I heard this place was closing soon which made me sad for the following reasons:
1. CHEAP beer
Cheaper than the surrounding bars in Clarendon which we know can be $$$$
2. Homey feel
Locals and "neighborhood/no frills/dive bar" off the beaten path. Â It's like you are sitting in someone's house because it is a house: theres a patio, room, and stairs over the bar. Â You go in a few times and the big burly bartender guy remembers you?!
3. Fun: Trivia, contests, guy playing a guitar, "bar games" (pool table), etc. always something happening.
I've had nachos there to soak up the beer and can't really say they were that memorable or do I just blame it on the ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-alcohol?!
Great dive bar! If you are looking for a true dive bar this is the best place in Arlington to go. No frills cheap food and drinks and great crowd. The staff is friendly and fun and the people at the bar are too for the most part. I love seeing live music played here and also enjoy the DJ who runs music via cassette tape ($1 per request). For those who really enjoy dive bars it doesn't get any better than this.
Review Source:Cheap food, cheap beer and a horribly dated interior make this a truly great dive bar. Â
The food is what you'd expect from this sort of bar, but it's fairly priced and typically pretty good. Â The chili is fantastic and, despite another review here, their nachos are out of this world.
I frequent for lunch mostly b/c I work a block away, so I can't comment on nightlife past a few happy hour beers. Â They do have a pretty large patio and decent happy hour deals.
I've lived down the street from this place for the past two years, and while I've passed by so many times I never thought about coming in. Clarendon has plenty of bars to suit your mood. If you want to go to a meet market or watch sports or have some really good food in a nice setting, there is probably a place for you. For me, I'm always looking to find a divey neighborhood bar that sort of feels homey and I know the staff is friendly and looks forward to being at work. Over the years I have started to think of my favorite neighborhood bars as an extension of my living room, so while Jay's is now one of my favorites, my realization is bittersweet because it took me so long to find it and once I did, I found out that it's days are probably numbered. Oh well. But I do remember that I did stop by for lunch not too long after I had moved in, and came back months later and the same bartender actually remembered my name! That should've convinced me right then that this was my new spot, but I didn't see the signs.
About a month ago, I walked in on a Tuesday night and found a mixture of neighborhood regulars who were either bored; making other people bored; or just plain obnoxious in their own weird and eccentric ways and fell in love with the place. The bartender was handling it all with a sense of even tempered bemusement and I could tell that I would have at least one person whom I could talk to and not feel the need to slide to the end of the bar. It's an American bar with Amercan fare, so there are plenty of mainstream beers to choose from, and the food is a rundown of bar food options including tater tots, cheese-covered french fries, and my go-to bar appetizer: nachos. I try nachos everywhere I go because I feel like you can't really screw up chips and melted cheese, and here they are arranged individually with the cheese melted on top. Ahh...nachos lovingly hand-crafted with care! Another plus.
There's also a lovingly hand crafted grilled cheese sandwhich with ham, bacon, and a tomato slice. Heaven and a heart attack just waiting to please you! Another plus. But really, if they just served burnt toast with pickles, I could probably eat that too because the atmosphere really draws me back every week. It feels like a place that only you and a few lucky people know about and it does feel like home because at one time, according to someone I talked to, it was actually someone's home. It looks like a Virginia farmhouse from wayback, with a covered porch and when you walk in you're looking smack-dab at the little bar and sometimes everyone either turns to stare at you waiting for you to go slinking away into the night, or they put their faces back down into their beers as they go on with their own private battles. People there are friendly though, and you can quickly find a seat at the bar, or at one of the tables sitting down on chairs that look like they were taken from a dining room set bought at Marlo furniture years ago.
Friday nights can be crowded but that only adds to the sense of crashing someone else's house party and so it's just best to squeeze in somewhere and enjoy the scene. There's a dj who actually plays cassette tapes, which I had to see to believe. He plays oldies from the 50's through the 80's, so just about everyone can hear something they like. He keeps a book up front for requests, and a jar, ahem, for donations.
