June 1st is the targeted date for the long-awaited reopening of this favorite Irish dining restaurant and soccer/rugby watching venue that has been in Mockingbird Station for about twenty years. It has long been known for “tastings” and “flights” of “spirits” and for family-friendly service and atmosphere, which can get a little rowdy when a “special soccer or rugby match is on the screen.”
They host live and play traditional Irish music, have game nights, arrange parties, and are an attraction you might not want to miss if you have out-of-town friends who want “something different” than the familiar chains. My wife and I have visited several times and always enjoyed choosing something we have not eaten or sipped before!
Why has the Pub not been open for almost an entire year? Well, you probably know the answer: “coronavirus pandemic.” Proprietor Marius Donnelly was quoted recently as saying he feels “cautious optimism” as he and his staff busily dusted off, re-stocked, set up, and are making sure this dining/ socializing spot is as ready to go as are former patrons and newcomers!
A big draw of this pub is that it has served as an official unofficial meeting place for soccer and rugby fans, for whiskey and beer enthusiasts, for folks whose ancestry is Irish, and for “vegans.” (or for any who might want to sample and/ or become any of the preceding)
As a side note, Donnelly mentions that approximately 20% of food sales before the “closing” were for vegan dishes. And, that he decided rather than close and reopen or close and re-open as only a “to-go” place as the differing government edicts came out, he would just “pause everything” and try to “weather the storm” until he could re-open as the Pub was initially meant to be.
He does note that there will be smaller (fewer) choices of items for a while to see how things go and that regular events like trivia nights, karaoke, and whiskey-tasting classes will be put back into action in approximately two weeks.
Also, the Pub does plan to soon show soccer games from overseas, as it has been known to do for years!
Personally, I view this place as one for, as one of their advertisements posted, Conversation, Music, Eating, Drinking, Being with friends/colleagues/family/like-minded folks, and Fun staff and events. I hope that our return visit will be as good as we remember other times. What do you think Scott? Will you be next, or were you the 1st in line?
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