A supper club with Latin American cuisine and an afterlife-inspired theme debuts in Clarendon later this month.
The new restaurant and nightlife spot Cielo opens Tuesday, June 16, following two years of preparations at 1137 N. Highland Street. Restaurateur Michael Sina told ARLnow he hopes to offer an upscale, “fully immersive experience” with dining and music, centered around a “heaven and hell” aesthetic.
“We’re not just trying to be a restaurant or a nightclub, but it’s an experience where you can come for the food, have some cocktails, enjoy music, and stay as long as you like,” Sina said.
The new venue is located on the second floor of the property, which housed part of the former sports bar, The G.O.A.T., and Hard Times Cafe. Through renovations, Sina said the space “takes you through a bit of a journey.”
“When you walk into the space, you’re greeted with darker tones,” Sina said. “It’s black and red when you walk in, and it transitions into black and gold, and once you go into the main larger room, which is the main Cielo, it turns into white and gold, and that’s our play between light and dark.”
There, Sina and chef Daniel Lozano, formerly of Seven Reasons Group, plan to offer hearty dishes like Venezuelan-style short ribs with a sweet and sour tomato jam, a morita coffee-rubbed tomahawk steak and a yuca pave with crème fraîche, caviar and homemade chips. A brunch menu is also currently in development.
The beverage program, meanwhile, will feature themed cocktails by Torrance Swain.
Cielo can seat about 120 guests, with more room for standing. From Tuesday to Sunday, the restaurant will open at 5 p.m. and operate into the late-night hours until 2 a.m.
Sina said Cielo felt like a timely, smart concept and addition to Clarendon’s nightlife scene, which recently welcomed The Boulevard and Solset, a revamped restaurant and rooftop bar at the former Wilson Hardware space.
“There’s a noticeable shift happening in Arlington,” he said. “More ambitious hospitality concepts are coming in. We feel that the area is ready for a destination experience that blends upscale dining with an atmosphere with nightlife energy — but not a nightclub per se. Our primary focus is good dining food that looks good and tastes good.”
