Saloon — Restaurant in Washington

At The Saloon on U Street, One Man Builds More Than a Bar. He Builds Schools, Homes, and Hope

Written By Kendesi Mohammed + Photography Media: www.kendesimedia.com

On Sunday, June 8, 2025, something unexpected happened. After more than 15 years of trying to meet Kamal Jahanbein, I finally did.

He is the quiet force behind The Saloon, a Western-themed bar tucked into 1205 U Street NW, where German beer flows, live music echoes, and cell phones are discouraged. It is a rare place in Washington, intentionally unplugged, proudly traditional, and built on something far deeper than hospitality.

I had always thought I would need to walk in, ask for the owner, and introduce myself. Instead, on this particular Sunday afternoon, I was standing outside taking pictures when Kamal opened the doors, walked out, and sat down on a chair in the sunlight. Just like that, the moment I had waited over a decade for arrived. Calm, quiet, and welcoming.

We spoke for 30 minutes. He shared stories and reflections, and as he spoke, it became clear that The Saloon is more than a bar. It is the funding engine behind a global humanitarian mission that has helped build 32 schools across Asia, 500 homes through Habitat for Humanity, and medical clinics in underserved regions. All of this is made possible through the Kamal Foundation, the nonprofit he founded in 2007.

He gave me a personal tour of the building. While he returned to his paperwork, I wandered up the stairs, past carved wood, and into a third-floor space filled with warmth. My heart was racing, not just from the architecture but from the realization that this modest bar, with room for just 63 patrons a night, has helped change lives across the globe.

And it has, brick by brick.

Kamal opened the current U Street location in 2000 after a transformative period of travel. In 1994, he closed a previous Saloon location in Georgetown and left the country. What he witnessed abroad, including poverty, lack of access to education, and health disparities, reshaped his perspective. When he returned to Washington, he was determined to reopen The Saloon with a new mission: to build more than just a business.

He does not advertise the philanthropy. Onlookers might miss the significance of the bricks lining the building’s façade, each engraved with the name of a school funded through drink sales and shared meals. Most customers never realize that each August, Kamal closes the bar for a full month to travel and personally oversee school construction in countries like Sierra Leone.

There are no televisions inside. Mobile phones are discouraged. The focus is on people, conversation, storytelling, and human connection. It is not performative. It is intentional.

While the bar is rooted in a distinct style inspired by the American West, the values behind it are universal. Education, dignity, and justice.

Jahanbein’s work has remained largely under the radar in a city that often prizes visibility. But that is by design. He prefers the quiet, consistent labor of impact. It is the kind of story that does not always make headlines, but it should.

On this Sunday in June, I walked away inspired not just by a bar owner, but by a builder. A man who reminds us that a business can be more than a bottom line. It can be a foundation. A place to gather, to listen, and to give.

And if you ever find yourself on U Street with a free evening, stop in. Sit down. Have a beer. You might be one of just 63 people there that night, but you will be part of...

Quirky place, passive-aggressive notes (rules?) posted everywhere, VERY unfriendly bartender. Honestly didn’t mind the place esp bc the owner helps build schools around the world BUT whoever the bartender is (short black guy w/ resting-constipation face) had a borderline hostile, mansplaining attitude that really rubbed me the wrong way and was just bizarre. For example, when I asked how much “boozy pineapple” I get for the $2 entry on the menu, he said “a wedge” motioned with his fingers about the size and when I was trying to decide btw that and something else he said “don’t overthink it you’ve never had it before”. For perspective he said it in a “make up your mind you’re wasting my time” kind of way. He said other really peculiar things like asking me if I knew how to use the spoon for the chili I was eating bc I was dipping my pita bread in it instead of using the spoon. First of all, it’s really creepy that he was watching me eat AND then decided to share his thoughts on what I chose to do with my food. He also doesn’t greet customers or even talk to them. He operates more like a disgruntled Walmart cashier than a bartender. That was the second time I went there and he was working both times so I won’t be back. The place was pretty empty both times btw. He should consider a different line of work bc he’s a TERRIBLE bartender and is probably scaring...

This is a very weird bar that I stumbled into after getting dinner at Ben's Chili Bowl. I'm giving it 5 starts for the overall uniqueness of it at a time where every bar seems to be following the same trends. You're unlikely to find a bar like this again.

They focus on German beers, served by the half pint, and all their profits go towards supporting construction projects in developing countries. When I arrived I was the only patron and the bartender was really friendly. It almost felt like an episode of Cheers. I'd have stayed longer but had other places to see - if I lived nearby I'd come here often. If you're visiting it's worth stopping in for a drink and a story. They have a little knickknack display by the bathrooms where you can buy a very...