The Early Word on Crumbs & Whiskers, D.C.'s Cat Cafe

Anticipation for Crumbs & Whiskers was building ever since plans were announced eight months ago. As of today, D.C.'s first cat cafe has been open for about three weeks and already has 24 Yelp reviews with an overall rating of 3.5 stars. As the first business of its kind in the city, owner Kanchan Singh admits they've run into some opening kinks (she plans to overhaul the reservation system in particular). Read on for the early world on Crumbs & Whiskers:

The Adorable Cats News: Most of the guests were animal lovers counting down the days until Crumbs & Whiskers opened. Accordingly, they were quite charmed by the cats. Yelper Misha D. called them all "adorable." Yelper Gabrielle P. said the cafe "did a really great job of picking well socialized cats that were willing to cuddle." But Yelper Sundi M. was disappointed the cats seemed "exhausted" after entertaining humans all day. [Yelp]

The Short and Sweet Rules News: Overall, guests had few complaints about the cafe's rules. Yelper Sara M. says, "The rules of C&W are short and sweet, and mostly common-sense- be gentle, let sleeping cats lie, stay awesome, etc." Yelper Gabrielle P. had a suggestion for a new rule, though. She writes, "I do think they should add one more rule to the cafe- no trying to coax cats away from other patrons if a cat is already playing with said patron." [Yelp]

The Helpful and Friendly Staff News: There are absolutely no complaints about the staff so far. In fact, guests are raving about how wonderful they are. Yelper Ihita K. writes, "the owner, as well as the employees, are super helpful and eager to make your visit comfortable."  Yelper Maryann G. calls the staff "very friendly" and Yelper Sherry F. concurs. She says the cafe has "owners and workers (shoutout to the owner's brother for being so cordial and friendly) who truly care for the cats and customers." Blogger Texas..A Cat in Austin, writing in the voice of cat, says, "the humans who worked there were very nice too and obviously love cats." [Yelp, Texas]

The Chaotic Ordering News: Due to health department regulations, the food and drinks at Crumbs & Whiskers are prepared at a nearby business. Yelpers had little to say about the food quality (guests aren't required to buy anything), but they had plenty of complaints about the ordering system. Yelper Lisa T. writes, "It was not obvious where to order a coffee and whom to ask for an order." Yelper Danielle K. adds, "It took almost half an hour for everyone in my time slot to get their drinks. Yelper Tatsu O. backed up both of their experiences and writes, "Checking in and ordering was somewhat chaotic and the orders took a while to come out." [Yelp]

The Reservation System News: Crumbs & Whiskers requires guests to book reservations online for a fee of $10 to $12 per hour. It appears they're still working out the kinks to start reservations on time. Yelper Misha D. writes, "so many people in my time block didn't actually get inside until about 20 minutes after their reservation technically started." Yelper Sherry F. also had to wait in line for 15 mins after her reservation was scheduled to start. [Yelp]

The Fighting for Cats News: Apparently the late start times meant some reservations overlapped, causing a large crowd to gather inside the small space. Yelper Emily L. says, "It's like everyone is fighting for the cats' attention." On a more positive note, Thrillist writer Laura Hayes says the atmosphere at the cafe is "a bit more boisterous" than at its more relaxing Japanese counterparts. But blogger A Second Bite thinks, "the number of humans didn't seem to overwhelm the space or the cats." [Yelp, Thrillist, A Second Bite]

The Quaint Decor News: The cat-loving Crumbs & Whiskers crowd adores the decor. Washingtonian writer Elissa Miolene says, "The whole aura of the café puts you in almost a trance." Yelper Ihita K. calls it "whimsical and "comfy" while Sara M. writes, "I don't know where they found so many chic, stylish cat accessories, but I wish my house looked half this nice!" [Washingtonian, Yelp]

The Uncomfortable Seating News: Although guests like the design, many didn't find the furniture that functional. Yelper Kaity R. says, "I didn't really like the furniture on the floor. Had they put in couches, it would have provided a more authentic cafe experience and allowed cats to come up to humans if they wanted too." Yelper Colleen N has even harsher words, writing, "The furniture was awful. There were about five chairs in the whole place. The rest of the 'furniture' was cushions on the floor. I have orthopedic problems, so that was less than ideal." [Yelp]