So yeah, I go here for the cameradie and the atmosphere and will keep going back till they close the doors on the place. Clarendon has changed so much since I moved in back in 2010. The place down the street that sold tombstones? It had been there for a hundred years, but is gone now. The funky little used car lot on the corner across from it? Gone. The Eleventh Hour restaurant is no more. All that space is being redeveloped for a hugh building that will be opening in 2014. Time marches on and so you gotta find those special places that you like and celebrate them while you can.
Now that I've moved out of Arlington, I can tell you...this place is as good as it gets. Â Jay is the guy behind the counter and an absolute star. Â Love it as a dive and the perfect place to take a dog. Please frequent this place so that the next time that I return to Arlington, it's still standing. Â I LOVE JAY'S!!!!!!!!!!!
p.s. get their chicken tenders or cheesesteak
p.p.s. go after Caps practice times and you may see a few
Iconic place in Clarendon. Seems to be stuck in a time warp from the early 90's with CRT TV's and similarly aged ads. (They did get a "new" flatscreen TV that was apparently a gift from a regular though). The Philly cheesesteak sandwich was great and fun to have tator tots once in a while too. Beer seems to be normal priced, $3:50 for PBR bottle, and they do have some other options as well but if you're a beer snob this probably isn't the best place.
Review Source:So I get there and there's a dude sitting outside on the porch wearing a camoflauge hat and smoking. Â Five stars.
I walk in and as soon as we sit down I hear AC/DC "TNT." Â Like 87 stars.
The waitress brings me a cold bottle of beer and doesn't even offer a glass. Â This is kitsch ambiance. Â Five stars.
We ask the waitress about the vegetable and she's like it's disgusting don't do it. Â Also asked about the state of the chicken fingers. Â I was like "are they succulent breast strips that have been breaded or are they the little shrivelly kind where all you taste is fried batter?" Â She said "I'd say shrivellies. Â They're really crispy." Â Five stars (for honesty).
The prices were the cheapest (and most indicative of things having been frozen) I've seen in the area. Â Five stars.
But then we got the food. Â NEGATIVE 80 BAZILLION STARS. Â I got the nachos last night and this evening I shit a live goblin. Â Like he looked up at me and then jumped out of the toilet and ran away into the night making mischief.
My friend's meatloaf she said sucked and that it was kind of cold and uncooked inside. Â The gravy that came on the meatloaf and her mashed potatoes looked like frozen viscous hickory BBQ sauce that had congealed or something. Â The side salad was decent-ish.
Realizing I hadn't had protein all day I ordered chicken on my nachos and asked the waitress if it came in chunks. Â She said it was pulled or shredded and I thought that sounded good. Â Got it and...I don't know what the hell that was. Â It seriously look like they took pieces of the outside breading for the chicken fingers and peeled it into little strips and threw them on there.
Also my GI tract will never be the same.
So. Â Go. Â Sit. Â Muse. Â Drink. Â Enjoy beer. Â Chat with the waitress. Â But for chrissakes DO NOT EAT.
As many have mentioned, this is a dive bar, which is great if you don't have a lot of disposable income but like drinking Coors Light by the pitcher. Â I, however, am not a beer drinker at all and did not enjoy it. Â
I thought I'd at least be happy with their deep fried bar food, but even that was disappointing. Â I ordered the chicken tenders with buffalo sauce. Â When they brought it out, it came with what was unmistakably barbecue sauce, not buffalo sauce, so I flagged down the waitress:
Me: Excuse me. Â Could I please get some buffalo sauce with this?
Waitress: That *is* buffalo sauce.
Me: No, this is barbecue sauce; I think you brought me the wrong one.
Waitress: Â No, that's our buffalo sauce. Â It's just like that.
So there you have it. Â Their buffalo sauce "is just like that", meaning just like barbecue sauce. Â I won't be back.
Jays is simply awesome! Â We randomly came across this hidden gem (not to make you think this place is shiny or actually gem like, it's a dirty dive bar, but in the perfect way) as we ventured off the beaten path of Clarendon blvd. For I longed to discover a place free of the typical Clarendon crowd...and Jays is it! Â So happy we decided to step in here for a quick bite to eat and a couple beers. Â
We grabbed a table outside and were served by Cory, aka best waiter in town. We grubbed chicken fingers and a quesadilla, both of which hit the spot and were actually better than I expected. Topped it off with a couple guinness and we were very pleased!
