This week’s Womply Merchant Spotlight is on Velocity Five. We are so excited to feature Velocity Five this week because not only is Velocity Five one of the greatest upscale sports bars in the area, but it also has five locations! Pick a location, sit down, and stay a while. We know you’ll thoroughly enjoy yourself. Velocity Five also hosts live events and appearances by professional athletes so be sure to check its calendar for upcoming events.

Equipped with multiple screens throughout the restaurant broadcasting pay-per-view sporting events, the sports bar is a fantastic place to grab a delicious meal while watching the game  (especially if you’re a Redskins fan). We can’t stop drooling over the extensive menu.

Let’s start with the gourmet wings, shall we? Take your pick from jerk marinated wings topped with mango relish, Kentucky Derby Blue Cheese Wings covered in bleu cheese crumbles and a special white sauce, or Spicy Thai Wings tossed in a sweet and spicy glaze. For the die-hard wing fans out there, you can order the All-Pro Sampler Platter, which includes 16 wings with your choice of 4 different flavors.

We’d also like to share some of the tasty appetizers served at Velocity Five with you. One of our favorite appetizers is the calamari. Velocity Five batters and fries the calamari until it’s perfectly golden, then adds fried onion straws, and serves the dish with a lobster ginger sauce and marinara.

In addition, Velocity Five’s appetizer selection includes pretzel bites, coconut shrimp, loaded Velocity Skins, and tuna bites (blackened in special seasoning and then quickly seared), and more.

Oh, and did we mention the burgers? It’s no secret that Velocity Five takes initiative to only serve the best dishes to its customers, and these burgers raise the bar even higher. Every burger is made with Certified Angus Beef, which is only used by 8% of top restaurants. Come hungry because these burgers are exceptional! A few of the fabulous burger choices Velocity Five has to offer are the Hickory Cheese Burger topped with crispy bacon, mixed cheese, and hickory sauce; the Sunrise Burger that comes with a fried egg; and the Prime Rib Burger. And if you’re really hungry, we suggest The Velocinator. The Velocinator consists of three Certified Angus Beef patties, totalling 24 ounces, topped with American, cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella, caramelized onions, and applewood smoked bacon. Can you say pure perfection? Delicious.

Here is the point where you’re about to assume that we’ve covered Velocity Five’s entire menu. Well, you’re wrong. There’s even more! All-Star Sandwiches, main entrees, and a variety of fresh salads are abundant on the menu. Not a burger or wings fan? No problem. You will be able to find more than one tasty dish here to feed your appetite.

To complement its fantastic food menu, Velocity Five serves over 50 beers from all over the world. We were excited to see many of our favorite craft beers on the list. Harpoon IPA, 21st Amendment’s Back in Black, and Hoegaarden are a few we recommend.

Womply got the utmost pleasure in chatting with Jim, the Chairman and CEO of Velocity Five. Using his experience in the restaurant business, he has grown Velocity Five from 1 to 5 locations throughout Virginia. We hope you enjoy reading our interview with Jim and learn more about the history of the restaurant. Then, head over to Velocity Five and see how impressive it is for yourself. Cheers!

Womply’s Interview with Velocity Five

What is your name and title?
James L. Speros, Chairman & CEO

When did you know that this was your dream and passion?
In the early 1990′s I was involved with my first restaurant venture, which was very rewarding. I was the President of Champions Sports, which developed the Champions Sports Bar chain. We took the company public and sold the entire portfolio to the Marriott Corporation.

What inspired you to start a restaurant?
I grew up in the restaurant business. My family owned and operated “Normandy Farms” in Potomac, Maryland, for over thirty years. I learned from my parents, and though I have pursued several career options, I knew that I would always have the restaurant business in my blood.

What is the best thing you’ve ever eaten?
I’m a burger man at heart, and I love the wide selection of prime burgers at Velocity 5.

What characteristics of the dish make it your favorite?
Certified Angus Beef grilled to perfection!

What is your favorite night of the week here and why?
Sunday afternoons during the NFL season. We show every game on dozens of screens and the wide variety of fans make Velocity 5 THE place to be during football season.

Care to share a tip on how to run a successful restaurant with us?
Customer Service. This is the most important aspect of our business. You have to pay close attention to this or you will not succeed. The customer comes first. Period.

What was one of the most enjoyable experiences you’ve had with a customer?
Celebrating March Madness with our customers. It’s a great atmosphere during March Madness at Velocity 5.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
Velocity 5 is the home of the Washington Redskins on the radio. We host a live broadcast on ESPN 980 every Monday night from Velocity 5 with the Redskins Player of the Game. We also broadcast “The Sports Reporters” on ESPN 980 on Thursdays from 4-7 PM. Every Monday night during football season, fans come out to see the Redskins players at Velocity 5.

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Choose a location to view Velocity Five’s Loyalty Cloud:

Arlington

Centreville

Falls Church

Lansdowne

Sterling

A special thanks to Jim from Velocity Five for taking the time to speak with us!