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• How to Make Restaurant Eve's Irish Sandwich
• The Best Irish Pubs in Washington
Drink responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day! The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s St. Patrick’s Day Sober Ride service is back for another year. Don’t test your luck—call 800-200-8294 for a free ride home (up to a $30 fare). Get a ride from Thursday, March 17, at 4 PM until Friday, March 18, at 4 AM.
DCThere are happy-hour specials from 11:30 AM to 10 PM at Againn, including $5 Irish beer (Harp, Guinness, Smithwick’s, and Kilkenny) drafts and $5 to $6 shots of whiskey, along with a spread of Irish food. O’Kane Mutiny will play Irish jams from 5 to 10. $5 cover after 4.
St. Patrick’s Day means happy hour all day at Belga Café, which means 50 percent off draft beers and two waffles for $10.
Café Saint Ex is serving up Irish dishes such as classic Shepherd’s Pie and St. Kilian Cheese. Cocktails include the Crazy Leprechaun—Irish Whiskey, Absinthe, sugar, and bitters—and to wind down the night, sugared Irish coffee—Irish whiskey with coffee, topped with brown sugar whipped cream.
At the Dubliner, for a $10 cover, you can hear three bands on two stages, while enjoying the full menu of Irish pub fare.
Starting at 1 PM, at Duffy’s Irish Pub, see dancers from the Culkin School of Irish dance, and from 6 to 11 catch the band Points of Roguery. Drink specials include $2 Green Jello shooters and $5 green beer, plus the first 200 people score a free T-shirt.
Fadò’s Irish Pub thinks happy hour is for the weak—here you can get your Guinness starting at 8 AM. Live music starts at 3 with 40 Thieves, Irish dancers, and Llyod Dobbler Effect at 9, plus enjoy an Irish breakfast all day. Visit the Web site for a complete list of events leading up to the big day.
James Hoben’s has happy-hour prices from 9 AM to 2 PM, meaning $5 imported drafts, $4 domestic drafts, $4 imported bottles, $3 domestic bottles, and $4 rail drinks and glasses of wine.
March 12 is St. Practice Day at McFadden’s, so practice your chugging with $5 Guinness drafts and Jameson drinks from 11:30 AM to 9 PM. On March 17, get started with $1 drafts when the doors open—they go up to $4 from 11 to noon. From noon to 4, Green Bull Vodkas and Green Bombs are $4, ending at $8 by 9 PM.
The Mighty Pint (1831 M St., NW) is hosting a friendly Keg Kill from 4 to 5 PM. Two teams, Locals and Transients, race to down the most green beer. $10 entry fee; e-mail info@themightypint.com with full name and team preference. For spectators, the regular happy-hour specials apply ($3 16-ounce beers and $5 16-ounce rail drinks).
Rock & Roll Hotel is promising “The Bestest-Drunkenest Most Rockinest St. Patty’s Day Show” with performances by Black Dog Prowl, Chute, and Force Major. Get tickets ($10) at Ticket Alternative.
At Sign of the Whale, compete to have your bar tab taken care of with contests for Best Green Ensemble and Best Leprechaun Look-Alike. Starting at 11 AM, enjoy $3 Guinness and $3 whiskey, plus carbombs, green beer, and bagpipes.
The Spirit of Washington is offering a two-hour dinner cruise, with an Irish meal and dessert and a cash bar with Irish drinks. $45.90 per person (includes one beer ticket); 6:30 to 8:30. Make a reservation at the Web site.MARYLANDHear a different Irish band every night beginning Sunday, March 13, at the Irish Inn at Glen Echo.
Celebrate all day at McGinty’s from 11 AM to 1:30 AM with Irish dancing performed by the kids of the Culkin School of Irish Dance, traditional music from Pete Moss and the Bog Band, topped off with rockers 40 Thieves. $10 cover after 6.
VIRGINIA
Clarendon’s 3 Bar & Grill is serving $2 Harp all day (11 AM to 9 PM).
Arlington Cinema ’N’ Drafthouse is screening the cult classic The Boondock Saints. Catch the story of two Irish brothers taking down mafia thugs, along with a beer or two. 7:15; buy tickets ($5.50) at the venue’s Web site.
Lunch seatings are available at the Auld Shebeen for 11 AM and 1 PM, and dinner is at 4 and 7. There’ll be live music by the Flying Cows of Ventry and Edsall Road, plus live Irish dancers.
The 15th annual celebrations at Ireland’s Four Courts include all-day food specials and music, plus a heated tent. Earlier in the week, there’ll be a pre-and-post Shamrockfest party (Saturday, March 12) and Irish-themed karaoke starting at 9 on Sunday, March 13.
Clyde’s in Reston is throwing its first St. Patrick’s Day party. Come for hand-carved corned beef with cabbage and Guinness beef stew, plus live bagpipe music from the Washington Scottish Pipe Band.
Start the day at Ireland’s Four Provinces with Kegs and Eggs from 8 to 10, followed by live music from the Dirty Pints all day. Special three-course menus are available for lunch and dinner, plus sandwiches in the bar if you don’t want to slow down. The night before, brush up on your knowledge with a St. Patrick’s pub quiz.
The Old Brogue is serving Irish breakfast from 7:30 to 10:30 AM. The pub opens at 10 AM with three bars stocked with traditional Irish brews and live entertainment featuring Ted Garber. $10 cover charge.
Starting at 11 AM, P. Brennan’s (2900 Columbia Pike, Arlington) will have Irish music, dancing, and food. After 6, there’s a $5 cover. Leading up to the big day ar
e events like Irish trivia on Tuesday, March 15, and a whiskey tasting Thursday, March 10, for $34.95; call 703-553-1090 to make a reservation.
Make a reservation at Pat Troy’s Irish Pub for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which are served in a heated tent in two-hour block seatings. There’s a $10 cover for the live music in the main restaurant.
Go to Whitlow’s on Wilson for a night of Irish music, including bagpipes, traditional Irish dancers, and the Washington-based band Shannon Tide. The music starts at 6. From March 9 through 17, there’ll be dishes such as bangers and mash with Guinness gravy if you can’t wait to get your fix of Irish food.
>> Want to see your event included on this list? E-mail lmckenzie@washingtonian.com with details.
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