Best Irish Pubs in Raleigh

In the mood for some Guiness? Got your sights set on some fish and chips? If you live around the Raleigh area and are in the mood for some delicious Irish cuisine, Irish drinks, or just love the Irish pub atmosphere, check out the Irish pubs depicted below.

McKinley's

McKinley's is actually closer to Clayton (off of Route 70 in the Lowe's Foods shopping center) than Raleigh, but those living in the south or eastern portion of Raleigh might find it more accessible than some of the other locations in north or downtown Raleigh. McKinley's serves excellent wings, burgers, sandwiches and some authentic Irish fare.

McKinley's offers the popular Buzztime trivia for entertainment every night and a local band every Friday and Saturday night. There's a single 7-foot pool table if you're interested in playing pool. There are daily drink and dinner specials, my personal favorite being $2.50 import pints on Thursdays and 35 cent wings on Sundays. The atmosphere is largely dependent on when you might stop in: obviously it's loud on the weekends when a band is hosted, during football season on a Sunday most of the patrons would be glued to the game, and on Wednesday nights you'll find people playing Guitar Hero. The entire bar is filled with TVs so it's a good pub to watch sporting events. It's a small to medium sized bar and many of the patrons are regulars. The full band schedule and specials can be accessed on MySpace.

O'Malley's Tavern

O'Malley's is situated adjacent to the Oak Park shopping center and is nestled therein in such a way that you wouldn't even notice it was there unless you were looking for it. The same thing happens to patrons after they walk into the joint and get swallowed by its reclusive atmosphere. The entire place screams "hole in the wall," despite of the floor plan being rather expansive. The bar is divided into two sections: the one closest to the bar is classic Irish Pub, with darkly scarred wood booths and some tables mingled here and there; in the other section, away from the bar, is the space reserved for music venues, which is largely unadorned save the couches you'll have to be pretty drunk to sit down on.

The food and drink prices are very reasonable. The menu has classic pub as well as some Irish food. The staff here is very friendly and you'll feel like you have known them for years even after your first visit. There are pool tables for entertainment. There are bands that play here weekly. You can call the staff at 919-787-1234 to find out who's playing this weekend.

Napper Tandy's

Napper Tandy's is a larger, upscale Irish Pub that's situated in the heart of Downtown Raleigh. The bar and dart room contain several TVs for sports fans but the "library" and private dining area are more dedicated to recreating an 18^th Century atmosphere (Napper Tandy was actually an 18^th Century Irish rebel leader). The bar area leads to a terrace that immerses patrons in Raleigh.

Napper Tandy's has too many daily food and drink specials to list here but nothing beats their $3.75 20 ounce Guinesses, which are always available. Napper Tandy's has a menu dominated by Irish cuisine but also features some tempting appetizers.

Many people come to Napper Tandy's because it hosts some of Raleigh's most popular bands on Fridays and Saturdays. The schedule can be accessed online and their website has anything else you'd like to know about their establishment. On Sundays, you can even sing some Karaoke.

Hibernian Pub

There are actually two Hibernian Pubs, one in Cary and the other on Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh. The music that is featured in these pubs is either Celtic music or individual acoustic performers-the nights of live music are dependent upon location but can be accessed on their website. There are other events, dependent upon the time of year, as well.

The Hibernian in Raleigh isn't very big so you could either call it cozy during a weeknight or cramped on the weekend. Fortunately, there's a patio to offer some relief when it's a bit warmer outside. The menu is what you'd expect in an Irish pub, but the fish and chips and Irish salmon are not to be missed.

Tir Na Nog

This is probably the best known Irish Pub in Raleigh, probably because it's adjacent to Moore Square and serves as an afterparty location for some of the Bud Light Downtown Live concerts in the summer. The expansive floor plan lends well to large architectural adornments and decorations and some thrilling live music performances.

The menu has the best of both worlds, the Irish cuisine and bar foods are delicious. Drinks are a bit pricey, but if you find the right drink special you just might be in luck. On Tuesdays, all domestic pints are $3.50; on Wednesdays, there are various whiskey and wine specials. On Wednesdays, you can also participate in quiz night.

On Thursday through Saturday, you can hear new or established local bands at Tir Na Nog. Sporadically, but earlier in the day, you can listen to live folk music.

Tir Na Nog hosts a number of local events, integrated with various groups and local radio stations.