Irish in Miami

Image: The Auld Dubliner Irish Pub & Kitchen

91 NW First St. Downtown/Overtown

786-353-2339

Nearly every major city in the world has at least a handful of Irish pubs where you can grab a pint of Guinness, some curry fries, and watch football (the real kind). The Auld Dubliner's looks are deceiving: Nestled as it is in a nondescript row of storefronts, a passerby might mistake it for a cellphone repair shop. But enter and you're transported to the Emerald Isle — from the witty sayings on the wall to the footy on the telly to the telltale aroma of shepherd's pie wafting from the kitchen. With a fine selection of Irish whiskies on the shelves, bartenders who know how to pour a proper Guinness, seemingly every soccer game around the world airing on the TV, the Auld Dubliner is a great place to channel the friendliness (and the booze) of Ireland without leaving the Magic City.

4 articles

Brickell Irish Pub

1451 S. Miami Ave. Brickell

305-381-6651

Bar Food, Irish, Bars and Clubs, Recommended

Brickell Irish Pub is rather like a very dark sports bar: lots of plasma TV sets, rock music, and so forth. If that's not your cup of brew, there's a brighter, quieter outdoor dining patio. Either way, you can choose from dozens of bottled beers at $4.50 to $5.50 and ten drafts at $6.25 per pour. The menu proffers about a half-dozen each of pub snacks, starters, salads, sandwiches, burgers, dinner entrées, and sides. What differentiates a "pub snack" from a "starter" is vague; the first category includes fish dip, Buffalo shrimp, mozzarella sticks, and potato skins; the latter brings, among other things, chicken wings, chicken tenders, and beef sliders. We advise to avoid the fish dip. Begin instead with char-grilled sliders or a pan-seared Irish fish cake flaky with smoked salmon and cod. Fish 'n' chips, shepherd's pie, and Irish stew were solid if not sensational. The only problem with a dessert called "McKrispy's bread pudding" is that it wasn't crisp enough. Service is amateurish, but prices are forgiving: All pub snacks and starters are under $10, all main courses less than $20.

16 articles

Bryson's Irish Pub

3790 Curtiss Parkway, Virginia Gardens Doral

305-871-9534

Irish, Bars and Clubs, Retail, Best Of, Menu

This bar, lounge, grill, and package liquor store in historic Virginia Gardens offers a friendly, hospitable, Cheers-like environment. There is a weekly karaoke party where patrons of all ages let loose and sing their hearts out. The happy hour always attracts a host of regulars ready to talk your ear off. The joint's proximity to the airport and airline industry neighborhood Miami Springs make it the ideal place to meet pilots and stewardesses. The food is good, the beer is fairly cheap, and before the place closes early in the morning you can buy some liquor to get the afterparty started.

3 articles

Duffy's Tavern

2108 SW 57th Ave. Westchester/West Miami

305-264-6580

American, Bar Food, Burgers, European, Irish, Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Menu

When you really want to cheer a local team on, especially the Hurricanes or the Dolphins, you will fit right in wearing your most audacious colors at one of Miami's most historic sports bars. Every inch of wall space is lined with a sports banner or picture.

10 articles

The Field Irish Pub & Eatery

3281 Griffin Rd. Fort Lauderdale

954-964-5979

Bar Food, Burgers, English, Irish, Bars and Clubs

For two decades, the Field has brought Ireland to South Florida. The bar began as a small cottage but has expanded to five dining rooms, a bar, and a big patio bar under a stately banyan tree. Here, find a fine pour of Ireland's elixir, Guinness stout, along with Smithwick's (pronounced "Smiddicks") red Irish ale. There's also Irish coffee to sip by the fireplace (when those Florida nights dip below 60 degrees) and, on weekends, live music from Irish bands. The Field offers a full menu of Irish favorites, from Irish stew to corned beef and cabbage, and an Irish breakfast (on weekends).

2 articles

Finnegan's Way

1344 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach South Beach

305-672-7747

Brewery, Irish, Menu

Finnegan's calls itself an Irish pub and sports bar, and the interior portion of the restaurant fits that bill. The bulk of the room is occupied by dining tables, pool tables, and a bar boasting Guinness and a half-dozen other beers on tap. At night, the space takes on a darker pub ambiance, with much of the illumination coming from a glowing fish tank and eight plasma TV screens. Oysters on the half-shell ($11.95 for a dozen) don't exhibit much in the way of bright, briny flavor. The Rockefeller ($8.95) rendition's topping of creamed spinach and mozzarella cheese smothered whatever fresh appeal the oysters might have had. Most other appetizers are fried and can be sampled together on a combo plate containing calamari and a pair each of coconut shrimp, chicken strips, Buffalo wings, and sliders. All but the squid tasted like prebreaded frozen product dumped directly from the box to the deep fryer. Cups of tartar sauce, honey mustard, and cocktail sauce on the side were likely poured straight from gallon jugs. There are a number of lobster and crab treatments on the menu, but the only other seafood entrées are, oddly enough, the usual sushi roll suspects (dragon, rainbow, and spider, all under $12) and catch of the day ($17.95). Entrées come with suggested wine pairings, each highlighted in red on the menu. We suggest putting down a pint of Guinness instead.

