Darna — Restaurant in Arlington

The décor in this lounge is very chic, up-to0date, and the Feng sui is very modern. When you walk into this unassuming place, the stairway gives you a New York City nightlife vibe of walking up a secret stairwell to a hidden lounge, where only the relaxed Sheikh's and Socialites can get to. Stepping up that last step of the stairwell leads you to two paths, the first to the left, and the second towards the patio for nice warm up to the party inside. The door man is very polite, approachable and will ID you no matter who you are. But he and all of the other security guards are very professional, non-judgmental and make sure you are safe while you have a good time. If you're just arriving step to your right to the patio, start off with a couple of drinks and some chicken slider appetizers. After a couple of drinks, when the liquid courage sets in, glide away to the bar to your left. Start with Irena, she'll get your drink right on the first try. If you want your hookah primetime, then talk to tall 6ft Lebanese Rico Suave guy, he'll make sure you get what you need. Once you settle into the night, the room will slowly settle into it's vibe, the beauty about this spot is that the vibe can change with the diverse crowd. One night it could be Latin night, but then the crowd prefers hip hop, the DJ's know how to read the room for what the crowd wants. On Thursday nights for Happy, arrive at 6pm- stay until 10pm, unless you plan to stay out all night. Oh so now you've decided to stay out, welp I would suggest asking for Danairi- (She's the Puerto Rican Barbie doll with the pretty smile, chill demeanor and head full of elegant curly hair). Always choose her, she will make sure your table is attended and that you have a solid experience. This spot's hookah is reasonably price for the amount that they give you. The room is properly ventilated and spaced out enough that you do not feel like you're crowded. All in all the music, the staff, the people and the crowd rotate and combine into one hell of a good time. For more reviews follow my IG:...

I came here on Sunday night, May 18, with my girls. While at the bar, a guy I did not know offered us drinks. I felt uneasy about it and wanted to discreetly speak to the bartender (who appeared to be Asian or Filipino) to ask about the drinks without alerting him. She leaned in, but not close enough for me to speak privately. I gently touched her hand (emphasis on gently) hoping she would lean in closer or move down so I could talk to her more quietly. It was a very light touch, and I did not even realize I had done it until she reacted.

She pulled her hand away and jumped back as if I had tried to harm her. It was humiliating. I immediately apologized and told her that I did not mean it that way. She ignored me, walked away, and did not even acknowledge my request for a lime. Her reaction made me feel like I had done something terribly wrong, when I was just trying to handle an uncomfortable situation quietly. It made me feel like a predator, and that was never my intention. I simply walked back to my table with my friend who did not take the drink.

I fully respect boundaries and understand that staff have the right to protect their space. I just wish there had been more emotional awareness in that moment. As a woman working in nightlife, I would hope she could recognize when another woman is trying to quietly ask for help. That interaction left me feeling judged and disturbed because my intentions were not harmful at all.

Thankfully, our bottle girl who tended to our table was amazing. (Had a slick-back bun, was light-skinned) She was incredibly kind, professional, and beautiful. She truly made our night better. The music and the overall vibe were great. I just hope the staff receives better training for how to handle situations like this, especially when it is clear a guest is trying to communicate something sensitive. Not every gesture is threatening.

If it were not for our amazing bottle girl, I am not sure if I would return. Otherwise,...

I should’ve paid attention to the first red flag when I called to get a price on a table reservation and was told 2 different quotes. I moved forward with the plans anyway because once I received the total amount due of what we discussed, it was doable. Fast forward to the night of the event, i ended up getting hit with unexpected fees and i truly feel like the waitress/hostess prey on those who they see are under the influence. I addressed the unexpected fees and she claims that she told me which was an entire lie! I wasn’t that drunk. Then on top of that, i was told that my deposit was deducted from the total bill which was also a lie!!! Another issue: Our minimum was $1500 but towards the end of the night we only spent $1100 which meant the we had another $400 to spend. Instead of the waitress letting us know ahead of time our balance, she waits until the end of the night to tell us which resulted into us not being able to get any food because the kitchen was closed. I would think common courtesy would’ve been to tell us to give us the option get something for the money left over. This place has a lot of potential but if they don’t fix this ASAP, I can see this place going downhill. Of course once you had a few drinks you’re just ready to go but the next day, i definitely contacted them because I WILL be getting a refund for what is owed to me. No one has contacted me back yet so I will keep you posted on the results. Another thing I observed is that there were people in there with money (mainly men) who don’t mind splurging. With that said, the waitresses will gravitate to them while leaving us middle class people to search for them for service. Which is crazy because if I’m paying $1500 for a table, I should get top notch...