O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub

This rating is for food. If that’s what you’re looking for, PASS. Literally, anywhere would have been better than the food here. I got the Caesar salad, which the dressing was obviously from a bottle and so disgusting. The potato skins were edible, and my boyfriend wasn’t impressed with the burger. What man complains about a burger? That’s how bad…

If you’re just looking for a place to hang out for a couple of beers and watch a game, then this is the place for you. This is a self-​seated pub with no waitresses to take your order.
If you want something to eat, head over to one of the bars and place your order. We learned this an hour after we got our seats and no one came to take our order. Once the order is placed, they will bring the food to your table. When I visited with my friends, the wait is ridiculously long for food to be served. It took about 45 minutes for me to get my house caesar salad. I also ordered the turkey sandwich, which also took additional time before it was served.
My initial review reflected one based on a first time customer who was taken aback by the noise level, crowd, and service.
I received a message from the general manager after posting my initial review, and he stated the following:
«Firstly, Monday nights are not normally so crazy busy or loud. O’Sullivan’s is an official meeting place for Clemson Alumni and last night was the National College Football Championship Final between Clemson and Alabama and has been this busy all year for their games. This game is the reason the sound was so loud. This game is the reason that it got crazy busy. It also affected ticket times for food as everyone orders at the same time.»
Regardless, it would have been helpful if someone came by and ask if we were first time guests and forewarned us about the noise level and the delay in service. We arrived at the pub at 6:30 PM, which was before it become extremely busy and crowded.
I am still awaiting a response as to whether it is typical for orders only to be placed at the bar, or if that was also due to the game.
For these reasons, I feel that it is worth mentioning those specifics in this updated review, as I believe it can be beneficial for first-​time customers like myself.
I plan on giving O’Sullivan’s another try, but perhaps later in the future.

This place is great. As someone in their mid-​late 20s, who lives on the Virginia side of the bridge, I’m always looking for spots where I’m not the oldest person in the room and that are still fun for a night out. This place is just that.
The crowd is late 20s to early 30s and friendly– I’ve never had more people apologize for bumping into me than I did there. (It was a little crowded) There was also live music, the band and songs were great, perfect for dancing or singing along.
The drinks are reasonably priced and the atmosphere is the perfect blend of community spot, bar and music venue.

One of my favorite spots in the area for getting after it on the weekends. VERY happy they have Labatts Blue! Good entertainment and a good crowd most weekends. Definitely fills out the Irish pub feel well

I’ve gone here a couple times over the past week and both times I was very impressed with the staff and the live music. It’s a great atmosphere and the side tables make it to where you can enjoy good times with friends and not have to constantly move out of the way of people trafficking back and forth.

Open-​Mic stand-​up on a Sunday + a 5 cheese & tomato sandwich (grilled) + a few Smitty’s = a good time.

I am a regular here, their Karaōke Tuesdays 9pm are fun. Their drinks are not badly priced and their bartenders are nice and experienced. It’s nice chill bar right next to the other bigger bars in the area. If you have time stop by and see if the place is right for you.

What a great bar! And if that’s not enough, the stand up show on Sunday nights just adds to its character. They really don’t make bars like this anymore in that area. I hate Monday as much as the next person, but ending the weekend with some great comedy acts and you’re already starting next week off right. Highly recommend!!!

This place is great. Went here for the second time last night and had some Irish car bombs. This place has both a quiet, more intimate room as well as a loud live music playing room. I think both are great. The prices are reasonable and it’s just a fun place to be on a weekend night. It’s a bit different from the other bars around the area as it is much more casual and has little more class to it as well.
I like this place and I will continue to go back there, but I haven’t had their food, so it’s hard to rate them a 5 yet.

This was my first time at O’Sullivan’s Power Hour. It happens the first Friday of every month and I had missed it the past few months due to traveling. I had heard nothing but great things about it so i was really excited.
When we got there, we all went straight to the bar to get our own bucket — 6 beers. I think it was like $ 24 or $ 28. Not quite sure, but not the worst deal. We headed back to where the live music would be playing and settled in to our spot for the night.
Unfortunately, we had heard that the band that used to play power hour was gone and there was a new act. It ended up being pretty meh.
It was basically one dude with an acoustic guitar with some background music to sing over. He more or less led the crowd in some 90’s songs which felt very summer camp-​ish. It was a little disappointing to be honest.
I’m not sure if I’d go back for power hour but I could definitely see myself going back for more drinks at O’Sullivan’s!

