good Irish food at an Irish pub

(If you don't consider "good Irish food" to be an oxymoron, that is. I say that being half Irish, and having survived quite a few boiled-potato-and-cabbage meals in my time, unlike, I'm sorry to say, many of my forebears.)

I did a search in this forum for all things Irish in Chicagoland, but that produced so many matches I was overwhelmed. So I hope you won't mind me starting a new thread to ask, which of the Irish pubs around (ideally on the north side of the city or in the north or northwest suburbs) do you consider to have the best food?

It falls to me to find a meeting/eating place for my book lovers' group next month, and this month's book was written by an Irishman. We try to match the book with the eating place when we can. I have a list of a dozen or so Irish pubs, but no notes on the quality of their food.

As a p.s., I report the continuing dismay with which I struggle to find curry fries at Irish pubs around Chicagoland (last successful find, St. Charles), and with which I find guidance for curry fry sauce on the internet tending only to canned imported options. On the bright side, I report with pleasure that the product of a recent Cook's Illustrated recipe for vegetable curry proved, when strained of vegetables, to produce a fantastic homemade curry sauce for fries.

If anyone out there other than me cares, that is.

Fadó had curry fries the last time I was there (a couple of years back), although the current online menu is missing them. Maybe they would honor a special request?

Fadó Chicago
100 W Grand Avenue
Chicago
(312) 836-0066

Atlantic Bar & Grill definitely serves curry fries. Good drinking food. Can't speak to whether the curry sauce is canned or not; it was not spectacular but it worked for me. 'Course I had a few in me.

Atlantic Bar & Grill
5062 N. Lincoln Ave
Chicago
773-506-7090

I would be very surprised if you find anything better than Irish Oak, which is just south of Wrigley Field at 3511 N. Clark (near Cornelia). Sure they have many non-Irish items on their menu, but they serve excellent fish & chips, curry fries, shepherd's pie and a great beef & Guinness stew. They also serve a traditional Irish breakfast. The owners are from Galway. They have a large back room which might serve your group well.

I also like The Grafton, at 4530 N. Lincoln Ave. near Lincoln Square, but not as much as Irish Oak. I believe the owner of The Grafton is the son of the Irish Oak owners, and I believe the son and his parents co-own the Gage which is across from Millennium Park.

I've also been a big fan of the Celtic Knot in Evanston. I find their curry fries absolutely addicting. They also have live music there some nights.

Celtic Knot Pub
626 Church St.
Evanston

847-864-1679


Sharona

I've always enjoyed Ginger's Ale House on Ashland at Grace.

They've got a menu online, so you can check that out in advance. The food is nothing earth-shattering, but the basics are executed well. The room is really an enjoyable Irish pub atmosphere as well, imo.

Here is a link to a past thread:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=10368&highlight=gingers+ale

I can attest to the tastiness of the curry fries and everything else at both The Atlantic and the Celtic Knot. Both have very good burgers.

I will second the Celtic Knot, they have a back room which is ideal for groups like yours. Great curry chips, bangers and mash, etc.


Disclaimer: I have known the owners for 18 years and work there part time.

BR wrote:I also like The Grafton, at 4530 N. Lincoln Ave. near Lincoln Square, but not as much as Irish Oak. I believe the owner of The Grafton is the son of the Irish Oak owners, and I believe the son and his parents co-own the Gage which is across from Millennium Park.

I can also confirm that the Grafton has curry fries which were - on a brisk post-winter, pre-spring day - pretty good. No idea if the sauce was house-made.

To have the record be more full, Galvin's Public House at 5901 W Lawrence is an Irish pub where the accents of a great many of the patrons are actually Irish, and they have curry fries.

They were terrible. The sauce was a bitter, flour-not-cooked-enough-mess.

And the portion was small.

On the other hand, the burger wasn't too bad and they know how to pour their Guiness correctly. [Halina's Polish restaurant is pretty much across the street, so I'm thinking that a pint or two at Galvin's followed by a meal at Halina's might be a verrrrry nice evening.]

I'll put in another vote for the Celtic Knot. The bar is above-average attractive, and I've always had good-to-very good food there.

Giovanna

I have been to Chief O'Neill's on Elston a few times. The last time was in May when we had a big group of family in from Ireland, England and Australia. Everyone seemed to enjoy the food. I can't remember exactly what I had, but I quite distinctly recall my 1.5 year old devouring the curry sauce for the fries. Once the fries were gone he just kept putting his fingers into the sauce and licking it. I guess that would leave the impression that the sauce wasn't too spiced. Anyway, in nice weather Chief O'Neill's has a nice outdoor garden and they have live music and a fairly large interior that is open and maybe good for a book discussion.

Chief O'Neill's
3471 N. Elston
Chicago, IL

http://www.chiefoneillspub.com/

I will second the vote for Chief O'Neill's. It's a big space that would be great for a group, the food is tasty and Irish, and parking's no problem.

Love,
John

I've always enjoyed the food at The Grafton. And I think the rear of the space would be a nice setting for a book club - tables/comfy chairs and a large fireplace.

I also give the nod to The Atlantic Bar - good curry fries; pretty good Irish breakfast; good salmon; and arguably the best burger in Lincoln Square.

Chief O'Neill's , hands down.
My wife is Irish, so the first time we stopped on a Sunday evening many years ago and the waitress addressed us in a brogue, I thought, sure. But the bartender was just over from Ireland and the guys at the bar where we sat were all Irish. A small 3 piece started to play, the Guinness and food were good.-Dick

I will third or fourth Celtic Knot; their corned beef and cabbage stunned me, as I usually hate the stuff - theirs is amazing. Sparky is a big fan of the kid's fish and chips plate.

