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Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub

714 Red River, 478-4022
Daily, 4pm-2am
St. Patrick’s Day, 1pm-2am
www.bullmccabesaustin.com

This might be the only bar in town where St. Patrick’s Gaelic name, Naomh Pádraig, is not only known but pronounced correctly, and pints are served in true Irish pub proportions: 20 ounces. Bull McCabe’s was opened in 1999 by the Keogh brothers, Harry and Jimmy, a pair of fine Irish lads with serious accents who wanted a simple, laid-back pub where their friends and the local Irish community could feel at home. The setting is warm wood with low lighting, a couple of dart boards and pictures of famous Irish writers adorning the walls. Small patios front and back provide fresh air for the smokers or to escape the excellent jukebox.

For the true Irish, McCabe’s will be the place to be on March 17, with 15 Irish whiskeys being poured, four Irish draft beers, and their famous Irish Car Bomb, the tongue-in-cheek name for a half-pint of Guinness with a half-shot each of Jameson and Baileys. Expect to find bagpipers and a couple of Irish bands performing, free T-shirts and other assorted swag, and a crowd that celebrates St. Patrick as authentically as you can find in these parts. McCabe’s only holds about 100 folks, so stake out a spot early, and remember to pace yourself throughout the night. McCabe’s is the friendly type of pub where you’ll always feel welcome, and you can expect some good-natured slagging (ribbing) whether you’re a culchie (country folk) or a jackeen (urban sophisticate). – Mick Vann

This article appears in March 14 • 2008.

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Wes Marshall is the author of What's a Wine Lover To Do? (Artisan) and The Wine Roads of Texas (Maverick), as well as the Executive Producer of the PBS television series of the same name. Wes has written for The Austin Chronicle since 1999, covering wine, cocktails, food, and travel.

Mick Vann is a retired Austin chef who is a food writer and restaurant critic, cookbook author, restaurant consultant, and recipe developer. He moonlights as a University of Texas horticulturist with a propensity for ethnic eats and international food, particularly of the Asian persuasion, but he also knows his way around a plate of soul food or barbecue.