restaurant

McGinty’s Pub Closes in South Arlington

By ARLnow.com

McGinty’s Public House, in the Market Square at Potomac Yard development near Crystal City, has closed for good, an employee of the bar’s Silver Spring sister location confirms to ARLnow.com.

The pub shut down at some point last week, according to a customer who recently dined there. A sign in the window states that the location is “closed for business.”

“Thank you for your loyal support,” the sign says, purportedly on behalf of the pub’s Irish-born co-owners, Brian Dolphin and Greg Whelan. Dolphin and Whelan also own P. Brennan’s Irish Pub on Columbia Pike. P. Brennan’s and McGinty’s Silver Spring will remain open, according to the pub employee.

No reason was given for the shuttering, but the as of Dec. 16 McGinty’s owed Arlington County $19,751.18 in unpaid meals taxes.

The pub was an ambitious venture considering the out-of-the-way, developing corner of South Arlington in which it was located. It featured ample seating, an outdoor patio, and live entertainment.

We reported earlier this month that a new pizza restaurant is coming to the Market Square development. It’s not clear whether it will be taking McGinty’s place or opening in a different storefront.

Thank you to Doug Wendt for the tip and the photo (left)

Model Railroad at Crystal City Sports Pub

By ARLnow.com

Crystal City Sports Pub (529 23rd Street South) is known for being a place to grab a beer and watch your favorite team. During the holidays, it’s also a place to go to check out a meticulously arranged, miniature winter village and model railroad.

The railway is set up in the back of the patio seating area, facing the sidewalk on 23rd Street.

Top 10 Arlington New Year’s Eve Events

By Michael Misfeldt

Haven’t made your New Year’s Eve plans yet?  Forget heading into the District and waiting two hours in the cold trying to find a cab to bring you back home. Here are ten (potentially) walkable events right here in Arlington.

1. Clarendon Ballroom

The annual New Year’s Eve Gala at Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd) features a large dinner buffet, four drink tickets, a champagne toast, midnight balloon drop and more.

Entertainment comes from high-energy cover band Liquid A, with DJ Image spinning party music on the lower level all night.

Tickets started at $65 and will rise in $10 increments as the date gets closer. Held from 8:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m.

2. Arlington Cinema Drafthouse

If you like watching the ball drop in Time’s Square but you don’t actually want to go to NYC, this is the next best thing. Arlington Cinema Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike) will be showing New Year’s celebrations in NYC and around the world live on the big screen. The 80’s themed party includes a DJ, entertainment and party favors. Admission is $14.

Food and drink must be purchased separately from the table-side wait staff. This event sold out last year.

3. Caribbean Breeze

If you want to ring in the New Year Caribbean style then the Caribbean Breeze (4100 Fairfax Dr) is the place to be. Bring in the New Year dancing to Latin beats, eating island food or just hanging out with some friends.

9PM to 3AM, $25 per person (party only) before Dec. 25th. $69 Dinner/Dance VIP Package before Dec. 25th. For more info call Padrino at 703-402-2608 or 703-812-7997.

4. Dance Factory

If you really like to dance then the Dance Factory (954 N. Monroe St) is the place to be. Join them for an elegant evening of ballroom, Latin, and swing dancing as they waltz into 2011. Singles and couples welcome, open to all. Door prizes, party favors, and much more.

$19 if paid by December 29th, $24 at the door. Held from 9:00 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Call 703-528-9770 for more info.

5. The Clarendon Grill

C-Grill (1101 N. Highland St.) is throwing a New Years Eve party featuring the ever-popular cover band Gonzo’s Nose and DJ 2 NUTZ, who will be spinning during band breaks. Tickets start at $45 and come three drink tickets, a champagne toast and party favors. For those who like the outdoors, the Grill’s patio will be open and heated. Event will be held from 8:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m.

(more…)

American Flatbread Closing

By ARLnow.com

Washington restaurant maven Don Rockwell is reporting via Twitter that American Flatbread in Clarendon will be closing for good on Christmas Eve.

In an article about the pizza restaurant published earlier today, Rockwell discussed the lack of customers at Flatbread, which sits two blocks away from Clarendon’s main Wilson Boulevard drag.

American Flatbread is too honorable for the Clarendon neighborhood, quite frankly.  They walk the walk when it comes to honoring sustainable agriculture, local farming, and quality ingredients.  Unfortunately, without a critical mass of customers, American Flatbread itself may not be sustainable.

Flatbread suffered a major setback this summer when the county board denied its request to open an outdoor dining patio (limited sidewalk seating was approved instead).

Reached by phone this evening, owner Scott Vasko refused to confirm or deny Rockwell’s reporting.

Update at 5:30 p.m. — Vasko sent the following email to customers tonight:

Dear Friends & Loyal Guests,

It is with a heavy, heavy heart that I need to let you know that we will be ceasing operations at American Flatbread Clarendon Hearth as of Christmas Eve. The forced closing is the result of a number of factors including, but not limited to: severe issues with the environmental system, the dramatic loss of business from the outdoor seating debacle, and; a poor relationship with a very adversarial landlord.

