Kung Fu Saloon

Camet in here on a sat. night and it was packed. My buddy steps out to take a phone call and wasn’t let back in. The bouncer thought he was being disrespectful for trying to walk past him without showing his id and grabs him by his arm with force and my buddy explains to him, «hey, I’ll show you my id again, but you don’t have to grab my arm so hard» and then the bouncer says to just leave he can’t come in. Our whole party comes out and my buddy explains what happened to us and apologizes multiple times to the bouncer in front of us and the security with the bouncer, but the guy clearly was having a bad day… probably.

The last man (woman) standing of the Washington Ave nightlife scene. Seriously, I can’t recall an 11pm on-​the-​dot flock of crazies this big, and the bars east of this place pale in comparison. The atmosphere here is pretty cool– chill, fun, and wild all at the same time. They have arcade games scattered about, a few karaōke rooms, and a tiny little dance floor in the center right in front of the DJ. Speaking of which, the DJs here are awesome. «They’re provocative, and they get the people going!» [/​Kanye]
But really. If you’re looking for something wild outside of the usual Midtown Ratchet Central, Kung Fu is your PB&J.

This place was fun. Went on Thursday with a group of friends. Friendly people the ambient is dim lighting casual place. They have games to play which is very entertaining once you get some drinks down lol. Not only that but they video arcade games. There’s people dancing. But I been here a couple times and it’s great. I enjoy it. I would visit again. It’s not too pack like I’ve seen it before but then I don’t mind that because who wants to be standing around getting bumped into.
Come check them out if your in the area you won’t regret it at all. They have karaōke rooms as well if you want to get your Justin Bieber on!!!

I liked going to this bar. Food is decent if you’re in a pinch for a meal and the games are awesome (and free!)
It does get verrry crowded after about 11:00pm or so, thus becoming difficult to get a turn on any video game. The layout of the bar is just a big rectangle with the bar in the middle. There’s an outdoor patio.
The worst part is there is only valet parking available on site. I found street parking on Washington or there’s surrounding neighborhood streets but a lot are reserved for residents only.
Definitely check this place out if you’re in the area. Worth going at least once!

Love this spot. Always come here for a good time! No fancy footwork required, great music and bartenders. Free arcade games are a bonus!
Sunday’s are legit. There is a Bloody Mary bar (bloodys are $ 6) & mimosas are $ 1!

I haven’t been to any of the bars along Washington but stopped by here after dinner last night. I didn’t get any of the 1 star review on this place. Was like any other bar. Came in, showed ID, I was in jeans and a tank and I got in just fine. But $ 10 valet is ridiculous for parking in the parking lot right next to the place. I mean come on! Let people park. It’s not far to walk. And be careful parking on the streets. A lot of people were parked but we were the only one that ended up getting a ticket because apparently you can’t park on the streets from 9pm — 5am. Houston, you are stupid ridiculous when it comes to street parking. Not like it’s a crowded area.
The bar itself was normal. Normal drinks. Games. But some of them weren’t working. Skew ball. Ping pong table that they took away. Shuffle board that was blocked by the DJ. Two karaōke rooms, giant Jenga. Cool place with seating and a dance floor. Music was good. Nothing special but it wasn’t horrible except for parking.

STILL 1 Star!!!
My wife and I wanted to take our daughter here (mainly so she could play free ski ball, her favorite), and they told us no one under 21 was allowed in… My daughter is 14 months old and we were gana stay for one drink in the afternoon when really no one was around anyway. So, we weren’t allowed access.
I walked by this weekend going to another bar down the street (because I hate this place), and we saw 2 kids running around inside. Pretty sure they were either the bar tenders kids, or something because one bar tenders seemed to be watching them.
Real nice double standard guys… 0 stars if I could!

