My boyfriend and I wanted to come to a paint-your-own-pottery place for awhile so he surprised me one Sunday and brought me here (aww)! I really like the format of the pricing in that you pay for your piece, not for your time. There isn't a studio fee either! I think that's all really great. Many competitors charge studio fees and limit your time. If you can't finish on your visit, you can even return at a later date to complete it. In addition to painting, they also offer mosaics. I'm actually taking a mosaics class at The Art League right now which is of course a very in-depth mosaic glass involving different substrates, glass cutting, and grouting. All Fired Up offers pre-cut glass for you. Their samples are quite beautiful and even after having taken the mosaics class I'm in, I would be inclined to create a mosaic piece at All Fired Up. What's even more is you can BYOB if that's your jam. Typically your piece will be done in 7 days but it will be extended to 9 days if they are really busy. At least they hold your piece 30 days from the ready date. Cleveland Park is not so convenient to us so we had to make a plan to retrieve it. They are open late during the week (9pm!) so we were able to pick up our pieces and enjoy a nice dinner at St. Arnold's down the street. read more

I came here on Presidents Day with my coworkers to enjoy our time off. I've been one other time and had a blast with girlfriends so I knew this would be the perfect place to spend a few hours. We didn't think to call ahead and all their tables were full. The guy took down my phone number to call if anyone left somewhat soon. My friends and went to get some Frozen Yogurt and by the time we finished he called to let us know that we could come back. We were so excited to paint and had a great time. They also have mosaic tile projects and glass melting(?) as well. I want to try the glass next time I go. Definitely worth it if you like arts and crafts. They also have BYO nights during the week as well. Also, the do not charge a sitting fee, the price of the piece is what you pay for being there and having them glaze and fire your pieces. read more

I love this place!! it's so much fun and I think it's awesome you can bring in your own food and drink. There are tons of books and fabrics and things for design inspiration and all the glaze colors and accessories you could need. I would give the place 5 stars except I'm with Kate B. on the employee factor - some of them are nice and helpful and fine but then some of them are, honestly, annoying and/or completely clueless. I went in recently and this one employee just would Not stop talking! Seems like if I want help or ideas, I'll ask. Otherwise I like just some peace and quiet and a little background music - please don't come over to my table and see that I'm painting some kind of flower and then, unbidden, bring me stencils! pretty insulting actually. the kind of help I wanted was some idea of how to use the glaze with the little bursting crystals in it but neither of the girls there at the time had Any idea what I was talking about. They did manage to locate it for me but had no idea how to use it. In any case, definitely worth your time, despite some inept employees. I didn't know about the VIP program - thanks for the tip Kate! read more

very sweet experience here. they have unique pieces to paint... Not the usual. Space they were having a very busy afternoon and fit in with no reservation... Will definitely go back again. read more

I love this place. It's great for unique gifts and expelling some creative energy with something to show for yourself. I also like that the price is all inclusive--the piece, paint, studio time, and firing--unlike other places that charge you for each aspect, so you never know how much its going to end up costing. The pottery pieces are high quality, there is a good variety of pieces and paint colors, plus loads of idea books and technique samples. The one time I had a damaged product after kilning (hey, it happens), I received a credit and loads of apologies. Many of the people who work there (plus the great owner Liz) are super helpful, to the point that I've seen them sketch things for people to transfer onto their pieces. They're also well-versed in the different techniques. However, they lose 1 star because on occasion I've had to listen to and wait for the staff to finish inappropriate conversations, including one girl yelling at her parents on her cell. It can make for a bit of an uncomfortable experience--take it to the back or wait until after work like the rest of us please. read more

