the place and really gives the vibe that anyone is welcome. Should you want to hang out, have a drink, and imbibe great music, this is your place!

My past two experiences have been dreadful. They pack the place so full of people it is really concerning. I straight up got panic attacks from just how many people are packed in post pandemic. God bless them but I guess it’s just not for me anymore. It’s so hard to ascertain when the events held here arent packed with a huge huge group of people because besides that I’m sure there are worthwhile acts to watch. I remember one group that did a really cool interpretive dance I’m sorry for the low score but thats me and I think I’m going to add some keywords so that a certain audience can understand. If you have autism or anxiety this might not be the most accesible place for you. The last two times I have been here getting a drink or even approaching the bar has been impossible. The place was so packed inevitability people were rubbing up against me CONSTANTLY. Personally I can’t stand that. This place has pinball which is nice but last time the one machine had a flipper broken. I wish I could enjoy being inside this place but theres no where to sit most of the time I feel awkward walking in and just standing around, I can’t feel comfortable dancing because theres no room to move without brushing up against someone. I just can’t stand that. This is a personal problem but if you have sensory issues like that consider this an advisement

Great club, but volume permitted is too loud. (Saw Circle Jerks recently.) Half the audience wearing ear plugs, muffling the sounds. The other half? Losing their hearing. When will these clubs learn?

I go to a lot of shows, and black cat is one of my all time favorite spots, so many memories here. Photo: Bully

Great venue for live music. Bartenders were really great. Plenty of good spots to enjoy the music.

Still of the best venues in DC.

Cute venue with room to relax even during a sold out show. Atmosphere was great and location was easy for street parking!

This is a great place to hear local music. Its a long dark hall. Theres a long bar. I drank beer. Heads up - theres NO FOOD SERVED. NONE! But you can bring your own food... And the bathrooms are icky. The doors do not open until 8:00pm. Thats when they open the black garage doors and let you in.

Decent size...great shows. Props to sound!

The show space is big enough, the sound system is always on point, the schedule of bands is too. Having the multiple bars on other floors is pretty clutch too.

Came here for the first time last night for a funk/jazz show. Black Cat is a fantastic venue at the intimate level, with a reasonably small performance space that really lets you feel like youre experiencing the music with the band. The acoustics are pretty solid, and the adjacent bar area is nice for when you want to collect yourself for a drink.My one (small) gripe, though, would be that the bar is cash-only; fortunately they have an ATM on-site to assist patrons without cash.

Limited but welcome seating for a big guy who cant stand for 3 hours at a stretch

I LOVE Black Cat. Its an intimate space that doesnt feel too crowded even for sold out shows. Being short, its sometimes hard for me to see at GA concerts, but they have a slightly elevated platform off to the right side that doesnt get too filled and offers a better view of the stage.Maybe its just the shows Ive attended, but Ive found the crowd here to be much more chill than other venues - not a lot of shoving past last minute to get to the front, spilling beer on you, dancing into you, etc.

Seeing shows at this venue is SO much fun. The sound system is good, and they have a bar area with a pool table and tons of old games. I’ve been here two times so far, and I can’t wait to have an excuse to go back.

Cool spot, but don’t even bother going if your under 21. I was harassed and almost kicked out both times i went for drinking a cup of water. bouncers put their hands on me cause they just assumed i was underage drinking.

Best venue in DC! Metal and punk friendly. Easy to get drinks from the bar. Close to bands. Security is chill and professional.

Doors open at eight. Everyone seated and looking at their phones. Why are we waiting over 45 minutes to see a podcast show? The bar is not crowded - so theyre not making money off the drinks. If the show starts at nine put it on the damn ticket and I wont waste my time sitting around writing bad reviews.

