Old Brogue Irish Pub — Restaurant in Virginia

Oh man, I really wanted to love this place. The outdoor ambiance was quaint (never went inside) and the menu seemed good.. but the food and service did not deliver. Service was terribly slow, rude, and disorganized. Our server took forever to take our order or bring water, got an attitude when she overheard my 7 year old complaining about how long the food was taking (none of the adults were acting upset at all so it was pretty awkward that she walked up to our table and confronted us over this comment?), they tried to give us another table’s food, and finally we received a bill with 4 extra entrees on it. I wouldn’t have worried about any of that though if we’d gotten a decent meal. We started with an appetizer that was a special imported from a local bakery- pretzel with cheese dip- recommended by the server. The pretzel was hard but the dip was good. The main issue was it was TINY... definitely not something for the whole table or even 2 people. Would have been nice to know. My “warm” goat cheese salad was awful. I LOVE goat cheese but this was inedible and cold? It was the most bizarre thing, I didn’t even know cheese could taste bad. The salad was wilted. Fruit not fresh. Super disappointing. The fish and chips tasted of old oil. The fish should have been good because it was cooked perfectly and had a nice crispy batter but the taste was totally off. I’ve worked the industry and recognize this was definitely a sanitation and changing the oil issue. My kid’s chicken tenders and fries tasted off for the same reason. My son said his burger tasted funny and the sesame seeds on his bun were burnt. He wouldn’t eat anything despite previously complaining he was hungry and was just coming from a soccer game. I got the sausage and mashed potatoes (bangers & mash). This was OK but I didn’t like the particular sausage used and the potatoes had zero salt or flavor. Tasted like something I would get at a hospital cafeteria. My friend got the crispy chicken salad and said it was “fine” but the salad was a bit wilted. The table across from us who we socialized with expressed that their food was also bad and 2 of the people sent back their entrees. I wish we had done the same but I didn’t want to embarrass our friend who we were treating. Overall horrible service and food, my advice is to go...

I visited late on a Sunday morning to have brunch while watching a Premier League football match. The place got busier an hour into my stay at the bar, so I was glad I arrived earlier than noon. Atmosphere seems congenial and attracts a significant share of locals and regulars. The service was effortlessly friendly and engaging behind the bar. I ordered a number of Irish pub favorites: some oatmeal to start, the traditional breakfast, a small fish and chips, and a pie slice (featured flavor was blueberry).

The oatmeal with raisins and cranberries added tasted good and not overly sweet which was welcome. I wonder whether I got more milk and less actual oatmeal from the portion I got, as I am used to a thicker, more porridge-like consistency. The breakfast arrived afterwards and had a few highlights. The sausages tasted like Irish pork bangers I had tasted on previous family trips to Ireland. Potatoes were crispy with restrained seasoning, the mushrooms had good texture and seasoning, and the beans tasted like those from Ireland or England. The eggs were cooked fairly, although I think I got overeasy instead of over medium as requested. The tomato had so be char flavor, even if I found the cut to be atypically artful instead of simply grilling two or three slices as I would expect. The fish arrived hot and had a satisfying crunch for the exterior and flaky fish that held its shape on the interior. The coleslaw appeared to be overdressed, but the fries were warm and had good texture. The menu states pies being sourced from Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe, and I enjoyed the fresh, bright flavor of the blueberries even if for some reason I found the pastry itself somewhat ordinary to my taste. A peach Bellini (not pictured) could have used a little more peach flavor and a brighter color (perhaps from a little more purée).

My bill came to a little over $40 including tax, so I feel like I received a decent value for what I consumed. The friendliness of the bar staff made for a solid suburban neighborhood pub experience, and the food had enough positives to lead me to try other offerings such as shepherds pie and the like. I could see myself returning if I were in the area and had a craving for friendly pub food in a friendly...

It’s completely tucked away and completely charming as you walk up to it 🥰 AND of course it was decked out for St Patrick’s Day!

We went because I was in the mood for a full Irish fry-up (eggs, sausage, beans, mushrooms and tomatoes) - I think it goes by many other names - but it is a hearty breakfast and something I miss from my study-abroad days… nearly 20 years ago! Goodness I’m old! … Anyway, it was pretty darn good. The black and white sausage was delicious and the over easy eggs were cooked perfectly - I passionately dislike when yolk gets solid and there was none of that - just a pocket of ooey gooey golden deliciousness that was the perfect sauce for everything on my plate. I personally prefer my mushrooms and tomatoes to be fried, but they still dressed up the tomato a little and I think it would have been much better if they were in season - basically no flavor, which I think frying would have resolved. I also prefer toast over potatoes but that is a personal preference and I am sure they would have subbed if I had asked. The breakfast was solid though and went perfectly with my coffee and pint of Guinness! 🍀

My husband got the Rueben, which he said was very good, top 5, and he has eaten like 50 different ones, so I would say that is pretty decent 😁

I would definitely try this place again, maybe for dinner and some live music on the weekend - but I do have a few constructive points:

1. the condiments on the tables looked like they hadn’t been wiped down in quite some time - now it was THE Holiday this weekend for Irish pubs in the U.S. so maybe, maybe, it was just due to how busy they were - but the malt vinegar was so bad we wouldn’t touch it.

2. My food was very good, there were serious high notes that it hit, BUT it was all rather lukewarm - again, maybe due to the crowd, willing to give it another shot…

3. Not sure if there is anything they can do about it, but if you sit on the wrong side of the enclosed patio, your view is of a port-a-potty… not exactly appetizing. I guess if you get that spot, like I did, don’t look around 🤷‍♀️ stare straight ahead at your...