If you want a chill atmosphere, this is the place to be...no  pretentious peeps here. Definitely will be returning soon to our new go to neighborhood bar...hopefully Cory will be there again to take care of us.
A long time ago in what feels like a place no longer recognizable, I stumbled upon Jay's Saloon and Grille. Â I will let you decide what I mean when I write "stumble". Â
Regardless, every neighborhood needs its dive bar. Â Where Arlington fails is that you can throw a dead cat and hit a mediocre bar (not that you should be killing, maiming, or throwing animals, live or otherwise). They're standard, not-lounge, but barely-bar bars, or Irish bars. In the words of the Arlington rapper, Remy they're for "dudes in brown flip flops".
Jay's stands out like a beacon of hope to all those Southerners who dare to enter such close proximity to Yankee country. And it's not really a Dixie bar at all, but it's pretty country. Green astroturf, christmas lights, license plates, plastic tables and chairs outside with the heat lamps, plastic cups inside at the bar, its character extends beyond just the physical space. Â The bartenders know you, joke around, remember you when you come in months, or sometimes, years, later. And the beer costs what it should here, actually all the prices are reasonable. Â They're not hiding behind personas, egos, or gussied up...anything. Â
This is the quintessential dive bar. I want to go to there.
Great dive in the Clarendon area (and change of pace). Â Not sure why some people are giving it bad ratings complaining about what it is, its a dive bar, not the Ritz. Â Last time I checked dive bars aren't clean or upscale. Â Its where people can go and relax and feel comfortable.
Sure the bar doesn't smell like fresh roses and have white linen on the table tops and the bartenders are not waiters wearing upscale outfits, but you have to remember that you're in a DIVE BAR.
I loved it. Â They have great beer (cheap!), great bartenders and the food was good. Â Not many places left you can go to and get two meals and four drinks for $30.
Place I'll definitely be headed back to!
Jay's does not feel like a dive bar to me. Â It is the essential neighborhood bar that is a safe place away from overabundance of trendy, commercialized establishments in the area. Â
There's an odd collection of used books, a clunky pool table, outdoor seating, $3.50 drafts, and tator tots. Â My red hook IPA came in a chilled glass stein. Â
Yes, there's not a great selection of beer, and you probably won't meet your future one night stand here... Â But I love that you can just come here to actually hang out and talk to your group, instead of awkwardly yelling over shitty techno music.
Read the one-star reviews for Jay's. If they sound like the kind of people you'd rather not spend your time with, read on.
Seriously, on Burger Tuesdays during happy hour (til 7pm), you can walk out of here with a burger and two domestic bottles for $10. The burger (for what looks like a frozen patty) is actually nicely dressed; the blue cheese topping is tops, and the tater tots are great. They've got great outdoor seating too. Also, while the domestic bottles are crap, we're talking $2.50 a pop, people. If you're after better suds, they've got them, but in reality you'd be better off heading down the street to Rustico.
The best thing about this place, though, is the people: the bar and wait staff are both fun and (generally) quick. And while the "locals" clientele are young middle-classers and students, they're anything but hipster.
This truly is a neighborhood bar, the kind you'd be hard pressed to find in any town, much less a highfalutin burb like Clarendon. The best thing you could do to keep this place awesome is not making it more popular, so let's keep Jay's our secret.
A dive bar that embodies the truest sense of the word. Â Its crappy, dirty, and yes they often play old shitty music way too damn loud.
 Oh and just to clarify in case it hasn't already been made crystal clear by the 9 zillion other reviews this is a DIVE BAR not some hipster place.  There is no Neon Indian spinning dj, secret entrance, or anything of that sort. Â
All the mustaches you see here are not being worn ironically.
Don't come with any expectations because if you do this place will shatter them quicker then an absentee father promising its daughter a pony for her birthday.
Rad:
Just drunks , regulars (see drunks), and alcoholics (see regulars) allow you to drown you sorrows in cheap swill without judgment.
I've heard they have a dead serious cassette tape DJ. Â Who doesn't wan't to hear Seventeen by Winger in all its lo-fi glory.
