- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 2 am
Sat-Sun 11 am - 2 am
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
73 reviews for Auld Dubliner Irish Pub and Restaurant
73 reviews in English
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Review from Matt S.
St. Augustine, FL
2/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wife and I stopped into Squaw Village to walk around and take in the sights. After taking the mandatory pictures and doing some shopping at the local stores, we decided to swing in here and grab a pint and a small bite to eat. I'm a big fan of Irish Pubs, so we decided to eat here.
Went in at around noon on a Wednesday, and it was just us. I guess everyone else was on the slopes. Bartender was awesome- very friendly and talkative, and definitely took great care of us. Nice beers on tap- I love finding Harp and Smithwick's along with the usual Guinness and Bass. They also offered up a five dollar mystery shot.... don't know what it was- it was wrapped in a paper bag, but I wasn't going to try that.
Food was good- your usual selection of Irish Pub Fare- we ended up getting some type of meat pastry. Pretty tasty, filling, and great to have with a beer on a cold winter day. Could've eaten a lot more, but we had a lot of sightseeing to do around the lake.
Great place to stop in and relax, I can see this place getting super packed on a Friday or Saturday night, with all the younger crowd needing a place to drink and mingle. Great spot in Squaw Valley, comfortable, great bartenders, and I bet would be a lot of fun with more people in the area. Had a great meal and great beer here, nice place! -
Review from Brandon B.
Davis, CA
2/12/2012
Not really sure what the 4 and 5 star reviews are about. Perhaps the scarcity of Irish pubs near ski lifts equals a 2 star bonus?
The smell of newly-bleached public restroom greeted us upon entry; always a good sign. Ate lunch here with the throb of crappy trance remixes of Santogold competing with a sad trad duo trying to Irish up the joint. Tables are 3:4 scale and the service a little too cool for school. Even tasty curry fries couldn't break the spell of this cut-rate, not-to-scale miss of a phony pub. -
Review from Analisa S.
Berkeley, CA
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here for a snack and a beer in the middle of the day on a non-snowy, not-cold Saturday. The bar was actually crowded compared with how the rest of Squaw looked. And when I say "the bar was crowded" I mean, there were only three seats left open at the bar. But if you actually wanted to sit down at a table, you pretty had the entire choice of a restaurant.
They have a brilliant selection of beer and awesome Guinness paraphelia everywhere. The place is decorated beautifully, like a traditional Irish pub. I grabbed my Guinness (sometimes you just have the hankering for your favorite drink) and ordered the curry fries, ahi tacos and baked potato. The food came out fairly quick (I guess that happens when not many people are ordering food). I really liked the baked potatoes, the ahi tacos were really good, but were missing something, maybe more salsa. The curry "chips" were not what I was expecting. I never did figure out the seasoning, but it was a combination of a salty and sweet flavor and the curry was a golden Japanese curry. I enjoyed a few pieces, but it was one of those flavors that just got old after a minute.
When I'm back in Squaw and there's enough snow to ski, I'll be sure to work my butt off all day and then visit the Auld Dubliner for a nice cold beer. -
Review from Kara S.
12/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
WAYTOOPACKEDTHEREISNOROOMTOMOVEORBREATHE.
Other than that, had the irish coffee and it warmed me up. Great location and I like concept of hosting a craft fair inside the restaurant. Just wish there was more room to sit/stand/breathe.
I'll be back though. Bartenders were nice and i loved the smell of the curry french fries that floated through the place. -
Review from Cindy T.
3/8/2012
We came here after a day on the mountain to recuperate, down some beers and grab some small snacks. Our party of 8 snatched a nice and cozy red room in the corner which gave us some privacy. I had a Belgium IPA and it was perfect. We all shared a bunch of apps that were all good. I still remember the bacon tater tots, so don't forget to try those!
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Review from Stewart B.
East Bay, CA
1/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
We stopped in last week while taking a break at Squaw.
