Hitching Post

This place is great! Great food, I got the fried chicken dinner with Mac and cheese and greens (which is not made with pork (great because I don’t eat pork). great ambiance and I met a couple of great people. I will definitely be back again!

Haven’t tried the food yet, but the outdoor seating and happy hour beer/​wine were perfect for a sizable Friday evening happy hour (there were 11 of us). Host and server were prompt, friendly and accommodating!

Can I tell you all how this is my new spot? I go around deck neighborhoods and find nice eateries, and this place took the cake. Charming neighborhood… made new friends (my friend had us join a table) and had awesome food! The fried chicken was fresh, Mac n cheese was on point, and the collard greens… Lemme take a moment to reminisce… ok I’m back. And Arlene Savage. she was a gem!!! Attentive, friendly, and overall awesome! Will definitely come back. It is a bit small, but that was why we joined a table of women we didn’t know lol.
Ps the music was on point as well!!!

When I first walked up, I was nervous because there were a lot of children with their parent/​guardian out front. However, once I walked in, there was a quick shift in the atmosphere (good shift btw). There was a mature crowd waiting inside for me and some of the best «oldies but goodies» for my ear pleasure. The food was delicious (I ordered the crab cake sandwich with mac and cheese). The drinks were respectable as well plus they have a DAILY Happy Hour from 4 pm-​7pm. If you’re in the Brookland or Petworth area, this establishment is definitely worth a visit especially if you want to enjoy some good ol Soul food.

It’s just not the same. I started going about a year ago and food was on point. Now orders are always messed up probably because the newer waitress has bad English

In an gentrified area of NW filled with overpriced restaurants and underwhelming food this place stands out. I first went here in 2008 because my father told me about it. He was an officer in the area and a lot of cops would go there to get good food on their lunch break. At the time there wasn’t much in terms of soul food spots in the area, anyway he told me and my mom, before I knew it the whole family ate there. This review is based on the times I went in 2008, 2009 and 2010. I think they changed owners in 2013, hopefully the food is still good.
Normally you order an entrée and it will come with a side (sometimes two) and you eat your meal on one plate. This place is slightly different, as I remember you get 2 sides with your meal. The sides themselves are a meal and let’s be honest, you want your money to far. I remember I ordered a chicken dinner, my mom tried to explain to me the portions were big but I didn’t believe her. There were about 6 pieces of chicken on 2 plates, my spinach (side 1) was served in a medium sized salad bowl and my fries (side 2) was served on a medium sized plate over a bed of paper towels. I don’t know about you but the minute I saw that I knew I found something special. it had a down home feeling to it. Like you were at your granny’s house on a Sunday evening after church.
Anyway, I remember the chicken being PERFECT. It was piping hot, like they just got it out of the pan and put it on my plate. The skin was perfectly crisp and the meat was tender. The spinach was delicious, it was fresh spinach that reminded me of something my grandmother would grow in her garden. The French fries were cooked perfectly, firm on the outside but soft of the inside.
Bottom line: This is the place to go for perfect down home soul food.

Loved this fried chicken. It’s got a nice patio and the waitresses are very friendly. My boyfriend didn’t love the mac and cheese but everything else we had was great. Definitely get the cornbread.

Great atmosphere, tasty fried chicken, and the collard greens are a must order. Definitely worth going.

Very good food! But be warned, portions are very large. My mom and I thought we could share a plate of fried chicken and get my brother a «small» plate of three pieces of chicken and a side…
Well there was a lot of chicken left over. The three of us could have shared the one normal plate of fried chicken and two sides.
Overall the food was great! We also ordered the calamari which was delicious!

I already said that I love the food – but I wanted to add that I love the service just as much. ALL of the staff is great, but Arlene and Barry really bend over backwards to make your experience a fantastic one! Such great folks! And that’s yet another reason why this is one of our favorite spots!

This is a warm and friendly restaurant. The Hitching post offers a generous amount of food. The food was great!

