A new open-air beer garden between Clarendon and Virginia Square metros. Dog friendly (admission of dogs until 8 pm only because they said after that it'll be too crowded). We initially thought the rule meant dogs have to be out by 8 pm, but no one was patrolling or kicking dogs out at all. Many dogs stayed way beyond 8 pm. Next time we know we could bring dogs (as long as we come in before 8 pm). I ordered a chicken taco, thinking it's a regular restaurant sized appetizer (at least a few tacos) or even a dinner plate. Nope. Just one, sad, miserable, tasteless taco! Expensive too! My friends all burst out laughing when they saw that. Games seem free! Overpriced drinks and food (prices were NOT transparent!), limited options, lousy service. No real toilets, only dirty porta potties. Nice patches of artificial lawns and areas of sofas here and there. Mostly it's wooden picnic tables and benches. The highlights for some are the "beach" areas with lawn games. "Gorgeous" view of a giant unsightly electricity facility right across the street. Nothing nice here. It used to be just an empty lot for a long time. They put in some effort of bringing in small trees to make the place a bit more green. More trees and flowers would be nice. Of the two food trucks, only one was open, and the choices were terribly limited. Prices were not announced at all (simply a list of drinks or dishes). That is terrible. They should at least announce the prices. read more

See all

(Night experience review) If I could give this place negative 5 stars, I gladly would. My friend and I arrived at 10:30 pm on a Saturday night during labor day weekend. There was a line where there were circles in the sidewalk to socially distance which we did. The people in front neglected to so we had to stay back and the people behind us also didn't bother to socially distance so we had to tell them to back it up! We kept seeing a security guard walk up and down while looking at the line and not enforcing the social distance. After standing for an hour and moved a few feet, we thought about leaving but an argument broke out in the front so we thought ok these drunks must have stalled the line from moving. The cops came, drunks left, people were in what looked like a tree house with a couch which I guess must have been VIP?? Anyways, since the cops came security made everyone stand in their respective circles to socially distance. I guess they didn't want to get fined? Although cops sure as hell were not enforcing it. We finally made it in after waiting for two hours and were really excited to check this place out only to have one "female" pretend to look for someone and stand in front of us. Uhmm nope not happening! To make matters worse her friend came, went under the rope and I told them excuse me the line is in the back and all I heard was I'm with her. Yeah and both of you are not getting away with it. I approached the security guy since I was only one group away and told them these people just cut. All he said is how many are in your group and let my friend and I in. Really? I turned around and he's talking to them like they are good friends. So yes cutting the line is the norm at this place. As I go in, they put us in a different line and the woman wanted to charge us $5. I asked her does this cover guarantee me a serious boyfriend, a drink and food? She said it's for security and maintenance. Me: Ok? What about drinks? Her: Oh no you have to pay for your drink. Me: What about seats? As I looked at packed picnic tables. Her: You'll have to find a seat, no standing. Me: Ok so I'm paying $5 in addition to paying for drinks and food with a most likely guarantee of getting Covid or an argument with a drunk? Yeah bye! I rather go to My bed than this place ever again! No principle, no two hoots given, all they care about is their wallets and forget the rest. I refuse to pay money to have a bad time, sure it looks appealing but looks and feels are different things. Save your time, energy and money! read more

I was pretty disappointed with this place. I didn't have the same negative experiences as others, but this place just isn't worth the time or money. This is not a beer garden. There aren't any "good" or special beers on tap. Just blue moon and Sierra IPA. It's just an outdoor bar. It was also packed full of college students. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm about 10+ years out from that so just not my scene. My biggest problem was the food. I wanted a shrimp taco, but they didn't have shrimp so I opted for a simple cheese quesadilla. The quesadilla was a tortilla and Kraft cheese for $14 with tax. I think the drunk college students at the bar could literally make better quesadillas. Also, not a mask in sight if you are concerned about Covid. Again? Just not worth my time more money. read more

