Kitty O’Shea’s

Can’t stand Wilson Tavern that took Kitty’s spot. I still miss Kitty O’Shea’s :(

They don’t have a wide selection of beer on tap, but they have the ‘right’ selection.
I didn’t try the food, but everything else about the visit was nice. The staff was attentive and courteous, though that probably wasn’t too difficult since we beat the after-​work rush.
I’d definitely like to visit again if I’m in the area.

This is the kind of bar where everybody knows your name, except I only came once and felt like I had two heads and didn’t belong.
The bar offers a solid on-​tap selection of Irish beers (and, oddly, PBR). The menu is standard — decently-​priced bar food that tastes as you’d expect and nothing more.
The waitress was a little more concerned with drinking with her friends than refilling my drink, but as I visited on a Thursday, I wasn’t too concerned with her speed.
Nothing special, nothing terrible.

Yes it’s official I love this place! Great vibe, staff, and regulars. Man, I would hang out here in a heartbeat, of course, if I lived here. Damn I will miss this area:(

We hit Kitty O’Shea’s on the third stop of our Third Quarter Irish Pub Crawl, and I knew right away that this was going to turn into a long stop. This place reminds me of the local pubs where I used to live in Western Ireland — small, cozy, and a bit divey. The crowd was very diverse — from the older set sipping their pints and reading the paper, to the slightly rowdy younger patrons downing shots — a good crowd.
Our barman, Gerry, greeted us right when we came in and was extremely friendly during our entire stay. The pints were perfectly poured, and the crowd was very friendly. One patron actually gave us a couple Georgetown cupcakes for helping her out with the crossword puzzle. I’d definitely like to stop in sometime and catch some rugby or EPL matches. Good craic.

To know me is to know beer. No wait, it’s to love beer. Something like that. Anyhow, this is a god damned nice place to drink.
Dirty, gritty, beer soaked wooden floors. No flashy bar mats on the counter or velvet cushions on stools; just simply roll up your sleeves and don’t let your ass complain. Features friendly bar tenders, but only if you’re recognized (there), and very animated patrons (trust me, talk to a stranger and you’ll be legitimately educated on anywhere from the Black-​Sholes model to bohemian colonies in Richmond).
They make no excuses or pretentions when it comes to their pub food: fish and chips on the Wednesday, pies on the Tuesday, and bangers and mash on the Saturday morning (they serve all this every day, but I’d do it in that order).

CliffsNotes: Small and quaint, it’s your typical Irish-​themed neighborhood bar that you’d find with loyal customers who keep coming back. Probably not the most authentic Irish menu but a good meeting place for small gatherings. Tuesday night trivia is not well attended so maybe your chances are better here. [Original Visit: August 25, 2010]

I’m overstating the quality of this place by giving it a single star. But one star is the lowest you can go.
This place sucked. The service was awful. AWFUL. It took them about 2 hours for us to get served from start to finish. And it wasn’t crowded, not at all. Maybe they’re racist, and had something against minorities. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were. The food was decent. But we came on half-​price burger night. So that made it okay. I literally gave them a 10-​cent tip. But if we’re not worth your time and you’re not considerate of ours, then you’re not worth a tip anymore than «your place sucks.»

I live and work in MD and you VA peeps are lucky to have this place… they treated me a FIRST TIMER like a REGULAR. Nice clean small place cozy up to the bar and meet wonderful barkeep Ashley (a George Mason student) $ 4 Blue Moons during HH and friendly regulars at the bar. Decent HUGE blackened chicken sandwich with fries $ 8.95…
Didn’t have a plan on going here but glad I did and will be back. Nice corner there… you got Thai at Corner, Kitty’s, Velocity 5 and Ray’s the Steaks. All winners indeed. If you went during WC month of course it was crowded and service spotty, youngsters.