Unfortunately, we do not have any options. The landlord has forced us out. The fact that they are doing it before Christmas – gives you an idea of what it’s been like to deal with them. We are hoping to get the word out quickly so we can go out with a bang. We are hoping to generate as much revenue for the staff as possible before we close – starting tonight! So please come out and send us out BIG! We plan on maintaining regular hours until we close next Friday. So, please come out to say good-bye, share some stories, share a laugh and share a tear, and a drink or…

Thank you for loyal support.

Janice, Evan, and I are deeply appreciative.

Hat tip to EatMore DrinkMore

“Critical Mass” of Bars and Restaurants Keeping Residents in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Watch out D.C., Arlington may be stealing away visitors.

It was just a few short years ago that Arlingtonians had to make lame excuses for why their D.C. friends should trek into the county. In 2006, one DCist writer (and Arlington resident) bemoaned “Arlington’s low bar diversity and mediocre dining choices” while trying to make the case that the Wilson Boulevard Taco Bell was a potential selling point.

Now?

“We’ve created a critical mass… we’ve passed some kind of tipping point, where Arlington is kind of a cool place to go,” said Terry Holzheimer, Director of Arlington Economic Development. He said that thanks to new dining and drinking options, Clarendon, Courthouse, Ballston Crystal City and Shirlington have all become destinations that can compete with District.

“If you look back a few years, there wasn’t much happening in Arlington,” Holzheimer said. “People have options now, they don’t have to get on the Metro, they don’t have to try to get downtown and not be able to find a parking spot in Penn Quarter or Adams Morgan.”

Indeed, anecdotal evidence of crowded bars and a long streak of new restaurant openings would seem to suggest that the dining and entertainment industry is doing quite well in Arlington, especially in Clarendon. And a poll we conducted earlier this month backs up the notion that residents are staying here rather than heading into D.C.

More than 75 percent of the 665 people who responded to the poll said “I don’t go out in the District as much as I used to.” Some cited steep parking rates in D.C. and the difficulty of taking Metro at night, but others said that new options in Arlington mean they don’t have to go to the District to have a good time.

Holzheimer says locals aren’t the only ones taking advantage of Arlington’s restaurants and nightlife.

“The demand is coming from throughout Northern Virginia, not just Arlington,” he said. “I think it draws from as far away as Reston and Herndon.”

(more…)

New Meals Tax Delinquency List Is a Mixed Bag

By ARLnow.com

The county’s meals tax delinquency list is sort of like a health meter for local restaurants. If the amount owed to the county keeps going up, bad things may be happening for the restaurant financially — or at least managerially.

(The county collects a 4 percent “meals” tax on all prepared foods and beverages sold in Arlington. Often, this tax is passed directly on to the consumer.)

A new meals tax delinquency list dated Dec. 14 shows mostly stagnation when compared to the list released on Aug. 31. The amount owed by the three biggest debtors has increased slightly in the past three and a half months, likely the result of the 10 percent interest the county charges on such debts.

  • Arlington Catering Company owes $75,556.76, compared to $74,304.59 in August
  • Extra Virgin of Shirlington owes $72,352.56, compared to $71,435.96 in August
  • Wall Street Deli, located in National Airport, owes $60,338.49, compared to $58,988.14 in August

The above list excludes chef Roberto Donna, who has so far been faithfully making court-mandated $500 monthly repayments to the county, according to officials.

Three restaurants near the top of the delinquency list have seen significant increases in their debts.

  • Front Page of Ballston owes $23,037.00, compared to $17,113.52 in August
  • Kora Restaurant in Crystal City owes $10,624.41, compared to $5,517.03 in August
  • Market Basket, a store in the Pentagon complex, owes $16,564.89 compared to no debt in August

In some good news, three local favorites have been paying off their debts.

  • Tortoise and Hare in Crystal City has no debt, compared to $19,508.46 in August
  • McGinty’s Public House, in the Market Square at Potomac Yard development, owes $19,751.18, compared to $25,226.64 in August
  • Bob and Edith’s Diner owes $5,468.95, compared to $12,841.15 in August

Morning Poll: Chinese Food in Arlington

By ARLnow.com

I have yet to encounter anyone who thinks the quality of Chinese food in Arlington is better than average.

Sure, there are some who will testify that the Chinese restaurants here are no different than anywhere else. But there are also plenty of people who have said emphatically that Chinese food was soooo much better wherever they lived before Arlington (New York City, for instance). For them, finding one — just one — comparable restaurant in Arlington remains a challenge.

What do you think? Feel free to share your restaurant recommendations in the comments.


Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Pentagon Metro Station Closed — The Pentagon Metro Station has been closed due to a suspicious package, reports Dr. Gridlock. Trains are still passing through the station.