The Lot - Sad Kraft cheese quesadilla for $14 - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I was passing by and just wanted to give this place an inside glance and maybe enjoy a food truck. What a disaster of a spot. I have a lot of stereotypes to share but let me say your potential chatting partners will be more spit than substance. Identification check upon entry was by a dude who thought he managed a club. Maybe the bubble tents (nobody dared to be in them) made him feel like he had something exclusive. When you enter you have a beach sand bar with horrible taps to you right, a food truck in front of you that looked more tagged than tasty, a beer garden with benches and plastic domes around tables and slitting conversations through slurred speech all around. I did not read reviews before I came but glad to see yelpers are warning those who are not just walking by. read more

The Lot - Enjoy the view from the outside and appreciate what this place could be in your imagination. - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I enjoy coming here during the day! It can get very busy so come early to get a table and skip the line. I don't have any feedback about the lines as I always come early but they can get very long! I have seen them let people skip the line too. They are a bit pricey drinks for being honestly in a jazzed-up parking lot with tents and picnic tables. They do have a wide selection of drinks, seltzers which is nice. They have food trucks permanently parked there as well. Its great for drinks on Saturday, they had corn-hole pre-COVID and I appreciate their bathrooms being in the nice trailers rather than just port-a-johns. read more

Chill vibe but pricey. Cover charge was $10 on a Saturday night. A can of beer is $8 each. But hey- if that doesn't phase you, it's a nice place to hangout with friends. The line to get inside can be intimidating, but it moved fairly quick. There are 3 parked food trucks that offer tacos, chicken tenders, fries- the best munchies to go with beer. They had a type of sour and cider, which are more enjoyable to my tastebuds. We also had house shots that was tea flavor and was refreshingly yummy! Mixed drinks are available. There's a good mix of music playing- sometimes current hip hop, throwback hip hop, or house. A sand lot gives a beachy, relaxing atmosphere. There were TVs but nothing was playing. Overall, we had a great night! read more

The Lot - a table with a beer and cans on it - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

$10 cover charge cash only. Is there a band playing? No. Is this the year 1991? No. So why the hell would I have cash on me. Clarendon is the pits. read more

If you really enjoy beer and are looking for a place to vibe -- do NOT come to The Lot. Beer choice is limited. I thought they at least have some local breweries on tap but they just sell your regular beer (blue moon, Sierra Nevada, corona, etc.). You are better off going to a happy hour at one of the bars down the road or finding a different beer garden in DC or checking out a local brewery in Arlington or Alexandria area. The security staff made my friend and I uncomfortable when on multiple occasions asked how many drinks we had and if we were getting more. One came and sat at the table with us encouraging us to get more drinks, asking our names, and what our plans were for later. I suggest finding another local business to support. read more

FINALLY this random parking lot in Arlington is being used for something cool. The Lot is a large outdoor beer garden with picnic tables, cute lights, backyard games, and food trucks. A big group of us checked out The Lot on a Friday night. It was slightly busy, but the lines at the shipping container bars weren't awful. The sandy game area, which includes corn hole and giant pong, was crowded; however, a few of the people who were currently playing were friendly and let us join in on their game of corn hole. After a few beers, we decided to grab some fries from one of the food trucks, and they were better than I expected. The only negative was the bathrooms are port-o-potties (yuck). Hopefully after being open for a little they will build legit bathrooms. Overall, The Lot is a fun spot to visit with a group of friends on a nice night! read more

The Lot - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

See all

Was looking to try this place a long time due to it being a beer garden. Beer selection didn't have many if any German or specialty type beers but I guess their selection isn't terrible. What's nice is that it's an open air experience which is good to be able to hear conversations and less hot than a packed bar. This place seems to be popular and run well, though I think I'm a little more into a different vibe but I maybe would go there again with friends read more

