Clarendon closings in 2014

 This past year was a tumultuous time for Clarendon with many surprise closings of some of my favorite venues. Here is a run down with the changes over 2014:


Sadly the fancy restaurant and rooftop Eventide suddenly closed one Sunday without warning. I wish I had a last chance at the excellent food in the second floor dining hall with the super high ceilings and booths with mini doors. Even worse this high end restaurant is planned to be replaced by Don Tito from the A-Town team, which sounds like it will be completely opposite of what Eventide once offered.

Twin quirky restaurants Tallula and Eatbar both shut down at the end of 2014. I enjoyed Tallula's menu, although it was often empty on that side of the building. Eatbar was a fun movie themed bar, but the food was overpriced and subpar and also suffered from being not close to anything. Texas Jack's Barbecue is set to take over the space in 2015.

We lost Wilson Tavern in Courthouse to a new hotel project this past year. I was sad about that as Social DC PR just started throwing fun themed parties there and it was the spot to catch the last episode of How I Met Your Mother.

Summers in Courthouse is set to close this year, and I have mixed feelings about the outdated soccer bar leaving us. It felt stagnant, but will miss the nights I spent there as a Marymount college student.

Java Shack will be turning into Commonwealth Joe in 2015. I felt luke warm on Java Shack so I am optimistic about this change.

And rumor has it that Carpool in Ballston my close in 2015 and may be demolished to make way for more high rise residential development. I hope that isn't true and we don't lose another quirky old favorite spot here.

Jay's is the clear winner in 2014 as they are still open despite years of talk of closing and the upper floor of the building being deemed unsafe.

Wilson Tavern Closing Party

It's sad to say goodbye to any fun bar, but its especially crappy to have a closing party for a great place like Wilson Tavern. The bar has hosted dozens of themed events since they opened in Clarendon late 2011. After expanding to double their size in 2013, they have teamed with local promoters like Social DC PR to throw unique parties like:

"Daisy Dukes and Cowboy Boots"
"Condoms and Candy Necklaces"
"Prevent Cancer 5k Fundraiser"
"How I Met Your Mother Finale"
"No Work Monday Snowday"

Unfortunately Wilson Tavern's days were numbered once Arlington County approved that it could be torn down and replaced with an ugly hotel. So this Tuesday, May 13 there will be one last party before they shut Wilson Tavern's doors for good and VA Tech alumni will have to find another place to get Top Of The Stairs Rails.

Cinco De Mega-Crawl Saturday

Brace yourself for another large bar crawl in Clarendon this Saturday, May 3 filled with drunkenness and sombreros starting at 3pm. GoCityEvents, the organizers of Shamrock Fest, is throwing a Cinco de Mayo bar crawl with about 10 local bars including Clarendon Grill, Velocity 5, Mad Rose Tavern, Greene Turtle, Hunan One, Arlington Rooftop Bar & Grill, Mister Days, Wilson Tavern, and Hard Times. Tickets are about $18, but you can get them for $5 with promo code "CINCO" now. They are also offering a great deal with the super convenient car service Uber with a $40 credit for your first ride, also with promo code "CINCO".

Final How I Met Your Mother party at Wilson Tavern

This is text Wilson Tavern is throwing a viewing party for the final episode of the How I Met Your Mother television series this Monday, March 31. The popular comedy series staring Neil Patrick Harris is winding down after 9 seasons on CBS, and the final episode will air on the Courthouse bar's screens at 8pm. Wilson Tavern will start celebrating the end of this long series at 7pm with trivia and drink specials.

Also coming to a close soon is Wilson Tavern's place in Arlington nightlife. The venue opened three years ago on Wilson Blvd replacing Kitty O'Shea's by the owners of The Might Pint in DC. They have hosted a multitude of fun, original and sometimes tongue-in-cheek parties, and their popular Fireball whisky shots have left many Arlingtonians questioning their life decisions the next morning. The building that Wilson Tavern resides in is scheduled for demolition and being replaced by a hotel, so their staff states they only have two more months of being open for business. Hopefully they will throw a large closing party then!

Making Strides for MS at Wilson Tavern

This Wednesday, Feb 19 is full of after work activities, and one you should not miss is Making Strides for MS happy hour. This fundraiser benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at Wilson Tavern from 5-10pm. For a $10 donation at the door, you get specials like raffle tickets, $3 domestic beers, $4 wine glasses, and $5 16oz cocktails. In addition, Wilson Tavern will be donating another 10% of their bar profits to the MS Society.

Condoms and Candy Necklaces at Wilson Tavern

Wilson Tavern is continuing it's habit of originally themed parties with a Condoms & Candy Necklace night this Friday, Feb 14. This tongue-in-cheek event starts at 8pm and has no cover. This isn't the place to bring that special someone for a romantic Valentine's Day. Instead, Wilson wants you to meet someone new that night by giving out condoms and candy necklaces at the door as conversation topics, as well as featuring  special fireball shot dubbed "One Night Stand." Don't overthink the connection between condoms and candy necklaces, as there is none, but you won't be doing much thinking after a few of those fireballs that are popular there.

Super Bowl Sunday at Wilson Tavern

Every bar in Clarendon is hosting specials and blasting the Broncos vs Seahawks on Sunday, February 2, but only Wilson Tavern is offering that plus all you can eat crab legs. Starting at 5:30pm, this second annual Super Bowl party offers up ten different beers on tap. $20 gets you unlimited crab legs for the night, with the kickoff scheduled for 6:30pm.