You will not encounter a single Girl named Madison or a guy named Chad at this bar.
Bad:
This place is basically a 2 star in DC at best. Â But since Arlington has so little nightlife variety it gets tons of points for offering something different.
Classic dive bar with relaxed neighborhood vibe in a part of town increasingly populated by Abercrombie & Fitch clones and $9 Miller Lites.
I mean, I am not a regular at Jays, and probably won't ever be, but I respect what they are about- no nonsense drinking with friends and a stubborn refusal to cater to the myopic, insatiable desire to over-develop every possible inch of Clarendon with bland corporate bars that serve up over-priced drinks for young and hip working professionals.
For those who don't know, Jays is facing the end of their lease, so get it while you can, before they put in another Austin Grill/Starbucks/Cheesecake Factory clone.
Jay's is awesome. Â It is great being able to go somewhere in Clarendon that isn't pretentious-seeming or have lines of people in clubbing outfits blocking your way when you are trying to walk. Â Jay's is off on a side road and is a great dive bar. Â They have a nice patio to hang out on when the weather is nice, and the interior is small and cosy with places to sit and a pool table. Â All the bartenders are very friendly, and best of all is the cute, older gentleman DJ, Pee Wee, playing Oldies hits. Â This place is normal and down-to-earth, something that seems to be so rare in Arlington today.
Now if we in Ballston could only get off of our lazy butts and walk over here more often!
I have nothing against dive bars. But shouldn't the grit and grime be balanced out with friendly service? Went here with a group on Saturday night, and I was the designated driver. It's in Virginia, someone's gotta do it!
When we ordered our several pitchers of beer, we also asked for one water. Waitress gave me a HUGE eye roll. Ten minutes later I asked politely again for a glass of water, another HUGE eye roll. Folks ordered some food, more beer (we weren't just freeloading tables here) and finally I give up and go to the bar and ask for one glass of water. The bartender said Yes and then ignored me for 10 minutes and served another half dozen people. I gave up and went back to the table. Finally we got a pitcher of water when she brought our check. But then she forgot to bring the credit card back. I didn't want to stay, and yet I couldn't leave.
This place is more like a hot mess than a dive.
Jay's Saloon is a veritable dive bar gem in Arlington, which is saying a lot if you're familiar with the typical "popular places" around that area. Â
The bar is about as unpretentious as they come. Â The owner, Jay (hence the bar's namesake) is almost always either working or at least hanging around the bar. Â The bartenders and cook staff are charming and endearing, and, at least in my experience, aren't completely tip-driven. Â
Friday nights are a must-go for newbies. Â PeeWee, the 75ish year-old DJ, graces Jay's with his presence from 9-midnight. Â Although he's upgraded his system a bit, he used to DJ entirely from cassette tapes making the type of music that much more eclectic.
It's a Dive bar but I love it with all my heart. Jays feels like home. It's a great spot for post-softball get togethers and I love the patio on summer nights.
It is the most chill relaxed place around and it's the best bar food in D.C. which is surprising. I prefer week nights because it is more chill.
We overuse the word random nowadays but it really does describe this bar. The crowd is all over the place. The music is all over the place. The decor is totally kitsch, in the nicer sense of the word. Throw a penny and who knows what type of person you'd hit. That makes it cool in my book.
At least I now know where I can get a $4 bottle of cider and surprisingly good cheap fries and chicken tenders. Now, if only they would turn down the music a little or at least invest in some decent speakers.
No idea how I haven't reviewed this place yet.
Jay's is a great little neighborhood bar, and one of the few metro-accessible bars in Arlington where I feel truly at home. Â Pitchers of Budweiser are a reasonable price - 10 or 11 bucks, I think? Â (One snag, though, is that Yuengling is significantly more expensive than Bud or Bud Light - like 4 or 5 bucks more. Â That took us a while to figure out. Â For a long time I thought all the beer was bizarrely expensive for a dive.) Â The massive list of $5 dollar sandwiches doesn't have any misses on it that I've discovered. Â It's greasy bar fare, but portions are big for five bucks. Â The burger is a steal for five dollars, to be sure. Â The porch is a great place to be on a nice day if you can snag a table.
