With St. Paddy’s Day (“Sorry if I offended anyone”) upcoming, and unlike most years, I’m actually in town since the first weekend of March Madness doesn’t coincide this year (I’ve actually never been in DC the weekend of March Madness since I moved here 6 years ago, streak continues next week), I thought I’d post a detailed overview of what the DC Irish bars are doing for the second-biggest drinking day of the year (second-biggest amateur hour day too).  Not surprisingly, the Great Fritz Hahn (nod to Dave McKenna here) of the Post’s Going Out Gurus stole my thunder with this comprehensive post (Eater DC also had a good roundup here). You should read those articles, but if you don’t, I’ve summarized the DC bars it lists (and added the rest of the DC Irish bars not listed and some other good spots).  With the holiday on a Sunday this year, lot of people are hosting parties on both days. Also noted: as much as I (and probably you) hate covers, places with no covers will likely be the most slammed and crowded.

Tenleytown
Kitty O’Shea’s

• Opens at 10a Sat/Sun;
• No cover
• $1 jello shots/$1 house shots/$5 half pitchers of green beer/$5 Smithwick’s, Guinness, & Harp/$4 PBR tallboys
• $5 burgers/footlongs

Cleveland Park
Nanny O’Brien’s

• Opens at 10a Sun, live music after noon
• $10 cover (possibly not until after noon)
• $1 green/orange jello shooters

Woodley Park
Murphy’s of DC

• Opens at 10a Sun, live music after 2p
• No cover ($5 according to Eater)

Adams Morgan
The Blaguard

• Opens at 10a Sat/Sun
• No cover
• Irish music all day

Dupont Circle
James Hoban’s

• Opens at 8a Sun, live music after Noon
• No cover

Irish Whiskey

• Opens at 9a Sat/Sun
• No cover
• Random giveaways & entertainment all day
• $3 beer bottles from 9a-Noon

Mackey’s

• Opens at Noon

U Street
Duffy’s 

• Opens at 11a Sun
• $5 cover
• Live music and entertainment, free t-shirts to first 300 folks

Foggy Bottom
McFadden’s (Technically an Irish bar)

• Opens at 8a Sun
• No cover
• Random entertainment all day
• Free drinks 8a-9a, $1 drinks 9a-10a, $2 drinks 10a-11a, $3 drinks 11a-Noon

Chinatown/Penn Quarter
Fado

• Opens at 7a Sun (alcohol at 8a), music at 2p & 7p
• $10 cover after Noon

Irish Channel

• Opens at 8a Sun
• Bus transport available to St. Patty’s Day parade
• two tented bars outside

Capitol Hill/Union Station
The Dubliner (Obama stopped by for Guinness last year)

• Opens at 10a Sun.
• $10 Cover
• live music all day on 2 stages, 6 bars

Kelly’s Irish Times

• Opens at 10a Sun.

Eastern Market
Molly Malone’s

• Opens at 9a Sun
• progressive specials on Irish beer from 9a-11a

H Street
Star & Shamrock

• Opens at 11a Sun
• dancers and live music all day