Makers Union, a restaurant and pub based in Reston Town Center, is welcoming the holidays with a twist to their traditional offerings.
The Blitzen Bar opens today (Friday) and will continue through Dec. 25. A playlist with holiday tunes ranging from classics to Snoop Dogg will be featured at the bar.
Makers Union is offering 12 crafted cocktails as part of the festive pop-up. Customers can order a “naughty or nice” cocktail, and a team of elves will offer them an envelope sealing their fate as naughty or nice.
“It wouldn’t be the holidays without a holly jolly cocktail, and lucky for you Makers Union is offering twelve crafted cocktails full of holiday cheer,” a spokesperson for Makers Union told FFXnow.
The bar kicks off tonight with holiday karaoke from 9 p.m. to midnight.
Thompson Hospitality, the Reston-based restaurant group behind Makers Union, will also kick off at the location in The Wharf on tomorrow (Saturday). Other restaurants in the group include Hen Quarter, Milk & Honey, and The Delegate.
Cocktails include white Christmas, sugar cookie martini, apple crisp martini, and mistletoe fizz.
Makers Union is located at 1811 Library Street. It’s open from 11 a.m. to midnight on Fridays, though hours vary on other days of the week.
The Dunn Loring Metro station’s new “beerstro” is set to pour its first official brew tomorrow (Thursday).
The Casual Pint, a pub specializing in craft beer, will throw a grand opening celebration for its Dunn Loring franchise (2676 Avenir Place, Unit F), starting with a first toast at noon, according to a media advisory.
Festivities are planned throughout the day, and supervisors Dalia Palchik (Providence) and John Foust (Dranesville) are expected to attend.
Franchise owners Jenn Longmeyer-Wood and Derek Adams previously told FFXnow that they hope to create a casual, family-friendly gathering spot where local residents can “hang out and just keep it easy.”
Residents of McLean, the pair worked at The Casual Pint in Seven Corners — the Tennessee-based company’s only other location in Northern Virginia so far — before deciding to open their own franchise.
In Dunn Loring, the 1,753-square-foot pub can seat 42 people indoors, including 10 at the bar. Outdoor seating is also available in The Shops at Avenir Place’s courtyard, which Adams and Longmeyer-Wood hope will host musical performances and other events in the future.
Here’s more from The Casual Pint on its food and drink offerings:
CASUAL PINT BEERS & BEVERAGES:
Casual Pint of Dunn Loring’s expertly curated selection of beers includes options from a 22-tap draft beer system, as well as single beer cans and bottles available for purchase to drink on-site or take home along with crowlers and growlers available to-go. According to Adams, their craft beer selection will always include IPAs, Pilsner and a dark brew or two on tap, as well as at least one cider and seasonal offerings. The restaurant also serves a curated range of wines, ciders, non-alcoholic beers, and various soft drinks for a diverse beverage experience.
CASUAL PINT MENU:
Casual Pint of Dunn Loring features a small menu of all-star classic fare, including 12-inch handmade German pretzels from woman-owned Prop and Peller, served with house made beer cheese. Additionally, customers can enjoy brats, burgers, flatbread pizzas, wings, salads and wraps. Eventually, the team will begin adding seasonal items and regional specialties, incorporating ingredients and items from local butchers, locally grown vegetables, and locally owned/small-business specialty items.
Diners can also take the full Casual Pint experience home with food and craft beer to go, including Growler Fills, Mix-A-Six Packs out of our bottle & can cooler or packaged beer off the dry shelves. Kegs are also available for any occasion with advance orders.
The Casual Pint of Dunn Loring will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
An upcoming bar and restaurant hopes to turn the Dunn Loring Metro station into a hopping place.
On track to open in late October next to Quickway, The Casual Pint (2676 Avenir Place, Unit F) is envisioned as a family-friendly gathering spot, where community members of all ages can relax even as adults 21 and older savor a range of craft beers and wine — and yes, the brews will come in pints.