2.75 Stars
I would love to give O’Sullivans more stars because it’s a fun place to hang out for a happy hour and offers cheap happy hour prices for beer and food, but in some cases the beer tends to taste a little off-​putting and the food can just be gross. What a pity as Irish pub grub is among my favorite eating — despite the archetypal Clarendon douchebaggery that tends to pile up really quickly. It must be the taps because all of the different beers that I ordered were slightly off — like it would taste just like Guinness with a kind of spoiled milk aftertaste, same with the others — Smitwicks, Yuengling, etc. The fish and chips — the price is right, the batter looks golden and delicious — but one bit and you find yourself grinding through layers upon layers of batter with one thin strip of anemic looking mystery fish. Ew. Still though, it is a fun place to congregate and I feel that disgusting beer was an isolated incident. Just clean the damn taps! And furthermore, there are some very good prices for cocktails and whiskey. As for the food, what you see is what you get for the very low price you pay. Great spot to get together with coworkers and friends for happy hour and evidently there is a huge rugby following that congregates here.

I love this place. Danny, Dermot, Donnagh, and Brian are all awesome bartenders. They make you feel so at home.

Manager gave me a call back to refund the tip back to my credit card.
Went last Friday and brought a group of friends to have drinks for the night. I bought a bucket of beers for $ 27 and closed out my tab. Checked my credit card statement the next day and it wasn’t even close, this is when I made my first call to the manager. She said to call back next week once it posts as they had to put in the actual tip. Once again, credit card was put incorrectly and had to make my second call to management, the man took my name and number stating they will call back. Still no call back. I live down the street and talked my friends into going here, but we will just stick to our favorites Circa and Liberty.

Great staff, great pub food. Try their Guinness Burger. I’ve been here plenty of times and there is always a chill vibe. The staff is really friendly as well. Great place to hang after work, grab a beer or catchup with friends. The place had a great vibe.

Came here with some coworkers one night and once again on st pattys day. I only like drinking at irish bars that have Irish bartenders. Otherwise it’s like having a fat guy as a personal trainer. You know what they say… when in Rome. This place has Irish bartenders so it gets that fourth star. Typical inside for an Irish pub, darts, Guinness posters, drunk guys sleeping in the corner. St pattys day had a GREAT band and some decent specials.

This review is for drinking. They have karaōke also and I like it. The prices are a bit expensive. I spent 100 dollars by myself but then again I drink for the gold. They have Guinness and harp. Get the half and half. What is it with bars not carrying Bass? Distribution? I like black and tan with Bass and they make half and half with Harp, which is a Guinness product. Lots of bros being bros on weekends but less broey than Whitlows or Spider Kelly’s.

Tried O’Sullivan’s Irish pub on a week night. Phenomenal atmosphere, that really makes you feel like you’re at a pub on a street corner in Cork or in Killarney. The service was spot on, Danny behind the back bar had a beer in my hand seconds after walking in, as if he knew what I drank. My friend and I ordered some traditional Irish Fare from the expansive menu, which proved to be authentic Irish cuisine.
Barry the manager was kind enough to stop by to make sure we were satisfied with the service. Even the «bar-​backs» Jose and Nelson were beyond kind when waiting on us.
If you’re looking for a traditional Irish pub, great food, and even better conversation from an authentic Irish staff, this is the place. I will return. Thank you O’Sullivan’s for making Arlington a better place to live.

The food here is gross, just typical frozen bar food. My partner and I came here for dinner, which was just a bad choice. I didn’t read reviews before going, just saw they had a 4-​star on Google and I was sold– I’m drawn to an Irish pub like a moth to a flame. I was really hoping for a good Shepards pie, but I was sadly let down. I had a wedge salad that was nearly inedible, my partner had the «Bangers and Mash”-which was essentially microwaved sausage on instant mashed potatoes. Awful.
That being said, I’m giving this place 3 stars because the server was charming and honest about the food, and it seems like a really good place to go for just drinks. Just don’t go here for dinner. ever.

Wow. After reading the reviews had pretty high expectations for this spot. Off night? Don’t think so unless on other nights they don’t serve instant mashed potatoes under a frozen burger patty covered in gravy made with canned beef broth and call it a Guinness Burger.
Started with the half off chicken wings. Okay but just slathered in BBQ sauce and nothing special. Oldest daughter had the Cobb salad. It was good. Youngest bad the Shepherds Pie. Tastiest thing we had on the bill. But still instant potatoes.
Service was odd. Only way to put it. Questions were answered but as if we had asked the most ridiculous question known to man. Had to request things multiple times. Drunk refills never appeared.
Really confused about the high rating here and maybe it’s more for the booze and not the food. The fact that we were the only people eating food in the whole place may have been a good indication we should not have ignored.

This is without a doubt one of my favorites in Clarendon.
It’s one of the less college — like and insanely crowded ones, and is huge. There are at least different rooms and tons of seating.
The tiny little blonde server I had once during happy hour wasn’t the most knowledgeable so she kept running back and forth to answer our questions, but ultimately got our food and drink orders correct.
I suggest ordering Sully’s sliders– well cooked and very flavorful. They can add anything you’d like to them too. Eating them made me feel the urge to order fries, but those weren’t as tasty as I’d hoped.
The happy hour scene is much more chill than the night crowd, so this is a great place to actually be able to talk to someone and hear what they have to say. The night crowd is really fun though too, and always a good time.