The Dubliner Restaurant
Review! Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. // Irish pub // homey & festive
the ELEVATOR PITCH
The origin story on this one goes deep into the roots of family and heritage. The full story is on their site, but here’s the short! Founder Daniel J. Coleman, coming from a family of “publicans” (person who owns a pub), established The Dubliner in D.C. in 1974 as an ode to his Celtic heritage: his Irish immigrant father opened Coleman’s Saloon in 1933 in Syracuse, New York, which has been inherited by Coleman’s brother, Peter.
As a person who hasn’t traveled to Ireland (but really wants to), I can only say that the vibes impeccably match what I’d imagine Irish pubs in Ireland to be like. From the Hibernian fare to the live music to Coleman’s desire to purvey Irish ale and whiskey, stepping into The Dubliner really feels like you’ve stepped off the plane and right onto Irish soil.
All in all, even though I enjoyed the vibe more than the food (which I felt was more standard Irish-American), it’s a great restaurant for anyone looking to experience a bit of Ireland in the States. Plus, their service is out of this world: our server told us that in D.C.’s service industry, The Dubliner is a coveted place to work at because they have a reputation for a great management team and a great work culture. As customers dining in, we definitely experienced the product of that! Our server, Shawn, was attentive, conversational, and informative, even gifting us a complimentary onesie for my 6-month old niece.
menu items ordered
circa December 2024
honest reviews below 👇
French Onion Soup: this had a good balance of sweet and salty. I didn't get to get a bite of the cheese but wow it looked tantalizing! (rating: 8/10)
Salmon Heather: the green beans were the best part of this—flavorful and charred, just how I like it! Everything else sadly, was quite underwhelming in flavor…the salmon was bland, the hashbrowns lacked salt…it felt like everything was relying on the cream sauce on top for zhuzh but that was also mild and not my thing (felt like hollandaise?) (rating: 4/10)
Chicken Pot Pie: the chicken was white meat, and I was impressed that they were pretty tender/fall apart while still holding their shape in decent chunks. The flavor was good, but there was a LOT of thick gravy holding everything together which I wasn’t sure I needed. The “pie” pastry also made up a large portion of the dish, which wasn't my preference since I like my veggies and protein. Overall, I would've preferred more filling that wasn't as thickly held together, but out of everything, it was my favorite from dinner! (rating: 6.5/10)
Shepherd's Pie: the filling was flavorful, but the ratio of mashed potatoes was higher than the filling, and the meat was just ground beef and not impressive…so I’m sad to report that I was slightly underwhelmed and disappointed. (rating: 6/10)
the RÉSUMÉ
address // 4 F St NW, Washington, DC 20001
operations // Monday - Friday, 7:00 AM - 1:30 AM; Saturday, 8:00 AM - 2:30 AM; Sunday, 8:00 AM - 1:30 AM
⭐ 7:30 PM: live music events (schedule is on their website)
logistics //
No free parking, but the Union Station metro stop is literally across the street, so if you're able to walk, I highly recommend taking that route!
make a reservation beforehand, especially if you want to dine during the live music portion of the night (ask specifically for “the main bar room” for peak Irish pub vibes!)
amenities //
free Wi-Fi
family-friendly
accessible
vibes // like you’re taking shelter from the high winds on the Scottish moors…homey and cozy, with lots of dark wood and warm lighting
menu // kids menu available
beverages ($3.00 - $6.00): soda, juice, tea, etc.
⭐ libations ($7.00 - $15.00): cocktails, wine, beer, Irish whiskey; known to sell many Irish beers such as Guinness, Auld Dubliner Amber Ale, Smithwick’s Ale, and the Killkenny Irish Cream Ale.
starters ($7.00 - $14.00): pretzels, spinach & artichoke dip, wings
mains ($8.00 - $38.00): salads, burger, pastrami, reuben, fish & chips, beef stew, shepherd’s pie, chicken pot pie, corned beef & cabbage
⭐ entrees come with a roll & Irish butter upon request
recs // nothing was “so good” that it’d be a re-order, but I enjoyed the chicken pot pie the most out of everything we had that night
site // The Dubliner
I loooove a good French onion soup!