Beckerz Bites - Metro Detroit: Top 10 Irish Pubs

Every March 17th we all get to be Irish for a day. It’s a day that a lot of us flock to our favorite local Irish Pub (or any local bar) for some “good craic” (Gaelic for a good time) Guinness, maybe a shot of Jamison’s and definitely some green beer. It is also a day for indulging in some great Irish food like Corned Beef and Cabbage, Sheppard’s Pie or maybe a good Irish Stew with a hunk of soda bread. We have family and friends in Ireland, and have had real Irish food from real irish pubs…..so St. Patrick’s Day is special to us even though oddly it is not celebrated in Ireland like it is in the states.

We have compiled a list of Irish Pubs that we have found to be great destinations for St Patty’s Day or any other day you would like to experience a great Irish experience. Here are our top 10 pubs worth checking out this St. Patrick’s Day, in no particular order.

Jameson’s

110 E Grand River in Downtown Brighton. Downtown Brighton has a lot of fun things to do and great restaurants. Jameson’s is a great place to grab a quick beer, or sit down for a full meal, but the coolest thing about Jameson’s is the dueling pianos. We’ve been here a few times. The food is great (especially the Irish Nachos) and when the pianos are playing, the energy is off the charts!

Sheehan’s On The Green

39450 Five Mile Rd in Livonia/Plymouth. Right next to the Oasis golf dome, this place has been around forever! This is a place that I am surprised we don’t go to more often. It’s near our house, they have great burgers, inexpensive drinks . . . and shuffle board. What more can you ask for?

Sean O’Callahan’s

821 Penniman Ave in Plymouth. Has anyone NOT been here? Located in the heart of Plymouth, this is another place that has been around forever. The Lamb Shank Irish Stew is a big favorite as well as their Fish & Chips and Scotch Egg.

John Cowley & Sons Irish Pub

33338 Grand River in Farmington. Downtown Farmington would not be complete without this place. It has been here as long as I can remember, dating back to 1972. Big place with 2 stories and serving up delicious Fish & Chips and Irish Spring Rolls made with Corned Beef, sauerkraut, potatoes and cheese served with 1000 Island dressing. YUM!!!

Cleary’s

117 East Grand River in Howell. We don’t get to Howell too often but recently stumbled into Clearys and have been back a couple of times since. They have a great Shepherd’s Pie and Fish & Chips as well as other selections of burgers and entrees.

McShane’s

1460 Michigan Avenue in Detroit / Corktown. We’ve been here several times and it is almost a mandatory stop if we are in Corktown. They have 2 bars, arcade games and pool tables, The Michigan Peddler peddle bars starts and ends here. The food is always consistently good, their Irish Egg Rolls and the Motor City Chicken Wings are two of our favorite things on the menu.

Nancy Whiskey

2644 Harrison St in Detroit / Corktown. Some people would call this place THE Irish bar in Detroit. It is definitely one that is the most heard of. They date back to 1902, and there used to be a time that if you were a “virgin visitor” you would get a shot of Jameson’s on the house. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case, but it is still a great place. They have live music, and open up the back with outside fun for big events downtown like opening day, St. Patrick’s Day and other major dowtown events.

Gus O’Connor’s

324 S Main St in Rochester, opened in 2005. We were recently in the area and stopped in for a pint and pour. We tried their Irish Trinity Sampler, which is a “trio” of their Irish specialties (Chicken Pot Pie, Irish Stew and Shepherd’s Pie) that did not disappoint. It’s a very big place with lots of room for fun and looks like it would be a great St Patty’s Day hangout.

Duggan’s

31501 Woodward in Royal Oak. Opened in 1984, this bar helped put Royal Oak on the map. They have 2 floors and 2 big bars and an outside deck overlooking Woodward Ave. While it is a great place for St Patrick’s day, their biggest days are in August where people flock here to watch the cars go by during the Woodward Dream Cruise. Like all Irish Bars, they offer Shepherd’s pie and Fish & Chips, but they are known for their Big Chief Double Decker burger.

Old Shillelagh

349 Monroe St in Detroit / Greektown. Another quintessential bar in Detroit, opened in 1975 and still going strong! It seems like everyone knows about the Old Shillelagh and it is the place in this list we have spent the most time in. They do serve food, but are mostly known for their bar scene and HUGE St Patrick’s Day party that draws upwards of 10,000 people on that day alone! Their food menu features your standard bar food items: nachos, wings burgers etc. They also have the traditional Irish specialties of Rueben Egg Rolls, Fish & Chips and Shepherd Pie. What you wouldn’t expect, is their Plant Based Menu. They have a full menu of Vegan offerings, with items like Jackfruit Ruben Rolls made with Corned Jackfruit, Beyond Burgers and Beyond Chicken wraps, Beyond Tacos, Beyond Nachos and Beyond Sheppard’s Pie.