This place is killer. The barbecue and brisket are the real deal. I've eaten barbecue all over the country and this place does it right. A lot of complaints relate to the decor. It's a barbecue place. Other complaints relate to to the fact that you have to order at the bar. Again, it's a barbecue place. If you haven't been to a real barbecue place before I could see why these things might be an issue for you. Food is great. No detail is overlooked from the flagship smoked meats to the chicken wings, to the sides. Bourbon list is stellar, staff and owner are even better. Great addition to the neighborhood and to the city. read more

If you like Barbecue and Bourbon, Cinder is your place! My husband and I went for the first time and tasted almost the entire menu and quickly decided to have them cater and bartend craft cocktails for a backyard birthday party. Cinder exceeded our expectations on every level. The service is top notch! They have a lean staff which is amazing because you get to know the bartenders, chefs, and owners by first name and vice versa. The food is delicious, smoked to perfection. The restaurant/bar is on a corner with open air windows and has such awesome neighbourhood charm. Perks: they offer patio seating, dog and kid friendly, and they have an insane selection of bottled liquor you can buy and take home. read more

Cinder BBQ - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

They have introduced me to new whiskey and I am better for it! I love this place, it feels like home. My husband even likes it (and he doesn't like anything). Oh and the cauliflower dinner was a winner. read more

Cinder BBQ - Yum - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Excellent pulled pork. Beware absurd pricing: $1 side of pickles is two little slices. Mild (nice) slaw. Greasy, spicy, dense fried onion rings. Didn't care for the burnt ends which tasted like dried oily sweet bits. After eating just felt like a grease fest. read more

I love this place! We ordered for pickup and tried a variety of goodies. Favorites included the fried chicken sandwich, cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts. and potato salad. Everything was fresh and flavorful. Support this spot! They're wonderful! read more

Pretty much everything we got from there was great from sides to meats. Potato salad was creamy just the way I like it. read more

Cinder BBQ - Go to sangrias...Super clean packaging. We drank all of it - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Outstanding BBQ for every appetite! The meats are exceptional, and the menu offers many options regarding portions. The service was superb. Our server guided us through the available dishes (the kitchen had run out of various meats), made great recommendations for the sauces, and yes, the sides were terrific! The ambiance is friendly and relaxed. With a lovely patio and fully open windows, it's a low risk place for indoor dining. I wish that there were beers and ciders on tap, but the selection of cans was very good. Looking forward to coming back! read more

Diamond find. In addition to tantalizing bbq, you will find an incredible WHISKEY selection. I wanted to post a picture but the food disappeared too fast. My husband had the ribs, I had the bbq shrimp. There was a bbq cauliflower option I want to try next time. The elote was a thing. I saved room for dessert and you should too! read more

Cinder BBQ - Apple pie - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We went to the restaurant on Friday, and when we arrived, the waiter seemed confused about where to sit us even though there were empty seats inside the restaurant. He said he could only seat us outside, and when I told him that we didn't want to be seated outside, he said, unfortunately, that was the only seat available. He did not offer a wait time for inside, so we left. After reading a few comments, it might be race or family status-related. read more

This place is a neighborhood gem. Great food, cocktails and service. It's hard to find places like this in DC! Always a great experience.

I live in the neighborhood and I've visited this place probably twice. The food isn't up to the mark and the beers are terrible. Although I wouldn't come here for a beer but then again it's bbq place so isn't that a natural choice ? Either way, plenty of other good options around given the pricy sucky food. read more

This is the best BBQ restaurant in DC! I can't tell you how long I have been waiting for a BBQ restaurant that actually tastes good ( I have tried all of them) these folks got it right and the prices are great. I also loved the look and location of the restaurant. It's located in a nice neighborhood of ppl. I actually think everyone in that neighborhood will go there for family dinner because every time I go I see someone walking out of their house with their family to the restaurant lol. The service is awesome. The folks really take care of you even when the restaurant is crazy busy. Everyone there has an inviting smile on their face. I suggest that you get to the restaurant early and try their wings. I can honestly say you will never find anything like it! The flavors are sooo good. I know it might sound crazy but you must try the Brussels spouts. I could never eat these as a child but I saw some one eating these so I asked them if they were good and they said yes. i figured everything else was good so why not try them. I swear these will have you trying to figure out how they made Brussels sprouts taste like heaven haha . I give this place an A++ and I highly recommend you check it out when you are in DC. read more

