Chi-Cha Lounge

by Tracey C.

I went here for happy hour and it was great. Nice atmosphere and not at all crowded. I think that may have had to do with DC folk migrating elsewhere for the Memorial Day weekend. Jason is the best and I have a new summer drink to introduce to the ladies for the summer. Pink Lemonade! It's easy and goes down so smooth that I won't know I'm drunk until I wake up the next morning. If I'm too lazy to make it myself I'll stop by here for a $6 martini. The food is pretty good. Nice happy hour dishes for $5. I like the yucca fries, calamari, and a sweet corn cake dish with cheese dish. I think it was missing jalapeno or something to add a kick of flavor but still good.

by John K.

H-O-O-K-A-H.  Oh YEA!  Right in between U street and Adams Morgan, it's quite the locale.  Not recommended after heavy heavy drinking since the hookah buzz will KNOCK YOU OUT!I remember the first time I came here, I barely remembered where I was.  That's why I couldn't Yelp it.....I should probably come here sober one night to give it a real review.The hookahs are awesome and plentiful.  Plenty of places to sit.  And I think they serve pretty good food too (from what I remember).

by Reggie G.

Chi-cha is a bit of a conundrum.  Just when you become convinced about how cool it is, it does something stupid to fuck it all up.  You have to take this place at face value - it gets really crowded on weekend nights with a bunch of fools.I recommend coming at happy hour - from 5-8, pretty good deals on food and drinks and you can sit outside or on one of the fabulous couches.Downsides - the music can really suck, it can be expensive and you may have to put up with some snobbery. Upsides - they have caipirinhas, they have awesome lounge couches, they have fried yuka and you can totally make out without being noticed.

by Czarina B.

(Sidenote: I love being a hater and giving the opposite reviews from other Yelpers!)I think this place is great.  I love 'lounges' with antiquey couches thrown about strategically to create a comfortable, bohemian ambiance (as a counter: Tryst tries to do this and fails miserably.)  Top it off with some mood lighting and it's a great place to just chill with vices -- alcohol and something you inhale through a pipe.I went on a weekend early evening and it was near empty when I got there.  I was promptly greeted by not 1, but 2 servers.  Our initial server was very friendly and attentive.  The downside is that there seems to be a gaggle of servers floating around who are ambiguously dressed and blend in with the customers.  We had to move to accomdate a reservation and then were pointedly ignored by the other 3 ladies whose section we were probably sitting in but wouldn't be contributing a tip to.It worked out for the best though, because it gave me more uninterrupted time to get cozy with a cute girl and imbibe chocolate flavored cocktails.  I even consummated my growing infatuation with chicha...shisha... however you spell it, and learned how to "pull a pipe".  I know, I feel so worldly now, I'm blushing.Supposedly the crowd has changed and now draws from Georgetown.  There was either no music playing or else the music was really random, like Britney Spears random.  It didn't fit in with the chill atmosphere.  But, I was paying too much attention to my ladyfriend to care.  So minus the music, the atmosphere is perfect for an intimate gathering of friends or just one "friend"

by Lauren K.

I was pretty confused to see that "Twilight" was playing on the flatscreen above the bar, since I thought that movie's target audience wasn't old enough to be admitted into Chi Cha Lounge. As I was wondering about the odd film selection, the DJ busted out "The Thong Song." Yes, the very song often playing at the 8th grade tri-city dance as you were grinding against a boy 4 inches shorter than you. Maybe I could have been down with the middle school party vibe... if the place didn't bill itself as a "lounge" and everyone weren't smoking hookah on velvet couches under dim red lighting. The place was too hot, too crowded, and too dark; the atmosphere was too weird for me. In a word: creepy.

by Nate M.Brendan F.C. A.martha w.cotie s.

