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| - There are plenty of faux Irish pubs littering the Cleveland area that think a tap of Guinness and some paper Irish flags are enough. Just because you call your bar Shandy McSomething's or the Gleaming Clover doesn't make for an Irish pub experience. Thankfully, P.J. McIntyre's gets the ambiance right.
We walked in around 6pm on a Thursday and were greeted with a warm, inviting atmosphere. The centerpiece of the joint has to be the massive double-sided bar that runs the length of the room. It's' shaped like a giant oval, there are plenty of stools for weary, thirsty travelers and it doesn't have one of those really annoying lips that makes it hard to eat at. There's also a selection of tables and at the back of the space sets a fireplace that adds to the ambiance. You definitely get the sense that Ireland is the theme from the bar dividers complete with cut glass inserts to the Guinness barrel tables. It's a little kitschy but it works.
I'm not sure if they have table service or not since we weren't greeted when we walked in so we took a seat at the bar. Within about 5 minutes the bartendress approaced, drink orders taken and menus dropped off. The crowd wasn't exactly large but for an early weeknight there was a comfortable buzz in the air. The beer selection is definitely better than average with nearly 20 taps featuring the requisite Guinness, Harp, Bass etc. to a few notable craft selections like Great Lakes Christmas Ale (of course) and Fat Head's Head Hunter IPA (a personal favorite). I guess the atmosphere got to me because I opted for a Black & Tan to kick off the meal.
We decided that we'd go all out with our meal to really get a sense of the menu. Here's a rundown of our experience:
The Wedge Salad: We've had alot of wedge salads in our day so one develops expectations. This rendition was just OK. A nice share-worthy size it was essentially half an iceberg lettuce head, halved cherry tomatoes, cukes, ribbons of carrot (interesting), bits of real bacon and blue cheese dressing. It was fresh and tasty enough but did little more than it was asked. Oh yeah, and it was served on a warm plate. C'mon guys, that's salads 101.
Beer Cheese Bread - I expected this to be good. After all, how can you go wrong with melted cheese on bread? Six slices of what appeared to be garlic bread covered in bubbly orange cheese came served with a little cup of marinara for dipping. The menu states that the cheese has ale in it but I couldn't pick it up. Not a bad little snack.
The All Day Irish Burger - I believe that the true test of a bar kitchen is how well they cook their burgers. This particular burger comes topped with cheddar cheese, rasher (thin sliced ham-like bacon), LTO and a fried egg. I upgraded to the pretzel bun for a buck more. The meat was cooked perfectly with a nice char character and the seasoning was spot on. The dripping egg juices cascaded over the bacon and made for a nice in situ sauce. As they are expected to do, the pretzel bun just made it better. The generous portion of house chips was warm and crispy. Overall, I thought they did a great job. A solid burger.
Turkey Reuben (aka the Turkey Rachel) with Black & Tan Onion Rings - My wife opted for this classic pairing - sliced turkey breast, Swiss cheese and cole slaw on marble rye. The menu states "thick cut" marble rye but I thought it was on the thin side. Check out the pic and judge for yourself. The turkey was tender and flavorful but the sandwich as a whole was very dry. Maybe some more "juiciness" to the slaw, which in this case was merely undressed sliced cabbage and carrots, would help. The rings were crispy but underseasoned and I really dug the beer batter. I'm not too sure what the stripes of brown were that decorated the rings but I didn't think they brought much to the party.
Our experience at P.J. McIntyre's was a good one. It's a warm and cozy respite that serves tasty and affordable food with an Irish bent. The service was friendly albeit a bit long between drinks and the food, while not mind-blowingly awesome left me full and satisfied. Me thinks I just might wander in again...
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