Owner Ranu Rawat is working hard to get the restaurant ready to open.

There’s been a lot of attention on what kind of restaurant is coming to 821 Upshur Street NW, and now we know: Petworth Social Bar & Grill. Owner Ranu Rawat says he’s excited to open the Southern style American cuisine restaurant in Petworth, looking forward to connecting with the community.

Ranu says the menu will focus on comfort food at good prices, with specials offered weekly or more often featuring cajun and creole meals. He’s well aware of Petworth being a diverse community with a lot of children. You’ll find children’s meals on the menu to ensure kids are happy, along with a good selection of beer, wine and spirits and larger meals to make parents happy.

The original plan for the restaurant’s cuisine was offer Indian (which not coincidentally won the community survey for most wanted cuisine type in the Petworth News survey this summer). However, the kitchen isn’t the right configuration and size for making Indian food, according to Ranu. “We would need to expand the size of the hood in the kitchen, along with other changes, and it made it financially not viable.”

The menu is being led by Chef James Oakley, who brings years of experience to the Petworth Social Bar & Grill. Currently the executive chef of Puttery, Oakley has been a chef for over 20 years, working at McCormick & Schmidt and other restaurants in the area.

Chef James Oakley out front of 821 Upshur St NW is ready to offer some delicious food for the neighborhood.

Initially, the southern-style comfort food menu will offer staples like burgers, pasta and salads, along with specialties like Cajun-Maple Wings, Crispy Brussel Sprouts, Fried Catfish Fingers and more, as well as a dessert menu.

“I love food,” Oakley laughs, “and I do my research on different types of items to offer customers. With the Petworth Social Bar & Grill we’ll be offering a simple menu of fresh food, with some eclectic cajun and creole items. We’re going to sample and see what works. So people will see some items come and go depending upon what is popular. Wait until people try my ‘Swamp Thing!’” he said, with a big grin on his face.

Oakley is excited to offer his version on a seafood etouffee with shrimp, scallops, crawfish, collards, creole mustard sauce and greens. “I’ve perfected the etouffee,” Oakley says, proudly. “And just wait until you’ve tried my sweet potato and pecan pies.”

The space at 821 Upshur St NW offers the largest seating on the block, with at least room for 80 inside. The bar holds another 20 or so, with large TVs around the perimeter of the bar. Expect to find four beer taps, with more bottled beer available, along with white and red wines and harder liquor for mixed drinks.

The main seating area still has the original brick walls… and the artwork painted on the brick by Taqueria del Barrio. Ranu said he wants to find a way of replacing or modifying the murals instead of painting over the original brick. “It would be a shame to cover this great brick,” he said.

Plus there’s a smaller seating area behind the bar that for now will be used for customer overflow. In the future, Ranu says it would be a great place for private parties.

The artwork from del Barrio remains on the walls, and Ranu says he wants to change it for his restaurant’s style without ruining the original brick.

While they’re still getting the interior set up, they still have to get all the typical permits from the city, including an ABRA liquor license and recertification by the Health Department.

Once opened, the hours at the beginning will be 7 days a week, 4pm to 10pm. They plan to offer weekend brunch after some time, and will look at lunch hours depending on feedback they get from the community.

More to come as they work to get open!

Petworth Social Bar & Grill
821 Upshur Street NW
Opens… in the next few months!