My friends and I come here often for a night out. It is byob so we bring wine and snacks and just paint... It is weirdly a lot of fun! I also often come here with a mommy and baby group I run so that we can get tiles with the babies' hand and footprints on them. They make awesome gifts! Make a reservation if you can, as it does sometimes have a wait. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. Was here on Sunday for a Junior League of Washington event. This was an event I paid money to attend so that I could learn how to mosaic. I was extremely excited to learn and take home something I can created with my own two hands but unfortunately all of that excitement ended the moment I stepped through the doors. Long story short - the 2 girls working there were less than helpful the ENTIRE time. They showed our party of 10 to the table and handed us boxes but that's where the service and interaction ended. Many things went wrong (keep in mind in between each of these things the girls would walk back to the front counter and continue talking amongst themselves): 1. They didn't pull out the mosaic tiles for us just pointed us in the direction. 2. They gave no instruction on how many tiles we would need or how to create a good color scheme. THIS WAS EVERYONE'S FIRST TIME, WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO! 3. After getting our tiles we asked how to do it and they said "just start gluing pieces on" so we asked with what, insert girl rolling her eyes, and then she headed to get us glue. 5. Some of our group began completing their box and then asked the girls "whats next?". They responded with "grouting". So we waited for more instruction on what that entailed and instead she walked away and we were all like "okkkkk??" So we call her back over and ask her if she can explain. She said "next is grouting but we are almost out of grout and we don't have any white" (that sucked since they didn't tell us ahead of time and we all did light colored tiles - had they told us in advance then we would have picked other colors). We asked when they would get more white in and the girl looks at us blankly and said "I don't know". Oh ok. 4. The worst - About an hour into this joke of a art studio one of the girls comes up to the leader of our group who I was sitting next to and says "I just got off the phone with the Manager and he said we are going to have to charge you guys an extra $30 a head for grout and tiles, you used a lot of tiles". Thank God my leader handled it with so much grace and simple said "well I have been working with the owner and we have a contract for today." I'm sorry, are you kidding me, wtf, you never told us how many tiles to get or how many to use AND we aren't even grouting because apparently you don't have white grout and the black you have is almost gone. These are just the worst 4 moments. The nightmare continues until we leave. For no instruction the entire time I am wondering what I paid for with this class (bc according to the manager it wasn't the tiles or the grout). I have been to MANY different art classes (in fact just finished a pottery wheel class last week) and most of the time the instructors are artists so they are very willing to help. It really seemed like this was just these girls out of school jobs and they gave 0 f's; the manager trying to swindle us was just the icing on the cake. It's really a shame because our organization of women are so close and we have 2600 member in the DC area alone. This put such a bad taste in everyone's mouth and it's too bad bc it could have been sure a good time. read more

My friend and I wanted to do something different today, so we decided to do something we've always wanted to do, paint pottery. We chose All Fired Up over one in Alexandria because at All Fired Up, the price you pay for your pottery item includes everything - the paint, the time it takes you to design & paint your piece and the pottery itself. There is no separate charge for the "session". Their website says pieces range from $6-66, but in all actuality, the majority of pieces are around $20. Which I still find to be a good price for all that you get: time with a friend, a creative outlet to do something fun and an awesome piece of pottery that you painted for yourself or for a gift. This was my first time painting pottery, but I thought they had a great selection of pottery to choose from, a nice assortment of colors and the employees were there to answer any questions you might have about the process or help you with your piece. My friend and I came around 3:30 on a Saturday and had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. If you come in a larger group, you'll want to make a reservation. You can bring in your own beer & wine, which is an awesome idea! I loved everything about this place and would definitely come back! read more

An adorable pottery place in DC that has a great selection of pottery, colors, and knowledgeable store associates. I came for a company event, and had lots of fun - they allowed us to bring food and drinks in so we could eat and chat while we painted! Overall I have no complaints at all, except that during the glazing and firing process my pottery got a little piece of something stuck to it, and a friend of mine had her bowl semi-broken. But out of a group of 30- or so people, that's not bad. Plus they gave my friend a free redo, which is pretty good. read more

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! It's fun, creative, entertaining, soothing & the best part...it's BYOB! I don't even consider myself artistic but I've been at least 5 times and will definitely be back. read more

Super chill and fun. Love that it's BYOB... will be rsking advantage of that next time!

Fun place for painting with the ladies. You can even bring wine! No studio fee - just the priced of the somewhat overpriced piece. Nice variety of options including holiday themed. However, this place can get pretty crowded and the ladies working there can be pretty rude when they're stressed. They even told us to go somewhere else on Valentines Day! Anyways, if you come on a weekday during business hours, you will have a nice time. read more

All Fired Up - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I took my students here today - they enjoyed it so much!! the staff was really friendly & the process was easy. call / show up / create / pick up! I will be brining many more students here! it's great for a wide age range! read more