Pub is first come first serve and since I was hobbling a broken ankle we decided to sit at the bar. Our bartender Rachel was super friendly, very attractive and highly efficient.
I ordered an Irish black and tan with a corn beef sandwich and curry fries. 5 star right there!!!
My wife got the Irish roast beef dip and it was also very good.
All in all a very positive experience. It was a little on the expensive side, $7.00 Jameson shots, but heck we were in the middle of Squaw Village.... -
Review from Kelly P.
10/31/2011
I had been here a few times before for drinks but stopped here for lunch after a burly hike up the river in Squaw. We were expecting sub-par pub fare but were pretty surprised with the quality. The curry chips were fantastic - great dusted curry flavor on the fries and the curry itself was mild and addictive.
The fiesta chicken sandwich was fresh and tasty on grilled sourdough. I split that and a wedge salad with my hub which was more than enough food. The wedge had gobs of fresh blue cheese, bacon and tomatoes (basically a BLT sans bread). My dad had these cute little corned beef sliders and my mom went the healthy route with a salad a few gulps of my Boddington's beer. Maybe it was because we were starving but I'd return for more than just a beer and curry fries. -
Review from Paul S.
San Anselmo, CA
2/24/2012
Slowest service ever. Don't go here for lunch unless you're done skiing for the day.
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Review from Christian P.
San Jose, CA
10/5/2011
My wife and I enjoyed a simple dinner here the other night. Overall, everything was pretty good. The staff are friendly, the food was tasty, and it's got a nice atmosphere.
There weren't many folks working, so general service was a little slow, but very acceptable. Also, prices are just a little higher than I might expect for a pub, but again, nothing outrageous.
I'd definitely recommend if you're in the area. -
Review from Jacq Y.
Sacramento, CA
2/6/2012
Great Fish Tacos n cool Irish Pub atmosphere...a must in b/w skiing...
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Review from Zouglas C.
San Francisco, CA
1/30/2012 1 photo
The bar is set low at ski resorts for lunchtime fare. The Auld Dubliner proves that it need not be. Pub food done very well (bangers and champ, wings, Guinness stew). Pleasant service, reasonable prices (for a resort). We would be regulars is this was in our neighborhood.
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Review from Delya S.
4/18/2011
It's a bit a bit of a surprise to read that some people consider this establishment to be so poor. They must have come on an evening when every single aspect of the place was different, including the staff. On the night I went in, the food and service were beyond reproach. We met friends there, but I was prepared for the experience to not be as good as it was. The Auld Dubliner is located in a sort of Winter Sport shopping center, not unlike a mall. Walking up to an outdoor shopping plaza does not inspire my dining confidence, since I strongly favor mom and pop type (well-established) places.
The interior is cozy and dim, we settled into a comfortable booth / table combination near the bar. It being presumably Irish, fish and chips seemed the logical choice. All four of us opted for that selection. The two women in our party split an order of fish and chips. The portions are generous enough that it was no problem, and they split it for us. I enjoyed a house salad that was delicious, but my friend clearly picked the yummier salad when she ordered some sort of wedge salad. We all enjoyed beer with dinner. Ah... There's nothing like fish and chips doused in a good malt vinegar and enjoyed with beer.
We finished off with a Jameson for my date and Nutty Irishmen for the rest of us. (It's so nice to be staying within an easy walk from the restaurant!) The Jameson pour was extremely generous and (if my memory serves me rightly) the three of us enjoyed another round of Nutty Irishmen. Suffice it to say: Their bar is up to snuff! I really recommend this place. -
Review from Reena R.
Corte Madera, CA
5/16/2011
I liked the atmosphere... it's a Pub & Restaurant - so it's what you'd expect. The waiter was awesome, great service, super friendly, never pushy, always helpful. The food was fine - nothing out of this world, but I wouldn't turn my nose up at it at all! Fish & Chips dinner was huge - pretty thick batter, for my taste - but you can peel it off. Fish was good!
