murphy's grand irish pub

economical, fast, good food. our waitress, megan, was excellent. bathroom needs help.

food is terrible, artichoke tastes like paint! overpriced, terrible service but good music and beer

...you’ll most likely bump into duncan, whose name can be seen on the chalkboard out front. he’s responsible for the “duncan’s bloody mary” – one of the best i’ve had. he crafts it early in the morning, mixing it up ever so slightly each week....

the place was irish pub  right down to the music, which was live entertainment.  the food was was good and there was something for everyone...

stopped in during lunch and ordered the irish stew. the big chunks of carrots and potatoes in the beef broth was a little intimidating but once i started to cut them up and take a bite, i was pleasantly surprised. by cooking with bigger chunks, the stew retained more distinct qualities of the ingredients. definitely enjoyed the quiet lunch atmosphere.

the alexandria area is great area for dining. a fine irish pub. good selection of irish brew on tap, not a wine place but why would it be. service friendly, this night dined at the bar, the smithicks was cold. dinner went with their jameson strip steak w/ baked potato & mixed veggies. steak was cooked as requested, tender but more fat then i would expect with a strip. overall a good place.

very fine night life. we just stopped by for beers but stayed to hear the live music. crowd was into it and made it fun. neat place to hang out.

i am fairly well traveled and often looking for something new and better but my search for a pub in alexandria has ended today. you walk in to a very traditional pub scene. the back of the bar is decorated with police emblems from around the country. i was greeted promptly and with a smile. i started with a pint and a cup of clam chowder. the chowder was among the best i have ever had. it is always hard to choose between bangers and mash and fish and chips so i went with the corned beef and cabbage. an ample portion of tender corned beef atop cabbage, potatoes and carrots. it was perfect. the place was pretty busy and it's always nice to be anywhere that is full of laughter. this place is a winner!

we tried their nachos, chicken tenders, potato skins (not shown) and wings (not shown). it was all your typical bar food, but the nachos and chicken tenders were the clear winners...a good, casual environment for happy hour!

excellent food. good service. only downfall was the live music was extremely loud - but the artist was very good.

pleasantly surprised!. we tried it for the first time on a friday night because my husband was craving corned beef and cabbage, which he got for a mere $10! it was a big plate of food, and he enjoyed it. i ordered the yankee pot roast special ($15) and it was delicious--tasted like mom's! the meat was tender and the gravy was good. it came with both mashed potatoes and pot roast potatoes--score! there was even a bay leaf, which means it was actually cooked on the premises! service was efficient and pleasant and we enjoyed sitting by the fireplace on a cold, wet night. there was a band and the crowd was very into it and raucous. we'll be back!

slow service, so-so food. walked around old town for awhile trying to decide what to try...

the restaurant is very cozy and has a great atmosphere for the most part, although it was strange to hear irish music one minute, then 80s and early 90s music next.

anyway, i tried the shepherd's pie based on the server's suggestion. i have never had shepherd's pie before and thought this was as good a time as any to try it. it was good but not mind blowing. it has your typical beef, mashed potatoes, and gravy with cheese, peas, lima beans, corn, carrots, etc. the meat had a good flavor but it was as good as i hoped.

my fiancee had a caesar sald and spinach and artichoke dip. she did not like the dip at all and the salad was as expected.

the service was lacking...while the server was nice, they were slow and short-staffed. the business could really benefit having some bussers as the servers had to clear off and clean their own tables. i may go back and try the seafood platter but it just wasn't a very memorable experience.

shephards pie was best i've had and crabcake sandwich was good. worth a visit.

perhaps i mostly dislike this place because someone lauded it as being a relaxed, real irish joint. when i hear that, i think of a small place with fantastic food and a small but rambunctious and familiar company. this place is just a faux irish-themed sports bar with crappy food.

old town staple. their dinner menu is nothing amazing, however we tried the brunch one sunday and were pleasantly surprised. we had two 3 year olds in tow who received crayons and pancakes. our meal arrived in a timely manner and the wait staff was just as expected, courteous and attentive. i had eggs benedict. it was ok. what i really fancied was the little chunked home fries. i could have eaten a whole plate of that. my friend had french toast and liked it well. the secret to getting parking in a timely manner after a 9am church service is to dine and dash (if you're catholic you'll know what that means). we don't have the heart to do this, but you'll probably be able to easily get a table for brunch. we didn't have any trouble except parking. two thumbs up for kid friendly and food arriving in a timely manner. oh, did i mention my side of mommy champagne? brownie points for murphy's.