I don't see how anyone could give this place anything other than 5 stars. I totally love it and the only thing that stops me from going there on a weekly basis is that pottery painting, as it turns out, can be a rather expensive hobby. This is a comfortable, cozy little store located super-close to the Cleveland Park metro. There are lots of little tables all ready for you to sit down and create your own artistic masterpiece, with brushes and plenty of water in the center. The assortment of things you can paint is huge and varies seasonally. I've painted ornaments for Christmas with my mom, salt and pepper shakers with my boyfriend, little random monsters for my desk at work for fun, a Valentine's vase, a mug with my girlfriends, a candle holder, and a candy dish. I'm probably forgetting lots of stuff. In sum, you can paint lots of things here, and with lots of different kinds of people. It's bring your own wine if you're into that (I am) though don't forget to also bring your own cork screw or you'll be out of luck. As others have noted, the price on the piece you paint includes all paint, glazing, sitting fees, etc. There's no hidden charge. The employees are friendly, and there are stencils, fabrics, and lots of other decorating tools for help and inspiration. There's a wall of fame for those gifted painters out there, and there is another wall with all the colors you can paint with hung on it, so you can see what they look like in their one, two, and three coat varieties. This is a super place to relax, get creative, and have fun. Swing by and give it a try- you won't regret it. read more

Super cute date spot if your partner is willing to get creative. Stopped by on a Saturday at 2pm and it was packed. Put our names on the waiting list and went next-door to get something hot to drink. About a half hour later we were able to get a table. I had recently went to another pottery place in Laurel and this spot has so much more to offer. They have everything for you to create your masterpiece. The best part is that you can bring your own bottle of wine or whatever spirit you may like. I can't wait to pick up the completed pieces next week. read more

I love AFU so much I literally go everyday. I'm a nanny and the kids are at school when I come and have my free time. I keep coming back bc the customer service is amazing and they have very good items to pick from. Also I can come and bring my lunch and paint at the same time. There's just one thing that rubs me the wrong way. The owner is very unfriendly!! When ever she's at the store and I come she never says hi not even one word!! I literally have to say hi like 3 times before she even "notices" me!! I believe as a soon to be owner of my own business that you should have the best customer service out of everyone on your staff. The reason for that is because the people coming in are making YOU money and will tell their friend how there experience was also you should be a good example to the people who work for you. But on a lighter note all of the staff members I have had the pleasure of meeting at amazing. read more

This place was great. Took our friend here for her birthday, and we all really enjoyed! Come pick what you want to paint, pick your paints, and sit and do it. I love that we were not rushed at all. There are stencils and design books to help get your creative juices flowing. They had really small pieces for like 1.50 and the most expensive thing I saw was 80 dollars. They have so many different things for you to paint. From stuff for the kitchen to the bathroom, to the office. We went on a Saturday around 4, we made a reservation because we knew the place was small and didn't know if it would get crowded. It never got crowded, but it is kind of small in there. All the work around the place is cool too. You have to wait a week to pick up your finished work. I may just go create something else when I go to pick up! read more

Happy to have this business in Cleveland Park! All Fired Up is great.... you pick your pottery piece and get down to business. You only pay the price for the piece of pottery... paint, tools and firing fees are all included in this price. I think this is a great deal in itself. And, you don't have to pay for studio time. It's relaxing, fun and the staff are helpful. I've seen people with beer, wine and snacks and it is just a pleasant atmosphere! Definitely recommend for a relaxing morning, afternoon or evening of fabulous painting. read more

I would love to give All Fired Up five stars, and on (m)any given day(s), I would -- but on the days when I get crummy employees, I'm inclined to give it far, far fewer. Today, I'll compromise and give it four. I absolutely adore All Fired Up. The prices are very upfront -- pick out your blank piece from the pottery wall, prices clearly denoted, and that's all you pay. No sitting fee, no paint fee, nothing - just the cost of the piece. Stay as long as you want or as long as it takes. Bring a lunch or a bottle of wine. Ask the employees to plug your iPod in, if there aren't many other customers. Paint away, and return in a week to pick up your materials. That said, this place has definitely got more than a few bad employees. A few of the girls who work here can usually be found huddled together at the cash register or painting at their own table, talking about wildly inappropriate topics, from getting high to making out to partying hard. They often place wildly inappropriate music, too, until some grandmother asks them to please put on something less offensive. And if you need assistance or have a question, you're likely to get an, "Umm, ahhh, let me check, uhhh, I think, um..." They often have absolutely no idea how to help, whether you're trying to sign your kid up for a class, cut glass for a mosaic or redeem a gift card -- and if they were friendlier, this might not be such an issue, but "friendly" is not the forte of a couple of these employees. More than once I've been tempted to complain to the owner. A couple of the younger female employees, especially, don't know how to help or simply won't, chattering on their cell phones & ignoring requests for assistance or responding with a lazy, unapologetic "yeah, I don't know." Another thing -- it's petty uncommon for the folks at All Fired Up to somehow damage your piece in the firing process. Sometimes it's not incredibly obvious -- the paint smudges or a small piece chips -- but other times it's totally unsalvageable, like dropping a piece on the floor. Usually, though (unless you get a sucky employee), All Fired Up will offer you store credit in the amount of the damaged piece. You still get to take your slightly imperfect (or wholly ruined) piece home, but you also get to come back to make one that will come out the way you intended it to (hopefully). Also, get a VIP card! For every $200 you spend (trust me, it's not that difficult), All Fired Up gives you a $20 gift card! read more

