10 Best Nightlife in Arlington

Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse occupies a 1930s Art Deco theatre in Columbia Pike, about 1.2 miles west of the Air Force Memorial. It has a full-service restaurant and bar, where you can enjoy salads, entrees, desserts, beer and wine. Popcorn is obviously on the menu, too.

The 275-seat venue is one of the most affordable places to catch a movie in Arlington, with tickets costing just a dollar or 2, depending on whether you go on Monday or Tuesday. You can also enjoy stand-up comedy and open-mike nights, usually on weekends.

Ireland’s Four Courts is a classic pub and restaurant near the Arlington Courthouse. It’s very popular with locals, who often come here to catch live American and European soccer matches on the pub’s 9 big-screen TVs.

It has a very cosy atmosphere, with fireplaces to keep you warm while you enjoy a wide range of draught beers and classic Irish dishes. Events at Ireland’s Four Courts include karaoke on Sunday nights, pub quizzes on Monday evenings, and live music from Wednesday to Saturday. You can find Ireland’s Four Courts in Wilson Boulevard, a little over 1 mile west of the US Marine Corps War Memorial.

The Signature Theatre is a Tony Award-winning performance venue on Arlington’s Campbell Avenue. The non-profit theatre hosts contemporary and classical performances year-round – past productions that have taken place here include Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables, Freaky Friday, and Titanic.

The Signature Theatre’s Specialty Nights series include Pride Night on Fridays and Discussion Night on selected Tuesday and Wednesday performances. Inside Signature takes place in the Mead Lobby on the first Thursday of the month, offering a free look into the lives of the theatre's artists and staff.

Samuel Beckett’s hosts live music most nights, attracting those who prefer a relaxing evening in Arlington. This gastropub serves Irish comfort food such as shepherd’s pie and sausage rolls with chips, as well as a long list of ales, wines, beers, bourbons and whiskeys.

Happy hour is on weekdays from 3 pm to 7 pm, with trivia games on Tuesdays and live music from Thursdays to Saturday nights. Samuel Beckett’s also has several TVs airing live sports – especially Six Nations Rugby games.

Galaxy Hut specialises in vegetarian meals, though meat-based comfort food is also on the menu. This small but funky bar offers 28 taps of craft beers, focusing on small-batch and seasonal brews.

Live music is hosted at Galaxy Hut on Sunday and Monday nights, while a jukebox livens up the place throughout the week. Grab a seat at the outdoor patio when the weather is nice in Arlington. Galaxy Hut is in Wilson Boulevard, about 2.5 miles northwest of the Arlington National Cemetery.

Pedal Saloon Arlington offers a unique way of bar-hopping around Arlington. This pedal-powered trolley has a contracted driver to take you to the city’s best bars, which are mostly located around Clarendon. It's a great way to make new friends while enjoying an evening out, as moving the vehicle requires a group effort.

Pedal Saloon Arlington’s bar tours take around 2 hours and are available every day. You can choose to depart from Wilson Boulevard at 10 am, noon, 2.30 pm, 5 pm, 7.30 pm or 10 pm. We recommend wearing comfortable shoes to fully enjoy this pedal bar crawl.

Synetic Theater is an award-winning performance venue in Arlington’s Crystal City neighbourhood. The theatre is known for hosting silent storytelling on stage, incorporating dance, stylised movements, acrobatics, and pantomime.

It’s very popular with families with young children as they can understand the plays without relying on dialogue. The theatre focuses mainly on Shakespeare productions, such as Romeo and Juliet, King Lear and Hamlet. You can also catch wordless interpretations of popular shows like Phantom of the Opera and Robin Hood.

Spider Kelly’s is an excellent bar to visit in Arlington if you’re looking to catch the latest sports matches. It has around 31 TVs, a pool table and shuffleboard (free until 4 pm on weekends), as well as Big Buck Hunter and dart games.

Draught beers include Miller Lite, Bud Light, Yuengling Lager, and Stella Artois, but the bar also has rotating seasonal taps – just ask the friendly bartenders for recommendations. Summertime in Arlington often sees a huge crowd chatting and drinking at Spider Kelly's beer garden and front patio.