"No Work Monday" Sunday party at Wilson

Given this three day weekend due to the MLK Jr. holiday, Wilson Tavern is having a "No Work Monday" party this Sunday night, January 19. If you come in anytime Saturday to Wilson, you can pick up a free ticket for Sunday's party, which includes an open bar from 9 to 10pm.

Also, Clarendon Grill is hosting a Sunday party at the same time. Starting at 9pm local DJ Pat Premier with probably a $5 cover.

Wilson Tavern Misfits Christmas Party

This Friday, December 27 Wilson Tavern is throwing the last holiday themed party this year for those of us who didn't travel out of town this winter break. Break out your Christmas sweaters and holiday swag one last time with the Misfits Christmas Party starting 9pm.

Hokie Appreciation Sat night at Wilson Tavern

This Saturday, December 7 Wilson Tavern is throwing another Virginia Tech appreciation night. Wear your Hokie gear to get drink specials starting at 8pm, which include the $7 VT Rails miser and $5 Fireball shots.

Movember Party at Wilson Tavern

This Thursday, November 21 Wilson Tavern is celebrating moustaches and raising money to combat prostate and testicular cancer with their Movember Party from 8pm - 2am . "Movember" festivities typically involve growing as much facial hair as you can in a month to raise awareness for men's health and cancer prevention. Wilson Tavern is pitching in with giving away t-shirts to those who donate at the door, a prize contest for best 'stash, and proceeds for the night going to Movember.com.

Prevent Cancer 5k fundraiser at Wilson Tavern

Join Prevent Cancer 5k Walk/Run Chair Allison Hutchins at Wilson Tavern on Thursday, September 12 to raise a glass and raise funds for Prevent Cancer's 5k Walk/Run on Sept 29.

A $10 donation at the door gets you entry with a wristband good for happy hour specials extended from 5 - 9pm including $3 Summer Shandy, Yuengling & Miller Lite drafts, $4 wine and $5 16 oz cocktails.

All American Bar Crawl

UPDATE: Use promo code ALLAMERICAN2013 when you buy you ticket online to save 30%.

You don't have to wait to July 4 to party hard for America's birthday. The massive All American Bar Crawl will take over Clarendon this Saturday, June 29 from 1 to 9pm The bar crawl hits at least 10 bars between Clarendon and Courthouse, with cheap drinks and food as well as prizes for the most outlandish patriotic costumes. Tickets are $15 online or $20 at the door. Check in and pick up a souvenir beer mug at Mad Rose or Clarendon Grill between 1 and 5pm and then bar hop to any (or all) of these bars:

Arlington Rooftop Bar & Grill
Clarendon Grill
Hunan Number One
Iota
Mad Rose Tavern
Mister Days
Sobe
Spider Kelly's
Whitlow's
Wilson Tavern
Velocity 5

Hokie night at Wilson Tavern Thursday

This Thursday, June 27 Wilson Tavern will be hosting Virginia Tech alumni for a Summer Mixer. The Hokie night lasts from 7pm to close and features drink specials like The Rail (a cocktail that combines 6 bottom shelf liquors plus a splash of juice and float of grenadine) and a best VT themed dressed contest.

Drink specials:
$7 VT Rails (ToTS recipe)
$5 Fireball shots

Cancer Prevention happy hour fundraiser at Wilson Tavern

This Thursday June 6 Wilson Tavern is hosting a happy hour for a great cause from 5pm to 9pm. That night 10% of their bar and 100% of registration proceeds will go to the Prevent Cancer Foundation's fundraising efforts for the 5k Walk/Run in September. The evening includes extended happy hour specials and a pair of sourviegner sunglasses. Tickets are $8 online or $10 at the door. You can check out the event on Facebook for more information or donate directy to them here.

Tonight in Clarendon

On this Thursday, May 16th in Clarendon you get your choice of a wide variety of live music, from dance to country to indie. Here is the break down:

5:30 - Local musician Derek Evry is playing at Whole Foods, which if you remember now has a bar upstairs.

8:00 - Wilson Tavern is throwing a "Daisy Dukes and Cowboy Boots" party tonight featuring country music, encouraging patrons to wear cowboy attire and short shorts.

8:30 - Live music starts at Iota with Emily Wells taking the stage. Brooklyn-based electroacoustic duo Live Footage also plays tonight. Cover is $13.

9:00 - Round out the night with a CD release party with DJ Saam and King C Lo at Mad Rose Tavern. If the weather holds out, there will be champagne and hooka available on their patio.

Video from Wilson Tavern Re-Opening Party

Re-opening party at Wilson Tavern Thursday

Wilson Tavern's new larger wrap around bar

This Thursday, Feb 21 Wilson Tavern is throwing a party to celebrate its new interior after expanding into the empty space next door. The new bar was open last week, and those that visited like Missy say it is "feels MUCH larger. Menu looks good. Pierogies are awesome. Bartenders are attentive. Great experience so far!"

The spot that used to be Kitty O'Sheas now can hold many more people, and features larger TV's, darts, and a new food menu. To officially break in the new place, Wilson Tavern is partnering with Guest Of A Guest to throw a re-opening party.