A “full Irish” is more than just a breakfast. The homestyle plate typically includes fried eggs, grilled tomato, and baked beans, and can differ from its English cousin with a variety of breakfast meats like rashers (Irish bacon), black and white puddings (sausages), and Irish soda bread. So yes, it’s hearty enough to eat any time of day.
3125 M St., NW
Georgetown’s atmospheric Irish bar is filled with artifacts from the owners homeland, including a Victorian-era bar salvaged from Cork. The menu has some cheffy touches (i.e. lamb poutine). That being said, the kitchen isn’t too fancy for an all-day full Irish with fried eggs, bangers, rashers, black and white pudding, sautéed mushrooms, grilled tomato, toast—and for $2 extra, Batchelors tinned beans, a Irish pantry staple.
4 F St., NW
This family-owned Capitol Hill institution has served politicians and homesick expats for over 40 years. The “full country breakfast” during weekend brunch isn’t for the faint of stomach with scrambled eggs, beans, three types of breakfast meats (rashers and black and white puddings), potatoes, grilled cheesy tomatoes, and fresh-baked soda bread.
4624 Wisconsin Ave., NW
This unassuming upper Northwest pub is one of the few places that regularly serves a traditional Irish breakfast all day, every day. Try the fry-up with two eggs, rashers, sausage, black and white puddings, beans, tomato, and toast. Half portions are available for lighter appetites.
2051 Wilson Blvd, Arlington
Get a traditional Irish breakfast all day, every day at this Irish-owned pub in Arlington. The platter comes with two-each eggs, bangers, and rashers, plus black and white puddings, potatoes, beans, roasted tomato, and toast. There’s also a brunch buffet on Sundays with more delicacies from the Emerald Isle.
2800 South Randolph St., Arlington
Owner and Tipperary native Mark Kirwan is behind this authentically Irish gastropub, which serves a full Irish at brunch. In addition to the usual suspects—eggs, rashers, puddings, beans—the plate comes with a potato cake and homemade brown bread.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