Black Cat is a great venue for the music, its a DC institution that books fantastic bands. However, I had a horrible experience there. After seeing a show I left the venue, then I realized my keys were not in my pocket anymore. I absolutely had to get them back and came back to the Black Cat because I thought I most probably dropped them there. The front staff was rude and unhelpful. They wouldnt let me look for my keys, and two minutes later categorically let me know my keys were not in the room since the cleaning staff hadnt seen anything. In good faith I took them at their word and left to look for my keys in the street. Not finding them, in desperation I came back to the Black Cat, and the rude front staff told me the same thing. I just stood there and a minute later some other staffers mentioned casually that there were keys upstairs. Finally a bartender went and looked and brought me my keys. They had been there the whole time, even though the front staff swore the whole time they werent and tried to turn me away! I thanked and tipped the bartender, but the front staff were horrible, and this may be the last time I ever attend a show there. There are many other venues in DC with great music.

Always cutting edge bands that many people have never heard of.

I have very fond memories of this place when I lived in DC. I met a lot of wonderful people who befriended me instantly. I remember taking coworkers here and dancing in one of the rooms here, and I remember hanging inside and out during very chilly winters.This place has a great vibe and is the perfect place for hipsters/scenesters to go to. I have great memories of friends visiting from FL who I met at a similar venue called Respectable Street. This place reminded me so much of RSC that I had to call it my second home.Overall this place is great and I remember reasonable prices for drinks. Its conventionally located near a Metro station so you can just walk here. One day when I visit DC again, Ill come back.

The black cat is kind of a dive, but for DC musicians it is our kind of dive. It is a shame they are scaling it back, but the shows here have been great. I am kind of sad about the loss of the downstairs space because that is where the better bathroom was. I have been to great shows here though, and it is a historic space for music at this point. The space may not be perfect, but it is about as rock and roll as it gets.

Don’t expect to get in if you’re slightly intoxicated! The staff are strict, corrupt and insult their customers. It’s a music venue! Why should I have to feel like I’m going work.

Black Cat is a great venue. Ive been a many of the venues in and around town and black cat is among the best. They have two venues in one, upstairs and downstairs. AND a fun games room full of pinball machine. Cash bar though, if you dont mind it. Good lineup of shows generally and very well placed on U street.tl;dr - great venue, good shows, cash bar, good location on U street

I think the dance parties are generally fun. Keep you eye out for an 80s dance night or a pop night. Music is great, crowd is easy going. The only problem is that is a cash only establishment. Get with the times!

Thoroughly enjoyed the Riverside concert here! The venue is just the right size to appreciate your favorite artist.

Black Cat is one of my favorite music venues in DC. Its smaller than the 9:30 Club, so if youre in the front row, youre basically level with the band. But, its bigger than somewhere like DC9, which can get really crowded really quickly. At Black Cat, I never have to wait too long to get a drink and have a great view of the stage no matter where I end up standing.

Went here for a Matt Corby concert on 1/31/2016 and waited outside for thirty minutes yet it was worth it. Good beer on tap, spacious floor layout yet still intimate, sound was great yet could have been louder for those who didnt show up 4 hours before the event.

Great spot for intimate live music in DC, cash only bar.

First of all its about the music and artists and Black Cat delivers. The prices are great if you are fast enough. Lets call it city rustic and nice to see the bathrooms were renovated recently. I havent eaten here yet but the staff is friendly.

This is one of the best venues in D.C. If you dont like a dirty grungy dive bars, then stay out! I saw Pig Destroyer here several months back and had a blast! Parking sucks, but thats D.C. for ya. Go see a show, get sweaty, drink beer and have fun!

I played here on 4/19 and had a wonderful experience! Very cool room with checkered floor. Very kind people behind the bar and working production. Two thumbs wayyyy up!

A great stage for local acts and even bring in some bigger-name acts. Its a warehouse split into two levels, so with the low ceiling on the upper level (the main stage) the acoustics arent necessarily the best; but its always an intimate atmosphere with a sometimes rough-looking but friendly crowd.

In my quest to learn more about DC and its rich history, some friends and I saw an excellent documentary - Salad Days about Fugazi, Henry Rollins and other punk bands in DC. Black Cat venue was excellent for this sort of thing. Good intimate ambience and sound system. Looking forward to future events here.

I went to go see anti flag here and had an amazing time the security here was amazing and if things got too put of hand in the pit it was taken care of within 30 seconds. I was lucky enlightening to meet the lead of doll skin sydney dolzeal and the lead of anti flag along with doll skins drummer

Mostly I love (!!) this Slice of DC history. Check out the wall that displays every band thats ever played by album. It is a cash only bar, which I often forget. Also, I dunno, it seems to be pretty male dominated, regardless of the artist playing. Maybe you like that? Me? Meh.