Pick your pottery out, paint it in the shop, leave it behind to get fired and pick it up 7 days later all shiny and pretty. This is a lot of fun. I came here once when my mother was visiting from CT and we brought a bottle of wine, cheese and crackers (there are some nights you can even bring your own CD's). We thought our respective pieces looked really good when we left (I think it was the wine), but when I returned for them a week later I was thinking that moving forward I wouldn't drink and paint ever again. Bad combination. No, actually they came out cute and were a lot of fun to make. The prices aren't super cheap, but part of what you are paying for is the experience. I highly recommend this. read more

I love this place! I came here with some girlfriends, ordered some sushi take out from Spices and settled in to get crafty! The staff here makes you feel right at home, even telling you that you can go a few doors down a bring back some wine or beer to enjoy during the process. They have a wealth of inspiration books with clip art and images to help you decide what you want to paint. They even have stencils, stamps, and texturizing tools so even the least artistic souls can throw together something. They do birthday parties and classes for pottery and mosaic. Prices include pottery all paints and supplies, firing, studio time (even if you have to keep coming back to work on your piece) and they even clean up the mess for you!!!! read more

I had my 11yo daughter's birthday party at All Fired Up in DC. There were 10 girls and they had an awesome time!! They loved working with Jasmine who was flexible, thoughtful and "cool." She is such a nice lady and took care of everything. The only negative was several of the pieces my daughter selected were not available so some of the girls had to select other pieces. It all worked out and I was given a discount for the snafu. We picked up the pieces today and they all look great. A great place and something different to do for a birthday party!!! read more

A fun time with the kids. The service was a bit slow, if the intent is to get people at tables and rotate efficiently, there needs to be a better focus on cleaning and turning them over. End product has some pre/post kiln smudges not from painter's hand. Overall a unique time. read more

Perfect rainy day activity with kids. Grown ups can join the fun or bring in a coffee from Firehook (conveniently next door) and enjoy a good book. Staff is always super friendly. read more

Pretty cool place but the bratty college coeds who work there have soured me a bit. Fun, different, bring your own drinks!

Loved my time here. It's BYOB so my friends and I brought some wine and Popeye's Chicken for the birthday girl and got to painting. The workers are so helpful and kind, they were able to help the entire room while still giving us individual attention when we had stylistic questions. Painting does take more time than you think, so be sure you're talking AND painting during your time... because time flew by! Their credit card machine even broke at the end of the night and the whole room full of people didn't mind waiting around or grabbing cash from an ATM... now that tells you something! I will definitely be bringing my friends back to this place! read more

A classic, fun outing for the girls. All Fired Up offers a diverse assortment of clay objects from which to choose, all for your Picasso channeling pleasure. Think wine goblets, serving trays, picture frames, dog bowls, you name it. The prices are reasonable and the turn-around time for your finished - fired and polished - product is only one week. My favorite part about this painting studio, besides the close proximity to the Cleveland Park metro, is the fact that it is BYO alcohol. Yes, anything. So, if it's any consolation, you might produce a smile-worthy craft after a couple glasses of wine. read more

