McNamara's Irish Pub
“Can we please go back to McNamara’s?” begs my father-in-law every time he comes to town.
It’s not like it’s a hard sell. Where else in Nashville can you bring your in-laws and your baby, drink Guinness on tap, enjoy live music, and have everyone leave cheery and well-fed? No brainer.
I am hardly the only fan of McNamara’s Irish Pub and Restaurant. According to co-founder Sean McNamara, many of his patrons not only become regulars, but show their out-of-town guests around the pub like they own the place. For Sean and his wife, Paula, this is success: they’ve done what they set out to do, namely convey authentic Irish hospitality to all their guests.
First off, understand that McNamara’s is a pub, not a bar. “I cringe when people call it a bar, says Sean. ‘Pub’ is short for public house, a place for conversation and camaraderie.” In Ireland, pubs tend to be family businesses with friendly environments for families. Sean and Paula, themselves the parents of four children, opened McNamara’s in 2010 with the intention of making it a place where everyone can find something they like. The building itself emphasizes the point; arranged like a cozy home, it is replete with rooms, shelves full of Irish books, photos and knick-knacks on the walls, and a welcoming fireplace.
While trying to please everyone might seem like a lofty goal, McNamara’s manages it with Gaelic flourish. Sean says, “It’s not a hard business for me. I love what I do.” Sean’s team, which includes Paula, Kirk Orndorff, and Francis "Majic" Gyebi, have all been there from the pub’s beginnings. Together they make sure the environment is always comfortable, the food always delicious, the music always stellar, and everything always Irish.
As to the environment, the pub is, as Sean says, three restaurants in one. There is the music room, where guests can be front-and-center, the bright and cozy booths, where you can still hear the music but focus on your conversation, and the upstairs bar with the dart boards. Guests have their pick of atmospheres.
Meanwhile, the menu offers a solid line-up of classics like Shepherd’s Pie, Irish Stew, and while still maintaining diversity in flavors and ingredients. Everything is fresh, says Sean. “There is no microwave in that kitchen. The corned beef is slow-cooked for eight hours daily. Even the scotch eggs are made fresh every day.” And don’t miss the Irish Soda Bread. Naturally, all of this gets chased with Guinness, Smithwicks, and Jameson, among many other Irish recognizables. Tip: round out the meal with the cheesecake (trust me!), and maybe with an Irish coffee.
The music, provided by Sean himself with Nosey Flynn on the weekends and touring groups during the weeknights, always has Irish roots, but no show is ever the same. For Sean, it is the music that completes the Irish experience. Sean began playing traditional Irish music in 1995, and has performed over 6000 gigs in Nashville to date. He says it’s the audience that keeps him going. “People keep coming up to me saying, ‘My father sang these songs,’ or ‘my grandmother sang me these songs.’ We keep it going so the tradition stays alive.”
Whether you are entertaining guests, looking for a date spot in Donelson, or just have a hankering for fish n’ chips and Irish music, you’re welcome at McNamara’s.