You ever had a brisket that makes you want to cry? Stopped by Cinder tonight and I couldn't stop saying loudly to everyone within earshot how damn good the brisket was here. Think crispy edges with tender middles. Thankfully they don't add sauce (you do that) which allows you to truly taste the glorious meat on its own. We also got the chilled asparagus and it was the perfect appetizer. While the ordering is a little wonky, I cannot wait to go back. I even got really lucky, the pit-master(?) stopped by our table and offered me the burnt end. PEOPLE my eyes rolled back in my head! I know this place is going to be insane come summer time and I'm both happy for them (and their destined success), and sad because it's going to be impossible to get a seat. Go already just not until I've ordered. read more

Cinder BBQ - Brisket platter w/ Brussels sprouts - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The food was just OK. When you're a bbq joint and don't have amazing bbq, it's a problem. The meat was dry and the sauces were limited. The portions are small (like the side of slaw was a laughable 2 tablespoons thrown in the corner of the plate like a garnish). They also have a few kinks to work out service wise. They don't currently have a sampler platter, so you're forced to stick with one meat and hope it's good. It's a nice, clean place in a hip part of petworth, and the staff was friendly and attentive. Might be worth a visit in the future after they get some things worked out. read more

Cinder BBQ - Best part of everything we tried was the chicken wings - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I was very excited to hear that there would be a BBQ joint opening up in Petworth. Naturally we had to try it, we came in on a Friday night just before 7 pm. It took a little time for someone to greet us, but we found out that there weren't any tables available, but was told we could go to the bar. Luckily there were a couple open bar seats. We got the Brisket entree with the Mac n cheese, and a Pulled Chicken Sandwich with brussel sprouts. The food came out pretty quickly. The brisket was solid. The fatty ends were tender, juicy, and flavorful. But some of the leaner parts of the brisket were a little dry and tough. I usually prefer a more flavorful bark, but again, still solid. The mac n cheese was okay. Honestly, the best bite of the dinner were the very flavorful brussel sprouts. Caramelized well and good sauce on it. The pulled chicken was okay but needed A LOT more sauce, which you can always put on. All around solid experience. Glad to have a restaurant opening back up in this space. read more

Cinder BBQ - Brisket / Mac n cheese - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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To be fair, we didn't even get to eat at this place. My family and I arrived promptly at 5pm as they opened. The "greeter" stared blankly and confused at us. The place smelled of weed and there were over a half dozen employees standing around and looking confused. The "greeter" was undecided at where she might seat us. After all, most of the tables were perfectly empty...her confusion was completely understandable. We spotted a booth (we had our 1 year old with us so we'd need a high chair) and we asked her if we could sit there. She looked so confused, almost hesitant to let us sit there. But she finally let us sit there but never brought a high chair. Some other dude watched us and finally asked me from across the room if we needed a high chair. He was kind enough to help out (he was the best of the bunch). After that, I'm short, several folks either stared at us or, at least, said hello. One lady came out from the kitchen and spoke to my children very kindly but walked away. All the while, not one person mentioned that you order at the bar. Not one. There's no note on the menu, no sign (in fact the sign at the entrance says please wait to be seated!), no communication. We walked out after 15 minutes of watching "employees" dance, look at excel spreadsheets, text, or just dance and bs. The greeter looked just as lazily confused as she did when we came in smiling. She's awful. Actually awful. Who has you 'wait to be seated' but wants you to order at the bar? This is likely the worst idea I've ever seen. Lastly, I will say, this place was boring and drab - it wants to be more bar than restaurant, it seems. Also, a BBQ joint should smell like you're smoking meat. Not weed. Maybe I'd come back if they fixed their execution. read more

Cinder is the ultimate neighborhood spot! Super casual environment, basically first come first serve. Nice bar menu with tons of whiskies!!! I ordered the smoked wings and my wife ordered the burger, both dynamite! Don't forget, you order everything at the bar so don't be shy :) read more

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These guys, husband and wife, i assume were a welcoming team all thru this epidemic. U could always count on 'em to be at the big open windows over the sidewalk, smiles at the ready, and a fine meal, despite the obvious lack of sleep. But they pulled thru, and the hood's a bit better for it. The brisket especially, is killer. Tasty charred ends are always included. Yum. ..and the sides. I love the slaw and collard greeens, especially. Steve O read more

