Seamus McCaffrey's

The "Irish Pub Concept," an actual phrase used by Guinness to describe its attempts to seed watering holes from coast to coast, appears to have been fairly successful in recent years. Almost every corner of suburbia has some sort of bar and restaurant pouring pints of Irish beer and hosting a big party each St. Patrick's Day. Usually, those spots are squeaky-clean, newly built, and lacking the patina that would make them really feel like a neighborhood pub. Fortunately, all the Johnny-come-lately pubs usually coexist with some sort of long-established Downtown Irish bar. Almost every city has at least one, and it's usually a gently worn place where white and blue collar customers coexist. Worlds collide, but gently, and everyone claims to be a little Irish regardless of his or her actual ethnicity.

Seamus McCaffrey's in Phoenix's version of that type of Downtown pub. It's not the newest, the neatest, or even necessarily the nicest pub in the metro area, but sometimes it fits like an old shoe. Seamus' faces Monroe Street and occupies part of the ground floor of the Hotel San Carlos, just a block south of the Van Buren / Central (northbound) and Van Buren / 1st Avenue (southbound) stations . While the hotel seems to change its own restaurant concept with amazing regularity, Seamus' survives next door by staying the same. There's a small patio facing the street, but most of the action is inside. The long bar begins right beyond the door and continues back toward the kitchen. Behind the bar, badges from law enforcement agencies all over the country line the wall, and a shelf full of Irish whiskeys entices anyone wanting a drink. Of course there's beer -- nothing too fancy or avant-garde, but a solid selection of Irish, British, and American brews sold by the pint or available for a dollar extra in an imperial pint. Other favorites like Boddington's are also available in large cans.

Opposite the bar, is a dining room segmented by a half wall into two different chambers. Both are essentially the same; just take a seat in whichever one has more room to spare. There is no host station, although the staff seldom take long to notice a newly occupied table. The dining area is definitely the place to head if children are included in the party. There are high chairs available and even a small kids' section on the menu. The dining room decor is as eclectic as the scenery at the bar. A large case encloses leprechaun figurines, including one unexpectedly carrying an Israeli flag and another surprisingly modeled after Elmer Fudd.

Each table has the classic pub condiments of ketchup, mustard, and malt vinegar. Consider this arrangement a clue about the type of food served. First things first, Seamus' is definitely not a gastropub . The dishes served are classics chosen more for their heartiness than fresh ingredients or bold flavors. The food at Seamus' is probably not the aspect of the pub that brings customers in, but it's also not likely to scare customers away. The place is more about being a watering hole and a gathering place than a culinary hotbed, and that's okay as long as expectations are realistic. Seamus' menu is also not rigorously Irish. The shepherd's pie is made with ground beef instead of lamb, and almost every sort of fried food imaginable dominates the appetizer menu.

With those limitations in mind, anyone having a meal at Seamus' needs to keep it simple. Burgers and sandwiches work here. The salads are okay, but tend to be dominated by iceberg and romaine. The fish and chips (center photo below) are one of the strongest items on the menu. Three pieces of cod come in a smooth, thick coating with minimal grease. The chips are thick and might be considered "steak fries." They're good but not as interesting as the fries available nearby at District . The most Irish dishes on the menu are probably the boxties, crisp discs of potato cooked on a griddle and then place atop a stew. The traditional varieties, such as beef and Guinness work well, but the seemingly lighter boxties, the chicken one and the vegetarian one (right photo below), are actually very indulgent eating. The cream sauce promised with the chicken and vegetable versions is extraordinarily rich -- almost as if it contains a stick of melted butter.

Many entrees come with a piece of unexpectedly sweet Irish soda bread. This may function as a dessert for the especially hungry individual not satisfied by abundant portions coming out of the kitchen. To be sure, Seamus' had limited choices for light eaters and vegetarians. A veggie burger is probably the best bet for both populations. At this point, Seamus' seems like a place that is always a comfortable stop for a pint after work and sometimes worth lingering at for a basic meal. Interestingly, the owners of Seamus' have recently opened the Turf, a new pub a few block to the north. It will be interesting to see if Downtown has room for two Irish pubs.

18 W. Monroe St., Phoenix, AZ 85003 | Map
(602) 253-6081
http://www.seamusmccaffreys.com/