Cassie Northern 
The unassuming one-story white building at 120 Maple Avenue East in Vienna has served as the backdrop for generations of Northern Virginians’ memories. The Vienna Inn is one of Northern Virginia’s best-known restaurants, known as much for its chili dogs as for its welcoming vibes. The Inn recently celebrated its 66th birthday, and The Fairfax Girl was able to chat with the current owner, David ‘Marty’ Volk, about the Inn’s history and its enduring appeal. Read on for more about the Vienna Inn, a Northern Virginia landmark.
The Vienna Inn’s History
The Inn was built in 1925 and was originally an ice cream and sandwich shop. It then became a luncheonette and drug store, and in the 1950’s changed again into Freddy’s Cafe, which was the precursor to the Vienna Inn. In 1960, Mike + Mollie Abraham took over and renamed it the Vienna Inn.
Marty credits Mike + Mollie for making the Inn what it is today. He recalled their bold personalities that would shock people, yet always keep them coming back, with all of the long lines at the Inn that Marty remembers from 25 years ago being proof. “When I got here 25 years ago, there was a line out the door for lunch five days a week because of [Mollie],” Marty described. “They loved her brash personality, and that’s what [the Inn] was kind of known for, too.”
Mollie + Mike Abraham. Photos courtesy of Marty Volk
Marty said the new twists the Abraham family added made the place a bit more of a draw, including not only their personalities but the free hot dogs they offered to kids, too. Mollie + Mike expanded the menu and got involved in the community, sponsoring many Vienna Youth sports teams, baseball and soccer in particular. “They were very generous with the community and sports teams in particular voters, youth league sports, and high school sports,” Marty said.
After moving to Vienna with his family in 1963, Marty began visiting the Inn with his football team around 1968 or 1969. In describing his earliest memories of the Inn, he remembered the free hot dogs that Mike would give to the team. “I think as early as 7th grade, it made an impression on me,” Marty said. “I had a little time capsule to make, and in the time capsule, I wrote that I wanted to have my own neighborhood bar one day, like the Vienna Inn.” Looking back, he even finds it funny that the thought had come to him so early.
The New Generation
Marty’s 7th-grade wish came true, and in an unexpected way. He had been working at Clyde’s in Tyson’s for many years, and things started to align as he realized he wanted a change. “I heard The Inn was for sale through my brother, and I came down here, spoke to the family, and convinced him to sell it to me,” Marty said. He purchased the Inn in 2000.
During our interview with Marty, one of the many things we noticed in his office was all of the decorative Vienna Youth Baseball memorabilia, attesting to the Inn’s deep connections to the community. Marty explained that supporting local teams and groups was an old tradition of the Inn’s, and that he was following in the previous owners’ footsteps.
Something that Marty values the most is the fact that he’s able to come after the Abraham family. “It’s kind of cool to follow the family that had it for 40 years,” Marty said. “And it’s great to work for yourself and not have to work for anyone else, and that’s kind of why I left Clyde’s.”
Now, Marty also gets to have his own impact on Vienna families. As Marty has been in the area for so long, he gets a lot of customers whom he remembers from earlier on in his life. “Kids I coached in the community prior to buying [the] place that now have grandkids,” Marty said. “So, being here 26 years, I’ve seen a ton of families grow up, and it’s actually pretty cool to see them come in here every year, and the kids grow. That’s one of the best things about it, knowing people that do come in here and watching their families grow up.”
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Marty also said that his own son now comes to the Inn as well, and that the Inn has a lot of customers on big holidays who are returning to Vienna to see their families. Sometimes, the Inn even attracts visitors who are coming straight from the airport and see it as an essential first stop.
The Experience
Everyone has their own reasons for visiting the Inn. It’s a great place for a quick meal, an afternoon snack, a beer after work, watching a sports game on one of the TVs, or simply enjoying the atmosphere. Part of the appeal is how little the experience seems to change from year to year. Dark wood-paneled walls line the space, and decades’ worth of Vienna Youth Baseball photos and plaques decorate the walls. The bar at the center of the room acts as its hub, and it does not take long for customers to be greeted like regulars.
When asked what might draw people to The Vienna Inn and what his opinion is on how it’s managed to stay around for so long, Marty highlighted two things in particular. “I think the atmosphere and the price. It’s a good value,” Marty said. “You get a lot of families in here that couldn’t necessarily go out somewhere else… they’d have to spend twice as much money. I think that appeals to a lot of people, that they can come in here with their family, or with their ball team, and know that they’re not going to spend a ton of money.”
Children eating at The Vienna Inn also have a lot of freedom in comparison to other restaurants. Marty described how some kids will sit at one table with other siblings or their friends, while their parents will sit at another. The self-serve soda machine is another attraction.
Marty said the menu is broader than some first-time visitors expect. “Our steak and cheese sandwich is very popular, and our salads,” he said. “You can get any protein on the salads, and it’s a big hit.”
Marty is excited to see the future of The Vienna Inn and, being someone who’s lived in Vienna his whole life, he finds it difficult to imagine ever leaving it.
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The Vienna Inn is located at 120 East Maple Avenue in Vienna, VA 22180. It’s open from 8:00 AM to 10:30 PM on Mondays and Tuesdays, from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 11:30 AM to 7:30 PM on Sundays.
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