With Saint Patrick’s Day right around the corner, many of you are probably starting to think about how you want to celebrate. Whether it’s looking up fun crafts to make, planning what movies to watch, or figuring out where to go so you can wear green and feel immersed in the Irish culture.
This holiday is the perfect time to explore the traditions and learn more about the culture. Instead of just celebrating on the surface, just take a moment to engage yourself in something true, like trying out an authentic Irish pub.
Many of our peers enjoy getting out of town for the Irish holiday, and if you are, O’Toole’s Irish Bar, just outside of Tampa, is the place to go. Quite literally in the middle of nowhere, this hole in the wall serves authentic Irish cuisine that’s beaming with the old-time feel many crave. I know I do. As I’m saving for my future trip to Ireland, I’m alright with settling on the taste of it.
With a lengthy menu highlighting dishes like fried haddock sandwich, Irish sea fisherman’s pie, corned beef n’cabbage and Irish appletown crumble, the menu is overflowing with delectable options.
Not only is the menu full of Irish-inspired meals, but the interior of the restaurant screams comfort. The high and low top seating have Irish tartan plaid fabric, the wallpaper looks like sketches of traditional Irish instruments like the fiddle, bodhrád, harp, banjo and accordion.
The bar stretches along one side of the restaurant, lined with green stools that match the other tartan plaid with soft green lights shining down to the floor. Behind the counter, deep brown wooden shelves display rows of different bottles, all neatly labeled by the type of alcohol. Small accents of St. Patrick’s Day decorations, like a green top hat, teddy bears and a stuffed leprechaun, were scattered throughout the bar, connecting everything together and making the space feel alive for the celebration.
After taking in the festive atmosphere of the bar, I had finally ordered my food. One thing to keep in mind is that this restaurant isn’t necessarily the liveliest around lunch, which is expected. Its entire look seems dedicated to the evening.
My table started with the banger bites, which are Irish banger sausages, sliced and fried, served with a side of mustard. The outside was crispy without being too hard, and they were not overly salty one bit. The mustard dipping sauce paired perfectly with them.
As for our main dishes, we ordered the world’s greatest Reuben, which consisted of shaved corned beef and sauerkraut, smothered with Swiss cheese, with a drizzle of homemade Thousand Island dressing, all layered on marble rye. The sandwich itself was sliced in half, and the portion difference between the corned beef and the sauerkraut was insane. The beef was heavily layered with a thin layer of sauerkraut. Realistically, it’s hard to complain about the generous amount of meat, and the dressing paired very well with the sandwich overall.
Also, the haddock and chips with a haddock fillet, golden-fried in their famous beer batter, were served with crispy fries and a side of homemade tartar sauce. The haddock was definitely the best part of the experience. It was perfectly crispy, and the homemade tartar sauce was the ideal pairing. If any of you end up reading this, please take my advice and get fish and chips at an Irish pub.
I ended the lunch with a well-deserved sweet treat: the Irish cream brownie. It was entirely rich and fudgy with a slight drizzle of a smooth Irish cream liqueur, making it the absolute indulgence to finish off an authentic Irish meal.