“It’s not a sports bar, but we will have sports. It’s not a music venue, but we’ll have music,” said Derek Adams, co-owner of Casual Pint’s new Dunn Loring franchise. “It’s in the name. It’s a casual place to just come in and hang out and just keep it easy.”
Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, The Casual Pint describes itself as a “craft beerstro” that serves up local, regional and national craft brews in a laidback environment more evocative of a coffee shop than a nightclub.
The company began in 2011 as a family-owned beer market that focused on selling take-home and packaged beer before evolving into more of a restaurant/bar. It has expanded to eight states through independently owned franchises, including one near Seven Corners where Adams and fellow Dunn Loring owner Jenn Longmeyer-Wood worked before deciding to open their own location.
For Longmeyer-Wood, who knows Adams as a longtime friend of her husband, The Casual Pint’s appeal stems in part from nostalgia for a now-shuttered gastropub called Pig & Fiddle that her family frequented when they lived in Minnesota.
“It had local craft beers, small menu, totally family-friendly, and it was the place to just go and hang out, have a good beer or hang out with friends, bring your family,” Longmeyer-Wood said. “When my husband and I moved back here with our kids, we were like, there’s nothing like that here. So, when Derek…started talking to my husband about [The Casual Pint], we were like, yes, this is the thing that we want to invest in and bring here.”
When looking for a site for their franchise, Adams and Longmeyer-Wood were drawn to the Shops at Avenir Place for its proximity to the Metro station, the new I-66 parallel trail and plenty of residences.
They also landed a space previously occupied by the kabob chain Moby Dick that faces directly out onto a courtyard with outdoor seating. The property owner is planning to refresh the space at the end of October with new furniture that will be available to all retail and restaurant patrons, Adams says, though he doesn’t know yet exactly how many seats there will be.
Inside, the 1,753-square-foot pub will have seating for 42 people, including 10 seats at the bar. According to its owners, the Dunn Loring franchise is pioneering a more modern look for The Casual Pint, eschewing the wood paneling that dominates in other locations for painted concrete walls and tiles.
As for what will be on tap, the team plans to bring in craft beers made by small or up-and-coming breweries from Virginia, particularly the central and southern regions, and across the country. When encountering breweries while on the road with her son, who plays travel hockey, Longmeyer-Wood says she would text Adams to see if they distribute in Virginia.
“Being able to bring that in here is really great, that we can expand beyond just the breweries in Northern Virginia,” she said.
In addition to beer, The Casual Pint will serve wine, cider, non-alcoholic beer and soft drinks. For food, the menu will be similar to the one in Seven Corners, featuring burgers, flatbread pizzas, wings, bratwurst, salads and wraps. Read More
An Arlington man was arrested in Alexandria yesterday (Tuesday) for a shooting incident that occurred in Bailey’s Crossroads earlier this month.
Fairfax County police officers were called to the Lion’s Den Lounge at 5820 Seminary Road around 4 a.m. on July 16 after getting a report of gunshots being fired.
Based on a preliminary investigation, detectives believe that 25-year-old Arlington resident Abdulkerim Halid fired two shots into the ground during “a dispute with a group of men in the lounge,” the Fairfax County Police Department says.
“Two adult females were injured from bullet fragments and debris,” the FCPD said. “They were taken to a nearby hospital for injuries not considered to be life-threatening. Halid was identified as the shooter, but he left the scene prior to police arrival.”
The FCPD arrested Halid “without incident” in Alexandria City yesterday with assistance from the Alexandria Police Department.
Halid faces two charges of reckless handling of a firearm, a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia that can be elevated to a Class 6 felony if the act caused “serious bodily injury.” A Class 1 misdemeanor carries a possible maximum sentence of one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500.
He’s currently in custody without bond at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
(Updated at 4:25 p.m.) A new nightclub and bar has taken over space formerly occupied by Outback Steakhouse in Herndon.
