Kraken Pickleball Review : Best Washington DC Pickleball Bar
It feels like Pickleball places are popping up everywhere, which is why my husband and I decided to try it earlier this year. I’m so glad we did – it’s a great activity we can enjoy together while getting a little bit of a work out in and having fun. Kraken pickleball opened up on Bryant Street, and it’s the only Washington DC pickleball bar I know of as of the time of writing this, so of course we had to go. We had an amazing time, so I decided to write this Kraken pickleball review to share.
Kraken pickleball on Bryant Street, officially called Kraken Courts & Skates, is a perfect place for families, groups looking for something fun and active to do, and couples who like to play pickleball or just games in general. Also, for anyone hoping to learn to play pickleball on a private court, Kraken is for you. I wanted to get better at my serve before I played with others at open play at our gym, so my husband and I went to Kraken a few times while I improved for a fun Saturday activity where we could grab a bite to eat and a drink without having to leave the court. I highly recommend Kraken for a sober Washington DC date night.
Pricing : Kraken Pickleball Review
The way it works at Kraken pickleball is that you reserve a court for a fee per hour. I will say the price varies greatly based on what time / day you go so plan accordingly! They have been updating their prices often as this place is relatively new but the prices range from $15, $40 and $75 per hour based on when you go and if you want a cabana or not. When we went on a Saturday afternoon the price was very reasonable and there were only a few groups of people there, which made for an overall very pleasant and fun day out. Below is the flier they sent me when I asked about pricing.
My advice is to go during the day on a week day if you’re able to, and you’ll get a cabana for the $15 per hour price as long as they are still available, which is incredible! Definitely book ahead of time to make sure they have the space for you.
I also think it’s really cool they have drop-in times for social pickleball along with monthly memberships and a big range of prices so that everyone who wants to play can on their terms. It’s really a community gathering place – I wish I lived closer. You can reserve your spot at the Kraken Bryant Street website here.
Parking At Kraken Bryant Street
There’s a paid parking lot at Kraken Bryant street, which is a plus in DC since so much of the time you’ll have to deal with an overpriced parking garage or street parking. You can also take the metro to get here by taking the red line to Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood metro stop and then walking about 5 minutes.
Snacks & Beer
They do have beer for sale (there are no spirits) so you can have a few drinks before or after you play to make the experience even more fun. There are snacks at Kraken but nothing substantial that I saw, so make sure to eat beforehand.
You can also bring your snacks and drinks back to your private cabana if you opt to rent one, which they have both at the pickleball courts and the skating rink.
The pickleball itself is excellent – the courts are huge and they provide rentals if you need them. The courts are spread apart enough so that you aren’t on top of each other, and we had no problems at all with game play. When it comes to Washington DC pickleball, this is a great place to go for larger groups or those wanting a really comfortable learning experience with drinks on the side.
Along with pickleball they have a roller skating rink, which is apparently DC’s only indoor roller skating rink, plus darts and ping pong. Between the pickleball, darts and ping pong I could spend hours and hours here! Plus, they play music at just the right volume – not too crazy loud but not too quiet.
A lot of the kids there while we were there were skating around the regular floor, meaning they didn’t have to take the skates off right at the edge of the skate rink. The floor inside the entire facility is the same smooth material which is why this is possible. I know as a kid i would have loved that! So I wanted to point it out as a cool perk especially for kids.
Glow Nights & Events at Kraken Pickleball
Something I’m VERY excited to try is the Neon and Glow Nights at Kraken pickleball, which are currently on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday nights. The thought of playing pickleball and ping pong in that kind of glowy, dark environment is hilarious and sounds like such a good time.
Overall I would come back here in a heartbeat, and I would like to bring my family and friends here soon too!
What’s Nearby Kraken Pickleball on Bryant Street?
There are some great stops near Kraken Pickleball I had to mention. If you’re looking for a full meal nearby, try Chadol Korean BBQ right next door or head two miles down the road to Union Market. You’ll also find Metrobar right nearby, an indoor/outdoor bar with a redesigned metro rail car bar, along with City-State Brewing Co., and both of these bar options have a rotating schedule of food trucks.
Lauren Kessel
Lauren Kessel is the author of this blog post and the creator of the Inspired Backpacker travel blog. She is a passionate digital nomad, with the mission to make slow travel a more accessible way of life for everyone. Lauren believes travel is an important means of education and more importantly, a way for people of different cultures to come together and understand each other better. She has a BS in Tourism and has planned countless domestic and international trips for herself, her family and friends, having visited over 12 countries and 30 states so far.
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