Changing nightlife scenes in Clarendon

 Here is a quick run down of recent changes to our local bars and stages:

Former Pinemoor window

Mister Days

The most exciting recent news is the owners of previous Mister Days may be taking over the Pinemoor space! This location was originally home to the much missed Clarendon Grill, which along with Whitlows and Mister Days formed the backbone of late night casual Clarendon night life. Now with Pinemoor gone, this large space on Highland Street has been empty for since last summer. It's biggest feature is the hidden outdoor patio in the rear accessible by street. 

Arlington Rooftop Bar and Grill

To no one's surprise, the uninspiringly named Rooftop near Courthouse has officially closed according to ARLNow. When this place was more active in the mid 2010's it was known for a slightly older crowd or sometimes a "cougar bar" in the summer. Not sure what will replace it, but it would be just far enough away from the main strip of Clarendon to make it tough to find a reason to go out there.

B Live

B Live is closed for now

I loved B Live when it opened almost 2 years ago in the corner of the old Whitlows space. It had a great combination of live music, zany drinks, and games in a bright neon decor. After opening its sister venue Coco B's next door and on the rooftop, B Live redecorated a year later to focus on a beachy theme with a bigger emphasis on bar games. 

B Live hasn't reopened since Christmas and I'm hoping the owners will take another shot at redecorating or a new theme, as I love this fun live music spot. Coco B's seems to be doing great now, with a full loud brunch crowd on the weekends and a rooftop that will open again soon in Spring.

Pamplona

After 6 years in Clarendon, Pamplona closed last December. It wasn't a surprise as the owners announced it to the public a month ahead of time. The small Spanish restaurant was a huge improvement over the previous SoBe, which was the worst "restaurant" ever in the area. I liked Pamplon and have great memories there from Halloween 2019 when the small space was packed with dancing and costumes. You will be missed Pamplona!

Chicken and Whiskey

Chicken and Whiskey

The owners have "temporarily closed" for the season. Read more about this on ArlNow. I'm not missing the food side of this place as there are better and cheaper Peruvian charcoal rotisserie chicken places like Pollo Rico nearby. I will miss the bar side with it's arcade machines and darts and fun cocktails. This location doesn't get a lot of foot traffic especially after the infamous and much missed Hunan One left.

Iota

An honorable mention on this list is the former space of Iota at Wilson Blvd next to CoCoB's and B Live. Vacated in 2018 and only the facade remains. Inside is still rubble with no plans for a new tenant yet from The Clarendon Crossing group. My heart still hurts for this loss to the local live music scene.