Because it’s only two miles east of Dulles Airport and the site of offices of dozens of high-tech businesses, the Herndon, VA area offers residents and workers prime pickings for a good meal or a few drinks.
It’s hard to walk out of any of the dozen or more hotels without spotting a bar within a block or two. Here are three of the best:
Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern
697 Spring Street
Herndon, VA 20170
703-435-JIMS
Ask 10 people on the street which is Herndon’s unofficial watering hole. Nine of them will pick Jimmy’s. It’s in the oldest part of town, just a block from the free municipal parking lot.
The building itself dates to the last decade of the nineteenth century. Locals as well as tourists and business travelers all comment on the oak and brass interior filled with antiques in the sports bar.
Jimmy’s offers a full bar. Sixteen-ounce draft beer starts at $4.50, the same price as domestic bottles. Imported beer and micro bottles go for $5.25 each. The house selection of wines includes White Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot at $4.75 a glass to $16.25 for a full carafe. Various other wines and alcoholic beverages round out the menu. During Happy Hour each Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., the tavern steeply discounts drinks.
While at Jimmy’s, you might want to take in a game of football and order a great burger. The Tavern Burger is an Angus patty on a roll for $8.50. Many patrons rave about the All American burger, also cooked from an Angus patty, for $7.95.
Ned Devine’s Irish Pub and Restaurant
2465 Centreville Road
Herndon, VA 20171
703-793-7376
You can’t get more Irish than Ned Devine’s. The pub is open seven days a week and features lunch and dinner plus a full-service bar. It’s located in a shopping area two blocks south of the Dulles Toll Road (VA 267).
Ned’s is noted for its music with DJs as well as live groups. Whether you stop by after work, with a date or to talk shop, think Irish when it comes to beer and other drinks. The food is moderately priced. Irish Lamb Stew at $12 and Mini Pot Pies at $10 are very popular among patrons.
Ned Devine’s sponsors a number of benefit concerts during the year. A recent event featured a full cast of performers to benefit children’s cancer.
The Ice House Café and Oyster Bar
760 Elden Street
Herndon, VA 20170
703-437-4500
The Ice House Café bar is a great place to seal a business deal, meet someone for the first time or unwind on the way home from work. It’s open Monday through Saturday each week. The ambiance is cozy, with lots of woodwork and brass.
The Ice House is a Herndon landmark. It’s been smack in the middle of the old part of town, next to the Town Hall, since 1979. It’s known throughout the Washington, DC area for its live jazz and notable cuisine but also offers a full alcohol bar. A large lot with free parking is around the corner.
The restaurant has an extensive wine menu with American red, American white, French and sparkling varieties plus champagne. Among the American reds, the price of a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon ranges from $43.00 to $125.00.
If you decide to stay for a meal, dinners range from $15.95 to $28.95. Two favorites are the Ice House Crab Cakes and Prawns Bourbon Street Style.
Sources:
Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern
Ned Devine’s Irish Pub and Restaurant
The Ice House Café and Oyster Bar
Reference:
- Jimmy’s Old Town Tavern site
- Ned Devine’s Irish Pub and Restaurant site
- The Ice House Café and Oyster Bar site