It is what it is. The Black Cat is a concert venue best suited for a punk bands big show (versus their usual house shows). The Black Cat is perfectly speed for this. I wish the bathrooms were a little better maintained, though.

I came here to see Movements and Boston Manor last month (5/10). This was my first and will be my last visit. The worst venue I’ve ever been to. Unprofessional. Crowdsurfing was banned an hour before the show (there’s usually a three strikes rule) and there was no explanation as to why. Security was extremely rude not only to the crowd but to photographers. Security’s treatment caused the band to lash out at them, twice. Might be good as a bar but terrible for concerts. You know your venue is bad when a band ends their show with “We’re never playing this venue again.”

Horribly rude to underage people, Ive never seen a venue that with such a rude staff to teenagers, and singling them out. Overall not a clean, fun or pleasant venue, the staff really ruined my time there. 9:30 club is so much better.

Cool venue that attracts great acts. Nice bar situation. Too bad the place suffers from TERRIBLE FRONT STAFF!!!! The girl at the front desk accused me of not buying a ticket. AFTER I produced the ticket stub she continued to be rude and patronizing. An apology would have been nice.

I have been coming to the Black Cat for years. This is a great place to have a beer or take in a show. There are two rooms to see shows, the main room and the back room. I prefer the back room just because of how intimate it is, great for small rock shows or experimental musicians. The main room is the large room, of course: I have seen countless bands here and every time its a good time. The bars are cash only, but there are ATMs all over the place. Now if you are looking to just chill out and have a drink, the red room is where you want to head, great line up of beers and a good selection of whiskey. The jukebox has some killer tunes on it so, order a Red Strip and put Do You Compute by Drive Like Jehu on from juke box and just hang out.

I really love this venue, and the remodel made it even better. Access to single stalled gender neutral restrooms is sublime. Also covid enforcement is awesome.

This is a cool little venue in DC that gets a lot of cool acts from punk to indie bands. I love the asethetic of it and its one of the mor intimate venues in DC. However the reason Im giving it 3 instead of 4 stars is because the venue seriously needs some security or needs to do something about disrespectful guests. This is the 2nd time Ive been here now where a person was being distracting and disrespectful and nothing was done. At the American Football show on 5/23, there was a younger guy who was constantly shouting and talking throughout the show being distracting. Several people around him including us telling him to stop it and he then proceeded to get aggressive with us. He was also constantly trying to start a mosh pit despite nobody else wanted to engage and this was not the kind of show where that sort of thing would take place. I know that its hard to keep track of everything going on in the room, but there didnt appear to be any staff anywhere to do anything about it when it was very clear he was bothering many of the guests around him. I hope this comes to the venues attention because this would be a great venue if they could do something about people like this would want to ruin the show for those around them. Otherwise, its a cool venue.

Had the pleasure of seeing Mod Sun here, they had some of the friendliest bar tenders. Great small venue, bathrooms are a bit awkward but the pinball machines make up for it.

Ok, most of these reviews have to be fake. This place was pathetic, the sound was so incredibly and unnecessarily loud my ears were ringing for a week. I couldnt even make out the words from the lead singer. Concerts are supposed to be for music lovers, not lovers of loud static and cheap sounding speakers.

Not very impressed, the concert hall is okay, the Gum concert was just good and short lived.

A local institution, Black Cat has been around for ages. A casual place to watch smaller bands. Fair prices at the cash-only bar. Prepare to be seriously frisked (and your bag more thoroughly checked than by TSA) upon arrival.

Awesome old school rock venue. Good view of the stage from the entire place, and decent prices on beer for a club. Full bar service as well, which is nice.

Great, great music! Friendly staff

Came to watch a Jake and Amir live podcast, which had a start time of 8pm. The doors didnt open until a little after 8pm, despite us seeing J&A arrive at like 7:15. The staff seemed to insist on scanning tickets and stamping everyone before they opened the doors. So the people at the front of the line (us) had to wait for the end of the line to get scanned before we could enter. Ive never seen this done and it was insane given how cold it was. The staff wasnt at all apologetic and just had an air of superiority about them. Seating was cramped, the air system was very loud, and the bathrooms were filthy. Avoid coming here.

