Forgive me for gushing. Black Squirrel is my go-to bar in Adams Morgan. Before they opened, Bourbon was my spot, but somewhat begrudgingly–the beer list is great, the food ain’t bad, but I feel like the bar staff hates me. So over the months, I have gravitated to the friendly, less crowded, extensively beer stocked neighboring bar, The Black Squirrel.
Beer: They have one of the longest beer lists in Adams Morgan. Over 77 bottles and 11 drafts of craft and imports ranging from East coast faves like Dogfish Head, Troegs, Smuttynose and Bar Harbor, thru the Midwestener’s beloved Bell’s to the West Coast’s Stone, Rogue and Bear Republic. Imports range from Germans (see below) to Belgians (A full flight of Chimay, Floris Wit and a few Canadian Unibroue bottles). There is even a Jamaican Dragon Stout that is actually pretty good.
It’s a stated goal of the owners that they wanted to provide a great beer bar experience and if their Oktoberfest menu was any indication, I think they mean business. Along with a plate of traditional German fare conjoured up by the very talented Gene Sohn (more on him later) patrons could enjoy a ONE LITRE stein of Hofbrau Dunkel. This is regularly available any night of the week for anyone looking for a giant glass of good beer.
Honorable beer mentions are the two house named beers: an Amber and a White ale brewed by a mystery brewery. There is also an extremely strong mixed beer drink which must include most of the various liquors and enough Framboise to hide them–Lambicaine (its good).
Food: The food at Black Squirrel is really good. Have I gushed enough yet? Ok, so the beer list is extensive and I like to hang out there instead of other Admo bars, but the real reason to go the Black Squirrel is really for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Chef Gene Sohn is making probably the best food in this jumbo slice ridden stretch of DC and he’s probably giving other parts of town a run for their money. Lets start with dinner… Their hamburger is made with DUCK FAT. I am not sure I need to explain further. This is an amazing burger. Drop the 5 Guys, walk up to Adams Morgan and get the squirrel burger add some caramelized onions and enjoy it with some excellent boardwalk fries next to your gigantic stein. If you want to be even more intense their bacon cheeseburger is ’stuffed’ with brie.
You can eat the bones of the 24 hour ribs. And you wont mind. My brother was non-plussed by the fried chicken. The real shiner anyway is the sausage. Sohn makes the sausage in-house. He makes an awesome German brat from a 300 year-old recipe. Show up for brunch and order whatever comes with the breakfast sausage. You will not be disappointed.
Staff: Scott and the girls that run the front are all really nice, if somewhat overwhelmed when it’s busy. Show up enough tho and they will treat you like a regular. I’ve met the owner and the chef on a few occasions and they are both genuinely interested in feedback on the food and the beer list.
The Beer List:
Draft:
- Stella Artois
- Hoegaarden
- Leffe Brown
- Czechvar
- Redhook Long Hammer IPA
- Hofbrau Dunkel
- Bare Knuckle Stout
- St. Louis Framboise Lambic
- Black Squirrel Amber Bock
- Black Squirrel White Ale
- Delirium Tremens
Bottles Domestic:
- Abita Golden Lager
- Abita Purple Haze
- Abita Turbo Dog
- Anchor Steam Liberty Ale
- Anderson Valley Oatmeal Stout
- Atwater Voodoo Vator
- Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale
- Bar Harbor Real Ale Maine
- Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale
- Bell’s Oberon Ale
- Budweiser
- Bud Light
- Dogfish Head 60 Minute I.P.A.
- Green Flash Extra Pale Ale
- Green Flash Nut Brown Ale
- Lagunitas Censored (AKA The Kronic)
- Magic Hat #9
- Magic Hat “Circus Boyâ€
- Ommegang Abbey Ale Dubbel
- Ommegang Hennipin Farmhouse Saison Ale
- Original Sin
- Pyramid Hefe Weizen
- Pyramid Thunderhead India Pale Ale
- Rogue Dead Guy Ale
- Rogue Mocha Porter
- Shiner Bock
- Smuttynose Lager
- Smuttynose Summer Ale
- Stone Brewery Russian Imperial Stout
- Stone Brewing Arrogant Bastard Ale
- Troegs Pale Ale
- Troegs Troegenator Double Bock
- Yuengling
Bottle Imports:
- Ayinger Brau-weisse
- Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock
- Baltika No. 3
- Baltika No. 6
- Baltika No. 9
- Black Sheep Brewery Monty Python’s Holy Grail
- Chimay Blue (Grand Reserve)
- Chimay Red
- Chimay White
- Dragon Stout
- Floris Wit
- Grolsch
- Konig Pilsner Pils
- Leffe Blonde
- Lomza
- Pilsner Urquell
- Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale
- Samuel Smith Taddy Porter
- Schneider and Sohn Aventinus
- Schwelmer Pils
- Schwelmer Weizen
- St. Peter’s Organic English Ale
- Staropramen
- Svyturys Ekstra
- Svyturys Pils
- Svyturys Baltijos
- Unibroue Maudite
- Utenos Alus
- Weihenstephen Hefe Weissbier Dunkel
- Weihenstephen Original Lager
- Wychwood Hobgoblin Ale
- Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
- Zelta
Tags: Adams Morgan, german beer, lambic, the black squirrel
Brother Mike, I’m afraid now I’ll never get a free shot of whiskey at Black Squirrel again. To be fair, the chicken was OK, just not up to snuff when compared to their other fare–that sausage, especially, is worth the trip. Also, the giant steins are more of a publicity stunt in my view–the beer in them is meh… but it’s a hook that probably helps the drunken masses remember the bar for weekends to come.
Hi, Mike,
I’m the owner of The Black Squirrel. Many, many thanks for this wonderful review. I hope I’ll run into you in personal soon. We have to stop meeting on Twitter, ya know.
Cheers,
Amy Bowman