Courthouse

One of Arlington’s busiest restaurants is expanding.

Ray’s the Steaks in Courthouse (2300 Wilson Blvd) has added an adjacent bistro dining area called “Retro Ray’s.” While sharing a kitchen with the larger Ray’s, the new bistro will be operated as a separate entity. It will not take phone reservations — opting instead to only serve walk-in patrons — and will only be open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday.

The menu for Retro Ray’s looks very much like that of Ray’s the Steaks. In fact, it is the Ray’s the Steaks menu — from 2005. The offerings and the prices match that of the old 1725 Wilson Boulevard Ray’s the Steaks, circa 2005, we’re told. That means your average steak will be about $3 cheaper than the same steak next door.

Manager Jon Macy says the 50-seat Retro Ray’s is intended primarily to be overflow for the 180-seat Ray’s the Steaks, which is often fully booked with reservations. Ray’s the Steaks books so many phone reservations, in fact, that it takes two employees just to take reservations during the middle of the day, when the restaurant is otherwise closed.

Unlike the current Ray’s, Retro Ray’s has a liquor license and will serve higher-end liquors and cognacs. It will also serve wine, like its neighbor, but the wine list will be shorter and will include a $18-per-bottle house wine in addition to inexpensive by-the-glass options. Retro Ray’s has a small, simple bar with seating for about half a dozen.

Retro Ray’s quietly opened last Thursday and Macy says the eatery has already started attracting sizable dinnertime crowds. He estimated that the restaurant served 150 customers on Saturday of this past weekend. Ray’s the Steaks, meanwhile, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its founding later this year.

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Wilson Tavern (2403 Wilson Blvd) is now open in the old Kitty O’Shea’s space in Courthouse.

The restaurant, which describes its offerings as “updated American classics,” is currently only open for dinner, but plans to start serving lunch on Tuesday. A weekend brunch service is expected to begin later this month, perhaps on Christmas weekend.

Wilson Tavern retains the small footprint of Kitty O’Shea’s, as well as the prominent bar, but renovations have resulted in an updated look that got rid of the old drop ceiling and exposed some of the building’s rugged brickwork. Black woodwork, an eclectic collection of new and antique furniture including repurposed 19th century church pews, and bare, hanging light bulbs give the tavern a unique, vaguely old-fashioned feel.

The food menu includes updated takes on comfort food, like a burger with beef sourced from The Plains, Va., saffron PEI mussels with steak frites, and stuffed mac ‘n’ cheese with artichoke, pork belly and a brioche crumb. Some may not find the prices as comforting, though: the fish ‘n’ chips is $17 (compared to $13 at Ireland’s Four Courts, down the street), a roasted chicken with collard greens and gravy is $17, and the Plains-sourced burger — with aged cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion and a brioche bun — is $12.

The menu will be changed seasonally and daily specials will be available. There is also a condensed menu available for late night diners.

The draft beer list, which will also change regularly, currently includes eight curated selections from brewers like New Belgium, Legend, Bell’s and Port City. Drafts range from $5 to $8, while bottled macrobrews like Miller Lite and Budweiser clock in at $4. A short California-centric wine list prices glasses from $6 to $10 and bottles from $22 to $38.

Wilson Tavern will serve classic cocktails made with freshly-squeezed juices. The menu includes a dark and stormy, sazerac, old fashioned, gin and juice, screwdriver, pickled Martini and a Negroni, with prices from $7 to $10.

Wilson Tavern’s chef, Chris Kenworthy, hails from Hook, Equinox and Watershed restaurants in the District. Bar manager Matt Culbertson is a former bartender at PS 7’s in D.C. and Cowboy Cafe in Arlington.

Owner Sandy Lewis, a friend of landlord and fellow Lyon Village resident Ray Schupp, says she hopes Wilson Tavern becomes more of a neighborhood dining destination than Kitty O’Shea’s, which was forced out after a contentious legal battle. Despite a very quiet opening last Tuesday, Lewis says she’s been happy with the number of diners who have been showing up for dinner.

“We’re putting out a little bit higher quality food than the average bar,” she said, pointing to locally-sourced meats, freshly-prepared sauces and other house-made ingredients.

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