Del Ray VA Irish Pub
Del Ray keeps its small-town main street along Mount Vernon Avenue, all coffee shops, brunch spots, and friendly storefronts. For a real Irish pub that runs late, though, it is a short run up Route 1.
McNamara’s Pub and Restaurant is just up Route 1 at 567 23rd Street South in Arlington, beside Crystal City and about a mile from Reagan National. It is an Irish pub first, a family sports bar second, and a late kitchen throughout.
Irish Pub near Del Ray VA
McNamara’s brings Del Ray residents the atmosphere of a traditional Irish pub without the trip into downtown DC. The bar pours Guinness, Irish whiskey, cocktails, wine, and rotating drafts, while the kitchen serves familiar pub favorites from lunch through late evening. It is close enough for a casual weeknight pint, dinner with the family, or a full night of trivia, bingo, sports, and live weekend energy.
Irish Restaurant near Del Ray
Who doesn’t loves a good kitchen? McNamara’s Pub and Restaurant gives most people from Del Ray a reason to travel. The Irish menu runs from bangers and mash to a spice bag to a proper shepherd’s pie, with burgers and wings holding down the rest. The food leads here.
Stop in for a fast lunch or stay for a full dinner, with salads and lighter options ready. Honest plates, done consistently.
Sports Bar near Del Ray
The screens at McNamara’s Pub Bar and Restaurant carry all the major American sports, NFL Sundays, college football, NBA, and NHL, plus the World Cup when it lands every 4 years.
Early evenings stay family-friendly, fine for dinner and the first half, before the room picks up. Come for the opening or hold out for the final minutes.
Trivia Night
Del Ray has charm to see and enjoy, but for Monday’s trivia night at McNamara’s is the place to be. The night runs 7 to 9 with five themed rounds spanning memory, pop culture, and the obscure, and the first two teams take home prizes. It is competitive without being cutthroat.
Third place picks a topic for the next week, so the night keeps a little momentum. Tables go early, so arrive ahead of the first question, and reserve for a group of ten or more.
Whiskey & Wine
Life in Del Ray is easygoing which meshes well with Wednesday at McNamara’s. Bottles of whiskey and wine are discounted with wine at 50% off all day and select whiskey is too, so the middle of the week becomes a small treat. The Opus One is part of it, at 25% off.
It stays quiet and conversational, the kind of evening for comparing pours without the noise. Share a bottle or sip through a flight.
Karaoke
Head to McNamara’s when the weekend wants a microphone. Karaoke runs Friday and Saturday starting at 9, with regulars and first-timers swapping the mic and a crowd ready to back them. It is upbeat and wonderfully unpredictable.
One song is polished, the next is pure nerve, and both earn a cheer. Sing or settle in for the show.
Bingo Night
Tuesday nights are bingo nights at McNamara’s. The session has eight rounds starting at 7, prizes scatter across the evening, and there is no team to assemble and nothing to study. You grab a card, order a drink, and wait for your numbers.
It is easygoing on purpose, the sort of Tuesday you can join on a whim. Bar seating is first come, so a larger group should arrive early to sit together.
Specials
The pub has exciting specials running throughout the weekend. The weekday happy hour goes 3 to 7 with $2 off food and drinks, cocktails and all appetizers included. Tuesday makes any sandwich with fries and a soda $13 until 3, and Thursday gives burgers the same price, a draft for $5 more.
The monthly menu specials are worth a look before you head over, posted on the specials page. Weekends fill out with brunch from 10 to 2 and dollar mimosa refills for two hours with an entree, and a Sunday pour that currently lands at $6 Tito’s and Jameson all day.
Online Ordering
When you would rather not go out, the kitchen comes to you. McNamara’s runs pickup and delivery on the major apps, Grubhub, Seamless, Uber Eats and more, with the full menu of Irish plates, burgers, wings, and starters.
Grab it on the way through or have it delivered, your call. What is on offer can shift with demand, so a large order does best with some notice.
Special Events
Del Ray gatherings have a ready home up the road. McNamara’s private room seats up to 30 and hosts birthdays, anniversaries, and work parties, with the kitchen and bar handled in house and no outside catering to manage.
It is private enough for your special event and still connected to the pub. Choose buffet or plated to suit the day. The private bookings details are posted online.
Del Ray Irish Pub FAQs
How do I get there from Del Ray?
North on Route 1 to Crystal City and 23rd Street South, just a few minutes from the Avenue.
Is the airport nearby?
DCA is about a mile out, sitting right between Del Ray and the pub.
What food does the kitchen do?
From an Irish breakfast and fish and chips to burgers, wings, and salads, with a spice bag for the curious.
Is it family-friendly?
Earlier in the evening especially, with a menu younger eaters take to easily.
Why Del Ray Residents Choose McNamara's Pub and Restaurant
Del Ray does brunch and coffee better than anywhere, but for a late Irish pub with nightly events and a real kitchen, the short run up Route 1 pays off.
A weeknight pint, a family table, or a private party, McNamara’s handles each one and still feels like a neighborhood spot.