Kendrick Wu has had his eye on Crystal City for years. He’s always wanted to create a casual, welcoming bar where locals could gather without leaving the neighborhood.
In February, Wu advanced one step closer to that dream when he received county approval to begin construction on Scapegoat Beer Garden, an expansive outdoor concept in the former Athena Pallas space behind Crystal City’s 23rd Street “Restaurant Row.”
“Our goal is to serve and take care of people in Crystal City and Pentagon City,” says the restaurateur, a Northern Virginia native. “We want to give people another reason to stay and enjoy Arlington.”
The design of the outdoor space includes a sprawling tiered patio with an additional deck, which can accommodate more than 200 guests. A 3,400-square-foot indoor dining room with a full bar will feature large, open-air walk-up windows where patio guests can order drinks.
“In addition to table service, we wanted a place where guests could walk up to chat with bartenders and get drink recommendations,” Wu says. “I think this adds to the space’s communal feel.”
The food menu, designed by Huy Nguyen and and Long Lai, owners of the Vietnamese eatery Balô Kitchen (a popular counter inside Annandale food hall The Block), will center on pan-Asian comfort foods and classic bar fare, such as crackling pork belly rice bowls, wok-fried garlic noodles, laksa curry noodle soup, and bò lá lốt, a traditional Vietnamese grilled beef skewer wrapped in betel leaves.
The concept draws on Wu’s background as owner of D.C.’s recently shuttered contemporary Malaysian spot Makan and its sibling bar, Thirsty Crow. He also co-owned a Colombian restaurant, Parche, in Oakland, California—but this “is the first place I’m opening for myself,” he says.
In addition to a generous beer list featuring classic IPAs and rotating seasonal picks, Scapegoat will offer a full bar with on-tap cocktails, liquor and wine.
What’s with the name? Wu says it references a longstanding inside joke in his friend group. Whenever a pal would attempt to leave a party early, he’d cajole them to stay and have another drink—and blame him later. He was always the scapegoat.
“It was that playful nudge to be just a little irresponsible,” he jokes.
Scapegoat Beer Garden is slated to open this summer at 556 22nd Street South in Crystal City.