Best barbeque in DC hands down. We went here on a Friday night for dinner. I was a little bit sceptical about the food. But i was dead wrong. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich. The pork was tender and taste. I thought it would be dry, but it was cooked to perfection. Bottonmline, we will definitely be back. Nice it is close by. read more

First time here, very nice atmosphere, good service and the pulled pork sandwiches were delicious read more

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Oof Cinder has a lot of kinks to work out. Allow me to set the scene. We arrived around 7:15 on a Friday night. Two parties of people were standing by the door, and no one was by the host stand. After standing around for about 5 minutes, during which no one came by to greet any of us or take our names down, my boyfriend and I went for two seats at the bar that had just opened up. We must've been sitting there for about 10 minutes (enough time for our indecisive selves to decide what to order) before the bartender came by and told us they were already out of the brisket, spare ribs, and chicken. This is more than half of their menu! She said she would go ask if there was enough brisket for a sandwich. After waiting a few minutes for her to return (she never did), we decided to leave and fill our barbecue-shaped void elsewhere. I wanted to sing your praises, Cinder, get it together! read more

Outstanding BBQ with great house-made sides, particularly the Brussels sprouts, coke slaw and onion rings. We particularly enjoyed the brisket and pulled chicken. They offer four different regional sauces -- all good, but I recommend going with what they suggest. If you're a bourbon fan, don't miss this place. The selection is unreal. We had great service and the owner was on hand to make sure everything went smoothly. We will be back -- often. read more

I've had pork rinds, pulled pork, pulled chicken, and sliced brisket. All are amazing. My favorite sides are Mac and cheese and collard greens. Chilly is too spicy . The space is great, easy to get to bar (where you order everything including food), nothing too crazy. Ordering at the bar works great because you don't have to worry about split tabs. Got to meet a lot of the staff, super friendly and committed to keeping the neighborhood bbq joint vibe. Much needed upgrade to Petworth/upshur street, can't wait to be back! read more

Cinder BBQ - Old fashioned + sliced brisket - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

You're not gonna have a regular dinner at 8 here, because there're sold out of everything by then. After this happening twice, I showed up at 6, more like petworth family time I guess. Brisket is, well, ok. I'm sure they cook it forever, but Midnight deli's cherrywood bbq up the street has A lot more taste. Cinders sauces are average at best Midnight's mango habanero, by contrast, is fabulous. Maybe combine the two? Still, I have no doubt this place will be a hit, and hope it figures out the operation. I like it better as a bar than restaurant. read more

Cinder is our go-to BBQ spot here in the DMV. Drinks are amazing, food is fantastic, service is wonderful. Local neighborhood spot that's great for their Mexican Breakfast on the weekends, and weeknight dinner spot. Food is always on point! read more

Cinder BBQ - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great atmosphere. Lots of kiddos in the early PM hours, if that's your thing. Beverages were good. Wish the happy hour was a little more robust. Food came wicked fast. read more

Cinder BBQ - BBQ pork sandwich with a side of mac and HH wine. - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Friendly staff. Good vibes. Texas Barbecue sauce was good, but brisket was dry and lacked flavor. Looks like an awesome place for a post-COVID drink though. Great selection of beer and liquor. And awesome open air seating inside and out. Hope the BBQ gets optimized to hold up to the rest of the quality read more

This place is great, we've ordered from them twice now since the lockdown began (once online and once at the walk up window) and the food has been phenomenal. Had the brisket sandwich which was juicy and came with a bunch of great sauces, the smoked wings with a dry rub and excellent Alabama white sauce and the andouille sausage with a very spicy mustard. They were very good about being sanitary and social distancing too and just all around pleasant to speak to, while six feet away. I also bought two bottles of whiskey which were very reasonably priced and I didn't have to go in to a liquor store to do it. read more

I'm so glad Cinder is in the neighborhood and that it has been able to keep operating during COVID! It's a solid bbq place - my go to is the pulled chicken sandwich. The sides (mac and cheese, fries, and brussels sprouts in particular) are also great. They usually also have great rotating cocktails. Hope they stick around for a long time! read more

Good service! We got our food to go! We ordered a variety of food from the small selection. Overall the food was nasty & cold.

