Murphy's Grand Irish Pub

The value of this place in 2025 is absolutely insane. Brunch with 2 drinks for 5 people ended up being hardly $70, truly I cannot think of a single other place where you will get that value in this area. On top of that, the food was fantastic and the drinks were poured generously. Service was a tad bit slow but it was a Sunday brunch and the place was packed so I really can’t complain. I will absolutely be coming back here very regularly

Husband and I stopped in post-Halloween trick or treating festivities to have dinner. Loved the laid back, welcoming energy of the place. The waiter was extremely attentive and hard-working. All the staff were great and in good spirits. Nice beer selection and good comfort food for the cold weather. Stayed long enough to enough the musician who startef playing around 8p. Can't wait to go back.

Great happy hour price for Irish beers! Came here for restaurant week 2022 and they gave a pretty great deal for $25. The clam chowder soup was good. The pork tenderloin tasted phenomenal! The Jameson cake was great as well. It’s a fun Irish Pub with a good atmosphere and I look forward to coming back. They’re probably my favorite Irish Pub for food/beer in the NOVA area.

I hadn't been in Murphy's in over 35 years. Wow. Nothing has changed. Except me. Rather than going in for a good ole Irish drunk with my buds, I was taking my 25 year old out for dinner. I hadn't been on King Street but maybe twice in the past 30 years and since I had some time to kill before catching my Amtrak, I thought it would be fun to check things out and show the kid around. What a treat of a time. We had a fantastic dinner. Shrimp appetizer was incredible, shepherds pie was perfect, and the broiled salmon was out of this world. I don't think we could have gone wrong with anything on the menu. The atmosphere is exactly what you would hope for in an Irish pub: lively, but not so loud you can't enjoy your own conversation. Probably the biggest grin I got was passing by the kitchen on my way to the upstairs restrooms and overhearing the beautifully unintelligible to me brogue. Ah, nothing like the fine mix of old and new memories.

Great place! The food is delicious, especially the beef soup — it was amazing. Highly recommend this bar!

Very good comfort food, beer selection & fast and attentive service. During cold months they have real wood burning fireplace & right now (June 2024) their TV shows Euro football. In addition, almost every other night past 9PM there's live music. If visiting first time - Irish stew or Bangers & Mash with draft beer - you should be full. And this will be under $25 with tips. The downside - it's popular place, busy even during lunch time or early evening.

Came here at the end of the night and they had a live band and everything. Service was great, reasonably priced, good selection of beers 🍻 and liquors as well. The atmosphere was also great 👍. Hockey on the teli as well. Definitely would come back here.

A casual, friendly pub. Food is always reasonably priced, but their Alexandria Restaurant Week menu is really a bargain. Two of us had the 10 oz. NY strip steak dinners, one had the Blackened Chicken and the other ordered Irish Stew ($12) ala carte. With salad and dessert, an exceptional value at $39. Service and food were excellent.

We enjoyed this place. We were upstairs watching the band. It was great. Service was good. I would definitely recommend this place. UPDATE: We went back for happy hour upstairs. Service was great. Prices were good. We had the mozzarella sticks and spinach and artichoke dip. Both were okay.

Oh how I really enjoyed Murphy’s. We arrived at 2:30pm on a Sunday and they were still serving their Champagne brunch. We were hungry so we enjoyed a couple (or 3) beers until the brunch ended at 3 pm so we could order off the lunch/dinner menu. I enjoyed my Irish Meat and Potato Pie with fries. It did not disappoint. I wanted to try the Shepard’s Pie and fortunately, my wife ordered it. It was very tasty but included Lima beans (or butter beans) and I do not care for those. The restaurant itself was very comfortable and decorated with Police badges everywhere. The staff was pleasant and kept very busy in a small location. I would definitely return and try other items on the menu.

Quaint old Irish Pub at the Old streets of Alexandria. Taken by suprise with the setup, food and well poured Guiness. I stopped in for a quick sip and ended up sitting for hours by the bar, thanks to quick service and delicious Irish menu. The place is compact, you need to double check if you are more than 4. The place had got happy hours running in from 3pm - 7pm on weekdays and performances on select weekdays.

Festive and fun and relaxing. It is one of the very best places to eat and drink in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. It's steak night on Thursday evening, and you need to make reservations because everyone loves Murphy's Grand Irish Pub. The Christmas season is especially merry and bright.

First time doing restaurant week with Murphy's Irish Pub. We got the soup of the day, filet mignon and both the Jameson cake and bread pudding. It was definitely well worth the $49. I loved their butter/garlic sauce and the mashed potatoes were amazing. My husband said it was very filling, on point. The only thing is the soup was a lobster bisque and it doesn't give you that on the website. My husband is allergic to seafood so I had to taste it beforehand and he couldn't eat his. I would also recommend not to have the paper in the food containers.

