Jay’s Saloon & Grille

If you have ever thought about visiting this place, now is your last chance. The place is closing on ⁵⁄₁₈. Stars are for the ambiance. Unfortunately, Jay’s is like the fate of the rest of Arlington, taking the original flavor away to bring us some shiny new highrise bousjy bs. More than just your neighborhood watering hole, this place is a dying breed. I’m sure some glitzorama will replace it soon, because there is nothing like that already in Clarendon. So long, Jay’s.

One star. Could it be anything else? This is an excellent dive bar. I’ll admit it. A phenomenal dive bar even. Great greasy spoon food like burgers and chili mac. Cheap pitchers of Yuengling. A bunch of tacky hubcaps and out-​of-​date sports memorabilia on the walls.
HOWEVER
When our waitress slammed down our plates and screamed F – K! at us because we wanted to split our check, that pushed Jay’s from a dive-​bar-​adjusted 5 star rating to a 1. To say it was the worst service I’ve ever seen is an insult to every disinterested and surly teenage waiter out there. Maybe those kids were having a bad day. I get it. Waiting tables is tough work. I add 20% to my bills in even the most dire situations. Not this time. This woman wasn’t having a bad night. I’ve seen bad nights. She was having a bad century.
PS. Jay’s will be closing shortly and, despite the rating, I will miss it. Authenticity is a quality that is frequently sought but seldom achieved by the glittering proto-​chain-​restaurant frat houses on Clarendon’s main strip. Jay’s had it. I salute you Jay’s. I salute you and your moldy carpets. I salute you and your broken pool table. And your broken televisions. And your broken everything. I salute you and your incompetent customer service. Ride proudly into the setting sun on your shitty, flea-​bitten stallion, dear Jay. Though many dive bars came before you, few will likely follow, and that is a shame. You will be missed.

Jays was always a favorite of mine. I’m sad that it is closing. Last true neighborhood bar has left Arlington. Good bye Jays, here’s one last drink to you.

Stuck in DC traffic, mad as hell, thought the place had shut down by the sign on the door.
Ran into the barkeep outside who said they were open.
I ran in to take a bathroom break that needed to be taken well while I was in traffic and bellied up to the bar.
Ordered a whiskey & coke, decent sized glass, not one of those short glass just bigger than a shotglass.
The barkeep, I think his name was Dan, was very cordial and professional as I observed him handling a sizeable table of co-​workers.
Ordered a burger, at half-​price, was great.
Asked for the bill and get this, just over $ 10. At that price it doesn’t even pay for me to eat and drink at home.
I can’t really comment on the crowd since there was just that enormous group of co-​workers, and one or two other people here and there given it was 6pm on a tuesday but it seems like a good spot to go back to.

great wee spot with some pool and ability to hear what your friends got to say. will defo go back if in a area

My boyfriend wanted to stop at Jay’s for lunch, and I snobbishly said no because the building looks super sketchy from the outside. Fortunately, I checked Unilocal and changed my mind, and it turned out to be awesome!
As others have mentioned, it’s a real dive bar – not the hipster version. It has lots of character, with walls covered from top to bottom in license plates and memorabilia. Best of all, the classic diner-​style food was REALLY GOOD (I’m pretty sure it was all homemade from scratch) and the bartender was sweet and friendly. I wish I lived closer so I could join the flock of regulars populating the bar!

Enjoyed a fun evening at Jay’s. Attitude Adjustment Happy Hour 4−7pm. The developer clock is ticking on Jay’s Saloon. They are on a month to month lease. A Great dive bar. Cheap drinks, good food and groovy décor. Don’t wait to visit this bar in Clarendon.

I’m always in the mood for a drink at one of the most unpretentious and un-​ironic spots within the Arlington area. A friendly and diverse group of patrons frequent this bar and create an enjoyable atmosphere to grab a beer.

The epitome of a dive bar! Loved it.

Pool table? Check. Christmas lights? Check. Broken lawn furniture? Check, check, check. Random 90’s book collection «library» and empty Chiclets candy machines? You betcha. Jay’s Saloon is a dive bar if anyone has ever seen one but the atmosphere is so effortless that it leaves you wondering why there aren’t so many other «local spots» like it in the area. Oh yeah… rent is so damn high. I come to a place like Jay’s and crave cheap food. Jay’s is the type of place you can ball out on a dime (s). I don’t know how much longer the city will allow an establishment with affordable drinks to exist but I hope it’s long enough for me to try their fried mac n cheese balls.

