The Commodore, a self-described “five-star dive bar,” is now open for business in Old Town.
Owners Rob Van de Graaff and Steve Kim used a huge trident to pierce the ribbon on their new bar and restaurant at 220 N. Lee Street yesterday (Thursday). It was an on-brand move for the business, which is filled with nautical decor.
Whether you prefer them piled high with toppings, smashed thin and crispy or made plant-based, there’s plenty of options around Alexandria to find the perfect burger.
Here are the nominees for “Best Burger Spot in Alexandria” as part of our returning ALXnow Readers’ Choice awards.
Did we miss your go-to burger spot? Write them in!
Voting will close in two weeks.
Alexandrians can now get falafel with their cheesesteak, as a Falafel Inc. franchise soft-opened this week in the longtime home of the Philadelphia Cheesesteak Factory at 3060 Duke Street. Its new owner plans on running with both concepts, according to staff at the new restaurant.
The restaurant officially opened on Sunday, March 9. A grand opening event is currently in the works, but a date has not been set, staff told ALXnow.
Meet Kelly, a handsome dog at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria who will bring a mix of his playful and chill nature to his next adopter.
This 2-year-old is no longer a puppy, making it an ideal point for positive reinforcement training, an AWLA volunteer told ALXnow. The pup weighs 43 pounds and has a black and tan coat.
Old Town North Pride is here! Join us June 20th from 6-10PM for a night filled with dancing, joy, and community in the heart of Old Town North!
Pride Dance Party @ St. Elmo’s: Hit the floor and dance the night away with music by DJ Thunderbunny
On This Day in Alexandria History — “On March 13, 1847, Alexandria was formally retroceded from the District of Columbia back to the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 1801, the national capital was officially designated on lands donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia, with the small seaport communities of Georgetown, Maryland and Alexandria, Virginia included within the diamond-shaped, 100 mile square boundary of the new city.” [Historic Alexandria]
Former N. Va. Resident Identified as ODU Shooter — “The gunman believed to be behind Thursday’s shooting that left one dead and two wounded at Old Dominion University was Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Sterling resident convicted nine years ago of attempting to provide material support to ISIS.” [Inside NoVA]
Good Thursday evening, Alexandria. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Mar 12, 2026.
Here are today’s most-read articles:
Here is what’s going on Friday in Alexandria, from our event calendar.
Clouds will thicken throughout the day as temperatures reach a high near 54°F. Expect winds to pick up from the south, ranging from 7 to 22 mph and gusting up to 38 mph. For Friday night, skies will clear, leaving a low temperature around 42°F. Southwest winds will blow between 10 and 17 mph, with gusts reaching up to 31 mph. See more from Weather.gov.
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
– Buddha
Thanks for reading!
An 18-year-old from Silver Spring, Md., was arrested yesterday (Wednesday) for allegedly brandishing a handgun in Alexandria’s Carlyle neighborhood, according to the Alexandria Police Department.
No one was seriously injured during the incident, which occurred in the 800 block of John Carlyle Street around 7:40 p.m. Wednesday. The victim told police that he did not know the suspect, who had pulled out a handgun and cocked it, according to an APD radio dispatch.
Alexandria’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade may have come and gone, but there are plenty more festivities coming to Alexandria celebrating the Emerald Isle.
Across the city, upcoming events include multiple bar crawls, live performances of Irish music and a feline-friendly “St. Catrick’s Day” at Mount Purrnon Cat Café + Wine Bar.
After several days of warmer temperatures, Alexandria is experiencing weather whiplash as snow falls today (Thursday).
Rain has turned to a mix of snow and rain in the early afternoon. The National Weather Service says the brief snowfall could become heavy at times.