Boy Scouts Enter Homeless Shelter Debate — At the county board meeting over the weekend, there was an unusual moment when a speaker used his time at the podium to ask questions rather than pontificate. That questioner was Spencer Cobb of Boy Scout Troop 167, who was inquiring about the possibility of a year-round homeless shelter as part of his citizenship project. There are 530 homeless individuals in Arlington, county officials estimate. More from the Sun Gazette.

Eventide General Manager Departs — Changes may be in the works at Clarendon’s Eventide restaurant, which just lost its general manager and bar manager to “differences” with restaurant partners. More from TBD.

SoberRide Nears Milestone — The regional SoberRide program, which funds free cab rides for people who’ve had too much to drink on certain holidays, is approaching its 50,000th ride. Organizers hope to reach that mark by New Year’s Day. Of note: Arlington’s Red Top Cab provides and staffs the call center that dispatches the cabs, a service worth nearly $50,000. More from the Washington Post.

Flickr pool photo by Reid Kasprowicz

Quarterdeck Restaurant Gets a New Lease on Life

By ARLnow.com

The Quarterdeck Restaurant has been saved.

Owner Lou Gatti, who suddenly announced last month that the 31-year-old seafood restaurant would be closing, now says the Fort Myer Heights institution will, in fact, remain open.

The dramatic reversal, sure to please legions of local crab lovers and dive bar enthusiasts, is due to a breakthrough in the restaurant’s lease negotiations, Gatti said in an email late last night.

For a while, it looked like we would have to close. This was finally settled today. We have another 15 year lease. It seems that the landlord, who has also been my friend for the last 15 years, and I had trouble reaching an agreement; it took 3 months. In retrospect, it reminds me more of a family disagreement; now, everything’s back to normal.

I want to thank all of you for the kind emails and the memories of the Quarterdeck you shared. Like you, I have always loved the Quarterdeck from my first visit, which was over 3 decades ago. The most moving story was from someone who lamented she would not be able to bring her children to the QD, as her parents had done with her.

Patrick Morrogh, a nine year veteran of the QD and a manager, will take over the day to day operations. I think the younger folks need to implement fresh ideas. At 62, I will still be in charge of something, but I don’t know what.

We will be updating our website: http://www.qdrest.com .

Thanks to all of you.

Lou Gatti

Quarterdeck Restaurant Closing

By ARLnow.com

The Quarterdeck Restaurant is closing after 31 years of serving seafood, beer and American cuisine in the Fort Myer Heights neighborhood, according to an email distributed to the Radnor / Ft. Myer Heights Civic Association.

Last week, it was reported that the restaurant had agreed to a 15-year lease renewal. But now owner Lou Gatti says that has fallen through.

Gatti wrote the following email about the impending closing.

After 31 years, the Quarterdeck Restaurant is closing. I was at the helm for the last 15 years. For the last 2 ½ months, I have been trying to get a new lease that we could live with. On numerous occasions, I understood that we had an agreement only to be surprised later with a lease that said otherwise. It’s a long story, but we are finished. The building, which is almost 70 years old, needs major repairs and updates; the landlord expects us to do them all. Not happening.

We will be closing soon and everything is for sale. We will be giving the food to a shelter of some sort. Might have a few extra key lime pies.

It was a good run, and I will miss all of you. I have a lot to do, so for this week, don’t call me, but send an email if you wish. You can call the restaurant if you wish…

Lou

Radnor / Ft. Myer Heights Civic Association President Stan Karson called the closure “sad news,” in an email to residents.

“The Quarterdeck has a long and proud history in our area,” Karson wrote. “We are losing an important neighborhood fixture.”

Update at 2:35 p.m. — Local food blog Capital Spice talked with the restaurant’s landlord, who says that the property will likely remain a restaurant, possibly even retaining the current seafood format.

“The only thing I know for certain is that a restaurant will remain in operation in some form” at the location, the property owner told the blog.

Sette Bello Closing, To Be Replaced By American Tap Room

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 11:40 a.m.) Clarendon’s Sette Bello Italian restaurant will serve its last customers Saturday, two sources tell ARLnow.com.

Owners told employees last night that the restaurant will be closing after tomorrow, and that an American Tap Room bar/restaurant will take its place after renovations, according to sources.

We’re told that the restaurant, which opened in 2005, enjoyed commercial success at first but later struggled to fill tables inside the cavernous space. It was co-owned by restaurateur Franco Nuschese, of Cafe Milano fame.

A restaurant source estimated that Sette Bello employed around 30 people.

Renovations are expected to take several months, but no formal time frame has been announced.

Replacing Sette Bello will be American Tap Room, a bar/restaurant that currently has locations in Reston and Bethesda, according to an employee who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on the record.

Although American Tap Room will have numerous TVs and a game time menu, it’s not a sports bar per se (as previously reported).

“Upscale comfort casual dining,” is the way the employee described the restaurant. “It’s going to be familiar and modern at the same time.”

Photo via Facebook

View More Stories