Don’t bother with Kitty’s unless you are interested in investing the time to become a regular. Up until that point you have no guarantee that you will be treated with anything other than disdain.
Now before the whole community comes crashing down, hear me out. I am not one for Clarendon bars. In fact, just last night we left Spider Kelly’s because it was a horrifying place and sought the solitude of a bar that was filled with a better clientele and would be showing the soccer game they advertised. Sadly we didn’t find either of those things.
Long story short, we encountered a friendly waitress who couldn’t help us because the bartender was the boss and he had decided to be an asshat. He wouldn’t switch a single TV over to the soccer game they claimed they would be showing because, according to him, people were already watching all of the TVs. Of course nevermind that everyone in the bar (aside from us) was facing in the opposite direction and clearly not watching the TVs that were directly above their heads. When I pointed this out he claimed it was because people had gotten here first and they wanted to watch the NFL Draft.
Bottom Line: I’ve been to this place several times and I’ve never expected much, but this last time was the final straw. The food is alright, the beer is fine, the clientele is low-​key, and the service by and large sucks. I can put up with apathetic service, but there are far too many other bars I can go to where I at least won’t be treated as an annoyance. If you want to avoid the other bars in the area and don’t mind putting up with people who will treat you poorly unless you are there 4 nights a week, by all means go to Kitty’s.

After our UYE P.I.G. visit to The Boulevard Woodgrill, we walked a few blocks to Kitty O’Shea’s. My first time here ever, First impression — very small and smoky.
We snagged a table in the back corner and settled in. Our server, a cute blonde came to take our order, I asked her name and then told her she should smile. She did not like that all and came back with a sarcastic comment. I was kind of surprised — as was everyone at the table. We were trying to be friendly and lighthearted with her. Oh well.
Later she came up to me and asked if I was mad at her. I told her I was not mad at her — that we were simply trying to be friendly and engage with her. I took the high road and apologized. She then in turn apologized for her attitude and all was well.
Beer was good, service was pretty good considering how crowded the small place. My beef with the place was the amount of cigarette smoke. I ended up leaving the bar early — I simply could not continue to deal with the smoke. I paid my bill, said my goodbyes, and hit the road.
If the place was smoke-​free, it would have earned at least another 1.5 stars. As much as I love Irish pubs — I doubt I will be back.

We went there for the Sunday brunch with some friends, and were disappointed on a few levels.
The bar was smoky, even at 10am (there was a soccer game on the tv, and the place was packed). So we sat outside, and after ordering our food, had to wait 45 minutes for it to arrive.
My plate was kind of sad. By comparison I just got back from the UK, and had the pleasure of ordering a «full english» breakfast most of the days. So when I saw what was on the plate (single over cooked sausage, crispy potatoes, single sad rasher, undercooked eggs, dry black and white pudding, beans and toast), it was a bit of a let down. Flavor-​wise it was OK. But i ended up drowning everything in HP sauce.
Good the Bloody Mary was perfect. Otherwise I might have said something.
We probably won’t do that again.

The most authentic of the Irish pubs in the Clarendon/​Courthouse area, Kitty’s is a good place to grab a drink during the week.
A little less puke on your shoes rowdiness and a little more old guy reading the paper at the bar while rugby is on.
If you’re looking to grab a drink while avoiding the clubish-​rubbish of the other bars on Wilson this is the place for you.
They could use a better beer selection by my taste.

I’ve been here a couple of times, all late night experiences, but haven’t quite grasped what makes this place so highly touted on Unilocal.Maybe it really is the brunch or the soccer games, both of which I haven’t really tried out here. It’s been basically the same story every time I’ve been — some old fellas drinking at the bar, some younger looking dudes all over the place, one or two cute female bartenders and a smattering of girls in the place. Drink a couple of beers, and then head out. They do have a decent number of TVs, but it doesn’t help when some of your TVs are under 9 inches. Plus, the place is not non-​smoking, stupid Virginia, so I get that nice smoky smell on my clothes whenever I leave.
I’ll try the place out when soccer season rolls around again, and maybe catch a couple of football games there as well — which would be a good time to try out their brunch! But, for the bar experience, three stars. Decent dive bar, but nothing special. But, if you’re a single girl looking to meet guys, I’d go here. If you’re a group of single girls, then the place would just probably explode.