Best Irish Pub in Old town Alexandria. Delicious Irish foods with Irish style drinks. Happy hour is awesome too. And Apple crisp is soooo good. And fabulous atmospher with hreat live music and events. Love Murphy's.

I have been coming to Murphy's for decades and it is comforting to know that some things never change! The food is simple and delicious... I almost always have fish and chips (cod) or the Irish Stew. I changed it up by trying the Irish egg rolls and they were a delicious start to the meal. The live music makes this place festive and fun!

We had a big group of 12 people and I wish I could remember the girl's name but she was so good and the food was amazing. So glad to see Irish food out there.

Best Happy Hour ever! Beer flights, oysters & some yummy fish ‘n chips. Be aware that street parking is tough to find. Traffic can be a hassle, along with one way streets.

Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub in Old Town Alexandria is a classic. This place has the cozy, authentic charm you’d expect from a true Irish pub, and it’s clear why it’s been a local favorite for years. The bar is lined with police and military badges, adding a nice touch of history and community to the atmosphere. Grab a Guinness and watch a game—it’s the perfect place to unwind after a long day or catch up with friends. The service is friendly, and the vibes are always on point. Whether it’s live music, sports on the screen, or just hanging at the bar, Murphy’s nails the experience. Highly recommended if you’re in the area!

I was in town for business and really enjoyed my time at Murphy's! I sat at the upstairs bar and the most wonderful bartender (can't recall her name but she was Serbian, I think) did a great job taking care of me. I loved the Smithwicks on draft, the atmosphere was great and the people, friendly. Yeah, I was "That Guy" with the laptop at a bar but if ya gotta work, you might as well do it in the company of happy people while drinking a great beer! Thanks for hosting me and treating me like family! See you next year.

Great food. Wonderful service. There I so much traffic through the door,(which alone tells you how good this place is) don't sit by the front door if it's cold outside. Minor nitpick, but loved this place. We will be back.

Murphy's might just be the best Irish bar in the Washington DC area - so many things make it special but what what make it amazing is how walking into it feels line you are walking into your favorite living room - that is full of your best friends and everyone is happy to see you Always a blast....don't even change !!

Great bar. I went for Tuesday trivia. It was ran very well and the host was very spot on. They have great daily deals and happy hour from 4-7. Definitely a 30+ crowd here

Good beer, excellent customer service, and the food was amazing. Never had Shepherd Pie before until I went there and it was delicious. I was amazed with the Irish Eggerolls and the dipping sauce. Will definitely come back.

CLAUDIA is the best waitress there, by far. CLAUDIA has great menu knowledge and ensured we had a great time. CLAUDIA works hard, FAST!!!, and has fun. Kept the table clean by pre-bussing and the Guiness and appetizers in the evening, the 1st time dining at this restaurant. The server CLAUDIA is AMAZING!!! CLAUDIA is beyond exemplary, very patient, and very friendly and informative with menu choices. Next time you go, ask to sit in this section of CLAUDIA. Every other employee there was mostly forgettable. Tell a Manager to give the server CLAUDIA a raise!!! ASAP. Or else there will be numerous consequences…

Went for a promotion party for one of my good brothers in the world’s greatest Air Force. It was only right that I got a nice perfectly poured. Guinness followed by an Irish cider. Our tenders were amazing and the ambience was something to remember. Congratulations to my brother. Love to Murphys 👌🏽🍻

St Patrick's day experience only. Very crowded and extremely loud so if you're into yelling at other parties at your table, then St Patrick's night is the night to go to an Irish Pub. Food was good. Drinks were solid. Had a reservation with people already seated, but still were not let in due to maximum occupancy. Will return to experience normal, non celebretory vibe.

Great little find in Alexandria! Extremely packed but the hostess was kind enough to find us a nice table! It’s a very well themed Irish pub and well decorated. We were there for brunch and there is a big bunch of options for cheap including a glass of champagne! It was fresh and good! Would recommend it vividly!

Stopped in for drinks and appetizers. Live music started at around 9, so we stayed for that. It was a fun place to people watch. Place is a little small. Bathrooms were clean, unisex downstairs, men and women restrooms upstairs. Plenty of craft beers and Irish fare.

Classic American, Irish Pub here in Old Town. The happy hour on Sunday is a fair one for beverages. The only issue here, the bar smelled like someone over indulged the night before.

Staff was friendly, effective, and flexible. Atmosphere was okay but crowded. And tables were close together. I had the fish and chips then the bread pudding. Fish was okay, could of had more chips. Doubt the chips made up a whole potato. The bread pudding was traditional so no surprises there. Good but nothing special. My group all had the same issues- nothing bad just...meh.

