Irish Times Bar and Restaurant is the kind of place where it’s plausible, if you showed up often enough, everybody really would know your name. Its “pubbiness” is what lends it charm. Its cozy ambience is stoked by the working fireplace, an antiques-laden room, pine floors and dark, ornately carved wood that decorates the walls and long, ample bar.
And the crowd this place attracts also is an asseta diverse assortment of all ages, from people in their 20s to retirees, who seem to make themselves at home. Families come here too.
In this setting, we expect the service to be amiable, low-key and efficient, and it is.
The menu offers the familiar sandwich-and-burger staples plus a few Celtic specialties that set Irish Times apart. But even the bar fare will turn you into a regular.
Specifically, the onion rings ($4.95). They’re extraordinary. One order brings an enormous cloud of plump, golden rings encased in a delectable beer batter with a refreshing hint of lemon. These are deep-fried to order and will disappear quickly–whether the table holds one or four. Just don’t eat too many and cheat yourself out of dinner.
More healthful starting options exist. The side salad ($1.95; $1.50 with entrees) is a beauty, a small mountain of fresh romaine lettuce topped with rings of onion, lots of ripe tomato and crisp cucumber slices. The creamy garlic dressing doesn’t overdo it on the title ingredient, but there’s enough to lend spark to the veggies. Other dressings include ranch, Thousand Island and blue cheese.
When you’re ready for your meal, a worthy choice is the fish and chips ($6.95). It’s served every day, but an all-you-can-eat version of the same meal is served on Fridays. The same come-back-for-more beer batter, made in the kitchen, flavors two large, flaky-fresh fillets of cod. A tangy, creamy coleslaw, also made on the premises, is served alongside, as arethick, soft cottage fries.
For something even heartier, try the shepherd’s pie ($7.95). It looks delicious, and the first bite confirms the impression. Well-seasoned ground beef is carefully shaped beneath browned, crispy-on-the-top mashed potatoes. A creamy, rich gravy surrounds the meat.
The husky 1/4-pound hamburger ($5.95; 25 cents extra for Swiss, American or Cheddar cheese) is a commendable example of its genre. We order it medium-well, and that’s what we get, plump and juicy. It comes with fresh lettuce, onion and tomato on a sturdy, fresh bun, and choice of coleslaw or potato (fries or colcannon-mashed potatoes with butter, cream and green onions).
The least satisfying entree was an acceptable if ordinary turkey club ($6.95), with thinly sliced turkey joined by bacon, lettuce and tomato on bread that is a bit too thin for the number of ingredients it is holding. A choice of coleslaw or potatoes (fries or colcannon) accompanies the sandwich.
Desserts change daily. Given the size of the entrees, we didn’t have room; general manager Delia Rafferty told us that most customers don’t. But the apple pie ($1.95) and Irish Blast ($2.95), a fudgy cheesecake, are both made in the kitchen, and next time here we might just have dessert after a dinner of onion rings.
Because this is a bar, you’ll have plenty of beverages from which to choose–especially beer. Twenty-six imported beers are available on tap, including Caffrey’s, Newcastle and Guinness. The imported beers cost $3.50 per pint; domestic, $2.50 per pint.
Also, because this is a bar, smoking is allowed everywhere, which may discourage anyone who is sensitive to smoke.
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Irish Times Bar and Restaurant
(3 forks)
8869 Burlington Ave.
Brookfield
708-485-8787
Kitchen hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily
Credit cards: A, M, V
Noise rating: Conversation friendly
Ratings key:
4 forks: Don’t miss it
3 forks: One of the best
2 forks: Very good
1 fork: Good
Reviews are based on anonymous visits by Tribune staff members. The meals are paid for by the Tribune.
