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| - Let me say that in the beginning, way, way back, Brocach was excellent. We just stopped in earlier this evening for dinner and wow, what a terrible change. Brocach is no more an Irish Pub than McDonalds is a 3 star Michelin restaurant. Like everything else downtown it has been gentrified, catering to the yuppie wannabes that inhabit the downtown of Madison these days.
The menu is decidedly crap. The couple of dishes that are named after traditional Irish fare are nothing close to the real deal. Aside from the menu having been butchered and cut down to about 1/4 of its original size it offers nothing that cannot be found within a few blocks in any direction. We were so disgusted with the choices (hamburger on an English Muffin? Really?) we just went for the fish and chips. Our daughter went for shepherds pie off of the kiddie menu.
The fish was nothing great. We've had better elsewhere to be sure. What dug at me was that there were no condiments on the tables. Apparently you get what they feel you should have in terms of simple things like ketchup, which comes in a tiny little plastic dish. My daughter hated the shepherds pie. I switched with her and she was right to hate it. Terrible. I've been making shepherds pie for over thirty years (if it has beef and not lamb, it's cottage pie, by the way Brocach) from a recipe my grandparents brought over. I know a thing or two about Irish fare and none of this garbage was it. I may be Irish American, but I am all Irish, and what we experienced tonight was nothing Irish. It was Madison Yuppie/Hipster cuisine served up in a faux pub setting.
If you think you know Irish food, or what an Irish pub actually is, but in truth know nothing about it then by all means head to Brocach. You can enjoy a completely false perspective on both. However, if you are looking for real Irish food, in a real Irish setting (painting gaelic phrases on a wall does not an Irish Pub make), run as far away from Brocach as you can. It's am embarrassment to all things Irish.
We will not be returning. There is nothing authentic about the place. The atmosphere is just Wisconsin Boozehound, like every other tavern in the state, not at all Irish. This is an example of the need to have laws prohibiting places from naming themselves Irish Pub, Greek Tavern, Italian Restaurant, etc... when they are so far from the real thing they should be embarrassed.
If you want to hit a real Irish Pub, you need to head to Chicago or New York or Boston for a spot-on experience. Note that you will only find these places in the crappy parts of town. No self-respecting Irish Pub will be on a posh neighborhood. Better yet, go to Ireland.
Just don't go to Brocach.
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