Ibiza Nightclub Bar & Grill opened on July 7 at 150 Elden Street. The business is the brainchild of two Honduran brothers Jimmy and Yonis Matute, who are seeking to reinvigorate the nightclub scene in the area.
In a statement, the brothers told FFXnow that they wanted to create an elegant place for locals to “decompress.”
“Since we got here we always worked in the restaurant and nightlife industry and wanted to revolutionize the industry,” the brothers wrote in a joint statement. “We started our first business in West Virginia and it was a success. We brought the community together there and decided to do the same with our hometown, Herndon. We are young, full of life and ready to work hard and contribute the local economy.”
The location includes happy hour plates and drinks, a private event space and entertainment.
The business is closed on Mondays and open on Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. The business closes on Sunday at 2 a.m., but the opening time is not confirmed yet. The owners hope to offer brunch, a company spokesperson told FFXnow.
Outback Steakhouse relocated down the road to 365 Elden Street last year.
Photo via Hi Ibiza
Visitors to Capital One Center in Tysons might’ve noticed signs advertising an upcoming change for Starr Hill Brewery, operator of the development’s rooftop beer garden.
The company confirmed today (Tuesday) that it will expand its presence in the neighborhood with a new, street-level brewpub, featuring a new food menu and two bars.
“We are incredibly excited to announce the addition of our new Brewpub at Capital One Center,” Starr Hill Brewery Vice President of Commercial Operations Josh Cromwell said. “This expansion represents our commitment to providing an exceptional entertainment experience, complementing the amazing atmosphere that Biergarten has developed in the past two years. We are excited to continue showcasing our fantastic beers, food and entertainment at a premier destination in Tysons.”
The 7,572-square-foot pub will be located at base of Capital One Hall at 7730 Capital One Tower Road. The spot had previously been slated to get the restaurant Sisters Thai, which has instead moved across the street.
Starr Hill Brewpub will open in early 2024, according to the press release.
The Brewpub will feature 2 separate bars with over 20 beers on tap, complimented by a robust cocktail menu and a variety of ciders and wines. The expanded food menu will focus on Americana, high-quality pub fare, offering a mouthwatering selection of classic and innovative dishes, designed to perfectly complement Starr Hill’s award-winning beers. An impressive seating capacity of over 225 seats will include an outdoor patio area and a stunning 2,000 square feet mezzanine.
The business also announced that it has hired Arlington chef Steve Winterling to serve as executive chef for Starr Hill Biergarten, which will launch “a renewed and updated food menu” this July. Winterling was the director of dining services for Marymount University before joining Starr Hill.
Starr Hill Biergarten opened in August 2021 as part of The Perch, Capital One Center’s 2.5-acre elevated park that also features mini golf, food trucks, a dog park and an amphitheater. The biergarten has been hosting a variety of events this summer, including live music and movie nights.
“Capital One Center is thrilled to expand our partnership with Starr Hill,” Capital One Center Managing Director Jonathan Griffith said. “Starr Hill Biergarten curated a destination at The Perch and led the way as one of our first retail openings at Capital One Center. Their unique programming and expertise as one of the oldest craft breweries in Virginia has elevated the entire Perch experience.”
Capital One Center said it had no updates on an opening date for Sisters Thai, which was once expected to open in late 2022. The Tysons location will be the restaurant’s largest yet and first to include an outpost of Magnolia Boutique Dessert Bar and Coffee, which can currently only be found in Vienna.
The development will also add Stellina Pizzeria, a Tex-Mex concept called Ometeo, and the upscale American restaurant Ox & Rye over the next year, per the press release.
Chef Pepe Moncayo, who launched Jiwa Singapura at Tysons Galleria earlier this year, is bringing a Spanish restaurant called Santi at 7775 Capital One Tower Road, but it wasn’t mentioned in the press release. The restaurant website says it’s coming in 2023.
Built around Capital One’s headquarters, Capital One Center will have a total of more than 250,000 square feet of retail space.
