Nanny O'Brien's Irish Pub

Nanny O'Brien's is as close to an "authentic" Irish pub as you'll find in Washington. It lacks the yuppie pretentions of its neighbor, Ireland's Four Provinces, and its exposed beams and a few Irish road signs make the decor almost a diametric opposite from the Dublin-cum-Disneyland decor of Fado.

True, Nanny's has some things in common with many of the area's other Irish bars: Guinness is the drink of choice; the menu contains potatoes and corned beef; and on weekends, a singer-guitarist will strum "rebel" folk songs and U2 hits.

But that's where it ends. Nanny's feels like a neighborhood pub, not a marketing gimmick. Many Irish entertainers who pass through town -- such as the stars of "Riverdance" -- have been known to stop in for a pint.

Fans of Celtic music, take note: the Monday night Celtic jam sessions are legendary, and have featured international stars like piper Paddy Keenan. The music starts at 9 p.m. and lasts into the night. On Wednesday, fiddler Brendan Mulvihill holds down the fort from 9 until close.

-- Fritz Hahn