Crowded, a little pricey, and full of vibes. If you know me, you know there are few things better than a good vibe. The Lot is a re-purposed old parking lot which has been converted to a beer garden equipped with mobile bars, picnic tables, lounge chairs, and outdoor games. I've been there twice now, both of clear and warm Saturdays and man was it packed! We had to hover and circle the seating area for 5-10 minutes each visit to grab a table. I like the idea of the mobile bar trucks, but the drinks were a little pricier than I thought they'd be. It was $8-$10 for different well drinks and $6 for beers. I'd continue to go back just because of the awesome environment -- everyone is in a good mood and enjoying themselves under the evening cube lights. read more

The lot is a LOT if ya know what I mean. It definitely gets recognition for being the largest outdoor beer garden along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. There is always a long line to get in and the atmosphere is pretty trashy. Last time I was here I accidentally complained about it the entire time. Come here if: you miss college Recommendations: water read more

The Lot has a cool set-up with the sand pit, lawn games, and food trucks, but it has a very specific vibe (something along the lines of frat and beach party, but grown-up), which, if it's your jam, makes it a cool place to check out. It was fairly busy on a Friday night and got progressively more crowded as the night went on. They have plenty of picnic tables set up, and if you're a small party, you'll most likely share one with another party. The main drawback for me was the lack of food options. I'm not sure if they switch up the trucks, but the night I was there, there was a chicken nugget truck and a taco truck, with only a few options at each place. The bars were well-stocked with beers, and what are now becoming ubiquitous, White Claws and Trulys. Overall, the Lot is worth checking out and is a good place for meeting up with friends. I'd recommend getting food beforehand, unless you're okay with simple bar bites. read more

I came to The Lot on a Sunday evening around 5 pm. It was fairly crowded, but we were able to find seating next to another group at one of the picnic tables. We were only a party of two, but I could see it being difficult to find seating for larger group. The Lot place is a pretty cool outdoor bar with food trucks. They offer draft beers & a full service bar. We had the froze & orange crush ($12 each). I really enjoyed the froze. They allow dogs which I wasn't a huge fan of because there were EVERYWHERE, but most were well behaved. Taking away one star because the one bar with the sand pit in the front was annoying. I wasn't planning to have my feet in any sand, so that bothered me. Street parking only. They take cards & cash. I would definitely come back. If they had outdoor TVs this would be a great seating to watch football in the first few weeks of the season. read more

The Lot - Froze on Sunday Funday - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Showed up at 7:50 on Friday night.... was the first person in line. They made us wait 35 minutes and let's dozens of people cut the line.... Never let a single person from the line in despite several large groups leaving. Forced me to buy a picnic table for $50 just to get it... hot garbage!!! Will never be coming back read more

Great if you want to be outside. It was mostly a young crowd, but there was a mix of people. My favorite part was the "claw" punch. I've been trying to replicate it since. read more

The Lot - a wooden table with two cups of juice on it - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

So excited this place FINALLY opened! I've been waiting for this place for like 2 years. A nice spot outdoors to have some beer and play some corn hole. Some shade with umbrella and some bungalow areas, this place is perfect for a twilight drink or to day drink if you don't mind being hot. They have corn joke and big beer pong, along with big jenga and connect four. They serve beer in buckets for $25 depending on the kind and huge liquor drinks as well. Also have a food truck that seems to only be opened in the evening. The bathrooms are mostly portapotty but they have a few stalls that are air conditioned and indoors. Definitely coming back here often! read more

It was our first time out for beers since the Covid 19 rules went into effect 3 months ago. We went early (4 on a Friday) before it became too crowded. Nice set up with spaced out picnic tables, some outdoor couches, etc. Two bars and two food trucks. The overall feel was like a shore/beach bar with sun, music and drinks. Prices were typical Arlington $6-8 for a beer, $10 for a Claw Punch. (They also have a full bar). Found the experience really enjoyable and a safe way to get out during Covid. As usual in Clarendon we were probably the oldest people there but it was a nice crowd (looks like a few guys walked over from Fort Meyer unless crew cuts are back in style). Definitely will be back. read more

