Mexican restaurant El Rey debuts its live performance venue, The Filling Station, on Aug. 11, with Leesburg, Virginia, country rock band Cowpoke plugging in at 8 p.m.
Next up, on Aug. 12, the venue will host Arlington funk rock band Skip House, also starting at 8 p.m.
The Filling Station, adjacent to El Rey’s Ballston location at 4201 Wilson Blvd in the Ballston Exchange development, will host a rotating schedule of musicians and comedians, with no cover charges, as well as sports-watching parties starting this fall.
It has an abbreviated version of El Rey’s menu, including quesadillas, nachos and wings, and 17 beers on tap. It is relatively small, with seating for 50.
The venue plans to add Sunday brunch soon, too.
Jamestown Development’s Ballston Exchange, two office towers at the intersection of Wilson and N. Stuart Street, is already home to other restaurants, including CAVA, Foxtrot, Chopt and Shake Shack.
The original El Rey taqueria opened on U Street in Northwest D.C. during 2014, grabbing attention for the architecture in colorfully-painted shipping containers. Restaurateurs Ian and Eric Hilton opened the Ballston location in late 2021.
Their H2 Collective operates a dozen bars and restaurants in the D.C. area, including The Brighton at The Wharf in D.C., Chez Billy Sud in Georgetown, American Ice Co. in the U Street Corridor and Parc de Ville in Fairfax, Virginia.
