Samuel Beckett's Irish Gastro Pub

We had dinner for 3. We were promptly greeted at the door and seated. Service after that was lackluster. Our server seemed put out by a request for a wine list, which took far too long to deliver. The food had obviously been waiting in the kitchen. Fish and chips were soggy. Vol au vent was cool and chewy. Only the pasta was hot. I’d been to the bar several times and always had a good experience. I think I will limit future visits to the bar.

They were having heating issues during the recent cold spell. It was very cold in the restaurant but they were very accomodating, moved us to another table away from the door. Fish and chips were good, drink menu was good too. We plan to come back when it’s warmer again!

Most American versions of the Irish Pub fall are but caricatures of the real thing. Not so at Becketts. Its the real deal! The best Irish Pub this side of Dingel.

Excellent pre-theater (Signature Theater in Shirlington) choice for dinner. VERY good food and menus options. Service was good, not intrusive. Cozy is a good word to describe Beckett's as we went on a very cold December evening and were very comfortable. Highly recommend!

Best soups

This is a lovely Irish pub with very good basic food. We enjoyed their home made soups, fish and chips, shepard's pie and crab cakes. Quick service and a pleasant atmosphere. We were going to the theatre and this restaurant was the perfect location for proximity and good good.

The food was really good. The server was average in his skills. When asked about menu items the server spoke more about his shift meal experiences and less about the quality of the dishes.

We ordered three hamburgers and fish and chips. All the burgers were significantly undercooked. The fries tasted as if the oil in the deep fryer was overdue to be changed. One burger was sent back, half eaten. The cook put the patty on the flat top and cooked it, then returned the sandwich to table bite marks and all! There are other better options in Shirlington; I wish I had chosen differently.

Took my family to dinner before going to Signature Theater, all as a Christmas gift to them. Wanted to make sure all would enjoy, since two family members are vegetarians. Everyone seemed very pleased. The service was prompt and we kept to our schedule for the theater. Definitely would return and recommend to others.

Perfect place to dine before attending a performance at the Signature theater.

This is a fu, cosy, comfortable place, like being in someone's library to eat and especially good if you are going to a show, or after a show at the Signature theater. There are some good comfort food Irish dishes as well as great salads.

Much too noisy. We could not hear the waitress clearly or carry on a conversation among the three of us.

The staff was very friendly and cooperative. The table they had reserved for us was next to a large group, so we requested another table and, despite being very crowded, they found one for us that was perfect. The food was very good and the quantity was impressive.

We love the place but the service was not as good as on previous occasions. To their credit, other service personal filled in and stopped by to see if we needed anything.

Food as always - quite good .

A fun stop before or after the movies.

Food was delicious! I had the Shepard's Pie it was outstanding. The Pims Cup was also great! And we ate during Happy Hour so the Pims Cup was $3.00 off.

The food was great but the service wasn’t. Someone in my group ordered salad without nuts and nuts were in the salad. He’s allergic to nuts. I believe the waiter put order in correctly and that it was made incorrectly. We also had to ask for the salad after salad and soup came out for the other people dining. I asked for a wine menu. The waiter brought out the menu and a few minutes later he brought out a glass of wine that I was currently drinking . I never ordered a glass of wine. Someone else at the table took the wine. The waiter did take off a glass wine from the bill.

I continue to be impressed by the excellent service, quality of ingredients and the preparations. Seafood is cooked to perfection and everything is seasoned properly. Yes, it is a pub, but the kitchen certainly knows what it's doing. At least during the lunch hours, conversations with one's colleagues are easy. Get there before the loud crowds realize what they are missing.

Our regular, beloved dining place pre-theatre. Food is always good and service is impeccable. Only downside is it gets a bit loud at times.

The perfect lunch before a Signature play; lunch and a play!

It was LOUD, LOUD, LOUD. We turned around and walked out, out, out.

The restaurant was incredibly loud; I couldn’t even talk to my husband who was across the table from me. The service was not very good; never checked on us to see if we needed anything. Not going back anytime soon.

Too noisy in the back seating area adjacent to the bar, if your going with people you want to talk too. Very limited seating in the quieter front of the restaurant. Fortunately, it was a nice evening so we could sit at an outdoor table, albeit without the "Irish Atmosphere".
WARNING: Smoking IS allowed at outdoor tables 😮.

Every dish we had was delicious - appetizer fried tomatoes, calamari - entrees - lamb stew, scallops, fish and chips, meatloaf, vegetarian vol au Vant - dessert bread pudding.

Every dish was reasonably priced. Generous glass of wine.

Upstairs eating with separate bar, less busy. Sheppards Pie was huge and delicious, served piping hot. Several Irish beers on tap.

Very nice bar atmosphere with outside seating. Service was wonderful and the appetizers were great. Nice beer selection.

We had been here multiple times for lunch and brunch, but this was the first time for dinner (a Friday evening). We made reservations, and were promptly seated. It's not gourmet, but it is true to the claim of "gastro pub". The menu features great English/Irish classics, with some other unique comfort dishes thrown in. Very nice variety. Everything was well-prepared and presented. Generous portions of everything ordered at the table. The Crab cake/Salmon cake combo was a favorite - don't expect the crab cake to be the typical Maryland blue crab cake though - it's more of a fish cake, with crab as the fish - no Old Bay here! But very good. Another favorite was the Fried Green Tomato app. Our server, Sydney, was super cool - a real local gal who knows the area, and the menu, very well. She was prompt, professional and fun :)

Samuel's Becket's is truly reminiscent of an Irish pub, it if were cleaned-up and well-decorated. Fantastic atmosphere. The menu is very creative. Lots of lamb in a variety of presentation. As an alternative to a beef burger, try the lamb for some additional flavour. Akeem of the details are missing. I'd pay an extra dollar for a nice hard crust roll for the burger and the french files seemed to have been prepared in an oven rather than a deep fryer. All-in-all, deserving visiting again.

Went after seeing a play in DC. Food was very good. I had the Irish Sausage Rolls & Chips, my wife Fish & Chips. Servings were ample and the taste very good. I liked the sausage rolls, but determined I prefer Bangers & Mash. But it is good to try something different. The fish was excellent.

Great place

Great place for a quick dinner and drinks before going to the theater. It's very close to the Signature

Hosted a post-retreat business dinner. Service was great and the food high quality/plentiful.

Will definitely go back.

We made a reservation through Open Table because Sunday lunch in Shirlington can be crazy. It was a beautiful day and I anticipated crowds. However, Beckett's was practically empty at 2PM. The decor is very nice, warm and appropriate for an Irish Pub. The service was good, but not great - maybe all worn out by that time. I rated the food "Good" because some of it was very good, such as my Dalkey Benedict, and some was just okay, such as my Crab and Corn Chowder. My companions also had mixed results. All that said, the beer was great and I'd be willing to go again, to give it a second chance.

The worst meal I have had in a long time! Food was awful, service was voting bad and I'd never go back! Huge disappointment!

Excellent food! Great service! We were there with friends of all ages and loved the evening!

Great casual dinner. Great place to take family and friends.

Great place to grab a meal before seeing a performance at Signature Theater. Busy place, but service was attentive and food well-prepared. Would definitely recommend!

Try the fries. Don't question it, just try the fries.

Stumbled on this place last year at a conference, and made it our destinations this year. It is fantastic!! The scallops are amazing -- and make sure you order a Baby Guinness!

The food was great, and also genuinely Irish pub food and that was a nice addition.

We were very pleased with this restaurant. It was so friendly and welcoming. Great place to meet up with friends!