T.C. O’Leary’s Irish Pub
2926 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211
No far how you may travel, how far you may roam. No matter where you are you will always find an Irish bar! Well this week if you are roaming about Alberta Street in Portland we recommend popping in for a pint at T.C. O’Leary’s for some fun food and classic vibes.
For starters as you walk in you really get the full Irish pub experience, low lighting with classic wood finishes and a friendly bartender. It really makes you feel like you are back in a simplistic time and place, more the idea of the past than reality. Somewhere you can forget all about your troubles.
The lively atmosphere is perfect for a relaxing night out drinking with friends. Not a rowdy customer or ill tempered employee in sight. Just a room full of happy drinkers enjoying themselves to the fullest, safe from all the world.
A quartet of musicians even trickled in and started playing a number of classic Irish tunes in the corner. This impromptu live show was the cherry on top of this perfect ambience. Almost like a scene from an classic film.
Now as for the drinks! You can hardly go out to an Irish pub with having something to warm up the blood. They of course have a very full tap list of beers and a hundred different whiskeys to choose from, but what really caught the eye was a few winter specials. On the left there was a Mulled Wine made hot and spiced for a comforting old world flavor, and on the right a Chocolate cocktail with its decadent taste of slightly sweet and strong whisky giving you a taste of a what you remember from being a kid blended with a grown up winters night.
Then there was the Fish and Chips ($12) tower of seafood goodness! This presentation was fantastic! Coming a huge cone set in the middle of the table it brings back the old style of street fish and chips served wrapped in newspaper but improves it to a classier fun experience.
The fries were well made and crispy and the fish was tender and flakey to the bite. A classic for a reason this is definitely a recommended choice.
But if you really want to elevate your fries past just good. You should try the Forager Fries ($11) this huge plate of crispy chips come covered in a delicious coconut lentil & mushroom curry, then topped with cheese & sour cream. Crispy, savory, spiced without be spicy and all around an absolute comfort food. No matter what you order when you come here you have to get an order of these to share at the table.
Lastly we tried the Shepard’s Pie ($14) which was a classic Lamb & Vegetables topped with a Potato mash and Chive butter. Really this was the least appealing of the dishes tried, it was the smallest serving at the table and a bit under seasoned. Not bad, but unremarkable entirely. Would absolutely avoid ordering this in the future.
All said and done the food at T.C. O’Leary’s although not fantastic was still quite good (except the shepherds pie). The fish does not disappoint and the curry fries are really delicious. The cocktails are strong and tasty and the beer list extensive, but really the main reason to come down is the atmosphere. Just sitting inside this pub is a delight, and with live music in the weekends we are sure to make time for this as a usual hangout.
We give T.C. O’Leary’s Irish Pub Eight Pints out of Ten
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Sibling Grubbery 