Late night Fried chicken dinner with collard greens and potato wedges.
1. The staff is AMAZING. Unexpectedly kind and warm and accommodating.
2. The place is beautiful. Small, intimate, trendy. Nice for a romantic date or a beer with friends.
3. Perfectly seasoned chicken. Not too salty like other places, I could taste the meat under the delicately fried crust. The wedges were da bomb. I could more of their collard greens.
They used seasonings to enhance not cover the taste of the food.

Four pieces of delicious fried chicken with two sides will leave you satisfied. Perfectly crisp on the outside while juicy and perfectly done on the inside. The service is first rate and very homey.

Hitching Post is unassuming from the outside, when I drove up I thought this place on the corner of the street was someone’s home instead of a restaurant. This all falls in line with their Southern down home charm. There is no private parking lot, so circle around a few times for street parking.
Inside is just as unassuming as outside, place is not very big with a bar area and separate area also in house dining. I ordered take-​out so I didn’t get to fully experience the in-​dining aspect. I did get a chance to sit at the bar while I waited and have a drink. They have daily happy hour which is always a plus. Staff is friendly, bartender made a strong drink and host was welcoming and enthusiastic.
I ordered the fried chicken entrée that comes with two sides. Chicken is one of their staples and they do it well. The portion size is plenty, as they offer a half chicken, breast, thigh, leg and wing. Chicken was almost perfect. All pieces were well seasoned and fried perfectly. One tiny issue was some of the breast meat was slightly dry, not choke dry but just not as juicy as other pieces.
Sides were both forgettable, mashed potatoes were bland and broccoli was also under seasoned and just kind of there. The fact the sides weren’t up to par left me a bit disappointed.
Chicken is worth the visit and as they have a menu of choice options I would return for sure, might skip the mashed potatoes though.

I worked on this block for 10 years, lived on it for three and my first time actually having a meal here was last week. My supervisor and I had a busy morning and decided to stop here for lunch (he loves the fried chicken). I ordered a side salad with ginger broccoli soup, and of course my supervisor enjoyed the fried chicken. My salad was good for a salad, but as I slurped on my soul I found myself staring wistfully at my lunch companions chicken. The service was friendly and attentive, and the ice tea was weak. Overall I will be returning to sample the famous fried chicken.

Love this place! Hometown feel, great southern food and awesome happy hour prices. The staff is very friendly and service is usually pretty quick.
Definitely a hidden gem.

I now understand why the phrase «winner winner chicken dinner» exists — this meal is truly a steal, a prize, a treat!
Hitching Post is the quintessential neighborhood spot with the BEST fried chicken. Seriously.
For $ 16.50, you can order the chicken dinner which comes with 4 pieces of perfetly friend chicken (breast, thigh, wing, leg) and two sides. I have tried the mac & cheese, the greens, the rice & beans, and mashed potatoes — they are all amazing! I have honestly never doubted ordering mac & cheese as a side until I tried my friend’s rice & beans — it was perfect!
If you are looking for «comfort food» in a low-​key, casual atmosphere — this is your spot!
Also, they are open late but they run out of sides!

Did not frequent here when the former, longtime ownership was running the place; many speak highly of those days. It’s under new management but still a popular watering hole with a lot of history tied to it.
Just a stone’s throw from the nation’s first Old Soldiers’ Home and the presidential cottage of Abraham Lincoln, Hitching Post is a local institution that is an oldie but goodie (most of the time). Ol’ Abe needed a getaway, just like we all do, and he came to this hilltop in DC to catch the breezes. In fact, Lincoln’s cottage became his immediate family’s residence during the Civil War, and he penned the Emancipation Proclamation there.
Hitching Post has featured Southern fried chicken as its calling card since the beginning (1967); I think it’s pretty reliable, too. The true article cannot be faked. This place knows their stuff – chicken pieces are big; takes at least 20 – 30 minutes to prepare properly. I order it a lot.
Also, I very much like the fried catfish sandwich. The pork chop dinner is solid, too.
The cole slaw and various green salads are respectable; but the mac n’ cheese and collards are in need of some help.
Happy Hour is a great value; good way to try some of the famous «meatier» options in a smaller serving.
Usually I receive pleasant service. Yeah, it’s not the speediest on the trigger-​response, but this is not a fast food joint.
The interior could be considered charming, in a vintage kinda way. Furniture is a hodge-​podge of different eras, and there are various-​sized spaces to dine in as well as outside seating. The staff are always trying to get me to eat on the veranda, but I usually want to watch some sports on the TVs inside, and they will always put on what I want.
Hitching Post is a throwback, found in an established, quaint neighborhood. There is something about it which speaks to me. I can slow down here quite nicely.
It’s a mellow restaurant/​bar that gets some of the most wildly mixed reviews I’ve ever read on Unilocal.Folks either love it (like me) or don’t…