The only truly bad thing I can really say about it is that I seriously hate coming here on Friday nights. Â I absolutely despise hearing insanely loud music played on scratched-up old cassette tapes. Â I know people that think it's quaint or something, but it hurts my ears. Â Still, there's six nights a week that I enjoy coming to Jay's, and that's more than enough for me.
Becoming a usual at Jays took no time. Â This is the last proper, neighbourhood bar in the north side of Arlington. Â Food is unbelievably cheep as hell, for being 2 blocks from the Clarendon metro station.
The typical patron shifts, from a quieter, older bunch of locals during the week; to, a packed bar full of young professionals. Â All are welcome, people are overly friendly and can strike up conversation or dance to the music on Saturday nights.
In a town of copy-cats, hipsters, and fraternity chic, Jay's stands alone.
The clientele and the staff are quick to greet new and old with a smile and a frosty beverage. Â The food is inexpensive and soulful. Â And the music is out of sight!
This isn't just a great dive bar. Â This is a great bar.
I've been to Jay's a bunch of times, so when Kim H. wanted to go to a dive, I suggested Jay's. Â Some people say they want to go to a dive, but really want to go to a yuppie bar with a faux-dive shell. Â Don't be surprised if you encounter a bunch of old guys, alcoholics, a "DJ" playing his songs on cassette tapes, a dirty bathroom, and a ton of smoke (at least for another month). Â Don't get me wrong, you still get a few 20 and 30 somethings going to Jay's for the novelty, but the great thing here is that all are welcome. Â They do serve mixed drinks too btw (the no cosmo sign was actually a tagline of a newspaper article about dive bars).
The best thing about Jay's is the patio, so it's great for happy hours in the warmer months. Â Dogs (and apparently snakes) are welcome on the patio. Â There are a few tables inside, which makes it kind of cramped, but there's not too much room for standing around. Â If you're looking to go out with a big group of friends, try to snag a table. Â I wouldn't come here alone, but nobody would care if I did.
Amazing that an unapologetic dive has survived in Clarendon (RIP Royal Lee), but thank god it has!
If you want to hang out, drink pitchers of beer and play pool on a somewhat gimp pool table, Jay's is the place. If you want to drink for the night at a place where any of the following things might happen:
- A guy might be drinking alone on the patio with his boa constrictor
-A band made up of what looks like Jay's bar flies gets down with some blues and other tunes
-Random middle aged guy drops his pants multiple times as a joke
Then get over to Jay's. Table service has always been excellent, and the food is incredibly reasonably priced. There have been times that the bartender appears kind of confused/out of it, but hey, everyone has an off day, right? Sure, you'll get that not-so-cold-pitcher-of-beer phenomenon, but sometimes you just take what you can get, you know? I feel like the whole place exudes The Big Lebowski -- beer a little warm? The dude abides. Sitting on emptied kegs to wait for the bathroom while staring into the less than appetizing kitchen? No big deal, man.
The dive of all dives.
I was actually reluctant to believe it existed because Arlington isn't one for dive bars. Â But it was there, and we were glad it was.
Beer is cheap...enough to drink it straight from the pitchers. Â The atmosphere laid back. Â The service spotty - like any authentic dive. Â The food is also cheap, but because it's rather terrible. Â
I'm sure they do the basic bar food okay, but I was forced to order a grilled tuna sandwich sans the bun because I'm dairy free for lent and most fried foods have an egg wash. Â Well, it was obvious that I was probably the first person in the past few years to be stupid enough to order a fish from Jays....and it was probably a fish that'd been in the freezer for just as long. Â I poured ketchup all over it and ate it anyway, only to have this action bullied by an entire table of other yelpers. Â What? Â I was starving to death.
This place is like an oasis in the desert. By desert I mean clean bar-slash-lounge that charges alot of money, and by oasis I mean cheap, down 'n' dirty dive bar. On this particular evening, other camels came to drink of this oasis. By camels I mean other politically incorrect gangsters organized into a herd by Tina R. By herd I mean unofficial yelp event. By Tina R I mean straight up gangster killin' mofo reppin' the streets of Arlington.
