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| - Those of you that follow my reviews know that there are two things I'm not a fan of, big noisy crowds and sports. It's for these two reasons that I've been hesitant to make my way to the Hooley House. I simply don't suffer fools (or sports fans) well. On a recent Saturday evening, my wife and I decided to stray outside of our comfort zone. We were looking for some good pub grub and something close to home. We set out with low expectation and empty bellies. The result? Pleasant surprise, overly filled bellies and thoughts of another visit.
Hooley House is a sports bar painted with a brush dipped in a little Irish pub. The space is large, the menu even larger and they are comfortable in their skin. Located right in the middle of restaurant chain America, the Hooley House is the lone standout. The original location is in Mentor and this spot has only been open about a year (several restaurants have occupied this space, including a Don Pablo's). Hooley House added an open patio with a gas fireplace that looks really cozy, too.
Did I mention that this place is big? As others have said, even when the parking lot looks full, inside there's probably still plenty of seating. The ceilings are tall, there are booths lining the perimeter, tables scattered about and a stage where they hold regular live entertainment shows. Like I said before, this is a sports bar and this is clearly evident with the dozens of flatscreens lining the walls. Not my thing, but if that gets you off you won't be disappointed. The space is separated into two distinct areas with the bar off to the right when you enter and the main dining/entertainment area in the back.
Our server, Nyesha, was great. She was everything you could want in a server, friendly, attentive, an advocate of the establishment. She made sure we had everything we wanted and kept tabs on our progress without being intrusive.
There's also a clear bent toward the drinking crowd at the Hooley. They've got an extensive drink menu with traditional cocktails, beer cocktails, island drinks, fancy martinis, bombs of several varieties, wine and, of course, beer. Speaking of which, they've got 14 taps, mostly macros with a smattering of local and regional micros. During our visit they were featuring several holiday brews including locals Great Lakes Christmas Ale and Fat Head's Holly Jolly. Two of my personal favorites this time of year. If you're looking to imbibe you've got plenty of options here.
The menu here is pretty massive. It's filled with everything from wings and burgers to wraps and, as the name of the place implies, some Irish-inspired fare like shepherd's pie and boxty. They've also got several varieties of mac and cheese and grilled cheese. This is not a place to come if you're watching what you eat, but for the occasional cheat meal it's perfect. Tonight was one of those nights for us:
Loaded tots - I love tater tots. Such a simple comfort food and these were perfect. Crunchy, hot, smothered in ooey-gooey cheese, chopped scallions and bacon. The side of sour cream a nice addition.
Wings - I opted for a half order of the hot garlic sauce variety. Crispy and smothered in an orange buttery hot sauce. Not terribly spicy but addicting. I recommend eating them quickly lest they get soggy.
Slider sampler - I went this route so I could give all of their slider options a try. One each of cheeseburger, crispy chicken, corned beef, and turkey served on soft, white fluffbread buns. Not bad. I should have asked for some mayo as they were a bit on the dry side, but still tasty.
Tuna melt - Traditional. Tuna salad (mayo, relish, dill, tuna) topped with tomato and cheddar cheese on rye bread. A tad greasy but overall a solid offering. Crispy bread, melted cheese, nice seasoning.
Cole slaw - This is how slaw is done. Creamy, slightly sweet, crispy cabbage, onions some carrot. No funny business here.
Mac and cheese - Comfort food 101. A small crock of cheddar mac and cheese elbows the top slightly charred and crispy. Ridiculously good. This should be served on top of the loaded tots.
Hooley House was a good time for us. We got to sit at a comfy booth, had a fantastic server, and stuffed our guts with fat and carbs until we walked funny. We got exactly what we wanted and some of what we didn't expect.
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