Kirby Club in Merrifield will undergo some major changes this fall.
The Middle Eastern restaurant, which opened at the Mosaic District (2911 District Avenue) in late 2022 to some acclaim, will take on a new name and revamped menu in mid-September when owner Rose Previte hands over control to longtime team member Tariq Alaeddin.
Kirby Club will serve its final meals on Sept. 8 before reopening a week later as NAJA, a name inspired by Alaeddin’s grandmother, Najah.
The reimagined restaurant will continue to center Lebanese cuisine, retaining some dishes from Kirby Club like its signature havuc dip and chicken with toum. However, Alaeddin will also expand the menu to include a wider range of Mediterranean food inspired by his grandmother’s cooking and his travels.
“Tariq has been part of Kirby Club since day one,” Previte said in a press release. “We instantly bonded swapping stories about growing up with a Lebanese grandma and what she and that food meant to us as kids. To be able to have him take over this restaurant and make it his own is incredibly fulfilling and a continuation of this journey in a way I never could have imagined when we opened it three years ago.”
Named Restauranteur of the Year by the RAMMY Awards in 2023, Previte developed Kirby Club as a tribute to her own grandparents, who were immigrants from Lebanon and opened a social club by that name in Akron, Ohio, in 1933.
Focused on kebab plates and dips, Kirby Club was the first Virginia location for Previte and fellow owner Mike Schuster, who are also behind the D.C. restaurants Compass Rose and Maydān. Last year, it made Washingtonian’s list of the 100 best restaurants in the D.C. region and Northern Virginia Magazine’s annual ranking of the 50 best restaurants.
Alaeddin was originally hired at Kirby Club as a server when it first opened, but he later became part of the management team. His experience growing up in both Lebanon and the U.S. informed his perspective of food as “a bridge” that can bring people together, according to the release.
“Rose has been an incredible mentor to me over these few years,” he said. “My goal for NAJA is to honor the spirit that my grandmother instilled in me, how true hospitality feels like being welcomed home.”
On top of introducing a new name and menu, Alaeddin will change up the restaurant’s look, both for the interior and the outdoor patio. He also plans to extend operations into the late-night hours with themed events featuring a DJ.
More from the press release:
The menu at NAJA builds upon Kirby Club’s celebration of Lebanese-American cooking. Guests will recognize creamy dips like havuc, perfectly roasted chicken with toum, and delicate branzino. It will also showcase ingredients Alaeddin grew up cooking alongside his grandmother like grape leaves, fresh herbs, and pomegranate molasses, as well as dishes he fell in love with during his travels including their take on New York City’s street food staple, Chicken Over Rice, and shawarma wraps. Expanding across the Mediterranean, the menu will also feature mana’eesh flatbreads and shareable mezze platters, offering something for every taste. NAJA will also introduce “NAJA Nights” — DJ-fueled themed evenings that bring energy and culture into the space after dinner hours.
The space will transform with a new look featuring warm navy and cream tones, brass accents, and Mediterranean textures. The outdoor patio will also be refreshed, creating a versatile vibe from lunch to late night. The Bar will become the centerpiece with flowers because Tariq grew up in his mother’s flower shop.
Whether you are here for special dinner in a comfy booth, a lively night at the 20‑seat bar, a relaxed lunch with friends, a quick grab‑and‑go wrap, or a catered celebration, NAJA offers an experience that is as warm as it is memorable.
