Irish.....?

[Waterboy]

Where's an excellent Irish pub in SF? Chow-wise, is there one?

[scoobyhed]

Edinburgh Castle, 950 Geary, serves the traditional newspaper-wrapped fish and chips. They're okay. It's really more of a bar/music venue than a proper place to eat though. And I suppose that it's technically Scottish, not Irish.

[Joan Kureczka]

The fish and chips are reasonably good, but the beer selection is definitely better (and larger) than any of the Irish bars. So that might make up for the relative lack of good food in-house (the F&C comes from across the alley from the shop with the same owners, Old Chelsea). Otherwise, eat at one of the definitely chow-worthy near-by venues like A La Turca or Thai House Express and adjourn to The Castle for drinks.

[MuppetGrrl]

I enjoy the Irish Bank, but it gets WAY overcrowded.

[NoeMan]

All great choices. O'Reilly's Holy Grail would be the best eats of the bunch.

[Waterboy]

re: O'Reilly's Holy Grail

http://www.oreillysholygrail.com/inde...

Web site's impressive and I like the look of the restaurant....menu looks delicious....what've you had? Anyone chow there?

[Joan Kureczka]

We've been there a number of times and the food is generally good to excellent. The peat-smoked pork shank is their signature dish and superb. They also make very good crab cakes -- pretty much all crab. We've further liked the beet salad, beef and guiness soup, and several other items (including a few no longer on the menu). Portions are substantial, so 4 small plates for 2 people have been enough for us.

The place is beautiful too, and the wine list excellent. Beer selection is typical Irish bar -- we think they all order from same stuff from same distributor.

[NoeMan]

We've tried everything and it's all really quite good. It tends to be heavier comfort food stuff and the portions are huge. Interesting use of Guinness and peat in various recipes makes for great flavors of home (only much better than most of the pre-Celtic tiger Irish food you'd have gotten at home).

[Sebby]

There is a Pub ont he corner of Guerrero and 22nd , I forget the name, Liberty??
They have good Irish eats, including b'fast. And strange enough, a nice cocktail list at the bar.

[Manimal]

I used to love the food at the Phoenix and eat there quite often. However, their chef left, and while they are trying to maintain the quality of his food, they aren't doing a good job of it. It's gone downhill for sure...O'Reilly's has pretty good food, but the service is abhorrent.

[Joan Kureczka]

Yes, the Liberties. I've also had good food there although it's been a couple of years now.

[slowcali]

Absolutely the Phoenix. There's also a legit spot in inner sunset on irving at 7th for good breakfast fare, including some kind of pudding and lots of meats. The thing I've never found is a spot that can do proper fish n chips with the newspaper wrapper or otherwise.

[Sebby]

Martin Macs on Haight has some decent Fish and Chips...not the best in the world by any means, but not too bad. They are served on a plate though :-) I like their homemade tartar sauce, it's thinner and has some dill in it.

[Joan Kureczka]

Several, in my opinion. We particularly like The Phoenix on Valencia, and while more restaurant-like than pub-like, O'Reilly's Holy Grail on Polk. Some of the food at the original O'Reilly's, which is a pub in North Beach, is also good pub food -- notably their version of the cottage pie.