Great atmosphere. Very friendly and attentive staff. Appropriate selection of beers and ale. But I was VERY disappointed in the food. A place called Murphy's should know the difference between a Shepherd's Pie and a Cottage Pie. The Meat and Potato pie was unlike any pie I ever had in Ireland, or anywhere else. The food is a bad joke. I may go back for a beverage but I'll buy my Irish food elsewhere.

Did not eat. Drank Irish Beer. Went on a Saturday night. I was downstairs. They allow way too many people in there. Had to stand for a bit. Wait staff kept running into my group of four. Great atmosphere, acoustic guitar player singing fun songs. Finally sat down. Too loud to have a conversation. Just too many people to have fun. I’ve been there previously, during the week when it’s less crowded and had more fun.

Came here for Irish Coffees on New Year’s. Odd energy - not feeling festive. Service. OK. The biggest issue was the dog at the bar that stunk. Best was the dog jumping up to our table.

I don't come for the food, but the entertainment. They have traditional music downstairs, something modern up top. Beer is great, all Irish favs. But it is kind of the same thing if you experienced it a few times, but still fun. And they will kick you out at 1:30am, regardless if you just got a drink.

Had a decent meal of fish and chips at the restaurant. I ordered an old fashion that came in a tiny glass filled with ice. I also ordered bread pudding to go. I was really excited to get home on such a cold night and enjoy my desert, until I opened the box to find what looks like a small square of store bought Hawaiian bread with sugar syrup poured on top. Definitely not what’s been shown in other pictures! What a let down.

If you want a really cheap brunch, look no further. It really is a deal, though don’t expect great fantastic food. It’s fine for its price point. We got two adult entrees and two drinks for under $40. But it seems like the servers are really spread thin. Also, the restaurant itself smells funny. We ate outside, but had that not been an option I would have left before ordering.

I think the time has come for truth in pricing among all restaurants, because we are all tired of the shenanigans. Murphys management, could you please update your website menu prices to display what they truly are? I came here for brunch specifically because your website's menu prices looked reasonable. Then I arrived, you handed me your "updated menus," and they are literally 25% to 30% higher than your website. Know that the whole population is tired of restaurant situations like these. Let me know when you have fixed your website menu and I will remove this review.

The staff here are extremely friendly and welcoming. It’s not a bad place to have a drink, but I would certainly stay clear of eating here. I asked the manager if he would eat my dish and he said no as it was awful. There was something in my dish which I couldn’t tell which part of the animal it came from. I ordered the beef stew. Upon looking at other Google photos of the same dish it appears that mine was lacking peas, onion, and celery too.

We had a reservation for Christmas Eve and arrived hoping for a warm, festive dinner. Instead, we were greeted by a “seat yourselves” sign and left to wander the restaurant trying to identify our reserved table. Anyone could have taken it. So much for a reservation. Unfortunately, the experience only went downhill from there. The “Hardy” stew arrived looking like gray, flavorless water with a few sad flecks of meat floating among aggressively oversized carrots and potatoes. It bore no resemblance to stew, let alone anything hearty. Thin, bland, and deeply unappetizing. The fish and chips were equally dismal. A meager offering of chips paired with flavorless fish, and the tartar sauce arrived yellow congealed into an unappealing mass that clearly had not been freshly prepared. The bangers and mash were the final insult. The mashed potatoes were stiff and congealed, with a texture closer to paste than food. Absolutely disgusting and inedible. The service was grim, the presentation was embarrassing, and the entire experience suggested a complete lack of care or pride in what was being served. We walked in hoping for a lovely Christmas Eve dinner and left feeling disappointed and deflated. Old Town Alexandria has no shortage of pubs that understand comfort food and hospitality. Murphy’s Pub is not one of them. Subpar food, subpar service, and a complete failure to meet even the most basic expectations.

Absolutely atrocious service and an apparently DISGUSTING kitchen. Asked if they could handle a shellfish allergy, waitress said no, order something not from the deep fryer. She leaves for ten minutes, comes back, I try to order something far from shellfish—she tells me I can’t order it. So apparently the condition of the kitchen is gross enough, and cross contaminated enough that they can’t handle a simple task. Mind you there are two items on the menu that include shellfish. Two. They are both sautéed shrimp. So being unable to handle anything from the deep frier, or the oven, which supposedly do not cook shellfish—-well read between the lines. It means the kitchen is disgusting, not to mention harmful, and does not follow laws and rules regulated by the FDA. No one back there is swapping gloves, no one back there is doing anything. Avoid if you’re vegan. Avoid if your human.