More than 3,600 St. Patrick’s Day revelers passed through the doors of Fox’s Restaurant and Pubs in Orland Park and Oak Lawn last year. It could be just as busy this year, when many will seek to dine on corned beef and cabbage, or to tip a Guinness in the Irish entertainment mecca of the south suburbs.
“We went with an Irish theme about 28 years ago when we started our pub in Beverly. At that time there were no pubs on Western Avenue. There was no such thing as an Irish pub back then. But look at it now. It’s full of Irish pubs,” said co-owner Tom Fox Sr., noting that his wife, Therese, manages the Western Avenue spot while sons Frank and Tom Jr. help manage the Oak Lawn pub.
Tom opened the Oak Lawn pub in 1970, and his brother Ron began another in Orland Park in 1973. Both places feature American and Irish performers to keep the diners humming “Wild Colonial Boy” and “Danny Boy” between courses. In addition, the brothers plan to open a fourth place later this year.
On St. Patrick’s Day, Fox’s will continue its tradition of Irish entertainment featuring Irish singers George Casey and Pat O’Brien in Orland with a visit from the well-known bagpipe band, The Shannon Rovers. In Oak Lawn, the husband-and-wife duo The Griffins, the Irish trio Napper Tandy and the Shannon Rovers also will be on tap. Both pubs will start the revelry at 1 p.m. and continue until closing.
In addition, clowns and step dancers will round out the annual celebration.
“We’ve always had the step dancers come. And now those six- and eight-year-olds have grown up and are now bringing their own six- and eight-year-olds to do the step dancing,” Fox said.
And most likely, those families may be ordering corned beef and cabbage with a side of homemade soda bread, or shepherd’s pie with lamb, carrots, peas and potatoes, or other specialties ranging from $7.95 to $9.95.
Those old enough to imbibe can wash it all down with Guinness, Harp or other beers, including green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, priced from $1.50 to $2.50.
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Fox’s Oak Lawn Pub, 9240 S. Cicero Ave., Oak Lawn, is open from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. every day; 708-499-2233. Fox’s Orland Park Restaurant and Pub, 9655 W. 143rd St., Orland Park, is also open from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. every day; 708-349-2111.
