Now that I’ve covered some of my favorite places on the Outer Banks, it’s time for me to come home, so to speak. I’ll begin my Northern Virginia recommendations with EatBar in Arlington. It’s one of my all-time favorite restaurants, and I’m sad to say that I don’t get there nearly enough. The small-plate menu is always interesting, so much so that if you’re on a first date, you can relax — the menu can easily inspire conversation.

Years ago, we went for the mini-corndogs, which are not featured on this year’s fall menu, but that’s OK. We had plenty of other tasty treats to sample. On our most recent visit, we had the OG burger slider — a must — and the Sloppy Joey pulled-pork sliders (with pickle!!!), which were simply divine. And because my husband and I are 7 years old at heart, we ordered the both the frites and the onion rings because we saw no point in having to choose between the two. We also tried the Dirty Risotto fritters, which weren’t what I had expected, but they were fun to taste.

On tap was the lovely Allagash White, a food-friendly Belgian wheat, and Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, a seasonal favorite.

Of note: Sunday nights are Movie Night. Current line-up is here.

Where: 2761 Washington Blvd
Arlington, VA 22201

Phone: 703.778.9951

Reservations: No. (Go anyway.)

Hours: 4 p.m.-1 a.m., Monday-Thursday, and Sunday
4 p.m. – 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday

On Google Maps:

On Yelp: Here

On Gowalla: Here

On foursquare: Here