Those Irish Won Tons are pretty epic. Think of Irish Sausage Rolls... but in a won ton rather than puff pastry. With a sweet & sour chili sauce. Yum!
They make a mean Irish Coffee... I enjoyed my splash of fresh coffee with my Bushmills. ;-) Really, though - it was good! Very strong pour... but that's not really a bad thing! -
Review from Matt M.
Sacramento, CA
4/24/2011 2 Check-ins Here
We visited on a snowy spring Saturday and the pub was packed. This wasn't our first visit, but it was our fist in-season visit. We found a table against the window and had a seat. It took a few minutes, but our server, Erica, came by, cleaned the table and took our order. She was awesome: extremely friendly, positive, easy-going, etc. Everything you want in a server, and considering how slammed the place was that only means she shined more.
Both my wife and I had a Guinness, which was excellent. I had the Shepherds Pie, she had the Caesar wrap. The pie was OK, mostly mashed potato and not much to be said for the filling. The vegetables served as a side were fantastic, however. The wrap was MASSIVE and looked extremely fresh. My wife said it was very good. Next time I think I'll get that, or maybe one of the burgers, which yelpers seem to like.
Pricing was about what I expected given it was in the village. The pie was $15, I think the wrap was $11. The Guinness was $7 for a 20oz pint, only $1 more than I'm used to paying in Sacramento. If you're hip and ironic, PBR is $3. Oh, and since I know a lot of people love it, yes they have Magner's :).
I do have one complaint: This place, for some reason, does not have a changing table in either restroom.
I know it's a "Pub", but it's in the Squaw Village, and with the HUGE group adjacent to our table, I believe babies and kids outnumbered adults on this day. Why would you not have a changing table? The counters in the bathrooms are pretty wide, so there is space, but it's a bathroom counter and we were just lucky that it was dry and clean-ish.
The changing table thing aside, the food was good, the service was great and I will be back. -
Review from Dan H.
Phoenix, AZ
2/28/2011 2 photos
You think Irish bars have bad food? Wrong!
The food in this place is great. Had a mushroom cream soup, a salad, and the Irish sausage Pasty.
All good but the pasty was so good, I got one to have the next day for breakfast and then another one for lunch the next day!
Mirror pond on tap was also a big plus. -
Review from Sasha R.
12/30/2010
the food is dismal. I think mom may have actually spit out her beef stew. and I don't usually comment upon the actual seating, but I believe that it is my duty to report that these are possibly the most uncomfortable, hard chairs I have ever had the misfortune to place my tender heiny upon.
it IS a decent place to sit at the fire, partake in one of their excellent draft beers, and watch some football. -
Review from Anna R.
8/17/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's winter. It was a long day trying to learn how to snowboard, falling on my butt, somehow getting snow to dig through 4 layers of clothing to my skin and I am wiped out!
Who wants to wear UGGs and a Russian fur hat and head to a bar?
I DO!
Who wants beer and jager shots to drown the cold?
I DO!
Who wants hearty beef stew and shepherds pie to warm my soul?
I DO!
Who delivers?
AULD DUBLINER DOES!
The draft beer selection here is solid and the bartenders are fun and attentive. The food was great, especially after a long day on the slopes! A hearty Guiness beef stew and a piping hot shepherd's pie was all we needed to get some life back into our bodies at 6pm. This is the type of food you want to consume when you were beaten to the ground by nature all day long.
I can't wait for the snow to come back, bundle up and spend some solid apres-ski hours here!Listed in: Liquor me up, buttercup!
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Review from Kyle R.
White Lake, MI
5/5/2011
First impression not so good... Most of the tables were dirty and there were a bunch of dirty glasses around the door, but there was a huge snow storm so we decided to stay. Food was pretty good, the chicken boxty was what we had and the portions were huge. I suggest sharing! Crappy service... Waited at least 5 min for any drinks, sticky table, etc. But over all was alright.
Good food, bad service, dirty place. -
Review from Justine H.
