Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Kirwan's On The Wharf

    3.4 (635 reviews)
    ModerateIrish Pub
    Open 11:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Kirwan's On The Wharf Photos

    Business Info

    KIRWAN'S ON THE WHARF ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    More like Kirwan's On The Wharf

    Recommended Reviews - Kirwan's On The Wharf

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Weekend Breakfast menu
    Jacqueline V.

    Looking for an Irish Breakfast on the wharf? Stop by for their new breakfast and brunch menu. As always pair it with a Guinness, Harp or Jameson beverage. The menu offers NA's (non alcoholic) options.

    Margot V.

    Quick to clean up an accidental spill and my tip but not quick to refill the drink. Accidents happen but good service apparently doesn't at this establishment. ONE STAR.

    Chowder
    Brianna T.

    So yum!! I really enjoyed my filling chowder here. And they had a nice beer selection!

    Seafood chowder
    Marie S.

    Enjoyed the patio season and some nice views of the Wharf. Service was quick and I got the seafood chowder ($16) with calamari, shrimp, etc. and came with a side of Irish brown bread with butter. The chowder was a good size and was very filling. I also got one of the non-alcoholic strawberry coconut mojitos. 2026 #18

    Zarin B.

    This restaurant has the most horrible system for seating patrons I have ever seen in my life. There was a line for walk-in groups so we waited in that. We noticed many groups of 3-5 were getting seated immediately. When it was our turn they checked for any open tables and said there was none at the moment and suddenly it's a 1.5 hr wait. We put our names on the wait-list thinking there's no way it can be that long. So we wait nearby and watch as they continue seating more parties that are walking in, and not sending me a table-is-ready text. Completely neglecting the wait-list and giving tables to parties that show up when a table happens to be available. Make it make sense???? My party and I were getting increasingly hangry but we didn't say anything just yet. The hostess and the owner could feel how upset we were just standing there watching table after table of newly arrived parties getting seated while we waited for 45+ minutes. FINALLY they decided to seat us, but that wouldn't have been the case if we weren't standing right there making sure we were seen. THEN another hostess came by after we sat down and tried to give our table to another party but the one who sat us had to stick up for us and said something like we were waiting longer. What a holy freaking mess???? Food and drinks were great but service has a LOT to improve on.

    Southern Egg Rolls
    Elijah R.

    This was one of the first restaurants that my wife and I tried since being in DC, and we weren't disappointed. We were just walking down the Wharf looking for a place to eat when this restaurant caught our eye, because of how many people were there and there was a big screen outside with one of the World Cup games on. We were greeted and sat as soon as we walked up. Our server was over to greet us with water within minutes. We ended up order the Southern Egg Rolls as an appetizer along with a Strawberry refresher to drink. Both came out pretty fast. The drinks were nice and refreshing on a hot day, but had a lot of ice in them, not leaving a lot of room for the actual drinks. The egg rolls were nice and warm with a a good flavor. The Irish spice bag I ordered was pretty good. The food had a good amount of curry spice on them and the fries were crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. The chicken was good but just not great. The curry sauce that came with it was also pretty good. My wife also said here chicken Caesar salad was pretty good, and the chicken didn't give her the "ick" if you know what I mean. Only downfall was that some of the food was only just good and not great, and it was pretty loud in the restaurant. We do hope we get back before we leave to try some more of their food!

    Melissa G.

    Came here for music bingo on a Monday night for a friend's birthday. Its a 2 level Irish pub located at the Wharf. They have 2 levels and music bingo takes place in a small book on the second floor. The upstairs area has a bar and additional seating but it's smaller than the downstairs section. Music bingo was so much fun! It was about 4 rounds and the music selection was such a great mixed variety of oldies, r&b, pop, rock and alternative. She even did a special Latin round for my friends birthday. Service was a little slow because the bartender was also the server so it was quicker to order from the bar than waiting for him to come to the table but he was really nice. They also have a nice food menu but I didnt order anything on this visit.