As a South Carolina native, I take barbecue seriously. After four years in DC, I can easily say that Cinder does it best. I'd suggest going with their brisket--a sandwich, a platter, or a pound (pictured here) if you're feeling ambitious. The fat to meat to crust ratio is impeccable and makes for a brisket that falls apart on your fork (or fingers, no judgement here!!). Seriously -- their brisket is the best. As for sides, I'd suggest the collards or brussels, but know that they're made with meat and boyyyy do they taste like it. The onion rings are also a great choice and you don't have to worry about the onion sliding out after your first bite. Whatever magic they work in the kitchen is powerful. Other meats + sides aren't bad but don't reach the same heights as the brisket. Sauces are creative renditions of Carolina classics, but don't quite hit the mark when it comes to consistency and flavor distribution. All in all, I'd suggest you go. Order the brisket with a side of onion rings and thank me later. read more

Cinder BBQ - Pound of Brisket Beer Battered Onion Rings Pint of Spicy Redemption Sauce - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place is great! I've been here at the grand opening and at 2 other random weekend nights and I was never disappointed. The brisket was delicious and the burger as well ($8 btw for the angus burger which is cheap for DC). The bartenders are very knowledgeable and always have great recommendations. The QUALITY is there 100% from the meat to the pickles (I'm usually not a huge pickle fan) I honestly don't understand how you could give this place a review under 4 stars. My only regret is that I have a huge sweet tooth and the dessert menu is pretty low, but I can just go across the street for ice cream if need be. The bar menu is also solid especially for whiskey lovers. I have only good things to say about this place. I don't regret Ruto del vino one bit. read more

I came in here tonight for the first time for a late dinner. I've read so many great things about this place that I had to give it a try. Immediately when I walked in, the first thing that I noticed was the full bar. Almost everyone was sitting there, and most of the tables were vacant. Since I am a huge fan of barbeque and I've always loved to try new spots, I already knew that I wanted to order. I went for the sliced Angus brisket that indicated was served with authentic Texas toast. It automatically included slaw and a side, so I picked baled beans for the side. It took them about seven minutes to prepare this and bring it to my table. After the first bite, I was pleasantly surprised about how juicy this sandwich really was. The barbeque sauce as incredible! The slaw was good as well, and I managed to polish everything off in one sitting. I love the location of this place and I will have to mosey back on over here one night after work! It was a great dine! read more

Cinder BBQ - Bars Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My name is Meredith and I ordered to go at Cinder BBQ on Upsher St. NW DC this evening. This has been one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. Raine, Silas and Autumn greeted me with a friendly smile, professionalism and extremely prompt amazing service! The brisket, dry rubbed smoked wings, collard greens and peach bourbon BBQ beans were absolutely unctuous with the umami response, super fresh and mouthwatering , all thanks to the amazing Chef Ciara. The ambiance is also very beautiful and laid back. Their dedication to excellent customer service and professionalism are second to none and reflects great credit upon themselves and the Cinder BBQ brand. My overall rating undoubtedly is 5 out of 5 stars without hesitating. I will definitely be back for more of heir phenomenal BBQ. Raine, Silas, Autumn and Chef Ciara deserve big raises and the biggest recognition/honorable mention for their amazing friendly service, attentiveness and professionalism. Thanks Cinder BBQ for hiring this jewels of employees to represent your magnificent restaurant business! :o) read more

Our favorite spot to eat and drink in DC! The food is always excellent, the service is second to none, and they have the best BBQ and allocated whiskey prices in DC. We try to go once a week and always look forward to it. read more

Can't recommend enough! Great food. Great bourbon selection. Great service! Get the specials of the day. Try the restaurant picks in whisky! read more

Delicious hot sauce!!!!, pickles, pulled pork, Mac and cheese and ribs. This was ready within 15 minutes.

The quality of the food and service goes up each time we eat there. And it was great from the start. Salmon week was delicious, oh that crudo! The owner came by the table to share with us how it was sourced and prepared. I always enjoy the brisket, sliced or in the bun, tender, flavorful, pure yum. My dog was with us on the patio tonight, treats and water were brought without our asking. Previous favorites include the nachos, the weekly short rib special and all of the sides. read more

What a great addition to Petworth! Everything was delicious, and it didn't even take that long for food to arrive, even though the place was packed. Had the 1/2 chicken and can't wait to try the brisket . Friendly service on top of everything. Will definitely be back. This place is a win for our neighborhood and the city. read more

Came here with my husband my sister and her husband When we came the kitchen was closed so we couldn't order any food. We had just left a comedy show and just wanted to grab a drinks anyway . Our waitress was nice and honestly, the place felt like a chill vibe and from what I could see ppl who had food were enjoying it. So I will definitely be back hopefully when the kitchen is open read more