Fun Fact: Crystal City's food and bar scene is extremely disappointing. Filled with chain restaurants (read: Chili's and others), and monstrous concrete buildings there is nothing unique or community-oriented about this section of Arlington. I know there is a Business Development initiative designed to try to work on this challenge, but honestly the place is set up for tourists.
However, noticeable changes are underway, starting with a new restaurant in town -- Highline R&R.
Simple and industrial, with a focus on a good beer selection, this restaurant is everything that I love in a bar. Casual and comfortable (sneakers allowed), open air (HUGE windows) and eclectic (potted herbs on the bar tables lining the windows).
The food is okay, but I think with some attention, they could do much more. The wings and kettle cooked chips were good, but nothing to write home about. They need a little flair to make them stand out and complement the beer menu.
The disappointment was the bacon nuts. They had SO MUCH potential. And then, they under-delivered. Way too savory and no balance with a spice or a sweet flavor. REVISE.
Despite the missteps with the food, I still love this place given the beer menu and atmosphere. It is a welcome change to a stale Crystal City and, with some fine tuning with the menu, could truly be great.
