Southwest Waterfront DC Irish Pub
The Southwest Waterfront has come alive around the Wharf, with the piers, music halls, and a riverwalk that draws a crowd. For a real Irish pub that runs late, the trip is a short drive across the river.
McNamara’s Pub and Restaurant is just over the water at 567 23rd Street South in Arlington, near Crystal City and about a mile from Reagan National. It is an Irish pub and neighborhood sports bar, keeping the taps and the kitchen going late.
Irish Pub near Southwest Waterfront DC
Sports Bar near Southwest Waterfront
The Southwest Waterfront is a short drive over the bridge for game day. McNamara’s keeps the major leagues on the screens, MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL, with college football and the World Cup in the mix.
It stays family-friendly early, fine for dinner and the opening half, and gets louder as the night goes. Watch the whole game or swing in for the final minutes.
Irish Restaurant near Southwest Waterfront
The Southwest Waterfront is a short drive over the bridge to a kitchen that means it. McNamara’s serves fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and a Guinness beef stew, with burgers and wings for both sides of the table. Food first is the rule.
Come for a long dinner or a quick lunch, with salads and lighter plates ready. Honest cooking, done right. Browse the full menu online.
Trivia Night
The Southwest Waterfront is a short drive over the bridge for a Monday with a little edge. Trivia runs 7 to 9, five themed rounds that reward memory, pattern recognition, and the odd obscure fact. The top two teams take prizes.
Third place picks a category for the following week, so the competition carries over. The room fills early, so arrive ahead of time, and reserve any group of ten or more. Find the trivia details online.
Whiskey & Wine
The Southwest Waterfront is a short drive over the bridge for a slower Wednesday. All day, McNamara’s runs half off bottles of wine and half off select whiskey, turning the midweek into something worth the trip. The Opus One comes down 25% as well.
The evening stays quiet and conversational, quality over volume. Share a bottle over dinner or taste a few whiskeys at the bar. Find the whiskey and wine list online.
Karaoke
The Southwest Waterfront is a short drive over the bridge for a louder weekend. McNamara’s runs karaoke Friday and Saturday from 9, with regulars, first-timers, and brave friends sharing the mic. The room is high-energy and gloriously unpredictable.
The next singer could be a star or pure courage, and both earn the applause. Take the mic or enjoy the show. Find the karaoke details online.
Bingo Night
The Southwest Waterfront is a short drive over the bridge for a better Tuesday. The first of eight rounds opens at 7, prizes land throughout, and you will not need a team or any prep. Just a card, a pint, and a little luck.
Bingo here is built to be social first, which is what makes it work midweek. Bar seating is first come, so bring a bigger group early. Find the bingo details online.
Specials
The Southwest Waterfront is a short hop over the bridge, and the specials make it a smart one. Happy hour runs 3 to 7 every day, $2 off food and drinks, with cocktails and all appetizers included. Tuesday turns a sandwich, fries, and a soda into $13 until 3, and Thursday reruns it with burgers, a draft for $5 on top.
Rounding it out, a rotating set of monthly menu specials is posted on the specials page. Weekends hold their value with brunch from 10 to 2, dollar mimosa refills for two hours with an entree, and a Sunday feature that at the moment is $6 Tito’s and Jameson open to close.
Online Ordering
The Southwest Waterfront can skip the bridge and still order in. The full McNamara’s menu is ready for pickup or delivery through Seamless, Grubhub, Postmates, Uber Eats, and Waitbusters, covering burgers, wings, starters, and the Irish classics.
Pickup is easy if you are heading this way, and delivery handles the nights you are not. Availability varies with demand, so a bigger order is best placed early.
Special Events
The Southwest Waterfront is a short drive over the bridge to a private event room. McNamara’s seats up to 30 and hosts wedding receptions, retirements, and holiday gatherings, with food and drink covered in house.
Your group gets its own space while keeping the pub atmosphere. Choose a buffet or a plated dinner to fit the occasion. Find the special events details online.
Southwest Waterfront Irish Pub FAQs
How do I get there from the Southwest Waterfront?
A short drive across the river to Crystal City and 23rd Street South, or the Metro down to Crystal City.
Is it close to the airport?
Yes, about a mile from DCA, a quick run that pairs with a flight in or out.
Does it show the games?
It is a family-friendly sports bar carrying every major American sport, an easy crossing from the Wharf.
What nights have events?
Trivia on Monday, bingo Tuesday, Whiskey and Wine midweek, then karaoke to close out Friday and Saturday.
Why Southwest Waterfront Residents Choose McNamara's Pub and Restaurant
For the Southwest Waterfront, a short drive across the river buys a late Irish pub with events most nights and a kitchen that takes the food seriously.
A pint after a walk on the pier, a family dinner, or a booked back room, it all works a quick trip from the Wharf.