This place was so rockin for our Politically Incorrect Group inaugural smash. Pitchers flowed like honey from a bees ass and insults were spread like AIDS in Swaziland, the AIDS capital of the world. Luckily, I didn't catch AIDS at Jay's, but I did have an awesome time listening to live music, watching the kids play pool, and soaking in the atmosphere like a dirty sponge.
Just when you think that Clarendon is full of wine bars, coffee shops and defense contractors all living in their condos and driving their BMWs you find an absolute jewel like this place. A dive bar with a blues band, a pool table, pitchers of beer, close packed tables and fantastic staff.
I remember arriving. I remember grabbing a beer. I might have had a couple of beers actually. I remember Tina taking the stage. I remember getting the pronounciation of PDLMBM's name right after the 10th attempt. I remember standing by the pool table holding a cue. At least I think it was a cue.
I remember talking to Michael and Arthi and Danny and Charity and Tina and PDLMBM and Jonathan and Tony and James and Lester and Eric and Justin and Im Han and Bassey and Russ and Jimena. Wow. I can remember quite a lot . I remember everytime I saw Ben he had a pitcher of beer in his hand. I cannot remember anything else. But I know I had a great time.
This was a perfect bar for a perfect group for a perfect evening.
If you're looking for a great beer selection, gourmet food and the most gorgeous people this side of the Potomac then please please please don't go to Jay's Saloon!
If you're looking for the last true dive bar in walking distance to the Orange line with cheap beer, crusty patrons and that faint smell of old bowling alley, then you'll love Jays.
Sitting out on the patio drinking pitchers of cold cheap beer on a warm summer night is one of  best ways you can spend an evening in Arlington without spending a lot of money.
I have issues with the people that gave Jay's a 1-star rating because it is a dive bar and for the fact that it is a next to a car dealership!
That is the type of bar IT WANTS TO BE!
It is a VERY SMOKY PLACE, with a laid back crowd, cheap drink prices, decent food, and a great "oldies" DJ on Friday nights (love that!). Â So if you are looking for the hipster scene, you would be interested in going around the corner to Clarendon Grill one of the other more predictable bars in the area.
I love Jay's for the fact that it was one of the ONLY dive bars that I could find in the Arlington area, other than Royal Lee (on Pershing, also worth checking out).
I recommend it for a great time.  And they have patio seating.  So that  is a plus.  Their happy hour specials on weekdays are worth checking out---they are written on a chalkboard behind the bar.
Again, if you can't handle cigarette smoke, you might not do well at Jay's.
Jay's is definitely a dive, but one of the friendliest ones I've ever been to. Â When you open a tab, Mike the bartender shakes your hand, asks your name, and welcomes you.
The happy hour Attitude Adjustment specials (4-7) are great but when beer is $2.50 regularly it's just icing on the cake. Â The mixed drinks are served in beer mugs and pretty stiff.
As far as bar food goes, Jay's is pretty damn good. Â Just about everything on the menu is under $6 and actually really tasty. Â Surprisingly there's a decent amount of variety and not everything is greasy (sandwiches, wraps, salads). Â There's also a T-Bone steak dinner for under $11.
I agree with everyone else that service can be slow sometimes and that no matter what night, or how crowded it is, you'll leave smelling like Joe Camel. Â Still, it's one of my favorite bars in Arlington.
Outstanding. Â This was everything I hoped it would be: an escape from the yuppieness of Clarendon without the hipster pretentiousness of some places in the District. Â I came here on a Saturday night around midnight with a couple friends. Â The bar itself is pretty small, but it wasn't too crowded, and we were able to get our own table easily. Â The decor is in accordance with the usual dive bar style: random and slightly tacky. Â The beer selection isn't expansive (this is certainly no Brickskeller), but that's not the point of this place. Â We ordered a pitcher of Yuengling and proceeded to drink. Â The other nice thing was that you could hear yourself talk. Â Conversation is cool. Â
The crowd was mixed with people of all ages, and they all seemed normal. Â Everybody we talked to was nice, which is not always the case in Clarendon, but you can also keep to yourself if you want, which is nice. Â I do lament the fact that the mom and pop places in Clarendon are being pushed out by bigger chains, but I'm not going to totally denounce the usual Clarendon bars (Mr. Days, Clarendon Ballroom, etc.) because I've had fun at those places too. Â But I work and live in Clarendon, so after awhile you get tired of the frat guy consultants, the snobby over-dressed women, the unimaginative chain restaurants, and the general yuppieness of it all, and you need a break from it. Â Therefore, I'm glad I've found a place not too far from me that can offer a respite from the usual Clarendon scene. Â
The only thing I didn't like about this place is that it can be really smoky. Â Yes, dive bars should be smoky. Â But smelling like the Marlboro factory the next morning just makes my hangover worse.