Claremont, CA
12/17/2010
Came here expecting, as previous reviewers had said, Happy Hour from 3-5 and half off of food. However, I guess that doesn't apply during the ski season, which is strange. Instead, like everything else in Squaw, food is overpriced - $12-$15 per entree.
Ordered sausage rolls for appetizer - holy crap! These were amazing! They sent me straight back to my childhood in Sydney... going to the school canteen (that's Australian for cafeteria) for lunch: inhaling the beautiful scent of Vegemite sandwiches, ordering a microwavable sausage roll or meat pie for lunch... mmm, aren't those childhood memories wonderful?
However, the rest of meal wasn't so spectacular. I ordered the Shepard's Pie, and the bf ordered Guinness Beef Stew. Shepard's pie wasn't great, I've definitely had much more delicious pies at other Irish/British pubs. It was just gigantic and had too many peas and carrots in it, and wasn't too flavorful. The beef stew was also lackluster. The meat was tender and fell off the bone, but again, the flavor was lacking. Sadly, I think I enjoy Dinty Moore's canned beef stew more than I enjoyed that one.
Servers were friendly and attentive, though. Also, you can save money using http://restaurant.com to make Squaw slightly more affordable. -
Review from Seaward Z.
Oakland, CA
2/22/2009
Back in the days when Squaw was nothing more than an awesome ski mountain, one of my buddies was a ski patrolman there. Sometimes on the weekends, we'd drive up together at 4 AM, and I'd get a free lift ticket for being his "spouse." (See how much I love you people? I even tee up the jokes for you.) We'd be on the mountain by 7:30 and drive home exhausted that same evening, or we'd crash at some flea-ridden motel.
Squaw was never a place to be pampered. If you wanted to dine on the mountain, you had your choice of shitty pizza, shitty mexican, or German Tourist Meat and Potatoes at a place whose name I am thankfully forgetting.
These days, Squaw is still an awesome ski mountain, but in the last decade it has become Tool Central, complete with the new Village at Squaw, tiny $1 Million ++ condos, ski clothes "boutiques" and overcrowded restaurants where you can dine on overpriced mediocre food. Most of the places don't take reservations so there is generally always a 1-2 hour wait amongst lots of fur, double strollers and people who apparently got lost on their way to Aspen.
The Auld Dubliner seems to be an exception to all of this. They've worked hard to create the look of a 200 year old Irish pub. Since it was built just a couple of years ago, they haven't quite pulled it off, but it's close. You can usually get seated quickly in the dining area and the servers are uniformly friendly and helpful. I love the low seating with mismatched chairs and benches, just like in an Irish pub. The food is quite good too. I like the curry fries, the chicken caesar wrap and the humongous Shepard's Pie. The burger and fries don't miss either.
And after a long day on the mountain, the long comfortable bar is a great place to hang out, drink some of the delicious beer on tap and talk about your day. If a Texan with a fur coat happens to walk in pushing a double stroller, it's also a nice vantage point from which to be a judgmental ass.Listed in: Squaw Valley Resource Guide
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Review from Sammy S.
Alameda, CA
2/5/2007
A glass of white wine, an Irish car bomb, and two beers+
Jameson girls giving out free hats shaped like condoms+
6 San Francisco ladies celebrating a 1st grade teacher's birthday in Tahoe (earlier in the day when she fell on her tailbone at Homewood she exclaimed "shoot, now I can't ever have butt-sex!" Don't you wish she was your 1st grade teacher?)+
The company of boyfriend and his rowdy Truckee entourage (his friend who has been married to his wife for over 2 years kept introducing her to me even though I was at their wedding & boyfriend lives with them)+
Randal "Pink Floyd," (I'm the only one who calls him this) the best bartender in town who didn't let me open my wallet the whole night+
temporarily numbing my aching muscles and bruised ass (note: this is a different ass then the one noted earlier in the review)
=
A night to remember and a wicked case of laryngitis (think Selma and Patty from the Simpsons) -
Review from Shane B.