    Elba Adriana C.

    Service was good, food came out pretty quickly, and most of what we ordered was great. My seafood chowder was unfortunately what let me down. It was bland and lacked flavor overall. The mussels were great, and the sauce had a beautiful velvety consistency. My cousin loved her mushroom flatbread and my husband had the fish and chips. Our table shared the calamari which was great as well.

    Bar
    Tara R.

    Luis was an excellent bartender. My husband and I stopped in immediately after checking our luggage at our hotel. We had some time to kill before our room was ready. He had a Guinness and Miller High Life on draft. I had a couple Surfside iced teas. I had the chicken pot pie while my husband had the burger. I loved my meal!!! He loved his burger although the fries weren't his favorite. They were steak fries and we felt a skinnier fry would have been better. Overall, we had a great experience. We will be back on Saturday night for a wedding after party!

    Demonstrating how tiny the shepherds pie is - lol!
    Ali M.

    Irish pub with a great location by the water on wharf in D.C. Nice atmosphere inside, but very crowded with worn furniture. We were seated outside on the heated patio - it was freezing cold. The chairs and table are old, and the table was unbalanced, so it was tipping back-and-forth throughout the entire meal. They allowed the table next to us to pull over many chairs so they were right up against our table. Did not make a comfortable meal. I thought it would not be much of a fun night - and it was a birthday celebration for my son, but our awesome server saved the night. I wish I could remember the name, but they wore a very cool pearl necklace so that may help identify them. The server was funny, engaging, knowledgeable, and made great recommendations. I would return just for the stellar service. Outside of our server, the staff was kind of unwelcoming. We shared with the reception that it was my son's birthday and they didn't even respond. The appetizer was just OK, the fish and chips were good, the shepherds pie was tiny, the spice bag was just OK, and the chickpea curry was very bland (it was like eating, uncooked chickpeas out of a can - so bland, cold and no texture). The espresso martini was a very small glass filled less than a third... the recommended smoky cocktail was good. They would not accept any reservations and were not very nice on the phone... not mean, just uninterested and a bit dismissive - like they don't want more customers. The meal was $240 for three of us - brie, fish and chips, shepherds pie, chickpea curry, spice bag, two cocktails, two coffees and three beers. I think we were all hungry when we left (I couldn't eat the chickpea curry and no one wanted much of the spice bag). I wouldn't say dinner was a good value. I think this would be a good spot for a beer and a sandwich if there's a good table or bar seat available inside. I wouldn't recommend most of the dinner selections we made or seating on the patio. For the management - your staff is freezing on the patio. I felt so bad for them. The floor is freezing cold and the heaters were not doing much. Very unpleasant for us and I can only imagine what it was like for them to work hours in those conditions. They were shivering. Definitely reward the server that waited on us - totally saved the meal and made it a nice experience.

    Thomas B.

    Looking for an Irish pub right by the water in DC? Then Kirwan's is the place for you We sat at the bar. Service was very good! My wife ordered the stew/coddle. I got the full Irish breakfast. The food came out quick. My sausages and puddings were not super hot but ok. Eggs cooked great. Overall good but nothing spectacular. Overall a good place if you are looking for an Irish pub

    Alexis V.

    I like that this bar opens late and it was the only place with some lotion on a Monday night when I celebrated my birthday here in Washington DC. But, the drinks were not that strong. I feel like I just paid for juice here. Staff is nice and did what they can to provide recommendations, but this place was underwhelming with drinks. Love the music in the background, but it is blaring. And so, it is hard to make conversations with your table or order drinks in front of your waiter. You have to get real close to hear someone talk...closer than the tables and chairs are. Super tight with the tabling setup...not as comfortable to stay here. But, at least service was quick!

    Irish Iced coffee
    Latifa H.

