A Pub Inspired by 'Hobbitses', Dragons, and Wizards

There’s a restaurant named after me? -Bilbo

Do you like beer? Are you excited for the release of the next part of The Hobbit?  Do you like spending evenings in cozy bars? If you said yes to any of these questions, then I suggest you head to Middle Earth-incarnate in Alexandria, VA.

Bilbo Baggins and the Green Dragon Pub. Yes, that is the name of the restaurant and its in-house bar.

Located in Old Town Alexandria, Bilbo Baggins Restaurant is the perfect mix of small-town charm and big city beer selection.

Bilbo Baggins prides itself on its tasty food and unique atmosphere, but its claim to fame is its extensive drink menu in its main-floor bar, the Green Dragon Pub. (The drink menu is 4 pages long in tiny, single-spaced font.)  With over 150 bottles of wine (32 offered by the glass), and 90 or so labels of beer available, The Green Dragon Pub holds up to its beer-soaked, fantasy namesake. Bottom line, Pippin would feel very comfortable here.

After you settle on a beer, peruse the menu. There’s enough meat to satisfy Gimli, salads for Legolas, and a pizza named after Gandalf. In more food-specific jargon, choices range from pasta to salmon and yellow-fin tuna, to salads and steak.  I also recommend the pizzas–Smaug’s Delight is a personal favorite.  (Yes, several of the menu items are named after characters from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.) Very “Hobbity,” I’d say!

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The upstairs dining room.

Although the Green Dragon Pub is a fun place to mingle, if you’re more of a Samwise Gamgee and prefer a quieter place to enjoy dinner, I suggest heading to Bilbo Baggins’ second floor. The upstairs has three dining rooms and an infamous mural depicting a scene from The Hobbit. Even if you aren’t eating upstairs, I recommend you take a trip to the second story to see the mural–think of it as a “cultural experience.”

Bilbo Baggins is a great place for a simple meal and a drink in the midst of busy Washington, D.C.  I encourage you to take a leaf out of Bilbo’s book and be adventurous–and I hope you’ll stop in soon to check out this local favorite.

Where is it?

208 Queen St
Alexandria, VA 22314

Hungry or thirsty locals and visitors looking for a twist on the “local pub,” fans of J.R.R Tolkien’s works, families looking for a casual meal, or pub crawlers looking for a fun, child-hood throw back.