Went here to have fun and do karaōke while a friend was in town, karaōke was a blast, but our waitress was rude, had zero knowledge of the specials, was forgetful (had to ask for a beer list several times due to her not knowing anything about their selection), and to top it all off, she bought herself an expensive tequila shot on our tab. We were all more focused on having a good time, and we did, but we will not be returning due to the awful service.
This place also has a history of discrimination losing a federal case recently:

When my boyfriend and I first came here we were immediately approached by the valet. It cost $ 10 to park. I came here on a Friday, but during 9ish; so before the bouncer arrived. We just walked right in and there were already a lot of people regardless of the early hour. All the tables and seats were taken. The DJ was spinning his mix and we made our way to the bar. The bartenders were so chill and cool. I don’t remember her name, but she was so friendly and accommodating when I told her I wanted a sweet drink.
We got a table after 30 mins and the arcade games were free. We sat, enjoyed our drinks, and played pac man all night. It was real fun.
People started pouring in around 11 and it was hard to maneuver around because it was so packed. Everyone seemed to have a good time. The restrooms are real clean and the restroom attendant was very friendly.
This is such an interesting concept, grabbing a few drinks and enjoying arcade games, and karaōke. I already want to go back and do it again!

This place has a nice, chill atmosphere. We came on a Monday night so there wasn’t really anyone there, but it started filling up a little as the night went on. I’d like to see it on the weekend though. There were some cool arcade games in there, all free except Mario Kart (they know what’s up haha). None of the 2 player arcade games by the windows were working except the pacman one, it was fun though! I like that they had a variety of things to do, everything is pretty much 1 or 2 player except the basketball game and the Simpsons game which were 4 player. They had connect 4, ping pong, foosball, and shuffleboard, all free!
Only 2 of the 3 skeeball machines worked, but when we tried to play again later the balls weren’t coming out anymore for some reason. Maybe they were stolen? The bartender did mention that things surprisingly get stolen all the time. The bartender was pretty cool, a girl with red hair (didn’t get her name).
People were jamming out in the karaōke rooms which looked fun. We tried pickle shots for the first time and it was an interesting experience haha, to say the least the pickle juice completely took away the taste of the shot! All in all and with good company, it was a good time

Typical Monday night. The place was really dead, even with the bachelorette party here?! Wah? It’s still a chill environment though, especially with the nice tvs in the front patio. Our first bartender was eh and seemed out of it. Either he’s really tired, or he just hates his job. Well, he recommended my friend a blueberry olive vodka drink and she said it tasted like medicine haha. The next shift’s bartender, Kyle, was awesome though. He kindly changed my gf’s drink and kept refilling my other gf’s shirley temple. Very nice and friendly service.
All the video games were free, except for Mario Kart. However, most of the games didn’t work anyway :(There’s a karaōke room, ping pong table, connect four at the tables, and giant jenga (which looks really dirty). If it’s your birthday, you get to hit the gong too. This place is worth checking out, but I’d come back on the weekend if anything ~

My first opinion was that I loved this bar. Arcades, great beer, karaōke rooms, and lots of people to talk to. As I came here more often I noticed that the arcades (while free) almost never worked. They were always either broken or bugged, and for an establishment that advertises as an arcade bar they need to get their equipment fixed on the regular. If this is the worst of my concerns of this place I would give 3 stars, but please read on.
I went to Kung Fu on a Saturday night and left my card at the bar on accident. I noticed my card was missing and returned the day after to retrieve it and luckily it was there! Fast forward two days later and I have two charges on my credit card to a personal paypal account in excess of $ 1,200. I immediately reported it as fraud and got the money back from my bank and had the number changed and a new card sent to me in the mail.
No real harm was done at that point since I was able to reverse the charges, however when I went into the bar to speak with the manager and let him know what happened he put the blame on me. I let him know that I am okay and no charges went through since I immediately took care of it, I just came to notify him that someone in the bar must have tried stealing money from my credit card. He told me «that’s impossible» and «nobody would do that here» and that people can actually scan your credit card through your wallet and steal from you that way and that’s probably what happened.
I was floored to say the least, the manager had no sense of customer service and based on his reaction was probably the one guilty of stealing if he was going to go on the defense so abruptly. I have not returned since, first stealing from me then throwing it back in my face with an invalid argument as if I’m wrong for trying to inform him of a misdeed in his establishment. Let me ask this, how is it possible that the only card that was missing that night out of ALL the credit cards I have is the one that is charged on that night when it was out of my possession, and his first reaction is to shift the blame on me? The customer?
If you do decide to go to this bar, which many of you will since it is fun, I highly recommend you pay with Cash Only!
TL;DR
Don’t use your credit card here, someone tried to charge $ 1,200 on my card when I left it behind the bar overnight on accident.

