Commodore Old Town Flings Open Its Doors in Alexandria

Night descends on the grand opening of The Commodore Old Town. Inside, the scene is bustling and vibrant as Alexandrians descend on Old Town’s newest pub. Photo: Judith Fogel/Zebra Press

ALEXANDRIA, VA — If you happen to stroll down Lee Street in Old Town, just south of Queen, you will notice a brand-new bar and restaurant where Mystic Bar & Grill used to be. Mystic shuttered its doors in late November, after only a year and a half in business. In its place, meet Commodore Old Town, Alexandria’s newest watering hole. Judging from the crowd that turned out for the grand opening last night (Thursday, March 12, 2026), Alexandrians are excited about this new hot spot in Old Town. 

At precisely 5:00 pm yesterday, Commodore co-owner Rob Van de Graaff walked out of his new pub on 220 Lee Street, hauling a gigantic trident. Flanking Van de Graaff was co-owner Steve Kim.

It was time for the ribbon cutting. In true Commodore fashion, the team put their own spin on tradition: instead of the usual oversized scissors, the ribbon was pierced with a trident. The trident then came to rest at the entrance to the game room. 

The two men behind the DC neighborhood bar stretched across the Potomac to bring Commodore to our shores.

An exhausted but exhilarated Van de Graaff took time out from his busy first night to talk to The Zebra.

“We closed in early January and were looking at target dates for when we want to open. We wanted to be open for Saint Patty’s bar crawl and here we are, sliding right into home plate, right on time! So we’re relieved, we’re excited. I think we can all use a really good nap by now,” De Graaff laughed. 

The Alexandria outpost brings The Commodore’s signature “Five-Star Dive Bar” approach to Old Town, offering pub fare, drinks, and nightly programming. On the very first night of operation, close to 200 patrons descended on the just-opened space. De Graaff described the vibe he was going for.

“What we wanted to do was bring the atmosphere and attitude of, you know, your local dive bar, that comfortable, everybody-welcome place where you know the staff and they know you. Couple that with five-star food, drinks, and service. You can still go out and have that comfortable atmosphere and attitude without having to sacrifice on food, drinks, or service.”

One thinks of Cheers, that iconic American sitcom set in a Boston bar, following the lives of its staff and regular patrons over eleven seasons from 1982 to 1993.

The menu features The Commodore’s classic pub fare alongside several additions unique to Alexandria. Among the highlights is Chicago tavern-style pizza, featuring a thin, crispy crust cut into square slices, a style traditionally served in neighborhood bars throughout Chicago.

Van de Graaff explained that he’s had his eye on Old Town Alexandria for some time.

“It’s a great place. I thought it would be really fun to bring this concept somewhere else too. A lot of my regulars from the original Logan Circle location have moved down here. We would catch up. And every single time it’s hey man, bring Commodore down here. This would be perfect for it.”

Last summer, Van de Graaff hit up a bunch of his friends, and they trooped down to Old Town to survey the scene.

With remnants of the February snowstorm behind them, co-owners Steve Kim and Rob Van de Graaff (left to right) prepare for the grand launch of the Alexandria outpost in March. Photo: courtesy The Commodore

“We love the community, we love the neighborhood. It just felt so much like a perfect match for Commodore to come down here. And so we started looking.”