DC Bar News and Happenings
Chi-Cha Lounge, web site, Facebook, Twitter, 1624 U St. NW, 202-234-8400, opens at 5p everyday, HH 5-7p M-F, est. 1997 [Yelp, WaPo]
Small hookah bar/lounge with lots of couches, $8 beers, and a dress code. If you like that sort of thing, you might like it. I don’t. Have been here twice as it was a block away from my old home, but not since 2008. Latin-themed, opened in 1997. Right next to a Barred in DC favorite, Stetson’s-these two bars could not be more different.
Barred in DC Rating: 1.5/5
I’ve been to Chi Cha lounge many times and have always had a pleasant experience. However, my last experience was so terrible it will be my LAST time ever coming to this establishment. I arrived with a friend around 11pm and paid a $10 cover. We walked in and requested a table for two and were seated instantly. Not bad for a Saturday night but the night went entirely downhill after we were seated. We were given a menu and proceeded to wait over 20 minutes to have our order taken. We ordered a hookah, drinks and food. We waited another 20-25 minutes to receive our order. Another server finally came over to check on us and went to check on our order. When it finally came we only got our hookah and one food order, no drinks or the other food item came. On more than one occasion I attempted to call over our server, but she stayed on the opposite side of the room and NEVER made eye contact with us so we could inquire about our missing items. There was a gentleman named Andre Holmes who was the manager walking around and when I was able to finally catch his attention to cancel the missing items (after 45 minutes I didn’t want them anymore) and he proceeded to tell me that it is my responsibility to notify my server (like I didn’t already try numerous times) and also told me that they were packed and I didn’t have a valid reason to complain if our order was taken and we received some of it. I felt that he was a little nasty in his explanation and he attempted to walk away as if my complaint wasn’t relevant. We later found out that the second server who checked on us was our actual server. Why she was absent through this whole process I don’t understand but after I complained she appeared to make herself present. We canceled the rest of our order and asked for the check. Andre told me that he would give me his card so I could follow up with the manager and never brought it to the table. After finally waving him over again to remind him (I saw him roll his eyes at me before he came over) about the card he told me he was too busy to stop and get it. I expressed to him that the service was horrible and he again reminded me that the place was packed and I should be understanding. He says “every once in a while 3 or 4 parties come in and have a bad experience and I’m sorry you fell in that category tonight” Are you serious? The lack of empathy was ridiculous. We paid the bill and left.
Needless to say I understand that they were busy. There was a large crowd there, but if you can’t offer good customer service to every guest there then there is a problem. They are out to make as much money as possible at the door and are willing to sacrifice guests satisfaction to do so. The hookah was nice despite these troubles so I guess that validates the one star, but like I said this was my last time ever coming here and I won’t be looking back.
Barred in DC 
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