Kung Fu Saloon gave me mixed opinions, but after drinking and thinking it turned out well. The parking actually cost $ 5 to park in their lot… odd.
Drinks:Sunday there are $ 2 mimosas which my wife and friends loved. I stuck to my guns with Blue Moon from the tap which was served nice and cold.
Food: I tried the steak lettuce wraps. I imagined long cut skirt steak, but it was more finely chopped with more of a soy sauce. The fried pickles were perfectly breaded and came with a spicy ranch dip, which I definitely could have used more of. the chicken tacos again were heavy in the soy sauce which I wasn’t a fan of.
Atmospher: there were a ton of board games and arcade games around the bar which were totally free. There were a lot of people mid afternoon but still plenty of games to be played.

I came here for a few drinks with a bunch of people on a Friday night and the place was booming! The DJ was playing great music, bartenders were fast and attentive, and the scene was vibrant! They even have games to play if you manage to snag a table and I myself tested my luck with Jenga and Connect Four. There are also many arcade games which I think give this saloon a nice touch, not to mention the photo booth in back!
Awesome place but the only thing I wasn’t a fan of was HOW OFTEN THEY WOULD HIT THAT STUIPD GONG. Is it really THAT necessary? Apparently yes, yes it is.

Since we were in town and wanted to just kick it without a club environment… we decided to come to the spot where we could be big kids w/​alcoholic beverages LOL
Kung Fu Saloon is a spot that’s a bar, very casual and laid back to me… a shorts, tshirt & tennis or flip flops type spot. Some guys were wearing jeans and some of the ladies were a tad over dressed… but to each its own! The place was packed so I went to the bar and ordered 2 drinks… paid like $ 10…so not what I was expecting! Cheap drinks, good music, chill environment and really laid back. Now this is what I’m talking about. We chilled on the patio and they had tv screens all over the place… so we were able to watch a little sports and still talk smack LOL
We’ll definitely hit them up again when in town!

I was bracing myself for the worst after reading about all the horrible experiences at Kung Fu.
For reference, I was wearing a flannel, jeans, and steel-​toe boots… hardly anything upscale. I walk up, give the bouncer my ID, and he hands it back to me. Easy peasy.
While there were some questionably clothed people inside (again, hardly anything upscale), it’s a diverse mix of people — younger and older, different ethnicities, etc.
Additionally, NICE BATHROOMS. AT A BAR. I don’t like having to stand too close to dudes minding my own business, but it’s clean and spacious in there, which I can definitely appreciate, ESPECIALLY at a bar.
You won’t get any in-​depth conversations here, but you’ll have fun drinking, dancing, and playing classic arcade games.
Finally, beware the obnoxious gong. I tried figuring out when they hit it, but it’s pretty sporadic — I think it’s primarily when the beat drops. D-​d-​d-​d-​drop the bass! (is that still a thing?)

Kung Fu has been a long time favorite of mine, but I’ve never written a review. They have the best DJ’s, great food and decent deals.
I’ve read about the alleged racism, but I’ve never witnessed it first hand. I’ve only been on Sunday afternoon’s, so I can only speak on that particular day. Yesterday afternoon, the crowd was very diverse and there didn’t seem to be any blatant discrimination.
So far I only know of one deal. On Sunday’s they offer $ 4.50 double mimosas and they are VERY generous! The Philly tacos are absolutely mouth watering, so if you get hungry definitely check those out.
Other than that, this is a great place to come to hangout with friends. The arcade games are fun, the ping pong table is always poppin’ and you can go wrong with a good old fashioned game of Connect Four. And if you’re too cool to partake in any of that, there are screens everywhere for your viewing pleasure.
I would suggest bringing cash because I’ve had some unauthorized charges on my card after visiting, but I’m sure it’s just a careless mistake. All of the bartenders I’ve encountered are nice and just having a good time.

