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The Auld Shebeen celebrated 20 years in downtown Fairfax with a packed restaurant, live Irish music and tributes from city officials who praised the pub as a gathering place that has outlasted the odds facing many restaurants.

Co-owners Dominic “Domo” Keane and Mick Boyle were joined by longtime customers, staff members and local leaders for the anniversary celebration at 3971 Chain Bridge Road.

Tara Borwey, assistant director for programs at Fairfax City Economic Development, recognized The Auld Shebeen as an enduring community business. She said stories about the pub span generations, from customers visiting during their college years to later returning with their children.

Fairfax Mayor Catherine Read noted that many restaurants do not reach their fifth anniversary, while The Auld Shebeen remains successful after two decades. She credited the owners with creating a welcoming community built around Irish culture, live music and shared experiences.

Over the years, customers have gathered there for graduations, birthdays and other milestones. The restaurant has also provided meeting space for community organizations and local events.

Read recalled first visiting the building in 1981, when it operated as Oliver’s. She ate there while considering a transfer to George Mason University. Years later, she brought her children to the same location when it housed the Black-Eyed Pea, before The Auld Shebeen opened.

Jennifer Rose, executive director of the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, praised the restaurant’s hospitality and recalled its beef stew as a cold-weather favorite. She said the chamber’s annual holiday mixer has become a beloved tradition at the pub and thanked its team for accommodating events, even on short notice.

Keane said the business has always centered on family, community, friendships and lasting relationships. Among those relationships is entertainer Brian Gaffney, who has performed at the pub for 20 years and continues bringing Irish music to the restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights.

Boyle thanked the community, the mayor and City Council for attending. He also expressed appreciation for the restaurant’s employees and their work over the years.

Read presented the owners with a plaque recognizing two decades of service, dedication to quality and commitment to the community. Gaffney then performed a set of Irish songs as the celebration continued.

After the ceremony, Keane called the anniversary a major achievement and said the restaurant’s relationships with its front- and back-of-house employees have been especially meaningful. Former staff members who had worked at the pub for as long as 15 years planned to return for the celebration, with some traveling from New York.

Keane also thanked customers and the wider community for supporting the business. He said one key to its longevity has been working alongside employees every day.

During the pandemic, he added, Fairfax City, the community and Fairfax City Economic Development provided crucial assistance that helped the restaurant through the difficult period.