I have to agree with todd v. in that there is no pretension here. its decked in wood, in brass, in glass, in great beer. ive been to fundraisers here, come in and heard a jig or two and just lulled at the bar for no other reason than to lull and meet a few folks perhaps.
the energy there is always festive, especially with more people present. in addition to the seats at the bar, there are very comfortable seats lining the walls, each with a small table, and some seats separating those seats from the bar and some of those middle seats are sectioned off with more wood and brass providing a little privacy.