2 articles

Finnegan's Road

942 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach South Beach

305-538-7997

American, Brewery, Irish, Bars and Clubs, Best Of

Despite the name, this haven from the Lincoln Road fashion parade is actually more rock bar than Irish pub, and the paraphernalia on the walls suggests "football," not "Saint Patrick." The blue glow emanating from the long, glass-block bar is practically the only light in the place, aside from the flicker of the numerous TV screens up on the walls. The place gets rowdy, and rock bands take center stage Wednesday-Sunday.

2 articles

The Irish Times Pub & Eatery

5850 Sunset Dr., South Miami Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-667-4114

American, Bar Food, Irish, Bars and Clubs, Best Of, Menu

For decades, University of Miami students have been trying to dupe the bouncers at this Celtic-themed tavern within walking distance of campus. Yet no matter how closely they resemble their older cousin's expired driver's license photo, the bouncer, propped on his stool outside the double doors, inevitably refuses to let them in. Poor underage drinkers. They're missing out on a beacon for Dade's partygoers looking to keep the night from ending at a 5 a.m. liquor license establishment. But it's not just the postmidnight crowd that has kept the Irish Times clicking on a busy South Miami corner. A hearty menu with everything from sliders to mac 'n' cheese and more traditional fare like bangers 'n' mash, fish 'n' chips and shepherd's pie ensures an all-hours crowd. The double doors in front are left open rain or shine, and the friendly staff is welcoming whether you order a pint of Guinness before noon or are stopping by on your commute home for a game of pool. Assuming, of course, you're not a wayward freshman slurring the lyrics to Katy Perry's latest hit. You should probably just head back to the dorms.

10 articles

John Martin's Irish Pub & Restaurant

253 Miracle Mile Coral Gables/S. Miami

305-209-0609

English, Irish, Bars and Clubs, Slideshow, DrinkHere

For three decades, John Martin's Irish Pub was the place to grab a pint of Guinness in Coral Gables. The restaurant and pub, opened in 1989 by friends Martin Lynch and John Clarke, was renowned for its cheery atmosphere, live music, and an annual blowout St. Patrick's Day celebration. The beloved watering hole closed in 2020 but reopened in November 2022 after an extensive refurbishment. Now operated by Breakwater Hospitality Group (the Wharf Miami, the Wharf Fort Lauderdale, Rivertail), along with Black Market Miami owner Erick Passo, the pub offers classic Irish favorites like bangers and mash, shepherd's pie, and a hearty Irish breakfast, plus a robust whiskey selection and (of course) a well-poured pint. Perhaps best of all, John Martin's famous St. Patrick's Day street festival has returned, making Miami a "green" city once again.

44 articles

Kelly Brothers Irish Pub

3045 N. Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale

954-630-2856

Bar Food, Irish

The Lucky Clover

1111 SW 1st Ave. Little Havana

786-691-2750

Gastro Pub, Irish, Bars and Clubs, Music Venues

Hot chicks in kilts bring you food and drinks? Yes. This Irish style pub combines high technology and retro deco to great effect. Cutting edge sound and lighting, authentic old school signage, leather seats, and plenty of beers to choose from make for a fine atmosphere. 10 beers on tap, 42 by the bottle, a full liquor bar, and classic pub grub complete the package.

4 articles

The Playwright Irish Pub

1265 Washington Ave., Miami Beach South Beach

305-534-0667

Brewery, Irish, Bars and Clubs, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

This place is open even during hurricanes. Seriously. This Irish pub features a huge bar, booth and tabletop seating, a full menu, pool tables, and two large rooms. Fine whiskeys are available, and Bushmill's 16-year can be had as well. Guests range from European tourists to South Beach locals and mainland Miamians. There's no dress code and no cover. But if you go there to eat, keep in mind that an 18 percent gratuity is added to all restaurant checks.

10 articles

Waxy O'Connor's Irish Pub and Eatery

690 SW 1st Court Brickell

786-871-7660

Appetizers, Bar Food, Breakfast/Brunch, Irish, Bars and Clubs, Menu

Boy, if those folks who have been hanging out at Fort Lauderdale's Waxy O'Connors for years got a glimpse of Miami's mint riverfront version, they would definitely make the schlep on a regular basis. (Most of them would probably do so by boat, too, which would be totally cool because this riverfront spot has free boat slips. Alas, Lauderdale's does not.) The sexier, sassier young sister not only boasts a gorgeous view of the Miami River, but also somehow pulls off authenticity despite its pristine sheen. Cutout dark-wood trim and stained-glass partitions, substantially spongy booths, a pool table with a red-felt surface, gobs of flat-screens, and glass-enclosed cases displaying artifacts assist the effort, while the sticky tabletops remind you that even new places can display signs of frequent lovin'. Chances are, most folks here probably come after work to down a few pints of Guinness, some Irish whiskey, or single-malt Scotch outside at the tables with barrel-shaped pedestals and to listen to live music three nights a week. (And no, not all performances are U2 tributes.) Sop up the sounds with a few forkfuls of shepherd's pie ($11.95), corned beef and cabbage ($12.95), or bangers and mash ($12.95) if you're full-on hungry. Or try a rustic flatbread (the $11.95 Irish bacon and three mushroom is killer) or a bowl of potato-leek soup for a pittance ($4.50). Die-hard Miamians can also go the less adventurous route, with items such as ceviche, mahi-mahi tropical salad, skirt steak, and key lime gelato. The only downfall to this hot spot is that it is relatively tough to find, because the only visible sign from the street is a glowing red moniker. You'll have to meander to the back of the Neo Vertika building to find this pot of gold, but you can bet your leprechaun ass it's well worth the hunting.

2 articles

Irish in Miami

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