I've worked in the restaurant industry for a long time and plan on sticking around for the rest of my life. Once a cook, always a cook. But I've been a server too at one point and it's changed the way I eat out. I pay attention to a lot of subtleties because they are the biggest tells of frustration. And on this night, we were that frustrating party.We were:-The party of 15 on a friday night that turned into the party of 20 so every server who walked by we constantly kept asking for chairs.-Ordering thins one a time as opposed to all at once, then resulting in our table wondering why service is taking so long.-Demanding we just "send us food, I'm hungry, I don't care"-Grabbing the table next to attach to ours, and in the process breaking the hookah and a few cocktail glasses around it (the echoes of shattering glass in the smaller part of that lounge was beautiful)-Splitting the bill between 8 and 9 debit cards.-Too drunk to remember what exactly any of our drinks and food were, but quick to point out what we didn't order.Writing this out reminds of the fact that I really dislike dining out with non-industry people. Anyways, after all that I wondered if our server would lose it but you know what? She didn't.. not one bit. I wish I had got her name because she handled us pretty well. Of course, our party left unhappy because "the service sucked" but 90% have never worked in a restaurant before. The spread sampler and pita, yucca fries and calamari were all delicious. One drink you need to try is the Maltido Amor: Passionfruit, ginger, vodka and a serrano chili. Sweet, spicy... a real kick in the mouth.I'll probably give this place another try.WTF?We sat next to a party of 5 (no, not that Party of Five but they would have been a lot cooler) that was ordering gobs of food, drinks and hookah. Meanwhile, my friend and I sat next to them waving our arms like a couple of assholes trying to get the server's attention. He walked by like, mmm, a half dozen times bearing gifts to our neighbors and finally my friend literally stuck her hand on his chest to get his attention. No worries, dude, we just want to order a drink. Which ended up taking 15 minutes. And he forgot mine. Whatever.Ok...visited Chi-Cha over the summer as some friends hosted a weekly "I Love Patron Happy Hour" and the atmosphere was nice because I often went with friends, however, the lounge is in dyer need of some renovations. The Pros: * The Food (great and reasonably priced) * Drinks (great price for U Street) * Hookah (affordable, relaxing, and mellow) * Lighting (I enjoyed the dimly lit lounge as it made it very relaxing) The Cons: * Parking (the worst...but its expected on U Street) * The Sofas Chairs (old and in need of replacing...not repairing) * The Restrooms (very small stalls as I'm sure is a challenge for larger patrons) * Bartenders (while they mix drinks well it takes FOREVER to arrive, but this could change if management have enough bartenders for functions) * Wait Staff (try to ensure a good time, but if its packed, their lost) This isn't someplace I'd go out of my way to visit, however, if you're in the area, stop by and try the Hookah...its real chill.If you like red velvet, this is the place for you. No - it's more than that. I actually really like Chi-Cha's - especially when there is live classical guitar (and other) music. The sofas are a little smelly but the servers are  friendly, the drinks are reasonably priced, and it's an ecclectic crowd. My friends and I automatically relax when we go inside. The atmosphere sort of demands that you chill and enjoy. I would give it four stars except that the food and drinks aren't especially thrilling. But will definitely go back."A Top Chef judge was our waiter" or "We were totally duped"Scroll below to read my review of the food. Read directly below to read a story that is either very exciting or a sad, sad ruse. (Side Note: I heart Top Chef with a medium sized passion and easily consider it one of my favorite shows)So showing up around 8pm we basically had the place to our selves and sat towards the front on a comfy corner spot. Our waiter at first was fairly lax with our service because we had to ask for enough menus and for plates when our first round of food came out. Then he only brought 3 plates when there were four of us. Either way food was good and our service improved considerable. Now the story...Ivan, our waiter, starts talking to us and eventually tells us he will pay our bill if we can guess where he is from. He already revealed he speaks fluent Spanish, and he looks Spanish. So we realize he's probably not Spanish. We make our three guess he provides over the next several times he brings us food/drinks. Turkey, Russia, and New Zealand were wrong. He reveals he is from France. He then reveals he speaks fluent French. We talk some more and continue to order drinks.At some point Ivan reveals he is a chef. Let me correct that, he claims he one ONE OF THE BEST CHEFS IN EUROPE!! So we start grilling him about cooking, why is he waiting on us at this restaurant, and where does he work as a chef. He claims the following: A) He works at El Bulli, perhaps the most famous restaurant in the world http://www.ebulli.com. And he is working in DC because El Bulli closes for six months out of the year and is spending time in the US.B) His uncle owns a restaurant in DC and he got him a job at Chi Cha so he can spend time in the US and learn about the other end of working in a resturant.C) He will be on TOP CHEF AS A GUEST JUDGE for a quick fire challenge. He then said the contestants food sucked and they gave him hard time for being so critical of their food. He said he did not meet Tom Colicchio.D) The next day he will be competing in a food competition in Crystal City.E) That he would email us with some recipes we could make at home.F) Recommended the "Mango Crisp", it was terrible.Since leaving we have found nothing to substantiate Ivan's claims. We've scoured the internet and have yet to find any evidence. Perhaps we should have asked his last name, but that though eluded us while we were there. While the jury is still out, we've pretty much decided Ivan was full of crap. Though there is still the possibility that maybe he wasn't...If anyone can verify Ivan's story, please contact me. If you're pretty sure I'm a complete dope for even humoring him, please contact me.Food:Definitely good tapas food and we ordered about half the menu. Below is a rank order of what we had from favorite to least."Tender Steak"-off menu item were were told was a special. Super tender slow cooked beef tenderloin with an amazing gravy over the steak and potatoes."crab freschetta"-sweet crab meat, tomatoes, and chewy bread. Yum!!!"cheese filled corn fritters"-cheesy crunchy goodness, tasty sause"Pepper steak"-tasty, little dry, nothing compared to the tender steak"Pita Chips and guacamole"-mediocre at best"Tuna steak"-kinda dry, not a lot of taste, punch in the face spicy salad with Chinese five spice."Nutella cake"-dry and bad"Mango Crisp"-terrible

