Pub Crawling in Alexandria, VA
During the most recent visit of our many visits to Alexandria Virginia we stayed at the Hotel Monaco in Old Town and each evening we walked the old streets in search of live music, good food and cold adult beverages. The main purpose of this trip to Alexandria was to recharge our batteries and to take a break from the humdrum of our routine at home. We’ve been to Old Town on many occasions and patronized numerous restaurants and pubs/bars and have never been disappointed. Old Town has a lot to offer in the way of history and culture but I’m going to take this time to talk about pubs and bars. The area has an abundance of remarkable places to belly-up to the bar and we did just that on several occasions during the three days that we were in town during this visit.
The Chart House restaurant located at the foot of Cameron St right on the Potomac River is a great place to rest your weary legs at the interior bar or at the outdoor seating area. The restaurant is very good in its own right but I’m really only addressing the bar at this time. The interior bar is comfortable and pleasing to the eye while the outside area has very good curb appeal as it lies along side of a small picturesque harbor where tourists climb on to tour boats for a ride on the Potomac. The bar areas have a rather extensive food menu as well as a full bar service. If you’re really not very hungry but are looking for a tasty snack you have to try their shrimp cocktail; it is delicious.
The Chart House restaurant located at the foot of Cameron St right on the Potomac River is a great place to rest your weary legs at the interior bar or at the outdoor seating area. The restaurant is very good in its own right but I’m really only addressing the bar at this time. The interior bar is comfortable and pleasing to the eye while the outside area has very good curb appeal as it lies along side of a small picturesque harbor where tourists climb on to tour boats for a ride on the Potomac. The bar areas have a rather extensive food menu as well as a full bar service. If you’re really not very hungry but are looking for a tasty snack you have to try their shrimp cocktail; it is delicious.
There are three pubs in the area with an Irish theme that we enjoy visiting whenever we are in town. They are Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub, Pat Troy’s Restaurant and Pub, and Daniel O’Connell’s Restaurant and Pub and they are all less than a 6-7 minute walk from each other which is very convenient.
Murphy’s has the feel of a smaller neighborhood pub that you would find in any town or city in Ireland. Seats at the bar are hard to come as the bar is quite popular and bar area fills fast in the evenings. One of the reasons for the popularity is the nightly live entertainment which is usually terrific. You can also eat a very good full dinner seated at the bar however if the bar area is full try to get a table near the cozy fireplace further back in the main seating area.
Murphy’s has the feel of a smaller neighborhood pub that you would find in any town or city in Ireland. Seats at the bar are hard to come as the bar is quite popular and bar area fills fast in the evenings. One of the reasons for the popularity is the nightly live entertainment which is usually terrific. You can also eat a very good full dinner seated at the bar however if the bar area is full try to get a table near the cozy fireplace further back in the main seating area.
Seating at the bar in Pat Troy’s is very limited as the bar counter is on the small side; however there are numerous tables throughout the restaurant so you should be able to find a place to sit. However, I have to admit that I enjoy sitting at the bar and not at a table so I’m happy to say that the bar stools are usually available unless you’re there when there is live entertainment or if a pub crawl tour is working its way through the bar. When a tour is present service seems to slow to a crawl but thankfully the tours don’t stay that long before moving to the next pub.
O’Connell’s bar area consists of rich dark wood which is not only very inviting but it also reminds me of some nice pubs that we visited in several Irish towns. There are two separate bar areas inside the classic building in addition to an outdoor patio that is located on the rooftop. O’Connell’s make’s for a good stress reducer when your wife is dragging you from shop to shop.
There are two more pubs (non-Irish) that we loved and they are Chadwicks and the Union Street Public House. You have to be looking for Chadwicks to find it as it is not on the beaten path. Chadwicks in Old Town actually two bars, one upstairs and the other on the main level. The main level bar is the primary one while the upstairs is open a lot less frequently. The main level bar counter is relatively long and accommodates a reasonable number of enthusiastic drinkers. This bar main area is usually pretty full but there is a side rail bar that typically has available bar stools.
The Union Street Public House is a great place to gather with friends or to meet new ones. The bar area which sits in the center of the room is separated from the restaurant and the bar motif causes your mind to drift away to a bygone era when carts and wagons traveled the road outside. The bar counter is the place to be but if its unavailable or if you’re a people watcher the window overlooking Union Street is a great place to be.
By this time I think that you realize that I enjoy a good pub and that Old Town Alexandria has a number of very good ones. So if you’re in the area belly-up to one of those listed above or for that matter any one of the pubs in Old Town.
By this time I think that you realize that I enjoy a good pub and that Old Town Alexandria has a number of very good ones. So if you’re in the area belly-up to one of those listed above or for that matter any one of the pubs in Old Town.