Great venue and people!

Great! Fantastic 80s nights! Check it out :) nice people

This place is just great for a chilled night with friends. I love the relaxed ambience of the place and live music performance from local artistes. The crowd is also mature enough for my taste. A great place to relax and enjoy with friends.

My favorite place to see bands near and far; have so many fond memories of artists I’ve seen here (Helium, Low, The Magnetic Fields, The Walkmen, et al.) from the ‘90s onwards.....Great for an intimate live music experience because the space is small enough to see bands up close but large enough to be welcoming.....❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

I like this venue, but the beer is overpriced and parking is nonexistent. You either have to pay $20 to park in a nearby public lot or park a bazillion miles away. I had to park at 11th and Q!

Staff was on it! Dont think Ive been to a spot around here like this place. If you want a spot thats wall-to-wall with people, then you should reconsider. Staff is very friendly, quick, and fun to be around. I would recommend to everyone.

Despite being an upstairs venue only now its still one of the best concert venues in DC. I just wish they werent cash only but I guess it forces me to spend less there.

I have never been to a more disrespectful venue. If you are under the age of 21 I highly recommend you dont attend any shows here. The second you walk in you are being watched by the unbelievably rude staff.

Perfect DC venue. Big, but not some lame stadium. Old school and great sound, too. LOVELY

The venue was a good place for a show, and had two bars to the side to fulfill drinking needs. It was clean and there were many places where it was easy to see the stage.

This is a perfect mid-sized rock club. Views are good everywhere.

I am giving this venue 5 stars for the very fact that they have their ticket website won’t up-charge 50% for a ticket. There was only a $5 fee to purchase online. I wish all venues did this.

Loved the atmosphere. The mortified experience was brilliant. Drinks are fine and the staff are wonderful.

Place to get annoyed in by listening to your favourite bands with the worst sound quality one can get. Pity.

Solid small venue. Has live music as well as stand up comedy.They have an upstairs stage and a downstairs stage. The downstairs is much smaller.Cash only bar.

Krampus event was a wonderful thing to benefit Foster kids in DC. It was a kids event that was billed as more. Was to include bands, DJs and burlesque....and it did...a drum line (band), guys pulling up 80s music (DJ), and 1 lady in a bra with a butt tattoo (sigh....burlesque). Oh, I should mention the children running around during butt tattoo performance. Look Blackcat...pick one. Kids event or adult event. You cant mix the two.Would have been a 1 star but the drinks were good and strong....bamboozled !

This is a great venue with absolutely top notch staff. What a great crew.

Went to see a Milo show and the customer service was so good the bartenders are cool and they have a small arcade with ping pong and one that has donkey Kong Im ddd if you want to beat my score on it...Ill be back for the top high score.

The music was good (Depeche Mode party) however I could not use my credit card to buy a drink, they only accepted cash that night. That was quite inconvenient.

Love this venue never disappoints! Great service shows and drinks

There are not much places left like this one. Live rock music, suitable decor and a lot of beer. Simple combination but not easy to find it everywhere. If you prefer it like me - this is your bar.

Saw a comedy show. Good space, weak and expensive drinks. Dont drive if you can help it - city parking for the win.

Always a bit dead inside, a bit pricy for what you get.

Its spacious and has hip decor. Its handicap accessible and great in terms of maneuverability. Kind and helpful staff. Good beer.

Local night club that has a bar with arcade. Cash only which keeps the lines short. Alot of shows almost every night. Good place to meet for cheap drinks.

Chill atmosphere, great music and great bartenders! Feels very safe and inclusive.

Ive seen two shows here and Ive had a great time at both. The bartenders were super cool, the shows were great and it was never super packed.

This is one of those places in DC where I go to remind myself that I live in a city. Dark with sticky floors and all kinds of people and all kinds of acts. Part of me feels like this place is a fire code violation away from being shut down, but maybe thats part of the vibe.

