An inside look at Heavy Seas Ale House, opening Thursday in Rosslyn

It’d be an understatement to say we Rosslyn-dwelling WBJ’ers are excited about the Heavy Seas Ale House opening Thursday at 1501 Wilson Blvd., just down the block from our office.

The restaurant and bar will bring craft beers from the Baltimore brewery to a neighborhood where full-service restaurants are meager. Heavy Seas will feature a menu that varies widely from the company’s Baltimore original bring a bit of nautical flair to the high-rise Arlington neighborhood.


Click through the gallery for a look inside Heavy Seas.


The 170-seat restaurant includes a 22-seat bar, with an additional 40 seats available on the patio facing North Oak Street when the weather improves.

Company executive chef Matt Seeber substantially redesigned the menu for the new location, adding two Gramercy wood-burning ovens, which will allow for burgers, steaks and fish items to be grilled over a live fire.

The only exact crossover items from the original ale house in Baltimore are some bar snacks: the spicy beer nuts and the caramelized Old Bay popcorn.

Other entrees will include salmon, rockfish braised rabbit fettucini and pan-roasted sea scallops. There are eight Heavy Seas beers on tap and six other craft beers from other local breweries. There are also three cask ales, including, soon, the Cannon TNC, a cask conditioned version of the brewery’s Loose Cannon IPA.

They expect to launch beer dinners and other events, including happy hour, said Keith Kirkland, the restaurant’s general manager. Kirkland comes to Heavy Seas from Mad Fox Brewing Co. in Falls Church.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up