The Clarendon Ballroom is coming back.
The well-known Wilson Blvd nightlife spot is once again opening its doors, perhaps as early as this weekend, with a renovated interior, a new rooftop deck, and a state-of-the-art audio/visual set-up, owner Michael Darby tells ARLnow.
(Updated at 2:00 p.m.) The Forest Inn in Westover, one of Arlington’s last dive bars, is closing next week, general manager Ken Choudhary confirms to ARLnow.
The long-time Westover bar and grill on Washington Blvd first opened in 1981, and initially named The Black Forest Inn, where the post office used to be. In 1994, it moved a few blocks to its current location at 5849 Washington Blvd. Now, though, the Forest Inn is closing because its landlord — Van Metre Commercial — is declining to renew their lease, Choudhary says.
The Clarendon Pop-Up Bar‘s rooftop has reopened, as uncertainty remains about what’s coming next.
The bar with themes that change seasonally, located inside of the former Clarendon Ballroom at 3185 Wilson Blvd, has opened its rooftop for the warm weather months. The biggest changes from last year are a new schedule, with happy hour starting at 5 p.m., and a “fully replaced new wooden deck,” a spokesperson tells ARLnow.
Brass Rabbit Public House in Clarendon is now open, filling the space once occupied by the Bracket Room.
Back in July 2021, ARLnow reported that a new bar and restaurant was moving into 1210 N. Garfield Street and, a few months later, that ownership was aiming for a mid-February opening. That goal wasn’t quite met, but after a bit of a delay Brass Rabbit finally opened its doors last week on Tuesday, March 22.
The two nightlife venues replacing Whitlow’s on Wilson are gearing up to open over the next few months.
Taking over the long-time local watering hole, which closed in June after more than 25 years in Clarendon, are B Live and Coco B’s.
Bar Ivy in Clarendon May Open in Spring — “Clarendon is a long way from California, but the neighborhood may feel a little closer to the West Coast with the opening of Bar Ivy this spring… The breezy coastal-style restaurant and bar will have a lush 125-seat patio for sipping local coffee drinks in the morning and sampling wines alongside seafood towers in the evening.” [Washingtonian]
Miyares is ‘New Sheriff in Town’ — “Virginia’s new Attorney General Jason S. Miyares has already launched a probe of a state parole board he feels failed crime victims, fired several employees, including in a unit that investigates wrongful convictions, and blasted liberal prosecutors who seek lighter sentences.” [Washington Post]
A new wine shop and bar is opening on the ground floor of J Sol apartments in Ballston.
Not much is known about what is coming and when besides what’s noted in the permit application, which was just submitted last week.
The former Whitlow’s space will apparently three separate identities when it reopens under new ownership.
In December we reported that Michael Bramson, who’s behind The Lot beer garden and the Clarendon Pop-Up Bar, was opening something new called B Live in the long-time local watering hole’s former Clarendon home. Before that, we also reported that locally-founded burger chain Five Guys was planning to take part of the space, perhaps as soon as this summer.
It looks like the former Whitlow’s space in Clarendon will not be vacant for much longer.
The long-time local watering hole at 2854 Wilson Blvd closed in June. In July, we reported that the locally-founded burger chain Five Guys was planning to take part of the space. Now, it appears that another venue is also in the works.
Ballston is about to get a 6,300-square-foot taqueria and “margarita garden.”
U Street NW taco spot El Rey is branching out from D.C. and opening on the ground floor of the Ballston Exchange building at 4201 Wilson Blvd. After nearly two-and-a-half years of anticipation, following pandemic-related delays, the eatery is finally set to open its doors.
At long last the large Capitol City Brewing Co. space in Shirlington, vacant since March 2018, is getting a new tenant.
Astro Beer Hall, a two-level bar and coffee shop from the owners of Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, will be opening in the space at 4001 Campbell Avenue next summer, according to a press release. In addition to 14,000 square feet of indoor space, the new beer hall will have a 80-seat outdoor patio.
After a four year hiatus from Arlington, CarPool will again start pouring beers in Ballston tomorrow.
The new CarPool at 900 N. Glebe Road — in the Virginia Tech building, next to Ballston Local — will open at 4 p.m. Thursday, owner Mark Handwerger tells ARLnow.