I'm looking forward to checking this place out on a weeknight, like a Monday or  Tuesday, to see how it is when things are slower, and to see if it can achieve that true neighborhood bar feel.  But just based on my first trip, it's got good potential, and it's closer to a neighborhood bar than anything else in Clarendon.
If you ignore the slow service and sometimes wild Clarendonites, Jay's can become a favorite hangout for a cheap beer and burgers. A few years ago, after class at George Mason, I'd enjoy my $4.50 burger and fries (that's half price up the street). The outdoor patio is a great place to sit (it's away from the sports rowdiness inside).
I've stopped going to Jay's. I'm done with school, and the crowds can get to be too much. Our server, Mo, was a reliable friendly face but even he can't be at work all the time. One of the "authentic" touches is the never-smiling bartender, cracking an ear-splitting racket behind the bar. If Mo still works there, then you'll be fine. He's cheery and as fast as he can be.
All in all, this is one of the few "dives" left in yuppieville. And if you want to smell like you've had a night out with the boys, then this place will save you cigarette money.
About five years ago, the Washington Post had it's typical bimonthly article on Clarendon that was about Old Clarendon and New Clarendon. Â Guess under what category Jay's fits? Â
Before Clarendon became CLARENDON, there were more of the Jay's-type places and less Cheesecake Factory/Harry's Tap Room/Sette Bello restaurants. Â Jay's is up there with Dan Kane's Trophy's, the old post office, the Vietnamese restaurants that have perished, etc. Â It's a dive with people who may be a little weird, but then, the weird need their hangout, too. Â
My husband and I celebrated the sale of our first house with tacky pink champagne here. Â We were still relatively young and it was a Saturday night and we wanted to see what our local watering hole would be. Â This was it. Â It was three blocks from our house and that night, we met Jay. Â He's there every night. Â He's an honest man making a living in a part of Arlington that used to be more accessible.
Foodwise, the only thing I would recommend are the onion rings, but food isn't why I go there. Â It's cause I like saying hi to Jay.
This place is not too hard to find, but very easy to pass when you drive by. Â (just turn right at the car dealership). Â One of the cheaper places for half-priced burger Tuesdays. Â Burgers are made on the well side, so if you like "medium" go for their "medium rare." Â Fries and onion rings are well-seasoned and fried and the beer is cheap and plentiful. Â The tortilla chips for their nachos are too deep-fried for my liking, but still tasty when waiting for your burger. Â If you come here on a cool night, the outdoor seating is refreshing and not as smoky as the inside. Â
What makes this place for me is the awesome group of friends I regular this place with. Â Some of them are in the entertainment industry, so that always helps with the service.
Definitely a dive feel since its got that extra cozy dirty feeling and sitting on the patio lawn chairs are great :) its like having a catered bbq at your college friend's backyard rental house.
Came here for their Tuesday nights 1/2 price burgers. Â Located on 10th St, it was a l'il hard for me to find. Â Burgers are ok, not very juicy in my opinion, but pretty good. Â Onion rings and fries seemed to be a big hit. Â Beers are cheap.
Service isn't so great, but our waitress was feeling a l'il sick - so that may be the reason.
This place is a dive - in the good sense of the word.
If you're looking for a place to escape the often yuppie Clarendon scene, this is a good place to go. Yuengling is considered "premium" beer here. But then it's only three bucks.
The patio is a decent place to hang out on a nice spring day.
Be forewarned: you WILL come out smelling of smoke.
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