By Lee Morgan
If you're looking to "settle into a slug for a touch of the black stuff," you won't have to look too far in
Phoenix, Arizona. For those less familiar with Irish slang, that means that if you want to sit in a small booth in an Irish pub to drink some Guinness, Phoenix has plenty to offer. Phoenix is home to several Irish restaurants complete with a full selection of Irish grub and Ireland's favorite beers and spirits.
Seamus McCaffrey's
Seamus McCaffrey's is the only Irish pub in downtown Phoenix. Located on West Monroe, the pub is as authentic as you'll find in Phoenix, complete with brick walls, pressed copper ceilings and a long bar dominating the scene as you walk through the door. Traditional Irish fare is the heart of the menu. Choose from shepherd's pie, beef stew and soda bread, fish n' chips and of course, corned beef and cabbage. A unique option on the menu is the boxty--a grilled potato pancake concoction from Galway that can include steak and Guinness Stout, chicken and peppers or corned beef and cabbage. The bar is still the main attraction at this pub. Seamus McCaffrey's claims to have the largest selection of premium single malt and blended scotch whiskeys as well as the best Irish whiskeys in the entire city.
Seamus McCaffrey's
18 West Monroe
Phoenix, AZ 85003
(602) 253-6081
seamusmccaffreys.com
The Dubliner
Known by its regulars as "the Dub," The Dubliner Pub and Restaurant is a popular lunch and dinner spot in North Phoenix. The daytime crowd breeze in for a quality lunch of Irish and American foods and the dinner crowd sticks around for entertainment, a selection of Irish and domestic spirits and sports on the big screen televisions.
The Dubliner offers several dishes made with the Old Country's favorite beer, Guinness. Their traditional bangers and mash is grilled Irish sausage with onions served with mashed potatoes covered in Guinness gravy. The restaurant also serves up lean beef braised in Guinness Stout as well as a homemade Guinness sauce that smothers the Guinness Chicken. In addition to the Guinness-inspired dishes, the menu includes fish and chips, Caesar salads, burgers, a Reuben and an all day Irish breakfast featuring eggs, sausage, rashers, black and white pudding, tomatoes, beans and brown bread.
The Dubliner
3841 East Thunderbird Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85032
(602) 867-0984
dublinerpub.com
The Hat Rack Pub
The Hat Rack Pub is the Irish Pub for the south side of Phoenix. It's authentic appearance and somewhat traditional menu qualify it as an Irish place, but restaurant is known more for activity than ambiance. The Hat Rack Pub fills its nights with events such as karaoke and trivia competitions, and the music is
Those looking for drinks will find a good selection of tough to find Irish brews, and an adequate selection of Scotch and Irish whiskey. Food selections include bangers and mash, shepherd's pie and a burger named for Dublin. The menu also includes non-Irish fare, such as Chicago Italian Beef, quesadillas, nachos and Buffalo wings.
The Hat Rack Pub
3320 W. Southern Ave. #120
Phoenix, AZ 85041
(602) 268-2226
thehatrackpub.com
About the Author:
Lee Morgan is a fiction writer and journalist. His writing has appeared for more than 15 years in many news publications including the "Tennesseean," the "Tampa Tribune," "West Hawaii Today," the "Honolulu Star Bulletin" and the "Dickson Herald," where he was sports editor. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mass communications from Middle Tennessee State University.