This place might be my new favorite spot. If it wasn't a little on the pricey side I'd try to go every single week! I chose a huge mug that could easily fit a can of soup in it and it cost $22. Other reviews explain the pricing and how this awesome place is BYOB. They have so many things to paint that it's hard to decide. But what I love is how organized it is! There is a wall of tiles neatly labeled with all of the glazes, showing you how each color looks with 1, 2, or 3 coats of glaze. They also have lots of rubber stamps, fabric swatches, patterned paper, foam brushes, and completed pieces for inspiration. Once you're done painting (it took us 3 hours I think and no one rushed us, even when it was busy) you just leave everything on your table and they take care of it. No clean up, no mess, nothing. Then you come back in a week to pick up your fired piece. If you're lucky, it mind end up on the Wall of Fame (my boyfriend's did, and he got a little magnet so he can brag about his skills). You might want to make reservations depending on the time/day-- we didn't and just walked in without any problems, but the place did fill up quickly on a Sunday afternoon. read more

Going to All Fired Up is now literally one of my favorite evening/weekend activities. I'm always looking for a new way to release some creative energy and All Fired Up is perfect for that. I went for the first time on a Thursday night a few weeks ago with a couple of friends and we had such a blast. We split a bottle of wine (it's BYOB) and spent two hours chatting, relaxing, and painting. I was pretty impressed by the prices also. I've been to a similar place before and they charged a studio fee in addition to the price of the piece, so I was definitely happy that wasn't the case at All Fired Up! We all painted to-go coffee mugs and they were about $20 each--not bad considering that includes firing and all supplies! I will definitely be back the next time I feel like exploring my inner artist! Quick tip: If you don't want to wait, I definitely suggest making a reservation! We got there pretty early so it wasn't busy yet but I saw a ton of people come in and wait for a long time. read more

Super fun, accommodating service. Awesome for a friend out night or a date. Call and make a reservation and you're good to go! Great for kids and adults alike. read more

I absolutely loved this place and thoroughly enjoyed myself. If you are artsy and like to work independently this is a great spot for you to check out. They have a huge variety of ceramic statues tonpick from. You have the option to create a painted ceramic or to design a mosaic piece. Both are equally enjoyable. The ceramic pieces are a little on the expensive side (I.e. i paid $20 for a ceramic wine glass. You can also bring alcohol on premises and sip while you design. Its worth the visit read more

I absolute loved this place! It's a stress free zone where I get to unwind. The girls were extremely friendly and the cost is relatively cheap. I love the entire concept! read more

My daughter absolutely loved attending the summer camp here. After attending various other camps, this camp was the only one she still talks about. We'll be back this summer!! read more

Love painting pottery. I love this place. I like the one in Bethesda better though. The one in Bethesda seems a little more spacious. But either one will do for me when I need to get my painting on. :-) Make sure you check out the different discounts they offer on particular days. read more

I took all three of my kids here to paint pottery. There were many beautiful colorful paints to choose from, plenty of paintbrushes and at the time, tables for us. There was a decent amount of Pottery but I wish for the Prices there was a larger selection. I arrived with my three children just after dinner at 8 PM. The place closes at 9 PM. The employees were very accommodating and welcoming even though we were coming in towards the end of the evening shift. my kids have been here several times and they are very efficient at pottery, so we were finished promptly at 8:50 PM. I paid for my items and was out the door quickly. My children had a wonderful time and I will be going back again. read more

Do not come to this place, especially for birthday parties. The service is horrible. The employee who was supposed to facilitate our party was so rude and not accommodating at all. I wish I could give zero star to this place. read more

Amazing customer service on the phone and in person! Love their hours and parking it pretty convenient. Can't wait to come back! read more

SUMMER CAMP SHOUT OUT! This summer (2018) my daughter was out of school, and because we were traveling quite a bit and I only needed half day care for her, I wanted to find camps that were flexible, reasonably priced, and in our general area. We ended up signing up for the All Fired Up pottery and art camp in Cleveland Park. What an amazing find! If your kiddo loves art, this is the place for them. The class only had 5 kids in it for the morning session, they were busy all day molding clay, painting pottery from the shop, making jewelry, painting on canvas and filling sketchpads with awesome art. And the week ended with a pizza lunch from Vace, so I felt like I helped support two local businesses while my daughter had fun and learned new skills. Fired Up also provides snacks which was a nice bonus. I don't have enough kind words for Lilliana, the wonderful, skilled and energetic teacher. I hope she's still there next summer, because we will definitely be back in 2019! read more

I haven't actually bought anything from here before or made anything, but stumbling upon it really made me want to. There's so many things that you can make: jewelry, mugs, figurines, etc. The fun never ends. You can even make tiles, which I plan to do with friends when I get the necessary funds from my college life. read more

Very fun place! Helpful staff and a great setting. Had a great time and am looking forward to going back!