The cultural heritage of Kitty O’Sheas, may be lost to an average Arlington resident, thus the pub may come across as an average Arlington establishment. However closer inspection reveals a whole host of ex-​pat ties that link the quaint pub to cultures and continents abroad.
For starters let’s take a look at their name: most likely an homage to a storied figure in Irish and English politics (Katherine O’Shea), if nothing else for her ties to Charles Parnell, founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party.
Second, look at their broadcasting schedule of the Premiership. You can watch almost every English Premier League game at this pub, I should know as I’m there practically every Saturday or Sunday to watch the Chelsea match. That being said, this IS NOT a Chelsea bar; it’s not a United bar; it is indeed a Liverpool bar.
This pub is a Liverpool establishment, make no mistakes about it. From the Liverpool crest on the wall, to the Robbie Fowler autobiography lofted above the tables at eye-​level with the TVs, it is evident. Not that the large red-​sporting group gatherings on Saturdays and Sundays wouldn’t tip you off first.
Now as for the food, it really is a steal for most of the prices you’d pay for brunch elsewhere in the area. You can always get a breakfast sandwich and a cup o’ joe for well under $ 10.00. I love how most Unilocalers refer to their authentic Irish and English pub-​grub, which for the most part is spot on. But it begs the question, if the cuisine is not made by the Irish or English is it still authentic? I say sure why not! That being said, I pretty much get the special every Sat/​Sun morning. It’s usually a breakfast burrito, or an enchilada of some kind, GET IT, it never disappoints.

If your looking for an Authentic neighborhood Irish Pub… look no further!
There are alot of appealing aspects to KOS but let me start with the primary one first… can you say Guiness. You will not find a fresher, cleaner more refreshing pint outside of County Doneghal. Danny the properietor will tell you the reason it’s so good is the decidcated tap lines. They only run Guiness thru the line not multiple beers as so many other Pubs do & they are cleaned at least every two weeks.
Danny is a former soccer player from County Doneghal… thus the commitment to showing league soccer on the multiple screens.
As other’s have noted this place is small in size but large in presence.
You won’t find multiple wide screen plasmas but they have a few and you will always find them tuned to a game. They are a knowledgeable soccer crowd so if your a true fan of ‘football’ you’ll feel right at home.
During NFL Season, they carry DTV Sunday ticket and you’ll find the usual Redskins and Cowboys fans living in peacful co-​existince.
The crowd is a regular mix of neighborhood locals. The reputation of this place reaches far beyond DC so don’t be surprised if you hear accents from around the world.
The food is authentic Irish as well. It’s what I call Irish Pub grub. For a starter try the Spinach & Feta Pie, this is outstanding. For main’s try the Sheppards Pie or the Corned Beef & Cabbage. You won’t be disappointed.
If your going to join for dinner, ask for Matilda, she’ll point you to the juke box and give you some pointers on the pubs favorite tunes.
During the Spring & Summer there’s a sidewalk patio where you can get full service and enjoy the sights and sounds of the neighborhood.
If you you’ve had a pint or two beyond your limit… It’s easy stumbling distance to the Court House Metro. If your driving there’s ample free parking in the rear.

Kitty O’Shea’s is a great neighborhood bar. It is probably only about 200 square feet of seating, but it feels cozy and like a real Irish pub. The servers are friendly, the service is fast, and the jukebox is always going. There are often large groups here to watch soccer on the TVs. I found it to be a mediocre place to watch football because of the smaller TVs and less than optimal TV placement, but it is still fine place to go on any night. The trivia night in particular is fun, although very crowded.
I have eaten their burger which is good but not exceptional, as well as ther fish and chips which I found to be bit flavorless. Perhaps some work on the batter is needed, although everywhere can’t be as tasty as Eamonn’s. Overall, the food is fine, but won’t wow you. I imagine most people are coming for liquid refreshment rather than food though.
Keep a special eye out for Danny, the publican, he is a riot and always makes sure to take care of his customers.

An ex-​boyfriend first brought be here for brunch, and since we broke up a few months before my big move to SF, I left it alone, so as not to run into him at «his place». Luckily, it’s now a year and a half later, so all bets are off!
I met a couple friends here yesterday for Saturday Brunch and got the fabulous Irish breakfast I had remembered:
DUBLIN CITY —
A classic fry with Two Eggs, Irish Sausage, Irish Rashers, Black & White Pudding, Irish Beans, Grilled Tomato & Toast
Sounds yummy, right? It was.

