On a street full of chain restaurants, Fionn MacCool's has opened up in the massive Costco, Zellers, Superstore plaza in a location long occupied by Casey's. I often stopped by Casey's for a mid-shopping beer break and maybe a burger. It was run down, had a number of barflies but I was always satisfied, especially by the veteran bartender who always made you feel welcome.
So I gave Fionn's a shot. I know the downtown locations well enough, and wasn't surprised by my experience. While they have maintained the old Casey's layout, they have put some money into the conversion. For some odd reason there were no changes made in the washroom, save for a couple Irish-themed pics.
Had the prime rib burger with salad. It was cooked med well with a touch of pink remaining. I enjoyed the seasoning on the burger, and the standard crispy onion straws are a great touch. Who enjoys those powerful raw onions anyways? The salad was cold, crisp and a perfect compliment.
The Guinness was cold and fresh, the service was great. They do the whole "What's your name, Love?" thing so that the food runner calls you by name etc. I'm ok with that.
I was intrigued by their current Wednesday night promo: $19.99 gets you a Mini Keith's keg at your table, about 6 pints worth. Not a bad deal.