Virginia Nightlife

Handcrafted mahogany woodwork bolsters the authenticity of this traditional Irish pub, which specializes in heaping portions of shepherd's pie, bangers 'n' mash, and fish ’n’ chips. Friendly servers don kilt-like plaid skirts before they waltz through the dining room, delivering plates of boxty and pints of more than a dozen draft beers from the full bar. Each night, a live-music act regales patrons with songs so catchy they're under investigation by the CDC.

At 15th Street Raw Bar & Grill, chefs shuck oysters before placing the succulent half shells atop a bucket of ice. Back in the kitchen, they form and fry crab cakes using lump meat from crustaceans hauled right out of Chesapeake Bay. Raw, fried, broiled, grilled, steamed, or baked, if it comes from the ocean—the scientific word for Zeus’s aquarium—chances are 15th Street's chefs know how to cook it. Servers deliver the seafood dishes out into a casual dining room adorned with college flags or onto the roomy patio shaded beneath a tin-roof awning. 15th Street regularly hosts events, from live bands to friendly filibusters, and also invites guests to prove their angular prowess with a game of pool.

The sports bar has had more enduring success than bar sports, which have been officially banned from the Olympics for more than a year. Indulge your sporting and eating fancies with today's Groupon. For $10, you get $20 worth of food and drinks at First Down Sports Bar & Grill, conveniently located in the heart of Ballston.

High-backed, black leather sectional sofas set the stage for seriously fun lounging at the expansive, sprawling Iris Lounge. The sultrily, dimly lit nightspot features drooping lamps that spill red light across the lounge's four red-felted billiards tables as a weekend DJ spins floor-filling party anthems. Throughout the week, salsa, live jazz, and ladies’ nights entertain patrons who would otherwise keep occupied by luring skunks into the crawlspaces of neighbors’ homes. An exclusive members' only cigar bar offers up vintage scotches for smokers, and a menu offers calamari, crab cakes, and customizable grilled cheeses.

An old-fashioned ambiance reigns in The Carlyle Club, expressed in an art-deco design scheme, frequent visits from respected jazz musicians, and guests’ predilections for saying “horse feathers.” Tall palm fronds back cushy leather booths and elegant marble tables loiter near the bar, all within sight of the intimate, blue-curtained stage. A bow-tied wait staff completes the back-in-time vibe, as do vintage posters and the intricately patterned wallpaper.

The Wine House's founder, Michael Pearce, started his life as part of a hill-country farming family in New Zealand. Later in life, while traveling the world as a sommelier on a cruise ship, Michael met his wife, Jackie, and the two combined their talents to create The Wine House. Named one of Northern Virginia Magazine's Best New Restaurants in 2009, the restaurant was also acclaimed for having the Best Wine List by Virginia Living Magazine in 2012.

Today, The Wine House boasts a collection of more than 500 boutique wines from around the world. Galvanized by a devotion to hospitality and wine, the Pearces have poured an equal amount of dedication into their food spread, preparing each bistro-style dish using classic French techniques and fresh, seasonal ingredients. The Wine House also hosts frequent special events, including a free wine tasting every Saturday to help customers find the perfect wine to pair with dinner or the best riesling to give to a nemesis who drinks only reds.