Redwood City, CA
12/28/2010
this place is the bomb. Pretty authentic, really good irish food in a pub atmosphere that does an amazing job of recreating the pub feel from back in Dublin, while wearing ski boots!
We ordered a couple of different items and shared. The Shepherds Pie was super good. As was the Corned Beef Sliders. The sausage rolls were really good too.
Highly recommended if you are spending the day at Squaw -
Review from Ben P.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2009
I've seen my share of fake Irish taverns, and this is certainly one of them. What saves the Auld Dubliner is this: the food is REALLY good. The service.....comes and goes. And not always in a good way. The prices are highish, but not unreasonable for a ski village.
I don't anticipate spending a lot of time at Squaw in the future, but each and every time I do, I plan on eating here. What more can I say? -
Review from Leslie B.
7/8/2011
Found this place at http://restaurant.com. If it wasn't for that I prolly wouldn't go back. I got the fish and chips (2 stars)...the fish was not good at all. The fish did not taste fresh and they give you 2 small pieces. The only saving grace was the french fries that had some kind of seasoning on it. My bf got a burger and he said it was pretty good...he would rate it a 3.5 star meal. The two boys both got the pulled pork sandwich and they would rate it 3 stars. Overall, it was just okay....I've definitely had better so I will not be returning back here.
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Review from Gil S.
9/4/2006 3 photos
An "authentic" Irish bar full of ropes, lanterns, old signs, books on the shelf, old photographs, and unidentifiable antiques. So heavy-themed that if they added one more map of Kildare it's gonna fall through the earth's crust and lodge somewhere in the mantle, an event that will probably be missed by the happily drunk bar patrons. Very dark, full of wood, the bright sun outside comes through mainly as indirect reflections bounced a couple times off dark laquer.
Bar is always full, the dining rooms are empty or full depending on the season and the hour. An extensive menu ranging from traditional Irish pub food to steaks and more modern Irish things (e.g. curry chips), at prices you would expect. Only six or eight beers and a cider on tap but they're the right ones.
I put authentic in quotes because I've never been to Ireland much less a pub there. So I don't know whether I've stepped into the Brazen Head or Disneyland. . . probably the latter because I hear that real irish pubs don't serve food. But it sure feels like you're in Ireland, if only Ireland were a land of vast snow covered moutnains inhabited by a multiracial crowd in parkas and ski boots.
Good times, good times. Whatever it is, I'll definitely be back when ski season comes. -
Review from Alena M.
2/2/2009
My family stopped here on our way back to the Bay Area from our friend's cabin in Tahoe City. Man, I love Tahoe. Anyway, I had purchased a $25 http://restaurant.com gift certificate so we waded through the skiers and snowboarders to this cool little place.
We started off with Curry Chips (french fries with curry sauce) and Potato Jackets (potato skins). Both were yummy and for some reason my toddler went crazy for the curry sauce. Who knew?
For my entree I got the Half Cornbeef Sandwich with a Side Salad. That sandwich was pretty delicious. I also tried my hubby's Rasher & Cheese Boxty which was yummy. Kinda like an Irish quesadilla.
The prices were pretty high for lunch, but this is Squaw.
Hopefully next time I won't be pregnant so I can have a Guiness and really enjoy this place. -
Review from Loraine T.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2011
I had to do it, I am awarding them 5 enthusiastic stars for those curry seasoned fries, addictive!
Quick mention, we had terrific service. Though it was Friday after lunchtime, and this weekend is slow for Squaw because the season's winding down, I want to note that our Irish waiter was really friendly and helpful.
