James Hoban’s Irish Restaurant & Bar

This place is always a great time. The live music and the friendly staff really add something special. I’ve only sat at tables and gotten Sprites before, so I can’t really attest to the food or the drinks — really only the ambiance — but the people I was with each time seemed to like their beers. It’s a nice place to go hang out for a happy hour or just to sit and talk with your friends. The older people I’ve been here with seem to have an especially great time with the live music — I guess that’s the theme of the place though. It is loud at times, but it’s entertaining, fun, and also chill. So, a good mix of all great things.

I’ve been here a handful of times because of it’s proximity. It’s an easy spot for a beer or two-​the selection here is okay. However, for Happy hour they have pretty cheap beer and food specials and it’s really not that bad. I’ve also ordered off their regular menu which is pretty good, standard bar stuff, not flashy but solid. Service can be fairly mixed but I’ve never had any real complaints. It’s just your basic, middle of the road bar.

I asked the front staff at my hotel where I can catch a game and drinks. James Hoban’s he said. Why not? After a short walk to Dupont Circle I found a spot at the bar and settled in. About a minute later I had my drink in front of me and began to enjoy the game. The crowd at the bar area was a plus as it’s always better with people! The bartenders are attentive and friendly. The location is perfect. Why would you not come here if you are looking for a bar in this area that serves nice food or vice versa?

Generous two stars. Service was awful. Server knew nothing about menu or bar drinks. And admitted she worked there for years. Food was less than average.

Liked this place and their beers. The service is very friendly and hassle free. They passed a number of time to ask if we need anything. I recommend this place of you are looking for a place to chill out close to Dupont Circle.

Beer was good, food was good, service was efficient and prompt, lot sof TV and bars and tables and so on.
It gets a five star because I was there during the Rugby World Cup and they were the only place I could find in DC where there wasn’t a cover charge to get in to watch games. Okay there was a USD20 ticket cost but that was redeemed for food/​drink which I was going to spend anyway.
Nice work guys!!! You rock.

Heading back from a show at the Kennedy Center to our hotel near Dupont Circle, we wanted to grab a related snack and a drink. It was Saturday night around 11pm so we ducked into this spot. The kitchen was closed but they did have a bar menu they were serving; good enough.
We grabbed one of the many available seats at the bar and my wife immediately commented that it «smelled like a bar» — not in a good way. Two Irish-​sounding bartenders were working, though not so attentively. We put in our drink order, but had to ask to put in a food order. My wife’s drink ran dry and she had to ask for another drink, rather than being asked. Both bartenders were very friendly, but just not attentive given how quiet the bar was.
The drinks were OK. My wife had a Pimm’s Cup, but had to ask them to hold the lemonade that was somehow part of their recipe — because they don’t keep any fresh oranges or lemons at the bar? (To their credit, they did have fresh mint.)
I had the Jameson whiskey flight — $ 17 for tastes of 3 different Jameson whiskeys. Not a great deal, but I was interested in trying a couple I hadn’t tried before.
The food was like the drinks, OK. The french fry cone was good, but served without the promised garlic mayo. The sausage rolls were slightly underdone, and the sausage itself was rather flavorless.

Dating a Brit comes with certain responsibilities. Watching rugby is one of them. Lucky for me, with their tasty french fries and even tastier drinks, James Hoban makes it an easy job.
A great bar, where people who don’t care about rugby can watch rugby with people who do.

Great place to watch Rugby World Cup. Good food and great atmosphere. $ 20 food/​beverage coupon cancels $ 20 required cover charge.

Great pub. Stopped in for a quick appetizer and drink. We got the smoked salmon and deviled eggs, they were great. Very professional bartenders and great beer selection.

What a quaint place! Very modern yet has the charms of what I imagine an Irish pub would be. I ordered Shepherd’s Pie. It was so good. My mother used to make it and it brought back so many wonderful memories. Thanks, James Hoban’s Restaurant for the delicious meal! I also had a glass of the Reisling, which was extremely good. I can’t say enough good things. If you are in DC, and like Irish food amd a good bar, you should try them. Ample seating, a patio too, and great service. This place has it all.

Whiskey flights are a real bargain.
Have been here several times after work for a drink and a bite.
If you can sit at the bar as the pours seem better.

Décor is an eclectic mix of things.
Service great, drinks were drinks. BUYER BEWARE: the crab mac and cheese has red onion in it.

Ok, so we wanted Sunday brunch in DC, there’s hundreds of choices, and all are the most popular (read: packed). We walked from our hotel to DuPont Circle and found James Hoban’s to be very accommodating (read: sparsely populated), but staff was extremely friendly and authentic, most were Irish. And drinks were cheap ($ 3 Bloodys! Yay!) unlike other establishments in the area. We gave it a shot. Food is so-​so, but good enough brunch fare. We had Irish ham and cheddar omelette and Hoban’s eggs Benedict. Lots of home fries, and price was good ($ 10 and $ 12, respectively).
Good if you want a comfortable brunch, and cheap drinks!

Magners on-​tap. Day made. Food is good, but unless you are seated in the back or on the patio, the noise is deafening. So don’t plan on having any deep or meaningful conversations here. But they have Magners on-​tap. That fact alone will ensure I come back.

Great bartenders and good drinks. Decent, relatively laid back atmosphere. Strong service. The food is mediocre at best. Still, it is a very solid choice as a local drinking spot.

We stopped in here for a late drink one weekend. They had a great selection of beer and several ciders as well as a full bar. We easily got a high top table in the bar and while the place was full, it wasn’t crowded which was so nice to find for a Saturday night near Dupont. Our waitress was actually Irish and had great drink suggestions. She was quite soft spoken though, so it was difficult to hear her at times. All the staff was attentive and friendly. We will definitely be back.

Review is only for event hosting.
This was the first time I hosted an event in DC so I didn’t know how this would go since a plethora a problems can arise — mean management, too many/​not enough people show up, space issues, etc. The first issue came to light when the area of the bar I was told I would have was already occupied by another group — what?! Fortunately, they didn’t forget about my group entirely and had us in another area of the bar. Also, I had brought signs just in case we would need to direct people. (pat on the back for Janice)
I was pleasantly surprised to see that while James Hoban’s is a popular locale for DuPont happy hour-​ers, they made an effort for redemption for the space confusion — I was introduced to a manager (Scott) who was very helpful and sent complimentary apps. Our attentive server also was happy to deal with the multiple checks. I would definitely consider James Hoban’s for future casual events and enjoyed working with the staff.

We’ve had two experiences here now. One was on a weekend afternoon a couple years ago. It was so hot out and we had been walking for a long time, so we came in here to cool off with a couple brews. Had a very pleasant experience.
Fast forward to a recent cold, rainy Saturday night. Dupont Circle had been closed off due to Protesters. We once again found refuge from the elements in here. Were greeted warmly and sat at a high top in the bar area. (well, actually the whole place is the bar area).
Enjoyed a couple drinks and shared a very good Reuben Sandwich with tasty fries. Server Gal was spot-​on. And prices are very reasonable. Overall another welcome refuge!

I’ve been going here to meet up with friends once a year and glad they can accommodate a large group 14 – 16 people. Our server was very nice and asked us from the beginning, if we want our bills separate or just one bill. Nice.
Their happy hour runs till 8pm and they have good beer and food specials. Decent and standard pub food. Nothing worth screaming about and nothing really to complain about.
They have lots of tv’s and you have to talk really loud as it is so noisy and loud. Best bet for quieter seats are all the way in the back. Wish they had wifi and power outlets (in the back) that work to charge phone.