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Labels: Harrisburg restaurant, Irish Pub, McGrath's Pub photography © Tom Wenger Photography, LLC posted by Tom Wenger at 7:00 AM 0 comments 
Labels: Irish Pub, Marietta Restaurant, McCleary's Public House photography © Tom Wenger Photography, LLC posted by Tom Wenger at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Coakley's Irish Pub, full bar, Irish Pub, New Cumberland Restaurant photography © Tom Wenger Photography, LLC posted by Tom Wenger at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: banquets, full bar, Harp and Fiddle. York Restaurant, Irish Pub photography © Tom Wenger Photography, LLC posted by Tom Wenger at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Labels: Harrisburg restaurant, Irish Pub, Molly Brannigans photography © Tom Wenger Photography, LLC posted by Tom Wenger at 7:00 AM 0 comments
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All content and images are copyrighted © 2009 Susqueats.com and Tom Wenger Photography, LLC. No reproduction of this blog in part or in whole is permitted without express written permission.
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In 2002 Tom and Amy Scott looked around the landscape of what would soon be known as Restaurant Row in Harrisburg and noticed a distinct deficiency. There was no authentic Irish pub. This deficiency was rectified by them when they opened McGrath's Pub on Locust Street, just off Second Street.
Guinness has a special home in any Irish pub and here as well. In fact the first item on the menu is 
When you think Irish you think green, but I'm guessing that Salads aren't exactly what you're picturing. At McGrath's though, maybe you should. They offer eight different salads and if you include all of the options the number goes up to fifteen.
Most of the entrees are either Irish favorites like 
If you are looking for sandwiches, McGrath's offers four wraps, five burgers and another eight sandwiches, including a 
Some towns you have to look a little harder to find. There are no exit signs off the freeway indicating where they are, in fact they aren't very close to the freeway at all. For Marietta, even the modestly traveled Route 441 zips by with barely an indication of the charming town that lies just blocks away. Nestled on the last street of this town, next to the river and the railroad tracks, is McCleary's Public House.
Though only known as McCleary's in the last few decades, the location has operated continuously as a bar &/or restaurant since the late 19th century. While the building has certainly gone through transformations and numerous updates in that time, it has still retained its old-world charm, which is befitting the town of Marietta and an Irish Pub.
While their appetizers include such pub favorites as 
At McCleary's its easy to make your salad into a main course, if you are trying to count calories. You can easily request to add chicken, shrimp or fish on top of your salad. Here a fresh 
McCleary's features the traditional Irish favorites like 
Like a traditional Irish pub, music is an integral part of McCleary's. McCleary's has weekly entertainment with a schedule that can be found on their website. 
In addition to the main dining rooms, McCleary's has several upstairs rooms that are used as overflow dining areas on busy nights. Alternatively, these rooms can be reserved for larger groups or private functions. And for when the weather is warmer, McCleary's has a 2000-square-foot deck that accommodates over 100 patrons.
As the oldest Irish Pub in the Harrisburg area, Coakley's has built up a lot of tradition. In fact it has been operating continuously as a bar and/or restaurant since 1895.
The restaurant is sprawling with multiple rooms that are certainly the result of an ever-expanding successful business.
The main focus of the new management is shoring up the consistency of the food. They brought on new staff with a tradition of excellence in the food service industry to make sure every item stands up to quality standards.
Among their seven salads is this meal-in-and-of-itself 
In this image is Coakley's take on 
As part of their commitment to community involvement the new management staff has developed The Coakley's Foundation. The foundation is set up to help provide financial support to children to participate in after school activities such as sports, the arts, music and theater, who may otherwise be financially unable to participate. They also hope to help support the providers of these activities. T-shirts are being sold to help fund the foundation.
If it is traditional Irish food you are looking for, you might be in luck as the new owners may slowly introduce some favorites. For now, look for items such as this 
Among the influx of restaurants that are leading to the revival of the North George Street area of York is The Harp and Fiddle. When you want some authentic Irish atmosphere, food, and drink any time of the year, The Harp and Fiddle has you covered. 
While it is a fairly large pub, The Harp and Fiddle has a number of nooks and crannies that allow you to have the intimite feeling that Irish Pubs are known for.
General Manager Damian McGarvey swears by the authenticity of the Harp and Fiddle's recipes. You see, Damian was born and raised in Ireland and the recipes the Harp and Fiddle uses come from his mother's kitchen and were passed down through generations. In fact, mom McGarvey still crosses the Atlantic once a year to make sure the recipes for the
This hearty 
Here in the States we often throw our sausages in a roll and slather them with peppers and onions... but in Ireland they let them speak for themselves. In fact, they speak so loudly that they call them "bangers." And then they shorten "mashed potatoes" down to simply "mash." That's it. Bangers and Mash isn't nearly as strange as it may sound. At the Harp and Fiddle they accompany their 
The final selection on their
While the Irish favorites are quite literally THE favorites at the Harp and Fiddle, they also offer a selection of more traditional American appetizers, soups & salads, sandwiches and entrees. Entrees include selections like 
Upstairs at the Harp and Fiddle is a private banquet/dining room that is known as the Abbey. This area is suitable for parties of 25 or more and can comfortably accommodate 75 seated guests or 125 standing guests. The Gothic bar in the Abbey is also imported from Ireland.
Creating a traditional Irish pub takes more than 
As one of the early players in the development of Harrisburg's Restaurant Row, Molly Brannigans practically imported its interior, piece by piece, from Ireland. Molly Brannigans has a warm inviting decor with a number of nooks and crannies. In fact, since Molly's has entrances on two streets, it is common for barhoppers to unwittingly saddle up at Molly's bar twice in one night without realizing they've returned to the same place.
Ok... how about the food?
Living on an island, the Irish are pros at cooking fish. Molly's traditional 
In addition to their traditional Irish fare, Molly Brannigans serves a selection of more Americanized pub grub, such as this 3-pack of 
Good ole American fare is great, but when going to an Irish Pub, why not stick to the classics? Like this 
What would any trip to an Irish Pub be, though, without a pint of Guinness? Here, bartender Brooke satisfies that thirst for one of her customers.