    We visited on a warm sunny day and got an outdoor table with a Waterfront view. The drinks were great. We got Irish carbombs, Irish iced coffee, and mimosas (carbombs and mimosas not pictured). The food was amazing as well. We got the shepherds pie, chicken pot pie, and fish n chips. The shepherds pie came with a whole lamb chop in the middle which I was very impressed by and had a generous amount of lamb. The chicken pot pie was my favorite due to the texture and taste of the crust. It sat on mashed potatoes which were heavenly as well. The fish n chips which were also very good were the least favorite of mine which says a lot since I love fish n chips. I'll definitely be back to just get either of the pie dishes we had today. Service was quick and friendly, and the bathrooms were very nice and clean.

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Randy G.
    10
    74
    24

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marie S.
    149
    1483
    2490

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Maria T.
    13
    94
    33

    6 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Tara R.
    586
    1064
    4271

    5 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Giao L.
    159
    258
    1144

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ellen S.
    29
    129
    109

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chris M.
    124
    70
    32

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sid M.
    141
    196
    109

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 38
    Thanks 10
    Love this 40
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ann D.
    0
    186
    49

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 16

    Kirwan's On The Wharf Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kirwan's On The Wharf

    Is this place good for kids?

    In terms of "can kids go there without being too obnoxious"? Yes they can. The place is large and noise (within reason) is fine. There's outdoor as well as indoor dining which might give you additional options if your little terrorists are on a tear… 

    Assuming with a reservation, can this restaurant seat larger parties, specifically 9 people?

    Yes

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Irish Pub 2,772 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Del Mar - Paella de Pescado Y Mariscos

    Del Mar

    3.9(1.1k reviews)
    0.0 mi
    $$$

    Typical corporate DC restaurant. Cavernous interior, largely disinterested staff, and uninspired…read morefood. I ate at the bar on a weeknight. The restaurant was relatively busy, the bar was not. After finishing my first glass of wine, I waited 15 minutes for the bartender to return, but he never did. I had to ask the woman behind the bar whose job seemed to be busing -- she couldn't serve me, but found someone who could. This place is a really just a caricature of Spanish food. Well, I suppose that's DC these days. Sigh . . .

    I came here for Restaurant Week for lunch. Three courses for $25 is a steal!…read more I came on a weekday for lunch and it wasn't busy. I imagine the evening to be much more lively. The restaurant is spacious and modern. I was seated near the window and for whatever reason, I did find the restaurant to be a little dusty/fuzzy. I'm not sure if it was from the fuzzy throw pillows or perhaps the napkins, but the table did seem to have little fibers floating around periodically. The booth seat also had some salt or something spilled on it from a previous diner. I was greeted warmly by staff. Luis was my server and service was excellent! For my first course, I ordered the tuna tartare which was a generous serving - great for sharing. The tuna was fresh and they have a 9-minute egg plus little croutons for texture. The meal was off to a good start! Food was brought out quickly. Del Mar means "from the sea" and seafood is really where they shine. For my second course, I ordered the paella fideua negra, which is a thin noodle-based seafood paella instead of rice (much quicker cook time). The dish had great presentation. It was served in a cast iron skillet and they provided wooden paddles to scrape all the goodness from the pan. A separate plate with a lemon and extra aioli was provided as well, which really enhanced the flavor of the dish. The lemon half was served in a squeezing cloth which made it feel extra fancy. The paella was light on the seafood - it had three shrimps, three mussels, and a clam - but they were all nicely cooked and it was a good variety to showcase their seafood skills. Portions were generous - I couldn't finish it all and they kindly packed it up for me to go. To end the meal, I had the ice cream cookie sandwich which was a snickerdoodle cookie with salted caramel gelato dipped in chocolate ganache. I thought the dessert was okay. I like all of the components separately, but together, it ate too sweet (even for a dessert). I had a pleasant dining experience at Del Mar. It felt upscale but still approachable, without being pretentious. I would come again.

    Photos
    Del Mar - Decoration.

    Decoration.

    Del Mar - Spanish tortilla

    Spanish tortilla

    Del Mar - Sangria

    See all

    Sangria

    Kirwan's On The Wharf - irish_pubs - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...