Around Town

A fixer-upper nightlife spot in Falls Church has transformed into a new Caribbean restaurant and bar under new ownership.

Ricky Bartlette took Lesly’s Restaurant Bar and Grill under his wing in January, hoping to improve its reputation. Since then, the entrepreneur, who also owns a Baltimore-based security firm, has renovated and added a Caribbean menu.


Around Town

A popular restaurant and bar with French and Chinese influences has set a spring opening for its Crystal City location.

Bar Chinois plans to open this May at 244 19th Court S., on the ground floor of The Grace and Reva apartments. It’ll be the restaurant’s second location, joining an acclaimed flagship spot in D.C.


Around Town

A new nightlife attraction with karaoke and Chinese cuisine is open in Crystal City.

Lantern Restaurant & Bar opened at 320 23rd Street S. late last month, debuting a nearly 5,500-square-foot space decked out with high quality sound systems and LED lights. The venue is currently taking reservations, owner Shen Zhao told ARLnow.


News

Three people were arrested in Clarendon early this morning after a bar fight prompted a large police response.

An officer was flagged down by security at Don Tito shortly before 2 a.m. Monday, according to scanner traffic. The officer then requested backup to help “separate a couple of females inside.” That was soon followed by a more urgent request for more officers.


Around Town

A new option for fried treats and drinks with East Asian flavors expects to open this spring in the Ballston Quarter food hall.

Luna Bar is planning to open by April at 4238 Wilson Blvd, Marketing Director Matt Hall told ARLnow. The bar is also planning locations in Tyson’s Corner and Rockville, Md.


Events

Fresh, hibachi-style meals are coming to Bronson Bierhall’s patio this weekend. One caveat: the meals are for dogs.

The Ballston bar and patio at 4100 Fairfax Drive is hosting a live hibachi event for dogs at 2 p.m. this Saturday, March 1, on its outdoor patio. A grill and dog-friendly ingredients will be supplied by Bogey’s Mix, a new dog food company in Northern Virginia.


Around Town

A festive selection of cocktails and treats can be found at Clarendon’s Colada Shop through the end of the month.

The restaurant at 2811 Clarendon Blvd is spending its first winter at The Crossing Clarendon with twinkling decor and a Cuban-inspired seasonal menu.


Around Town

It’s been a busy year for Ocean Shack, the seafood restaurant and sports bar that opened in Waverly Hills last November.

With an emphasis on sports, seafood and social media, the restaurant — which celebrated its one-year anniversary a couple weeks ago — overcame some initial growing pains to regularly draw in weekend crowds.


Around Town

A Clarendon nightlife spot has been declared unfit for occupancy over safety issues.

Notices prohibiting activity at Coco B’s and the B Live site — formerly home to the longtime local bar Whitlow’s — were posted last week at 2854 Wilson Blvd.


Around Town

O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub in Clarendon is planning to open a new room in a vacant, adjacent storefront.

The business applied for a permit last week for a commercial addition at 3211 Washington Blvd, formerly home to The Spirits of ’76, an Americana-themed bar that closed in fall 2020.


Around Town

The last weekend to enjoy fresh pizza and drinks from a new restaurant on the Potomac River is coming up.

Catboat Pizza Bar’s last planned day of service is this Saturday, co-owner Max Zuckerman told ARLnow. The seasonal waterfront pizzeria first opened on Memorial Day weekend at 1 Marina Drive in Alexandria, with spacious, all-outdoor seating and views from the Washington Sailing Marina.


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