If soul food is what you’re feeling… then look no further!
Located in the middle of the Petworth — DC neighborhood, off the main drag of GA Ave, is one of the best places in the city to go when craving some good food that comforts the soul. The Hitching Post is a low-​key eating spot that offers up serious southern main dishes like Fried Catfish, Chicken, Collards, Mac n’ Cheese… and more… to say the least. When stepping into this place you feel like you going to someone’s home. Actually, it is a home that was reconstructed in to a restaurant… from the looks of things, back in the 70s! But, don’t let the façade and décor fool you because the food is legit and on point.
THE ATMOSPHERE
Very laid-​back, cozy with tables spaces and a bar. You can order to eat in or for takeout. The interior and eat areas are carved out somewhat small, but in an corky way it works!
THE SERVICE
The service is prompt and the staff is very friendly but at times if you’re not always used to someone being warm and fuzzy, then the customer service here may put you off a bit. I say this for the mere fact that it’s all about the food at the Hitching Post; not necessarily a top-notch…A+ rated customer service experience when you dine here. You might get someone attentive to you at your table or at the bar when dining and other times… they maybe ghost… and barely frequent you. Nevertheless, the service is good by my book.
THE FOOD
The food, in general, is VERY GOOD! You can’t go wrong with most of the items served by the Hitching Post. I have had several items from their menu, during my visits, and have been pleased with what I ordered. My favorites are:
NUMERO UNO: The Fried Chicken! The fried chicken is made to order and very seasoned. It’s crispy on the outside and very moist, juicy and tender on the inside. Cook to perfection! They definitely got a handle on frying chicken… some of the best around… heck! I’m talking Rated G…“Grandma” status for sure.
Second Best, is the Pork Chops (smothered in gravy by request) for sure! There is nothing like crispy pork chops… bathed in a gravy. It is a sweet taste of heaven on the mouth and finger-​licking good at the Hitching Post.
The sides to most of their main dishes are okay… I’ve had better. But I will admit, of all things «that darn corn bread» is delicious!
TIP: When it comes to soul/​comfort food…& to play things on the safe side… always stick with the collard greens and mac n’ cheese! You can’t go wrong at any soul-​comfort food joint ordering these two items to complement your main dish.
OVERALL RATING — 4 ½ Stars!
The Hitching Post offers up great, down-​home southern food to be reckoned with any comfort food/​soul food spots in the city! This place gets 4 ½ stars in my playbook. I am deducting ½ star for coming out of there smelling like I cooked the food myself… in my own kitchen! I guess I enjoyed the food and my time so much at the bar… that I stayed too long and ended up coming out of there smelling like I was the Head Chef or on kitchen duty…“Head of Fries” for the second shift! LOL

Came here with my boss for a late lunch. The place was empty, possibly due to rain. The waiter was slow to take our order. The prices on the menu were reasonable I must say.
My boss ordered the greens and cornbread. I had the Whitting, mac and cheese and greens. The food came out fast and was deliciOus. The mac and cheese was cheesy but not like grandma’s and the greens had flavor with a spice kick. Not bad for my first time visiting, this place has history I ran into a couple who had been coming to the place for forty years before renovation. Overall nice and chill spot