8 Irish-Themed Bars for a Pint (or Three) This St. Patrick’s Day
Guinness is a good place to start (and, frankly, finish) on St. Patrick’s Day.
Courtesy Wikimedia Commons/Arkangel
Even for those who don’t have a drop of Irish blood, St. Patrick’s Day is a good day to get out and hoist a few pints with friends.
Fortunately, Louisville has, since the mid-1800s, had a strong contingent of Irish bloodlines, thanks in part to unrest in the Old World prompting them to come here for refuge. Louisville made for a perfect place for these families to start over and make a new life for themselves.
Now, their descendants have plenty of places around town to celebrate that adventurous spirit (and a few other spirits). Let’s hope these places will be buzzing on March 17. Let’s get to it:
The Irish Rover is the obvious choice for St. Paddy’s Day. The original Louisville Irish pub is a fine choice anytime you’re looking for some tasty fish and chips and a pint of Guinness, but on this Irish holiday the Rover historically ratchets things up a notch, with traditional Irish dance and music, a huge tent party in the parking lot and all the Guinness beef stew and Scotch eggs you can handle. Top it off with a shot of Irish whiskey and you’ll be feeling no pain.
The Raven Irish Pub: This St. Matthews pub previously was a Molly Malone’s (and long before that, a Buffalo Wild Wings, but I digress), and it oozes authenticity from top to bottom. Beer taps for days catch the eye, and the menu boasts classics like leek and potato soup, a farmer’s plate, Scotch eggs, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash … need I go on? Perfect landing spot on March 17.
The lovely Molly Malone’s. Courtesy Molly Malone’s
Molly Malone’s (Baxter Avenue) is a key part of what I call “The Irish Triangle,” which we’ll talk more about shortly. Molly’s not only looks and feels like an authentic Irish pub, it’s built using remnants of a real Irish pub and it’s also a fine place to watch a Premier League football match on a Saturday or Sunday. Like at any good Irish pub, the beer flows freely all year around and on St. Patrick’s Day, the atmosphere follows suit.
Flanagan’s Ale House is another axis in The Irish Triangle, and also brings the atmosphere of a true European pub, with dark accents, cozy environs with lots and lots of beer on tap and in bottles and cans. Green beer and green Jell-o shots keep the party humming all day. And with its proximity to other Irish-themed pubs, you can engage in your own mini pub-crawl on St. Paddy’s Day. Slainte!
The third point in the famed Irish Triangle is O’Shea’s Irish Pub, yet another Highlands spot with an Irish theme, from plenty of beer taps to Celtic music. It joins the other two spots as a rotating landing spot and it typically stays hopping and filled with green-clad revelers all day long. If you’re lucky enough to snag a booth, be sure to enjoy some fish and chips to help buffer the beer. (Note: Patrick O’Shea’s Irish Pub in an outpost of The Irish Triangle, a downtown sister pub. And if you’re across the river in Jeffersonville, look for another cozy pub in the O’Shea’s family: H.M. Franks.)
Pat’s Steakhouse is a Louisville tradition that dates to 1958, an Irish-themed steakhouse decorated with impossible amounts of shamrocks and leprechauns, with a warm, inviting atmosphere and hearty food. Before you hit the bars for some green beer, have dinner at this legendary establishment.
Shenanigans Irish Grille is a little gem that’s part sports bar, part Irish pub, hidden away just outside the hustle and bustle of busy Bardstown Road. A perfect place to wind up any night with some pub grub and a nightcap (or two), during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday things get extra fun. Or drop in for Saturday brunch and perhaps they’ll have a seasonal special like Irish Egg Benedict.
Pints&Union is a more of a catch-all European pub and cocktail bar than a dedicated Irish pub (not a ton of leprechauns here, in other words). But the quirky/cozy environs, carefully cultivated beer list and community feel is a fine place for a St. Patrick’s Day outing.
BONUS STOP:
Patrick’s Liquors Bar bills itself as “Louisville’s neighborhood bar.” With a loose Irish theme, it’s also a fine stop on St. Patrick’s Day if you’re in St. Matthews.