Terrible. Doors opened an hour late with no communication. Even worse they oversold the seats so when we returned when the doors finally opened there were no seats.

Fun shows in a grimy-yet-cool spot. Cash-only bar and kinda disaffected bartenders, but I dont totally blame them -- people get wrecked here and can be a pain in the ass to deal with.

Great venue for either intimate shows (downstairs) or slightly larger acts (upstairs). It has a great old-school DC vibe to the place.

Maybe it was just bad luck. We only made it after the live show was over and the after party was just average. Was nice for a couple of drinks and a game of pool or some arcade though!

Great venue to see live punk rock! No barricade in front of the stage, so you can get up close!

Drinks felt a little pricy, but terrific atmosphere.

Great beer selection and good music. They throw pretty good parties every once in a while so good to keep an eye on their schedules.

It’s chill. I hate the 9:30 club so much that my anger towards it wakes me up most nights in a cold, stressful sweat. Thanks for being there as a much needed alternate venue

A lot better than expected. Cheap drinks, and the shows are whatever you think of the band.

Great venue. Reasonably priced bar.

One of my favorite venues with great bartenders and sound systems.

Very good. I saw Rhett Miller. I was pleasantly surprise to find a sitting venue. I was sure it would be standing room only.

Hip dim lit concert venue.Young staff a bit rude.

Love the Black Cat! So much fun...especially the 80s nights. DJ Steve is the best!

Really great venue, good atmosphere, better people. Really stand out artists!

Joys bed and breakfast was a #SMASH

Good vibe, Classic vintage venue. Local/Indie and International bands tours available. Reasonably priced. Keep it up!

A classic DC room, what more do you need to know? See a show here

Quaint little club with very nice acoustics. Fun times🎶🎶

Gotta love the black cat resisting the urge to update itself. You have to really pick where you stand so you dont get overwhelmed by the sound, due to the low ceilings. Front center or anywhere mid way back works.

It’s a nice little club,you’re always pretty close to the stage and the staff is very nice and helpful

Will never come here again. Rudest staff. The band members literally had to yell at them to do their jobs right. And the band said they will never come back there again.

An alright venue in the Georgetown area. looks incredibly sketch from outside. but its a pretty good sized dance floor.

Some good music comes through here, but the staff are the worst. Honestly some of the most pretentious disrespectful hipsters on the face of the earth.

Great dive-y concert bar. Very nice beer selection.

Dave Grohl sent me here🙃

Great music venue. Lots of good bands. More of a low key atmosphere.

Best venue in DC. Plus it has great pinball machines and the cheapest beer on 14th Street.

Awesome!

Great beer, pinball and music! Super nice staff. A must if you visit D. C.

Plenty of private stalls for bathroom and the vents are good when the vibes are hot

Great acts, sounded great. Bathrooms downstairs A+

Olivia the manager is just as much a rockstar as the acts that play on their stage.

Great music venues the staff was excellent had a great time.

Bar in the back has the best drinks. Just wish they came in bigger cups

Black Cat is purrfect. 🐈‍⬛ 💜

Went to a music show here nice open area, two bars on each side; very convenient.

One of the most authentic, best, and well established music venues in DC for original and upcoming artists!!!

Cant wait to see the show tonight!

Right in the heart of 14th Street, the Black Cat is a premier place for underground entertainment. I love it.

Fun space with games and cool vibe. The black box could have had softer flooring perhaps rubber to clean quicker.

Rude and poor service, terrible music, weird and off-putting crowd

Absolutely one of the best little underground stage/bar scene ive been to since moving up to the east coast.

I went to their 80s Mayhem on Halloween. It was the perfect level of crowded and the mix was great.

Great staff and sounds system. But pinball ate my quarters. 😢

Has a very dive bar atmosphere, but gets some really top class acts!

Its a good bar, with good beer and service. But I was expecting live classic rock...

Always a great time! Been going for decades!

Classic staple for shows in DC.

Super fun venue with a cool bar in the back.

Great venue and all around bar. They also cater to vegan preferences.

Awesome divey bar/venue with pinball, pretty cheap drinks (for 14th Street), and two stages.