The food, beer and throwback tunes will flow when Yard House opens its doors at Tysons Galleria this weekend.
The American sports bar chain will open on the mall’s second level, near Crate & Barrell, on Sunday (Feb. 26) — slightly later than previously anticipated.
The 14,236-square-foot restaurant will have an outdoor patio, a bar with 130 taps of craft and import beers, and a glass-enclosed keg room that can hold up to 4,000 gallons of beer.
Owned by Darden Restaurants, Yard House has over 80 locations in the U.S. The Tysons restaurant is the fourth in the D.C. area, joining locations at Springfield Town Center, D.C.’s Chinatown and Gaithersburg, Maryland.
The operating hours will be 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to Tysons Galleria. Curbside pickups and online deliveries are also available at varying hours.
“Guests can toast to happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m. featuring half-price appetizers and $1-$4 off beer, wine and cocktails,” Yard House said.
The menu has over 100 items, including burgers, pizza, tacos, steak, seafood and a variety of salads and desserts. The Nashville-style hot chicken and poke nachos are among the most popular dishes, according to Yard House.
Tysons Galleria has been busy with openings recently, welcoming the movie theater CMX CinéBistro in late January and the restaurant Jiwa Singapura just last week. All three tenants are located in the renovated wing that once belonged to Macy’s.
Still to come to the mall this year is a Dior clothing store, which is slated to open in June.
Ornery Beer Company Public House is officially coming to Herndon.
The restaurant and pub, which already has locations in Fairfax and Manassas, is set to open at Arrowbrook Centre (2340 Silver Arrow Way), a development that is currently under construction at the intersection of the Dulles Toll Road and Centreville Road.
The business was started by Randy Barnette, a craft beer enthusiast and restaurant owner, in 2015 to offer a “more casual stye” brewpub. He’s also behind other concepts in the area, including Hard Times Cafe in Manassas and Mad Fox Brewing in Falls Church.
Barnette estimated the location will open in the third or fourth quarter of 2023, emphasizing that the expected opening is an estimate.
The full-service restaurant will include a three-barrel brewery.
“Our brewing capacity is supplemented by our production brewery in Bristow. Our business model is smaller pub-like restaurants with scratch kitchens, no walk-in freezers, offering great food that pairs well with our beer,” Barnette said.
Barnette said he chose the location because of the business demographics of the area and the mixed-use nature of the project. Herndon is also home to Barnette, who grew up from Herndon and graduated from Herndon High School. He now lives in Bristow.
Items on the menu include variety of beer and ciders, soups, salads, and pizzas.
The Arrowbrook Centre development is planned for more than 600,000 square feet of office space across three buildings,
The initial phases of the development will include 34,000 square feet of ground floor retail and a 274-unit apartment building. Additional development is planned.
Photo via Google Maps
(Updated at 8:55 a.m. on 12/15/2022) A new sports bar is brewing at Tysons Galleria, and it will arrive just in time for the NFL playoffs.
Yard House will hold a grand opening for its location in the mall’s redeveloped Macy’s wing on Jan. 15, the team announced on the Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Instagram last week.
“We’re ready to take care of ya’ll,” Dylan Wieder, the restaurant’s executive chef, said in the announcement.
Yard House’s planned entry into Tysons was first reported in August 2021 by the Washington Business Journal. The restaurant has taken over a 14,236-square-foot space with an outdoor patio next to Arhaus Furniture.
Known for an extensive menu and draft beer lineup, Yard House was envisioned by its founders as “the world’s greatest tap room” when it launched in Long Beach, California. Its December 1996 opening featured 250 beers and “Elvira: Mistress of the Dark” actor Cassandra Peterson as a guest bartender, according to the Press-Telegram.
The company was acquired in 2012 by Darden Restaurants, the group behind chains like Olive Garden and The Capital Grille. It now has over 80 locations around the U.S., including ones at Springfield Town Center and D.C.’s Chinatown.
