In the 1990s, the Irish theme pub became a worldwide phenomenon — a clever mash-up of Irish tourism, Guinness promotion and the rise of design and restoration firms, such as the Dublin-based Irish Pub Company — and has been going strong ever since.
The first Fadó opened in Buckhead in 1996. Nowadays, Atlanta-based Fadó Pubs Inc. operates 14 Fadó Irish pubs and restaurants, from Rhode Island to Las Vegas to Seattle, and is one of the top Guinness draft beer accounts in the U.S.
But, suddenly, Fadó has a bit of friendly competition in its own backyard, in the form of Rí Rá Irish Pub in Midtown. It’s the newest addition to the theme pub empire of Dubliners David Kelly and Ciaran Sheehan, who built their first Rí Rá in Charlotte, N.C., in 1997, and have expanded to 11 locations in the eastern U.S.
Irish smiles
Judging from the crowds clustered on the sidewalk patio and around the main bar on a recent week night, Kelly and Sheehan have good reason to smile and raise a glass to the Atlanta skyline.
Located at the corner of 12th Street and Crescent Avenue (at back of a mixed use high-rise that fronts Peachtree Street), the pub’s innards are mostly salvaged and restored Victorian era materials shipped over from Ireland. Among the historic goodies, a parquet floor from the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast (where the Titanic was built), sparkling Dungarvan, Waterford leaded crystal chandeliers and an ornate bar adorned with intricate millwork and etched glass accents.
Despite the eye-popping design, the sprawling space manages to create a feeling of intimacy with several smaller seating nooks. A long center dining room resembles a German beer hall, while a secluded back bar serves private parties. Portraits of notable Georgia natives of Irish descent, such as Savannah-born writer Mary Flannery O’Connor, are a nice touch.
Party hearty grub
While it’s tempting to say that the food is almost beside the point, Rí Rá caters to the party hearty hordes with lunch and dinner menus that feature takes on all the familiar pub grub favorites, plus Irish and American-style dishes for late night and brunch munching.
House-brined brisket shows up in several guises, including corned beef and cabbage and brisket sliders. For a surprisingly tasty (if filling) appetizer, try the crispy corn cakes topped with pulled brisket and onion gravy. Fish and chips consist of a huge hunk of haddock dipped in a tempura-like beer batter and fried to a golden crunch, served with crispy baton-shaped fries and tangy tarter or spicy rémoulade sauce. Other offerings range from burgers, sandwiches and wings to stuffed trout and a bacon-wrapped filet. The customary Irish breakfast is served all day, and the late menu includes beer-battered bangers, sort of an Irish version of a corn dog, with Guinness mustard sauce.
Pints and plenty more
The Rí Rá drinks menu is an entity unto itself, with an extensive list of traditional and not so traditional cocktails, such as the Irish Manhattan made with Bushmills whiskey and the Lemon Head with Limoncello and Red Bull. The beer list goes well beyond the usual Irish pub suspects, with Sweetwater IPA and Terrapin Rye on draft, and beers from Allagash, Dogfish Head, Lagunitas, North Coast, Victory and even Stone Arrogant Bastard in the bottle.
Rí Rá Irish Pub
Signature dish: Fish and chips
Entree prices: $10.95-$25.95
Hours: Lunch: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays-Sundays. Dinner: 4-10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays; 4-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Bar menu after 10 p.m. nightly. Brunch 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sundays. Bar open late.
Reservations: For parties of eight or more.
Credit cards: Yes
Online: www.rira.com
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