Cue Bill Hader’s character, Stefon, from Saturday Night Live … Arlington’s new soon-to-be hotspot is B Live. This place has everything: brunch, booze, bands, “man-mosas” and cereal-milk shooters, flashing lights, bathrooms emblazoned with graffiti, and caricatures of your favorite music legends. (RIP Whitney.)
Sure, it sounds like a psychedelic fantasy created by a sketch comedy show, but it’s actually the latest brainchild of B Social Hospitality, the group behind Clarendon Pop-Up Bar, The Lot, and Pamplona, among other concepts.
B Live opens May 12 in the former space occupied by Whitlow’s on Wilson, which closed last June after 25 years. It’ll be part retro diner—with black-and-white checkered floor and vintage stools to match the vibe—and part music venue featuring live performances five nights a week, with a rotating line-up of live bands, acoustic solo performances, and DJs. The 4,100-square-foot space seats just over 100 indoors with nearly 50 additional seats outdoors and has capacity for almost 300 at live shows.
“As local residents, we wanted to bring more live music to Clarendon. We plan to have a rotating line up of the best local bands as well as our favorites from Dewey and Ocean City!” says Mike Bramson, owner and founder of B Social Hospitality.
Lahlou Restaurant Group corporate chef Juan “Nacho” Olivera (Dolce Vita, Lupo Verde, Lupo Pizzeria, etc.) curated the food program, anchored by an all-day brunch, while beverage director Josh Odmark’s cocktail list includes a bloody mary bar, “man-mosas,” martinis, and spiked coffee, along with cereal-milk shooters: four-ounce mini cereal bowls containing childhood favorites like Lucky Charms, Fruity Pebbles, and Cocoa Puffs infused with vodka and liqueur.
“I’m most excited for the debut of the B Live food program,” says Christal Bramson, owner and founder of B Social Hospitality. “We will offer an all-day brunch menu featuring diner classics with a twist, such as pancake stacks with smoked salmon and caviar, as well as elevated American comfort food.”
And, of course, no brunch-slash-nightlife joint is complete without plenty of Instagram-worthy backdrops, so expect those, too. Snap a selfie with an illustration of Prince or take a group shot under an arch of vinyl record covers.
B Live is located at 2854 Wilson Blvd. in Arlington and will be open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Feature image by Albert Ting
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