McNally's Pub strives to be true to its Irish roots
There are plenty of Irish bars throughout the suburbs but many do little to live up to their names beyond serving Guinness and fish and chips. Few feel as authentic as McNally's Traditional Irish Pub in St. Charles, which after 11 years is going through some big changes.
The family-owned pub has a new head chef and plans to knock down a wall in their upstairs area to make way for a rooftop terrace. Along with renovating, co-owner Kieran McNally said he's embracing tradition with weekly Irish jam sessions and bringing in top Irish bands once a month.
"We're trying to be more true to our Irish roots," McNally said.
Motif: Located in a building dating to the 1850s, McNally's has an Old World look with a mix of dark brown wood paneling and exposed brick walls. The spot is dimly lit by hanging lanterns with dark green curtains on the windows only allowing in a bit of sunlight. The chairs in the bar area have padded seats and high backs, looking more like something you'd find around a dining room table. The dining area has tables and couch-style booths with a fireplace that stays lit during the winter.
Crowd: Customers tend to be 30 and up, though younger drinkers come out late Friday and Saturday. Plenty of regulars gather in the upstairs bar Tuesday nights to play trivia, showing off their experience by responding to the host's barbs and questions on cue.
Service: Several servers and bartenders have been at McNally's since it opened and have a strong rapport with regulars. Newcomers will find cheerful greetings from servers happy to make recommendations and keep beer flowing.
Liquid consumption: Irish beer is the drink of choice, with Guinness, Harp, Smithwick's and Killian's on draft. If you favor a more local brew, the draft list also includes 312 and Domaine DuPage. In addition, the bar stocks a large selection of Irish whiskey, scotch and bourbon.
Food: Meals start with homemade wheat bread and soda bread with raisins, which make for a solid snack while you're waiting for a plate of one of their Irish favorites. Fish and chips is the most popular, featuring two large pieces of sweet, golden-battered cod served hot with a side of steak fries. Irish stew is a particularly hearty pick, a large bowl filled with chunks of lamb, potatoes, celery and carrots in thick gravy. If you're dining on a budget, the daily food specials are a great deal, including $2 burgers Tuesdays and half-price fish and chips on Wednesdays. The bar also serves traditional Irish and American breakfasts for soccer fans who flock in to watch European matches when they air in the mornings.
Sounds: Tables are cleared away in a small area by the front window for cover bands to take the stage Friday and Saturday night. The bar also offers acoustic tunes from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday and karaoke Wednesday nights. From 4 to 7 p.m. Sundays, Maurice Lennon, a world champion fiddle player and co-founder of Irish band Stockton's Wing, leads a traditional Irish music session, welcoming other musicians to bring their instruments and join in.
Parking: McNally's is next to a public lot but it often fills up, so if you see street parking nearby grab it.
Overall: Even if you can't trace your ancestry to the Emerald Isle, it's easy to appreciate the excellent food, friendly service and relaxed atmosphere that have kept customers coming back to McNally's for more than a decade.
<p class="factboxheadblack">McNally's Traditional Irish Pub</p> <p class="News">201 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 513-6300, <a href="http://mcnallysirishpub.com" target="new">mcnallysirishpub.com</a></p> <p class="News"><b>Hours:</b> 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday</p>