"The Lot coming soon" was a sight for many for at least a year driving down Wilson Blvd. According to some articles, it was difficult figuring out permitting as this was the first standalone outdoor bar in Arlington. They were able to finally find a work-around and opened in July. Previously a parking lot, hence "The Lot", this was turned into a large outdoor space with sea containers turned bars, picnic tables, canopies, games, and food trucks. It definitely serves a need in Clarendon for a big open outdoor space. It can get pretty crowded in the early evening. People have themselves a time here! Solid selection of beers on tap and in cans. There is a full liquor bar too. Definitely a great choice if you have a large group that wants to hang outside on a nice night. The bathroom situation is port-o-Johns. It's pretty hard to get on one of the games (giant pong, corn hole) because there are a lot of people waiting. It's new and constantly being improved, so we will see how it progresses. Closed on Mondays I think. Although it's a "lot" there is no parking. read more

Super chill spot, I was able to go with my dog and we had no issues getting served, they even had water bowls for her! When I went it wasn't overly crowded so plenty of room and my dog did not freak out. Definitely would recommend, especially if you want to bring your dog with you! read more

This bar is not worth it. They charge a $10 cover and $10 per beer. You're better off buying an entire case and hanging out with your squad in your apartment. read more

Perfect day to be outside. Perfect place to be to enjoy the weather. I'm very impressed how serious they take the Covid but also still have a fun atmosphere. Ice cold beer and great music. Plenty of seating. I will be back! read more

See all

Really cool place! Definitely a great place to go at the beginning of the night as a warm up. The ambiance is beautiful, especially right when the sun sets. They have different bars within The Lot, one that serves just beer and the other two serve both liquor and beer. You'd think this would make the service faster, but unfortunately it's still pretty slow. Hoping that once they're open for a little longer they'll be able to serve a little more quickly. Really liked that they had sandy sections that bring a little bit of a beach vibe to Arlington since we don't have much of that. The cornhole and giant beer pong is also a nice fun touch to get patrons active and invested. For some reason they only seem to be open at night, which, considering their whole shtick is an outdoor bar, you'd think they'd be open during the day too. Hoping to see them open and accepting day drinkers soon! read more

Love the fun and cool concept than traditional lounges. We went on a Sunday evening when it was not too crowded. Heard they had 1000+ on Saturday night. Being a new kid and new concept they are going thru the growing/learning curve... food truck had run out of food. Bathrooms are under construction but have a porta-potty. Also, we wished they had more food options. Prices are average for the area. Besides that, the staff was very attentive. Good drink choices, music was not too loud and all the games were fun. Love it is pet-friendly! We will back soon. read more

Fun games, expensive drinks. $6 isn't really worth it for a Yuengling. $8 isn't really worth it for a Whiteclaw. I bought both anyway. read more

The Lot - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Alright, get ready, Karen rant: Absolutely no social distancing enforced. Bar was packed like pre-covid or what you see on the news about Florida. Didn't even need a mask to get in from what I saw. No one was wearing one once inside. Groups of 20+ congregating, people interacting with strangers, it was absolutely disgusting. People who tried to walk past me even touched me to be like "excuse me" which is perfectly fine normally, but not during Covid. I went with one other person. They said "2" and we paid our cover and follow the staff to the table. They tried to seat us with 4 people we have never met who were already drunk and clearly not social distancing. Needless to say, I submitted a complaint to the Virginia Department of Health. I'm rarely the type to complain about restaurant/bar service, but it was incredibly sad to see the complete disregard for anyone's safety during a pandemic, from the staff to the patrons. God I really hate being a Karen :( read more

Quick service, not too packed on a sunny day with great weather. Decent priced drinks and allows dogs! read more

The Lot - Bar area - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Fine white sands, a game of toss-up, four trailers from which to choose food or drink, and a picnic-tabled lounge on a bit of plastic green where you might tell a tale to earn a drink gratis from your neighbor. Rebel taco created the perfect steak taco to flight two potables, an Edinburgh beer and a limed G&T. The port-o-potties were wanting of the TP, so an intelligent hunt was in order. The rain came early to this bright little corner of the Clarendon district of Arlington, posted near another destination-worthy eatery. read more