The Tysons Galleria location will feature 130 taps, ranging from American craft and import beers to “local and regional pours hand-picked by the restaurant’s management team,” according to the business.
“Nothing unites better than beer,” Yard House said in a statement to FFXnow. “Tysons Galleria is already known for bringing people together, and we’re excited to join the community and the party with great beer, great food and great music.”
Here’s more on what to expect from the new restaurant/bar:
The glass-enclosed keg room showcases hundreds of steel barrels containing as much as 4,000 gallons of beer that flow to the center-island bar through an extensive network of beer lines positioned overhead.
While beer is Yard House’s heart, food is its soul. With more than 100 menu items made from scratch, there’s something for everyone on the menu. Featured menu items include the Poke Nachos, Nashville Hot Chicken, Street Tacos and Proprietary USDA Prime Blend burgers. Gluten-sensitive, vegan and vegetarian options are also available.
The restaurant is open daily for lunch, dinner and late night dining. Guests can toast to happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m. featuring half-price appetizers and $1-$4 off beer, wine and cocktails.
Tysons Galleria owner Brookfield Properties created a new wing by subdividing 260,000 square feet of space that had belonged to Macy’s until the department store closed in 2019. Major tenants in the fully leased wing include Crate & Barrel and Bowlero.
In addition to Yard House, the mall is awaiting the arrivals of the restaurant Jiwa Singapura, which slated to open in early 2023, and CMX CinéBistro, a dine-in movie theater whose premiere has been put on hold.
The wait for new restaurants at The Boro in Tysons is over at last.
Circa bistro (1675 Silver Hill Drive) and Él Bebe (8354 Broad Street), a Mexican restaurant and bar, will open their doors to diners at 4 p.m. today, said the Metropolitan Hospitality Group (MHG), which owns both brands.
This is the fourth Circa overall and second in Virginia, after an Arlington restaurant opened in 2011. Specializing in tacos and tequila, Él Bebe launched at D.C.’s Navy Yard in 2019, making the Tysons location its first expansion.
“We think in many ways, we’re kind of bringing the city out to Tysons,” MHG President Matthew Carlin said. “We have Circa and Él Bebe at the Navy Yard, here in Nats Park, so we’re most excited to bring some of our D.C. concepts…to Tysons and The Boro.”
When MHG announced in November 2019 that it was bringing two restaurants to The Boro, the company anticipated that they would open in late 2020 or early 2021. At that time, Él Bebe was going to be joined by Open Road, another American bistro concept that has a location in Merrifield.
Then, COVID-19 showed up.
Construction took “much longer than we ever imagined,” Carlin told FFXnow. Global supply chain issues resulted in equipment, particularly if it involved computer chips, taking months to arrive.
At the same time, the initial pause in construction in spring 2020 gave MHG and The Meridian Group, the developer behind The Boro, an opportunity to revise their plans.
“The longer we talked with The Meridian Group, they felt like Circa would be a better fit [than Open Road], because it’s a little more contemporary and would be a better fit for some of the office tenants,” Carlin said.
The company is also working on an Open Road Distillery and a “speakeasy” restaurant called Heirloom at Reston Town Center, so it wanted to bring something different to Tysons, he added.
Circa and Él Bebe are located in adjoining 5,000-square-foot suites in Boro Tower, directly across from ShowPlace ICON Theatre with a view overlooking Boro Park. They both allow outdoor dining, including on a 2,000-square-foot patio for Circa with an awning and bar seating.
Carlin says MHG had been interested in expanding to Tysons and specifically The Boro for a while.
“The Boro market for us is a perfect demographic, where it has really extraordinary commercial, office and residential demographics, and we think with the Silver Line and Greensboro Metro [station] right here, it’s easily accessible,” he said
The restaurants will open at 11 a.m. daily with happy hours from 4-7 p.m. on Monday through Thursday.
Here’s more from MHG and The Boro on what to expect from the eateries: Read More