Top o’ the morning! Or in our case, afternoon… but it was brunch, so that’s almost morning, right? I did at least have breakfast food, so I’m pretty sure I’m OK to use Irish cliches, especially since I’m Irish. In my quest to visit every Irish establishment in the DC area I stumbled upon Kitty’s, a tiny little roadside pub in Arlington.
Since it was a Saturday, we were of course trolling behind in our usual list of things to do, waking up being the first. We eventually managed to find enough clothes to be presentable to the outside world and haphazardly picked a place off my ever-​expanding To Try list, ruling out all things Asian as our stomachs were still reeling from the night before. I thought, what better way to combat post-​gastro-​depression than with an incredibly large amount of grease, preferably affixed to multiple variations of pork. In walks Mr. Irish Breakfast, and suddenly Bob’s your uncle.
I’m convinced whoever came up with the term black «pudding» for a sausage made out of blood must be some ancient descendant of Karl Rove, a pure devilishly deceptive spin-​genius. Personally, I love everything in an Irish breakfast, and I even ordered a side of home fries because you can never have enough calories to start the day. There is a bit of a problem when the person sitting across from you doesn’t eat pork, so you have to try and enjoy it all without the obligatory hedonistic smugness that usually accompanies a meat induced engorgement. Nicole actually tried the black pudding, much to my surprise, but just don’t let her mom find out or I’m a goner.
So a little about Kitty O’Shea’s, since this is supposedly about the restaurant. It’s not big, so if you’re coming during busy hours or for a fútbol (or even football if you want) game expect to be shoulder to shoulder in one of the few remaining bars that allows smoking. This was one of the few detractors (the smoke, not the size) of Kitty’s, because there was someone sitting behind us killing themselves at our expense. It’s not overly done with the tired Irish theme decorations that seem to litter many of the chain pubs, and the few that are in actually look authentic and cool, not like they picked it up in the international section of HomeGoods. They have plenty of TV’s, enough to show every college football game that was on at 1pm, plus 2 European Première League games.
My food was great, in the sense that it was exactly what I expected, nothing more nothing less. Nicole got the spinach omelet which was loaded to the brim with cheese and spinach and pretty damn good for a dish without meat. They mistakenly brought out a ham and cheese omelet initially (of course it would contain the one ingredient she couldn’t eat), but when I pointed it out they quickly replaced it and didn’t charge us for either one, really nice. There was one guy running the bar and waiting all the tables, so I can see how things got a bit hectic. Despite that he seemed to be managing pretty well, and I saw him constantly zip by from one side of the place to the other.
I think this place excels at what it promises, which is why I chose to give it 5 stars, even though I have been to a few pubs which are in my mind better. If I lived closer this would absolutely be my neighborhood bar, and if you’re in the Arlington area I suggest you make it yours.

How sad a day it was when Joseph’s (a local dive that served great greasy food, cheap) moved out and Kitty moved in. Wasn’t it enough that Molly Malone’s opened down the street just a few months before? Were all the Irish bars of the world going to congregate in my corner of the planet and choke me with their Guinness pours? Yes, it seems so, because another Irish place opened soon after this one too — Ri Ra. If you’ve read any of my reviews of Irish pubs, you’ll know I am not a fan. Ditto for sports bars. Kitty O’Shea’s bills itself as both — lucky me! While two things I despise co-​exist in one locale, this bar at the corner of Wilson Blvd. and N. Adams Street did one good thing and that was to add some nightlife to a quiet block. I am hopeful that other COOLER bars will follow.
Kitty’s has some limited outdoor seating which tends to be popular. The inside consists of one small room with seats at the wooden bar, a couple tall tables and a few booths. Small rooms fill up quickly and this place generally draws a crowd — mostly men. Kitty’s features all the typical schtick that an Irish sports bar could offer– quiz night on Wednesday, Guinness on tap, sports on Sunday (which is sometimes subbed with a movie) and televisions in every corner showing every game under the sun. Since the food is slightly better than most, I could see myself watching NCAA games here, but let’s not get crazy.
With a decent brunch (served until 3 PM) and a better-​than-​most regular menu, I can actually find something to eat when forced to hang here. Half-​price specials on both the traditional Irish and pub food run throughout the week and during major sporting events.