Octarine wrote:Disclaimer: I have known the owners for 18 years and work there part time.

You know, for all the times you have to write that, you ought to make it your signature! He's right about the music, too - a friend we have in common plays there weekly.

Katie wrote:As a p.s., I report the continuing dismay with which I struggle to find curry fries at Irish pubs around Chicagoland (last successful find, St. Charles), and with which I find guidance for curry fry sauce on the internet tending only to canned imported options.

You can find curry-fries on the everyday menu at The Globe - along with a
served-all-day authentic Irish breakfast, sheperd's pie, steak-n-ale pie,
bangers-n-mash, cornish pasty and most other old country favourites.

http://www.theglobepub.com/food_drink.shtml

IMHO, The Globe is one of two pretty authentic English/Irish pubs in the
Chicagoland area (the other, IMHO, is Ginger's Ale House) - and the patrons are
heavily English and Irish too (if you go at the "right" times). If you go on a Saturday
morning at 7am, for example, the back room will be filled to capacity with patrons
watching their home teams play Premier League football back home (and downing
Authentic Irish Breakfasts while they watch).

Most other times, however, it is just a "normal" pub - Comedy Night in the
back room on Mondays, Pub Quiz (and a very good one) on Tuesdays,
Karaoke on Wednesday's and so on. The front room is always just a
nomral bar. But the very English-and-Irish part of the menu is always on offer,
no matter where you are - and, while I havent tried it myself, I'll bet the
Curry Fries are a pretty good version.

c8w

I've always enjoyed Tommy Nevin's Irish Pub in Evanston. I don't know if they have curry fries, as I'm usually there for the corned beef and cabbage or Irish lamb stew -- and occasionally the fish and chips -- but it's always struck me as a very solid place (though I realize of late opinion seems to favor the much newer Celtic Knot -- I have to get there someday). I love going on Sundays, when the local Irish community shows up with fiddles, bodhrans, and tin whistles and jams for hours in the bar. (I don't know if this is a seasonal thing, as I always seem to be there in cold weather.

Tommy Nevin's Irish Pub
1450-1458 Sherman Ave.
Evanston, IL 60201
847.869.0450

John Williams has been running the session at Nevins for at least ten years, I used to go back in 93 and 94

Between Celtic Knot and Tommy Nevin's, I usually prefer the former, especially for the food. However, the informal gathering of Irish musicians on Sundays, starting around 3, is very entertaining. CK has music, too, but I've haven't been there for that. My impression is that CK has established bands, vs. the community, if-you're-an-Irish-musician-drop-in atmosphere at TN. Nevin's is also much more the sports bar - nice place to watch a Bears or Wildcats game.

But go to Celtic Knot for the food.

My complaint about Chief O'Neill's is that the food is soooo salty. It's a shame, too, because it's a great, cozy atmosphere.

Cynthia wrote:(though I realize of late opinion seems to favor the much newer Celtic Knot -- I have to get there someday

IIRC chef at Celtic Knot used to be the chef for Nevin's - so, depending on how long ago you're talking, those particular dishes have just moved around the corner.

Funny, as a musician I find the Knot's session FAR more welcoming of novices than Nevins and have for years.

If you're ever WAY south, give Galway Tribes a try. Great beer and decent food. It's just pretty far south...and I live in Orland Park!

http://www.thegalwaytribes.com/

I absolutely love Nevin's Pub in Evanston for their Chips (Steak Fries) and Gravy (Guinness Gravy). I noticed that the Naperville location doesn't have this on their menu. Maybe they forgot to put it on?

Are there other places that have this on their menu?

I like The Abbey (on Grace & Elston) for the oblig pub burger, very good Irish breakfast, curry fries and their Guinness meatloaf. It's solid, old Irish pub - it wasn't designed by the Irish Pub Co. so, IMO, it actually looks more like the friendly scruffy places we used to drink in during summers in Ireland...listening to the Wolfetones (again).

I agree about Chief O'Neill's sometimes being on the salty side. I guess it depends on who has the shaker. I was there recently and had a great Shepherd's Pie while my friends had Irish Breakfast and a burger. Everyone was pleased w/ their dish.

I have no Irish Pub basis for comparison, except with the distinctly non-Irish Elephant & Castle--where I have yet to have even a half-way decent meal--, but the fish sandwich I had at Tommy Nevin's on Saturday was terrific. It's huge--so big that I immediately asked for a to-go container and stowed half of it away. But the fish was fresh and perfectly cooked and really hit the spot. I heated up the other piece in the oven the next day before reassembling the sandwich and it was mighty tasty then as well.

It was also a great place to be with small kids. A nice children's menu, placemats to color, and fast service on the kids' orders.

I haven't been myself, but I've spoken with those that have, and Mrs. Murphy & Sons sounds appealing enough. Certainly Irish -- though not as pub-like as you might be looking for. I don't know if I've seen much mention of this place on this board -- have many people been there? What are your impressions?

Curry fries at the Gage in the loop. They are good, but I could stand the curry to be a little spiceier.
The Gage
24 S. Michigan
Chicago, IL
http://www.thegagechicago.com/

Mrs. Murphy's is OK, but I think it's expensive for what they give you. It's more upscale, and not very pub-grub like. They only recently started offering a hamburger at dinner in the bar.