Replacement for Village Grill

Just curious...

What would you like to see in a replacement corner bar & grill that would cause you to want to patronize it?

What do you think was wrong with Village Grill that caused it to go out of business?

 

hmmm- i'd want a Peruvian chicken place. casual delicious and not availabel yet in Ashburn!

what was wrong with Vill Grill? nothing imho. but the target consumer was split between many similar places- Finnegans, the Broadlands and Ashburn pubs, etc., i think the rent was probably too high to make it worth it. the owner did EVERYTHING imaginable- supporting sports teams, events, charities, specials...

PERUVIAN CHICKEN. AHORA MISMO!

 

Things I like in a bar:

1. Smoking allowed with a great ventilation system (example: Clyde's). I'm a sometimes smoker when I drink and it doesn't bother me when I'm not drinking.
2. Professional bartenders (example: Clyde's, Jimmy's Old Town Tavern) and wait staff. I'll explain this one further... one thing I really like is when I go to a bar and the bartender's upbeat, remembers who you are, knows your usual drink and keeps the refills coming. I hate going into a place to be ignored or be looked at like the bartender's doing me a favor by getting my beer.
3. Good, inexpensive food. No $10 cheeseburgers. Happy Hour specials ($.10 wings or something like that)
4. Wood. Wood floors. Wood is comforting and warm. Tile is cold. No carpets! Wood square bar. Formica is sterile-feeling. Wood stools with backs.
5. Less than 5 TVs. I think there really can be too many TVs (Glory Days comes to mind). But if you're going to have big TVs, please get them in HD (I'm looking at you, Original Steakhouse).
6. Open floor plan.

From what I remember of the Village Grill, I don't think it met any of my likes. The first time we went I remember getting a booth that was way too high and I felt like I was in a cubicle. I like to people watch and I couldn't. The food was expensive (but pretty tasty) and the waitstaff was slow. They had carpets. They didn't allow smoking and they had a bar that wasn't inviting. I went another time with an out-of-town friend at around 6PM after work and there was a female bartender who was having a really deep conversation with the other patron in the place, pretty much ignoring us. After our beers were empty for 15 minutes, I just went and got the check and paid. I didn't go back after that.

I like Clyde's a lot. The only drawback is that it's pretty pricey, but I say that because I'm cheap, not because it shouldn't be.

 

Moot point soon with no smoking at all inside restaurants and bars.

 

There are some caveats to that...

http://www.vdh.state.va.us/news/Alerts/SmokingBanFAQs.htm

Some places, like Clyde's, will probably be able to continue to allow smoking, if they so choose.

 

a really great mexican place!!!!!!

 

I didn't think Vill Grill had a warm, welcoming ambience. I love walking into American Flatbread, and a lot probably has to do with the fire, but lighting, the music, it all just makes it feel cozier. Clyde's, too, has unbeatable ambiance. In that spot where Vill Grill was, it is going to have to have *something* special about it to draw customers. Heck, anything around here any more will need something *special* to stay alive. Excellent food, excellent prices, very family friendly or decide to NOT be so family friendly and cater to the adult crowd who wants to go to a cozy, casual spot and hang with friends. I was never quite sure WHAT Village Grill was trying to be... I think they were trying to be all things to all people and they never really succeeded at any of those things completely.

 

I'd love to see a fancy cigar and scotch bar..

 

Rumint is that the stand-alone bar off the patio will be for somking.

 

My dream bar (maybe some day I'll open one) is one with a warm wood feel like in some Irish pubs I've been to but not too loud. Smoking will be in a special room with cigar chairs that has the right amount of CFM to remove the smoke but not too much at one time. Drinks will start at mid level stuff with a specialty in Scottish Whisky and Irish Whiskey along with American Whiskey - I will have Compass Box! But the price would be good ($4-10). And this place would only serve tater tots instead of fries. Happy hour specials would be all day long cause every time some one walks in should be a happy time. It has to have a fire place somewhere. Lots of good beer on tap - New Castle, Dogfish, Red Stripe, Yingling, etc. Okay maybe a keg of Miller Lite. 2 rules: No talk of religion and politics. Even my Roman Catholic Priest friend Father Adam will not be allowed to talk religion or politics. Only what free beer he wants to drink

And of course there will be emphases on college football and basketball.

 

Definitely a good Mexican place.

 

I never thought there was anything special about Village Grill. Nothing ever wowed me there: waitstaff, ambiance, decor, food - just eh.

I think the problem is that it's an awkward location in a shopping center without a big draw. Can we get a Schlotzsky's in there???? That might not survive either, though.

 

another sandwich chain shop? doesn't potbelly, subway, quiznos or zero's work for ya villager??? work with me here.. lol

though i did love schlotsky's back in NE... the bread is awesome.

 

A place that knows what they are would be great. Are you a bar? Are you kid friendly? Can't be both. Sorry. Village Grill tried to be both and failed.

Broadlands Pub is still in business. It is NOT family friendly, but it has a loyal clientle who enjoy an evening of not listening to the choir of little angels.

 

Sounds like heaven...sign me up!

 

THIS is really true. that was probably their biggest problem at Vill Grill...

 

OSH is both kid friendly and a bar. It looks pretty packed every night. It can be done.

One of the problems with VG was no advertising. The web page was not updated, the Facebook was not kept up and did not send out messages like it should have. Also getting in and out of the center is terrible.

I loved working there but it's true that it did not seem like a warm cozy place.

 

OSH separates the bar from the restaurant pretty well too.

 

A gastro pub.

25+ beers on tap
100+ bottles

 

Anything that can do what the Old Dominion did (despite a bad location)- great beers, great food, and atmosphere for all.