Ah Kung Fu. You have become the place that everyone defaults to if they can’t get into Hughes because of their ridiculous shoe rule (shirt rule for girls — did you know they won’t let some girls who are wearing knits in? RIDICULOUS).
I digress…
Crowded, loud music, the occasionally banging of the obnoxious gong, and just a lot of inebriated folks running around. The venue is relatively spacious but you’ll end up getting squished against the bar if you’re surrounded by a group of people. There are some arcade games there (or so I think. I never seem to remember).
The one great thing about Kung Fu is that their bathrooms are relatively clean. Oh my goodness, thank baby Jebus for this.
Overall, you can’t really go wrong with Kung Fu. Just kick back a few shots and dance the night away (if you can move). Then stagger back to some eatery nearby and call it a night.
Cheers fellow night dwellers.

It’s a phucking bar and you’re not going to let me in because of some bullshit dress code?! I have been reminded why I am not a fan of Houston and their whacktastic ways. Exactly what kind of message are you trying to send with a BAR that has ARCADES in it?! This is a far cry from a upscale joint, i was told we were in a yuppy, uppity ass part of town. Shame. All I wanted was to play some pinball and share a couple cold brews with my company, but no, my money isn’t good enough with my polo sweats on.
Now I get it, ‘who goes out in sweat pants’: me. Would I have done that if we were going to a REAL, FINE establishment, no. I even noticed in other pictures posted on Unilocal!People inside with SHORTS on. Shit like this never happens in N.O. I despise mediocre places enforcing a dress code, it’s a bar for crying out loud!
Then, we had to pay $ 10 to park before even stepping in. We’re literally parked for less than two minutes before they don’t let us in, so we TRY to get our money back. The guys in the parking lot spit some nonsense about they’re a separate company from the bar so they will only refund half the money. Smh.
In the end, we were not all that upset about not going in, the music blaring was horrendous and the entire crowd seemed douchy.

Kung Fu Saloon can be loads of fun, just depends on what you’re in the mood for, who you go with, and what day you go on.
PARKING: 10 $ to park yourself in their lot. A guy will just pop out of nowhere and knock on your window and you pay him, then hope you aren’t late enough and can find a spot. If you don’t want to do that, you might be able to find parking off Washington, but you’ll have to pay at one of the meters, which can suck because your total could end up being more than 10 $ if you’re there all night. I think it’s around 2 or 2something an hour. And then you gotta walk down Washington till you get to Kung Fu.
BOUNCERS: One of the things I like, and appreciate most, about this place is that the bouncers don’t act like they have something shoved up their butt like other venues I know /​cough Hughes Hangar /​cough. If you greet them, they’re actually polite and greet you back. They’re not anal about dress code, nor do they seem to have an Asian quota to fill. So, thank you, good bouncers, for not being douches.
DRINKS: pretty much average priced for Washington area. 8 – 10 $ for drinks and shots. You definitely need to drink a Jameson Pickleback: D Jameson shot and straight pickle juice as a chaser, it magically erases any and all burn, it’s phenomenal. ANYWAY, I don’t feel like they skimp out on the amount of alcohol in the drinks either, so yay bartenders!
GAMES: Tuesdays are free to play their arcades! They also have that ginormous Jenga game you can play on their patio, though it’s hard to get your hands on it because it’s so popular.
MUSIC: Pretty much a mix of rap and the latest edm songs.
Overall it’s a pretty good place to hang out with some friends and have a good time. You can dance with your SO or play games with your best friend, smoke a cigarette with your buddy on the patio, whatever your thing is, you’re going to have a good time at Kung Fu Saloon.