by Lisa B.

I'm torn between a 2 and a 3...but just for the hookah, and only the hookah, I'll make it a 3. I've been here four times now and can gladly say the service is consistently under par (sorry, watching the PGA Tour) - and I say gladly cos at least it's consistent...Arrived at about midnight Friday and no line at the door. A very eager male host offered a table and we declined choosing a high top right by the door. Waited 5 minutes, received no service. Finally asked the host if we could order a drink and a hookah and were advised that just this particular table did not permit it....So we were seated at a table in the rear and waited...and waited....To cut a long story short - service failed. And to add injury to the insult we spied the remains of a hookah pipe and a round of empty glasses on that very same high top as we departed! Pros - I like the decor and dark burgundy walls; dimmed lighting creates the right ambiance. Music is usually good (although last night begged the question of how much longer have I to listen to 80's sound tracks thrown in at random on an otherwise decent line up?) The martini list is good and the Ecstacy cocktail is delicious. Cons - The crowd has gone downhill since my earlier visits...or perhaps I'm just getting older and less tolerant :) Ventilation is poor and the whiff upon entering is, well, gross. But not half as bad as the odor in the women's restroom...which is just the right intro to a completely filthy scene. Now I completely understand it was the wee hours of the morning etc, but there's a limit to what's acceptable...and it's not as if I wasn't paying a fair penny for my martini. If you want to set a scene and a standard - deliver. Highlight of the evening - guy sitting across from our table sporting a transformers tee-shirt...oh I how I wish iphone camera had a flash for that.

by Nihar S.

Chi-cha, what happened to you?! When i first moved into the district, this place was NICE. Great music, great staff, good hookah and drinks with a great crowd. Every time I come back, it gets a bit worse and worse. I have an idea -- switch the DJ and turn on the A/C. I went this past weekend and it was 90 degrees outside and approximately 98 degrees inside...I guess it didnt matter because nobody could dance to whatever crap that was playing on the speakers. Only tried the food there once and it's decent. The hookah is pretty good too, and the drinks are cheaper than most venues in DC.  Stick to gazuza for the hookah or go to another venue if you want to dance, but chicha's is declining...I hope it'll pick back up, but until then...I'm out.

by martha w.

If you like red velvet, this is the place for you. No - it's more than that. I actually really like Chi-Cha's - especially when there is live classical guitar (and other) music. The sofas are a little smelly but the servers are  friendly, the drinks are reasonably priced, and it's an ecclectic crowd. My friends and I automatically relax when we go inside. The atmosphere sort of demands that you chill and enjoy. I would give it four stars except that the food and drinks aren't especially thrilling. But will definitely go back.

by r. r.

On Wednesday: Funky meters, sultans of swing, bronx parkway express, naive melody, 3$ dutch beers, 9$ hookah all night, bearded DC hipsters in tight shorts (working for the government and riding an uncomfortable bike to work is so daring) and girls wearing proper dresses. Very nice, chi cha lounge. If they play cymande and throw in some hieroglyphics or quannum mc's next time I will have to become a regular, if only for the massive shot of tequila you get along with your dos equis for seis dolares.