Kathleen Finnegan

happy st. patrick’s day : best Irish pubs in LA

 

What you can count on when you go a good old neighborhood Irish pub is a nice, tall glass of Guinness straight from the tap or Jameson on the rocks. It’s even better when you can pair these drinks with a plate of corned beef and cabbage while you’re at it. To get you geared up for St. Patrick’s Day, I bring to you most loved Irish bars in Los Angeles.

Ireland’s 32

Ireland’s 32 is one of the best Irish bars in the Valley. Music plays a big part at this pub that’s been open for over 50 years, with a sweet jukebox and live music almost every night. Also, they throw karaoke nights and have sweet arcade machines like Pac-Man. The bartenders whip out cheap drinks and you can order some greasy bar food there to soak up that alcohol. And there are green lights hanging around the bar—that’s Irish, right?

Ireland’s 32 is located at 13721 Burbank Blvd. in Van Nuys, (818) 785-4031

Tom Bergin’s

It’s been a tough couple years for Tom Bergin’s. New owners bought the best neighborhood bar on the Miracle Mile, revamped the interior and menu, fancified the cocktail list and reopened in 2012. By 2013, the venture went kaput. One of the regulars who lives around the corner seized the opportunity to reopen it this year with the help of Jordan Delp, who managed the bar the last few years, and T.K. Vodrey, the man who owned it for 40. It’s a labor of love, which makes us happy, but we’re just glad to see it’s back: all the beer is on tap, the Irish Coffee is still strong and none of the shamrocks (with the names of regulars and a few stars, like Kiefer Sutherland) that plaster the wall have moved an inch. Come here to watch a game on weekends or unwind after a long day with friends or alone—this is one of the friendliest bars in town.

Tom Bergin’s is located at 840 S Fairfax Ave. in Mid-Wilshire, (323) 936-7151

Jameson’s Irish Pub

Jameson’s Irish Pub has more than just the name of a tasty brand of whiskey in its name. This neighborhood bar is a sweet relief from the craziness in the heart of Hollywood. It’s the type of place where you can relax and grab a black-and-tan or even something from their long list of Irish-themed specialty drinks with names like Irish Rose, Bloody O’Mary, and Clover Cocktail. (We love a little creativity.) Plus, they have a pretty decent food menu with a variety of prime rib specials and Irish nachos. If you’re ever there on the weekdays, look forward to their 2-for-1 happy hour specials and “hair of the dog” brunches on weekends (with bottomless mimosas and bloody marys!). Sold!

Jameson’s Irish Pub is located at 6681 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, (323) 798-5360

O’Brien’s Irish Pub

At O’Brien’s, you can pull up a bar stool and sit at the bar while you chat with the friendly staff and barflies. What makes this bar special is that they’re not just serving you your run-of-the-mill beer—they rotate out specialty brews. You can also get some Irish staples in you such as corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips, and even shepherd’s pie. They also feature some fun entertainment shows in the back, including live music, stand-up, and trivia night. (If you do go to trivia night, be warned that these patrons take it seriously and you’ll get some of the hardest questions you’ve ever been asked!)

O’Brien’s Irish Pub is located at 2941 Main St. in Santa Monica, (310) 396-4725

Molly Malone’s

If one thing’s for sure, you can get an Irish coffee and jam to the tunes of Flogging Molly when you hit up Molly Malone’s. This divey joint is decorated with Irish flags and has a stage for live bands out back. They’ve got your basic bar food with a couple of Irish influences like a hot corned beef sandwich and fish and chips. On St. Patrick’s Day, they’ll be having live bands play all day starting at noon for $10 a ticket. So, grab a glass of Smithwick’s and enjoy a show while you’re at it.

Molly Malone’s is located at 575 S Fairfax Ave. in Beverly Grove, (323) 935-1577

Finn McCool’s

Finn McCool’s quite often becomes the landing pad after a bar-crawl night in Santa Monica. So be prepared that it can get loud and crowded with drunk folks on the weekends (if you’re looking for a lively folks to drink with you). It’s your typical neighborhood Irish pub with Guinness and Smithwick’s on tap, with a large selection of Irish fare on the menu (including shepherd’s pie). Live bands that perform there even play Irish music. And want to watch your favorite sports game? You can check that out on their TVs too.

Finn McCool’s is located at 2702 Main St. in Santa Monica, (310) 452-1734

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 17th, 2015 at 8:46 am and is filed under Community Events, Item of Value. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.