The El Rey taqueria and margarita bar is no more, but Ballston locals can find solace in a new watering hole.
Solace Outpost opened yesterday (Wednesday) at 4201 Wilson Blvd, offering beer, burgers, bowls and bratwurst in a relaxed, sporty atmosphere.
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The new menu still features tacos — available with grilled shrimp, chipotle chicken or carne asada — but the main event is American favorites like burgers made with Angus beef, crispy chicken thighs and handhelds such as a BLT chicken sandwich or roast chicken wrap.
For a more health-conscious meal, diners can opt for a few different salad bowls, which are mostly vegetarian by default but can come with chicken, steak or grilled shrimp for a little extra.
For the less health-oriented, Outpost brings some D.C. flavors with the “District” bratwurst, a split-top half-smoke with beef chili, diced onions and coleslaw. Other brat options include the “SOHO,” with beef hot dogs, Solace beer cheese, crispy onion rings and bacon.
Beers on tap include IPAs such as the “Lucy Juicy,” “Sun’s Out Hops Out” and “Lil Bit Cloudy,” plus a pilsner, a lager and other suds from the Sterling-based brewing company. Wine, cocktails and mocktails are also available, as is “hop water,” which contains no alcohol and consists of “just water and a hop-derived extract,” according to an online menu.
For dessert, the bar offers fried Oreos, funnel cake fries and chocolate mousse.
The new 6,300-square-foot spot aims to match the vibe of Solace’s other locations in Falls Church, Sterling and Navy Yard, co-founder Jon Humerick previously told ARLnow.
“We want the Ballston location to feel like Solace from the moment you walk through the door,” Humerick said late last month. “Whether you’re stopping in for a beer after work, meeting friends for dinner, watching a game or spending a Saturday afternoon with us, the idea behind an Outpost is pretty simple: great beer, great food and a place where people want to hang out.”
The new location opens daily at 11 a.m.
