Where the nightlife in Reston, VA?

August 17, 2011 1:04 PM

Where to go out in Reston, VA area?

Hi there. I recently moved to the Reston, VA (outside D.C.) area and I'm looking for some nightlife on the weekends.

I'm a guy, single, 38. I tend to like lounges or bars, and reasonably quiet type places rather than booming dance clubs.

I'm not looking to "hook up" but rather to meet some people, have a good time, and generally chat. Having said that, I surely wouldn't mind if there were some hot chicks around. I love live music, too.

By the way, it doesn't have to be strictly in Reston but within taxi distance.

posted by jlstitt to society & culture (8 answers total)

um, have you tried the town center? The nicer restaurants are usually are pretty busy with attractive people.
posted by seesom at 1:23 PM on August 17, 2011

(on preview, like seesom said) Reston Town Center has a variety of bar/restaurants. I would come over on a weekend evening and wander around a bit, see what appeals to you. Also Jimmy's Old Town Tavern in Herndon is nice (I just checked and it's only a few miles away, though I'm not sure where in Reston you are). There's at least one other bar in that area that I stopped in, though I don't remember the name.
posted by brilliantine at 1:26 PM on August 17, 2011

I can't speak to Reston personally, but check out reston.com for some places to check out. I've also heard good things about Jackson's.
posted by FlamingBore at 1:29 PM on August 17, 2011

Some friends of mine throw a weekly party on wednesdays at Icon's in Fairfax and have for years. It's dance music, but it's really laid back and friendly. I used to be a resident dj there, but I don't live in the area any more... Its a mix of college kids from George Masons and former ravers who are now in their 30s and have real jobs but still like to listen to good house music...
posted by empath at 2:59 PM on August 17, 2011

If you're looking for places with some personality, I'll second Jimmy's Old Town Tavern in Herndon. The Vienna Inn is also a low-key bar/restaurant that looks like a dive but attracts folks from just about every slice of local life. I also like the atmosphere at Lake Anne; there's a relatively new sports bar there (Kalypso's) that I've been meaning to visit, a coffee shop, sushi place, a couple other eateries, and a great used bookstore. I've also heard good things about the Ice House Cafe & Oyster Bar in Herndon, right around the corner from Jimmy's - it's a bit more upscale, but they have live music tending toward jazz and swing bands.

Jammin' Java in Vienna has a great slate of musical acts in an intimate space with a bar that serves good food. I don't think of that quite as much as a "hangout" spot during the shows, but it's a good place to check out some bands.

The Soundry (Vienna) is a cafe and art space housed in an old garage, and they feature open mic nights, comedy nights, a weekly, off-beat local "talk show," and all sorts of other events. People have been very friendly for things I've been to, and it would be a nice place to meet folks who are into the local art scene.

Welcome to Reston. If you don't already have one, I highly recommend getting a bike and a map of the local bike trails; you can get just about anywhere on them, and Vienna and Herndon are both nearby on the W & OD trail.
posted by itstheclamsname at 6:42 PM on August 17, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'm not the questioner, but itstheclamsname, you're awesome. I just moved to McLean (about five miles from Vienna from the other direction), and I had no idea about anything on that list other than Jammin' Java. And after five years in Delaware, the very idea of nightlife is kind of alien to me.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:27 AM on August 18, 2011

Thanks everyone. I'm starting to get the feel of Reston some now and wow is it generally sleepy. I have been to the town center and it's within walking distance, so that's pretty much where I've been hanging out.

Will definitely check out Jimmy's Old Town Tavern in Herndon.

empath, I'm a huge house music fan, so Icons may work for me. Except I get lost every time I go to Fairfax (and taxi might be pretty expensive to get there).

Bike and bike trails is awesome. I had no idea they were so expansive. Definitely going to look into this too.

I had already looked up Jammin Java but I was under the impression it was in a strip mall ... maybe it's cool anyway?

Thanks so much for the answers guys!
posted by jlstitt at 8:25 PM on August 19, 2011

I will vouch for Jammin Java as being cool despite being in a strip mall - and I say this as someone who normally avoids Fairfax County.
posted by naoko at 6:38 AM on August 21, 2011