Great Atmosphere (if You Can Live With the Smoke)
As you go down the steps into Flanagan's you descend into an authentic Irish-American pub, complete with artifacts, lots of TV screens tuned to sports stations, a stage alive with folk and rock performances, and smoke. Lots of smoke. Even in the non-smoking section.

Our server was one of the great touches of our visit. With a fresh-from-the-Emerald-Isle lilt, she welcomed and looked after us.

The selection of beers was impressive, and tasty. The Irish Lamb Stew was good, the Derry Burger tasted fine, but the fries were soggy and limp. I asked for another plate of them, well-done and crispy this time, but the second order was only marginally better.

The night we were there, there was a folk singer playing. He was good, and contributed a lot to the evening.

What finally did us in, though, was the pervasive, choking atmosphere of cigarette smoke. The small non-smoking corner was completely inadequate; the ventilation just served to blow the recycled smoke into this area. We were trying hard to ignore it, but then a new patron decided to light up beside us, and we couldn't take it anymore.

Perhaps the adage should be 'if you can't stand the smoke, stay out of the Irish bar', but we were really hoping it wouldn't be this way.    [05 May 2003 15:39:36]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 

     ­bcwine, ChefMoz