This is the last real bar in arlington. It really should be a landmark for arlington, it’s what arlington used to be. It has a real homey atmosphere, and is a great place to come for lunch.
I usually get a burger or a sandwich of some sort. The prices are affordable, the staff is super friendly, the kinda place you can go to get a drink and relax, but not too ashamed to bring your family.
Check it out if you want a break from the busy bustles of downtown arlington.
you’ll dig the homey vibe.

Holy dive-​o-​rama the Christmas lights and coin slotted pool table is a dead giveaway. The beer is cheap with IPAs on draft. Lots of local Mason students go there adding a fresh crowd appeal.

Came here to see why it’s usually packed on weekends. Figured they had good food and drink specials. But we didnt get either of those. Total rundown place which had a. Bad stench indoors and outdoor seating wasn’t great either. Chairs were broken. Table legs duct taped. The one thing I have to say is their nachos were good! Although the Angus beef burger was very bland and dry. And the onion rings, well they were too greasy.

Went to Jay’s for the first time Friday night with my husband. TV on the outdoor patio. Mix of people inside, relaxed atmosphere, and a group of folks over 60 next to us drinking beers and eating bar food talking about how Arlington used to be. We loved it!
We ordered the nachos which I do believe were made with homemade fried tortilla chips. They were cheesy, gooey and yummy.
I had the veggie burger with onion rings– standard but good and what I expected. Husband had a beef burger with tater tots. It was good.
If you are looking for a place where two of you can just relax, eat something homey if you’re hungry and drink a pitcher+ for under $ 50 this is your place. Leave your attitude at the door.
Wish we lived closer so we could walk and avoid the parking hassle. We found a spot on the street a block or so away.

Beer + mixed drink for 8 dolla? Yes please. This place reminds me of a small town Midwest bar and makes me happy. I can see why this is a dive favorite (perhaps the only dive) for clarendon. And after reading the messages on the chalkboard in the bathroom (yes they have a chalkboard!) I can tell it will be sorely missed.

I’ve been on a dive bar binge for the past few weeks and I have to say I’m going to really miss Jay’s when they close down.
I never cared much for Clarendon in general. But Jay’s is definitely a refreshing change of pace when all you need a cheap beer. Definitely a no frills dive, beer here is about $ 3 or so depending on what you get. Miller, PBR, Coors, etc.
Theres not really much else to say other than its a great place to catch up with friends, drink on the cheap when the surrounding area is much more expensive, and it scares away the brown flip flop bros.
Jay’s, you will be missed.

I’ve been to Jay’s a couple of times and all the times are pretty much the same.
It is a small dive bar with decent and cheap drinks and a decent and friendly staff. Not much to look at but I do kind of enjoy the walls covered in license plates from various states, I’m still trying to figure out what some of the vanity plates are saying.
Worth a visit, if you’re looking for somewhere to kick back and watch a game or want to get a nice buzz without playing the higher prices of some of the other bars in that neighborhood.

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. It’s like you are sitting in someone’s house because it is a house: theres a patio, room, and stairs over the bar. 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?!

So I get there and there’s a dude sitting outside on the porch wearing a camoflauge hat and smoking. Five stars.
I walk in and as soon as we sit down I hear AC/​DC «TNT.» Like 87 stars.
The waitress brings me a cold bottle of beer and doesn’t even offer a glass. This is kitsch ambiance. Five stars.
We ask the waitress about the vegetable and she’s like it’s disgusting don’t do it. Also asked about the state of the chicken fingers. 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?» She said «I’d say shrivellies. They’re really crispy.» Five stars (for honesty).
The prices were the cheapest (and most indicative of things having been frozen) I’ve seen in the area. Five stars.
But then we got the food. NEGATIVE 80 BAZILLION STARS. I got the nachos last night and this evening I shit a live goblin. 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. The gravy that came on the meatloaf and her mashed potatoes looked like frozen viscous hickory BBQ sauce that had congealed or something. 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. She said it was pulled or shredded and I thought that sounded good. Got it and… I don’t know what the hell that was. 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. Go. Sit. Muse. Drink. Enjoy beer. Chat with the waitress. 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. I, however, am not a beer drinker at all and did not enjoy it.
I thought I’d at least be happy with their deep fried bar food, but even that was disappointing. I ordered the chicken tenders with buffalo sauce. 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. 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: No, that’s our buffalo sauce. It’s just like that.
So there you have it. Their buffalo sauce «is just like that», meaning just like barbecue sauce. I won’t be back.