Around Town

A restaurant and bar with a focus on spirits has closed after nearly two years in Old Town North amid a legal battle with the landlord over rent.

The MacMillan Spirit House is no longer in business at 500 Montgomery Street, the MacMillan Restaurant Group confirmed to ALXnow. The spirit house first opened in late March 2024, as a sister establishment to the MacMillan Whisky Room at the Mosaic District in Fairfax County.


Around Town

Numerous restaurants and sports bars in Alexandria are gearing up for March Madness this week, with plans to offer specials on drinks and bites while the games play on.

Fans will get to see how their March Madness brackets fare when the NCAA men’s tournament’s first round begins Thursday (March 19) and women’s tournament follows on Friday (March 20). Games run until the final championship games on April 5 (women) and April 6 (men).


Around Town

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.


Around Town

A popular pub in D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood is expanding across the river to Old Town, bringing its self-described “five-star dive bar” approach.

The Commodore is planning a second location at 220 N. Lee Street, owners Rob Van de Graaff and Steve Kim announced yesterday (Thursday). The pub will replace Mystic BBQ & Grill, which closed in late November, after about a year and a half in business. Before Mystic, the space hosted Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster BBQ.