Interview With a Bartender: featuring Paddy of O’Sullivan’s
BBB first became a fan of O’Sullivan’s after a seriously long day of boozing in the hot summer sun at Drink The District. At the end of the day, all we wanted was a bar where we could sit and catch up over a couple of beers, without fighting any crowds or dealing with Clarendon douchebags. A good friend of the BBB team suggested O’Sullivan’s and that night, we fell in love.
Meet Patrick Doody, commonly known as Paddy. He is the man behind the bar. He sat down with BBB to talk about life at Arlington’s favorite Irish pub.
Where and what do you like to drink when you aren’t at your pub? Clarendon is a vibrant area and neighborhood with no shortage of restaurants and bars that make for great food and drink and nightlife. For me, my beverage and bar of choice would be enjoying a Redbreast, 12 year old Irish Whiskey at Liberty Tavern. Liberty is one of the finest establishments in the area. They have great food, excellent bar, and nice atmosphere with knowledgeable staff. A Redbreast at Liberty for me with some engaging conversation makes a perfect night.
We heard you’re renovating! What can we expect from the new and improved O’Sullivans? O’Sullivan’s is expanding! It is an exciting time at O’Sullivan’s Irish Pub. The expansion and renovations will double the size of the pub and triple the capacity and allow for more dining opportunities, more entertainment features, more TV’s for soccer & sports viewing, and a whole new bar. We’ll be occupying the location starting at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and wrapping around into our current Washington Boulevard spot.
What’s great about O’Sullivan’s is that it truly captures the unique atmosphere of an Irish country pub right here in the heart of Clarendon. We’re still going to maintain that cozy, neighborhood bar feel that our guests have come to know and love. It’s going to be a fun, lively pub.
Since it is an Irish pub, what fake Irish things do non-Irish patrons do that piss you off? I’ve been managing this pub for the last few years and you can’t really let anything get under your skin. Saint Patrick’s Day can certainly get a little crazy, but pretty much all of my encounters with the guests here at O’Sullivan’s have been positive.
What is the most memorable thing that has happened in your bartending career? I started bartending back in Dublin, Ireland, certainly a great place to be behind the bar. I have a lot of stories from those days. Bono and U2 used to frequent a bar I managed, but most memorable and lasting is the time I’ve had working and living in the Clarendon area, making lifelong friends, drinking buddies, and ex-girlfriends.
If you could only have one drink a day for the rest of your life, what would be in your glass? A properly poured pint of Guinness.
What sets you apart from the numerous other bars in Clarendon? O’Sullivan’s is the true local Irish Pub of Clarendon. We are unique to the area in that our menu features traditional Irish fare and American classics with an Irish twist. Also, as a night life and live entertainment venue, we offer a weekly line-up of events, activities like Karaoke Tuesday’s and Pub Quiz with yours truly every Wednesday night, as well as live music Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Great food & drink, entertainment, live music and the best pint of Guinness in town.
Any final words for the BBB readers? Perhaps most exciting is the addition of our new bar which will feature an extensive offering of the world’s finest Irish whiskey (uisce beatha), Scotch, Bourbon and Rye. We will be revamping our menu to offer more dining options, classic cocktails and we’ll still of course pour the best pint in town, but we’ll be sure to capture the interest of discerning whiskey drinkers looking for a wide array of old-world offerings like Irish whiskey and Scotch, but also the dynamic and widely popular bourbon’s and rye American whiskey has to offer.
If you haven’t been the pub, swing by for dinner, drinks or brunch as soon as possible. Be sure to say hello to Paddy and mention BBB!
A massive thank you to Paddy and the rest of the team at O’Sullivan’s for always treating the BBB team like family. We cannot wait to help celebrate grand re-opening in just a few weeks!
- The BBB Team
@itsamouthful