See all

We thought the sign for The Lot was a joke after living here for two years with nothing going in-lucky for us, it finally opened! The inside is spacious, and the mist fans were a really nice touch for an area that gets obliterated by heat and humidity in the summer. However, there was a serious lack of shade, even though they have multiple umbrellas in the space. As someone who gets hot easily it was pretty miserable, and we left early because of it. Drink deals were fine--they had a 5 for $35 Truly/White Claw deal that many people (including us) were taking advantage of. My friend got an orange crush at one of the food trucks and it was GOD AWFUL. They used supermarket orange juice... enough said. Don't waste your money. There was also a crush offering at the drink stand that was...frozen. We stayed far away. Clearly these people need to get to Dewey to learn the ways of the crush. Overall, a fun bar offering for the area. Make sure to wear sunscreen if you go and be prepared to sweat it out. read more

Prices are rape but if you wanna have an unforgettable time chillin with your buddies with good young vibes this is the spot

This bar isn't too bad during the day, but at night it is so crowded, it's a perfect COVID breeding ground. There simply isn't enough space to social distance, and the more people drink the less they care about being close to each other. It is a great idea/place for a post-COVID world, but for now I'd pick somewhere else, it's just not worth the risk. read more

Cute place. Cool concept. They have fun games and food trucks that serve only alcohol. I find the alcohol a bit overpriced and there did not seem to be any food options when I went. It was quite busy and the outdoor environment is nice. It's also in a pretty convenient location close to other bars and such. read more

The best spot in Arlington right now. I've been a couple of times since the opening, and it keeps getting better. Such a fun atmosphere. I can tell that the owners are trying every week to improve something. I appreciate the friendly and fun staff. It is obvious they all care about the success of the Lot. I wonder what will happen in the fall/winter. Fire pits? I hope this place stays open as long as possible! read more

The Lot - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

$8 12oz drafts. $6 domestic cans. $4 tacos that are skimpy (but very good, I had the short rib). All the games are free and it attracts lots of 20-somethings. If they could charge reasonable prices I'd be all for it. read more

The Lot - Taco - Bars Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

After years of driving by the Sign - The Lot is finally open. Hooray. Yes it is about 1 dollar too expensive per beer but we have been waiting for a place in arlington to hang out outside, drink beers, and play games and that is exactly what this place offers. I agree that the lot could use more shade - i'm sure they will get to that - but this is clarendon - most people don't come out til its dark. What makes this place fun is that they have about 20 games to play (cornhole, beer pong....with the huge balls, etc). Its a non judgemental - easy place to meet people on a weekend. Whether you make this your main stop - or just your pre-game you'll have fun. Just remember that the whole point of this place is to be social - so turn to your neighbor - cheers them and then make a new friend read more

I walked by this place yesterday and they are taking no measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19: Large crowds congregated in a relatively small space and playing games that involve large numbers of people handling items. Money over social responsibility. Not good. read more

The vibes? Great! The security guards? So nice. The drinks and the bar tenders? AWFUL. I got probably the worst Long Island i've ever tasted (bitter and 90% tequila) and when I tried to bring it back, the bar tender was extremely rude without even bothering to understand why I was bringing it back. I ended up not even asking for money back and just begging them to check their drinks before giving them out because it was that bad. Not going to waste $14 on a terrible drink here again. read more

I was brutally thrown out one night by the security guys. I wasn't drunk, I was hanging out with a friend of mine and I borrowed a chair from another table. Terrible experience. read more

They wanted to close early and kicked us out hours before the posted closing time. Threatening to call the police if we did not hurry.

They had measures in place to prevent spread of corona. It is outdoors and is therefore one of the only truly safe options in the area during this difficult time. Most people were seated at wooden tables when I went. I'm just glad they finally got to open. Went for the first time this weekend and it helped me and others get over a long quarantine so thank you for the wonderful service this weekend :) read more