Union Street Public House Celebrates 40 Years in Old Town Alexandria
Union Street Public House celebrates its 40th birthday Nov. 11–14 with a veterans tribute, anniversary menu specials and a Saturday reunion party.
ALEXANDRIA, VA — In Old Town Alexandria, 40 years is barely a blink of an eye for a building that dates to 1790. But for a restaurant? Now that’s something worth raising a glass to!
Union Street Public House, one of the waterfront’s most familiar gathering places, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this November. And naturally, they’re throwing a party.
The birthday celebration runs November 11–14, beginning with a Veterans Day fundraiser and two days of menu favorites at special prices. It culminates Saturday, November 14, with a reunion of former employees and longtime regulars starting at 4 p.m., followed by live entertainment beginning at 9 p.m. Everyone is invited to celebrate four decades of good food, cold drinks and countless Old Town memories.
A Little History With Your Happy Hour
Long before anyone ordered a burger or a pint at Union Street, portions of the property were part of Alexandria’s bustling Colonial seaport.
The oldest section of the restaurant dates to around 1790, when warehouses lined the waterfront and merchants conducted business just steps from the Potomac River. Local tradition even holds that George Washington met with associates in the historic building.
Fast-forward nearly two centuries to 1986, when Union Street Public House opened in the former home of Kings Landing Restaurant.
Founding partners Jim Matthews and Ralph Capobianco brought the restaurant to life, with Matthews overseeing construction and Capobianco serving as its first operating partner. Chef Mike Soper headed the kitchen.
Alexandria architect Bob Holland designed the restaurant’s newer sections to complement the surrounding Colonial architecture, creating the welcoming collection of dining rooms and bars that patrons know today.
The lively Tap Room, with its 20 draft beers, anchors the first floor. Upstairs, the spacious Grill Room accommodates larger gatherings, while the historic Regatta Room, Whiskey Bar and George Washington Room offer more intimate settings.
Forty Years of Food and Friendship
The menu has evolved over the decades, but Union Street’s reputation for hearty American fare remains.
Today, Executive Chef Fredo Gomez brings a Southern influence to the kitchen, drawing on local farms and coastal waters for fresh seafood, steaks and seasonal dishes. Favorites include oysters on the half shell, wings, fish and chips and the signature USPH Burger.
Add locally crafted beers, wines, seasonal cocktails and the restaurant’s extensive whiskey selection, and it’s easy to see why Union Street has remained a neighborhood fixture through four decades of changes along Alexandria’s waterfront.
Restaurants come and go. Trends change. Even Old Town reinvents itself now and then.
But at Union Street Public House, there’s still a seat at the bar, something good coming out of the kitchen and always a reason to celebrate.
Four Days of 40th Anniversary Specials
According to Union Street Public House’s anniversary poster, the celebration begins with a tribute to veterans and continues with menu specials and a reunion.
- Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 4 p.m.: $4 draught beers and house wines for a Veterans Day tribute, with all proceeds from the promotion going to Tunnels to Towers in support of troops and first responders.
- Thursday and Friday, Nov. 12–13: Favorite menu offerings at “favorite menu prices.” The poster does not specify the particular dishes or prices.
- Saturday, Nov. 14, from 4 p.m.: Reunion of former employees and longtime regulars, with live entertainment starting at 9 p.m.
If You Go
Union Street Public House 40th Anniversary Week
November 11–14, 2026
121 S. Union Street, Alexandria, VA
Union Street Public House website
Historic details and current menu information are also documented on Union Street Public House’s official website.
