Where to hear live music and stay out late in Alexandria: the Birchmere, Basin Street Lounge, Murphy's, a speakeasy, an arcade bar, a brewery and a cidery.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Addresses and hours come from each venue’s own website; we list venues, not individual gigs, so check the venue’s calendar for who is playing. Event examples come from Visit Alexandria’s events calendar.

Alexandria’s nightlife is spread across three areas: King Street in Old Town, with pubs, jazz and a speakeasy; Mount Vernon Avenue, home of the Birchmere; and the West End, where Port City Brewing has its taproom.

Getting home

  • The free King Street Trolley runs until 11 p.m.; DASH buses are fare-free. See our getting around guide.
  • Police non-emergency: 703-746-4444

Venues at a glance

Venue Address What
The Birchmere 3701 Mount Vernon Ave. Music hall, national touring acts, since 1966
Two Nineteen and Basin Street Lounge 219 King St., 703-549-1141 Live jazz and blues; DJs in the Bayou Room
Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub 713 King St. Irish pub with live music
Port City Brewing Company 3950 Wheeler Ave. Brewery taproom; bluegrass jams and comedy nights
Lost Boy Cider 317 Hooffs Run Drive Cidery tasting room
Continues Arcade 1050 N. Fayette St. Arcade with food and drinks
Blackwall Hitch 5 Cameron St., 703-739-6090 Waterfront restaurant with an upstairs cocktail lounge
MetroStage Moving to 915 N. Fairfax St. Theater company with concert and cabaret nights

Live music

The Birchmere is the city’s big room. It has booked touring artists since 1966; this fall’s bills run from singer-songwriters to Hawaiian music and tribute shows. It posts its full lineup with tickets on its website.

Basin Street Lounge at Two Nineteen, 219 King St., is the place for live jazz and blues, with DJs in the Bayou Room. The restaurant has served French-Creole food since 1979 and says it is open on Thanksgiving Day.

Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub, 713 King St., in the heart of Old Town, has live music; its events and music page lists who is playing.

MetroStage stages concerts and cabaret nights as well as plays. It is raising money for a new theater at 915 N. Fairfax St. in Old Town North, which it expects to open in fall 2027 (MetroStage).

Breweries and cider

  • Port City Brewing Company, 3950 Wheeler Ave., founded in 2011, has a tasting room open Monday 3 to 9 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with La Tingeria’s tacos on site. It holds bluegrass jam nights, comedy (Jokes on Tap) and tabletop game afternoons.
  • Lost Boy Cider, 317 Hooffs Run Drive, opens its tasting room at 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and at noon on weekends, closing at 10 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

Visit Alexandria also points to Aslin Beer Co. and Motherwell Distilling Co. in the West End.

Cocktails and late spots

  • Blackwall Hitch, 5 Cameron St., has Prohibition-inspired cocktails in an intimate upstairs lounge, open Thursday and Friday from 5 p.m. to last call and all day on weekends. The restaurant stays open until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
  • The Study, 116 S. Alfred St., holds speakeasy nights and a monthly book club, according to Visit Alexandria’s calendar.
  • Continues Arcade, 1050 N. Fayette St., opens evenings from 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, with arcade games, food and drinks, and runs adults-only theme parties.
  • Mount Purrnon Cat Cafe and Wine Bar, 109 S. Alfred St., pairs a wine bar with adoptable cats and runs wine tastings and trivia (events).

Pub crawls and tours

Old Town’s ghost tours run after dark, including Alexandria Colonial Tours’ Ghost and Graveyard Tour and Nightly Spirits, which combines ghost stories with a pub crawl for people 21 and over, according to Visit Alexandria. The city calendar also lists “Historic Happy Hours” at Old Town bars and restaurants through the year; dates are on the city calendar.

What this means for you

  • Buy Birchmere tickets early for big names; check the venue site for door times.
  • For a night on King Street, park once (or take the Metro) and use the free trolley until 11 p.m.

Related guides: date night, Old Town Alexandria and Halloween events.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Birchmere?

The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., is a music hall that has booked national touring acts since 1966. It bills itself as America’s legendary music hall; the lineup and tickets are on its website.

Where can I hear live jazz in Alexandria?

Basin Street Lounge at Two Nineteen, 219 King St., has live jazz and blues, and the restaurant’s Bayou Room has DJs. Two Nineteen has served French-Creole food since 1979.

Where can I hear live Irish music in Old Town?

Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub, 713 King St., posts its live music and events calendar on its website.

Is there an arcade bar in Alexandria?

Yes. Continues Arcade, 1050 N. Fayette St., opens evenings from 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, with games, food and drinks. It holds adults-only parties, such as a 21-and-over Halloween party Oct. 31.