Clarendon restaurant unveils unexpected rooftop retreat

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• Food and drinks that split the difference
• Rooftop culture without the club pressures
• Quick facts

This spring, a three-level restaurant and rooftop lounge quietly reshaped Clarendon’s dining scene. Boulevard pairs a broad American menu—think burgers and sushi—with a separate rooftop called Solset, aiming for a sun-soaked Mediterranean-meets-Tulum atmosphere and tapping into the neighborhood’s renewed energy.

Developer and longtime D.C. nightlife figure Antonis Karagounis is behind the project, his first across the Potomac. He brought in Juan “Nacho” Olivera, the chef-owner of Ceibo in Adams Morgan, to help craft a menu that spans bao and sliders to fusion-style sushi rolls.

The building at 2915 Wilson Boulevard has worn many lives: a decades-long hardware store gave way to an Irish pub in the 2000s and, more recently, to Wilson Hardware. Karagounis and his team kept the location’s industrial bones but softened the feel with a warmer palette and abundant greenery—a look his wife, Silvia, shaped to read more European and mature than the previous iteration.

Design touches include plush velvet seating, geometric timber panels and a dramatic overhead installation of suspended dark stones. The footprint is roughly 8,000 square feet and still centers on a long quartz bar; the layout also includes multiple outdoor areas and a new mezzanine bar to accommodate private events.

Food and drinks that split the difference

Two kitchens power Boulevard’s menu. One handles hearty American plates—steak frites, mushroom pasta, beet risotto and a signature burger topped with black-garlic sauce and melted taleggio—while a second, dedicated station turns out about a dozen inventive sushi rolls.

Expect dishes that blend familiar and unexpected flavors: tuna tartare with bright accoutrements, shrimp tempura finished with an Old Bay–infused mayo and fruity heat, and a Black Forest roll built on black rice and topped with truffle and spicy salmon. Small plates range from ceviche to garlicky shrimp, and a forthcoming brunch will add fizzy, cereal-toned cocktails made with coconut milk and rum.

• Menu highlights: bao bun sliders, tuna tartare, Black Forest roll, steak frites
• Drinks: creative cocktails (matcha-coconut foam, aloe-forward mixes) and a sake-infused tea cocktail
• Rooftop: Solset offers a pared-back food selection and a beach-club aesthetic

Glendon Hartley, a veteran mixologist known locally for Service Bar and Amazonia, created the rooftop cocktail program; his drinks play with texture and floral notes, from frothy matcha coconut foam to aloe and lime–driven sips.

Rooftop culture without the club pressures

Solset has its own rear entrance and sits under a retractable awning, with capacity for roughly 80 guests—matching the patio level below. The rooftop’s design and playlist aim for a relaxed, holiday-like mood rather than a full nightclub experience.

Karagounis has deliberately dialed back the late-night volume. There is a single DJ booth on the first floor and ambient video projections, but no dance floor—an attempt to capture the energy of a “clubstaurant” without losing dinner-table conversation. The venue currently operates midweek through the weekend, while the rooftop has been open daily and drawing consistent crowds.

Locally, Boulevard’s arrival matters because Clarendon appears to be regaining momentum as an evening destination. Restaurateurs see a neighborhood filling up again with diners and nightlife seekers—an economic nudge for nearby businesses and a new option for Washington-area residents seeking varied night-out experiences.

Quick facts

• Address: 2915 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA
• Size: ~8,000 sq. ft.; 27-foot quartz bar; outdoor patio and rooftop (each ~80 people)
• Chefs & collaborators: Antonis Karagounis (owner), Juan “Nacho” Olivera (consultant), Homero González and Bayron Navarro (kitchen leads)
• Style: American and fusion sushi with Mediterranean-influenced rooftop cocktails
• Hours: Open Wednesday–Sunday for dining; rooftop currently open daily (subject to change)

For diners, Boulevard offers a mix of approachable mains and adventurous small plates under one roof, while Solset adds an elevated rooftop option for after-work drinks and sunset gatherings. Its measured approach to music and layout also reflects a broader trend: venues that want the buzz of nightlife without turning dinner into a concert.