Surreal restaurant hoping for fall opening in Crystal City but details remain sparse

Surreal is aiming for a fall opening in Crystal City, but much still remains unknown about the restaurant, situated in a park-like setting.

Surreal, from the award-winning D.C.-based chef Enrique Limardo, is set to move into a newly-constructed space in the JBG Smith-owned courtyard of 2121 Crystal Drive. The restaurant is part of the developer’s “Dining in the Park” project and will utilize both indoor and outdoor areas while being “set among more than an acre of greenery.”

Photos taken by ARLnow last week show that construction is moving along and apparently nearing completion.

A JBG Smith spokesperson confirmed to ARLnow that the plan is for the restaurant to open in the fall, a slight push from an earlier late summer goal.

It was back in October 2021 when Surreal was first announced to much fanfare. However, in the two years since, few details have emerged about the exact concept, the menu, and the decor.

When asking for more information, the spokesperson wrote in an email that “there is nothing new to share at this time” despite the restaurant being only a few months away from opening.

A few blocks away, meanwhile Crystal City’s revamped Water Park is also planning its opening. It will feature nine 300-square-foot restaurant kiosks, including local favorites like Queen Mother’s, Falafel Inc, and Tiki Thai.

Along with the restaurants, there will also be a live performance stage, public art installations, a building with public restrooms and bike facilities, and a “modernized fountain water wall” that empties into an “immersion fountain.” On top of the water wall will be an open-air raw and cocktail bar called “Water Bar.” A New York-style pizza place will also be located in the park.

A JBG Smith spokesperson told ARLnow is anticipating an August “soft opening” for the Water Park, with a grand opening set for shortly after Labor Day.