Really sad to see it go -- that place was a major part of my 'misspent youth' back in the early 1990s when it was Bardo Rodeo... :)

The other thing that's sad about seeing that block redeveloped is that the office building at 1916 Wilson Boulevard  was the headquarters of the Webb for Senate campaign -- chosen because it was cheap, back when the campaign was short on money... I've got some good memories associated with that place as well...

I hate to see Dr. Dremo's go.  I usually hang out at Summers myself, but only during baseball season.  As for cheap beer in a divey atmosphere, I've been known to have the occasional drink at The Quarterdeck at 1200 Fort Myer Drive.  For the Dremo crowd it's an easy trip down Rhodes Street and over the overpass to Rte. 50, take a left at the top of the hill and you're there.  You could even walk it in decent weather.  

I'm all for a prosperous Arlington, but after watching Whitey's go out of business - and it was an institution - and seeing the peril to Jay's, and now seeing Dr. Dremo's (formerly Bardo's) go by the wayside, there's just no place left for the more lowlifey among us to hang out.  All those fancy new places make me nervous.  Criminy, it's like you have to dress up to go out and get a drink, and then they empty your wallet with their $6 beers.

By the way, the King Street Blues up at 2300 Clarendon Blvd. has a pretty decent happy hour every evening with reasonably affordable beer and wine.  

Great happy hour and it's smoke-free!

and tasty snacks.  Very affordable and a good start to an evening which might include dinner at the Sawatdee Thai Restaurant across the plaza and perhaps a movie at the AMC Courthouse theaters.  

Dremo's (nee Ningaloo nee Bardo Rodeo) is a serious loss to Arlington.  That place is responsible for me maintaining my sanity through law school - it was the perfect antidote to pretentious fucks.  (And hey, who didn't appreciate the fornicating skeletons in the blackpaint bathrooms?)

There are a few fine dive-ish bars remaining in Arlington (Galaxy Hut, Kitty O'Shea's, etc.) but nothing will be able to replace Dremo's (which, to this day, I and my circle of friends still call "Bardo").  It's one of my two home bars.  The other?  Jay's.  And I'm worried about it, but not so much as I used to.  The biggest threat to Kathy & Jay was the property owner selling, and I think that as the redevelopment market slows down (and it definitely has - how long have those townhomes at the corner of Washignton & 10th been "Coming Soon"?  Bring the mini-golf back!), the owner will have less tempting opportunities.  If Jay's ever goes, that would be the end of my original Arlington.  So, if you're like me (and Catzmaw, apparently) and love your cheap beer and grimy settings, come to Jay's, order the Boot Hill Fries, and help preserve an institution.

This is where some of my clients and their lowlife, ne'er do well friends like to hang out ... in other words, it's a place where people like me feel very comfortable.  It's been a while since I was there, but I'm willing to make the sacrifice and spend a little time there if it will preserve at least a bit of the Old Arlington.

In the meantime, The Quarterdeck will do in a pinch, and has some decent crabcakes and cheap beer.  Also, Summers isn't too bad, especially if you're willing to ignore the smoke and hang out in the back bar with the other deranged denizens of Arlington.  I also spend time at the non-smoking bar in the front, but it lacks the conviviality of the smokers' bar in the back.  As for a more southern approach, a lot of people have never been to the L.A. Bar on Columbia Pike in South Arlington, not too far from Bob and Edith's (another fine Arlington dive - albeit without alcohol).  L.A. stands for Lower Arlington (not Los Angeles), and seems to attract a slightly seedy clientele.  It's a fairly recent place (having taken over the old Taco Laredo space), but is on a part of the Pike that looks like it's not going anywhere anytime soon, and actually attracts a fair number of rednecks such as the folks who used to hang around Whiteys.  When my niece - a nice country girl from Berryville - got back from her second tour of Iraq this is where we went to celebrate her return.  Nobody bothers you and there's always a decent game on the TVs over the bar.  I sometimes drop in there to watch football or baseball games.