Now back to The Fries! It's not everyday I could have my fries with curry seasoning, and if you like the use of curry in Irish food then you'd surely love this. They came with my friend's Reuben sandwich. The corned beef was delicious and neatly piled on high. I ordered the blackened (seared and flavored) Ahi Tuna Tacos and their $7 special, a large shot (made mine a Crown Royal) + a PBR. I supposed I could have docked off from the high rating and taken off for the freshness of my blackened Ahi (not sushi grade, just very good) and of the potatoes itself (I believe they use frozen fries, which some staunch Irish food lovers might dislike) But that would be nitpicky, as I totally got what I paid for, which is fair for a gastropub, and really fair given I was at Squaw.
Next time, I'll definitely give the sausage rolls or another potato item a try. -
Review from Huey K.
2/28/2009
Our company threw a karaoke night here during our ski trip. The awesomeness of the open bar led to my taking off my shirt while singing "Hit Me Baby One More Time."
During regular hours, they also serve food. Before departing Tahoe, I came with some co-workers to chill for a bit. I tried hot toddy for the first time in my life, and thought it was disgusting. Then I was told to stir it up, and that made it slightly less deplorable.
The spicy potato balls were tasty (I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere). The buffalo wings were alright, but I think the Fireside pizza place has better. The sausage rolls were a little sweet, and the potato skins were decent, too. Overall, it's just decent/solid bar food.
The service was reliable and friendly! -
Review from Tim H.
3/23/2010
I've sample quite a few Irish pubs in my time - so I feel somewhat qualified to comment on this place.
Loud - we managed to get seated as far from the band as we could, but it was still loud - and when the band were taking a break, still loud - lots of shouting to hear each other - and there were only 5 of us.
Dark - I've experienced candle lit places that were brighter.
The above two things could easily be explained away by me being an old git - the food however could not.
We all had different selections - I went with the Shepperd's Pie - it looked great on the plate, but the mash on top had a layer of undercooked sliced potatoes buried with in it, and the pie filling (a mixture of beef and lamb according to the menu) had lots of veggies in it and was fairly bland - I don't think you can claim the altitude as an excuse. Thankfully they had HP sauce on hand to liven it up a bit.
The veggies on the side were massive pieces of grilled vegetables that were rather dry too.
Beer selection was decent, service was OK, and the prices were high - but as we're in Squaw Valley, you can expect the latter.
Good food could have easily overcome the other issues I had with this place, but it didn't. -
Review from Patrick K.
Reno, NV
8/14/2010
This place is a mixed bag. As a result, its a solid 3 stars but I can't give it more. Curry chips (french fries with curry dipping sauce) were awesome. Fries were perfect and the dipping sauce was awesome. My shepherd's pie was ok. I had it in a boxty which was good, but the dish, as a whole was pretty bland. The rest of my party likes their meals so maybe it was just mine.
They do have a nice beer selection and waitresses in super short skirts, which is always a plus. Plus its in a great Squaw Valley locale. I'd probably pick this as a place for drinks and apps and maybe not meals next time. -
Review from Sarah S.
5/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pricey snack food, and no happy hour on weekends :( they have a cool special with a good shot and pbr for 7$!
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Review from Valerie H.
San Diego, CA
6/30/2009
Auld Dubliner feels like a pub that was stripped from Ireland and reconstructed in the village of Squaw Valley. Nice outdoor patio that seems to be dog-friendly.
As Irish food goes, Auld Dubliner has a large menu with an exhaustive list of beers (not just Guinness). I didn't have the traditional Irish fare of corned beef and cabbage or boxty (the potato pancake stuffed with meats). Instead, I went with the prime rib. It tasted like it had been sitting under the heat lamps for too long -- with a film beginning to form over the gravy. There was also too much fat for my liking. While I wasn't excited about the food, it was decent for ski resort food. I'd go back to try to the more authentic Irish offerings. -
Review from Terry G.
Elk Grove, CA
7/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Ok, yes... when travelling I do try to visit Irish Pubs. I had been to the Auld Dubliner in Squaw Valley before, but I wasn't Yelping back then, but my wife and I were at Squaw Valley for the July 4th weekend and so we stopped by for a Guinness. I am so used to finding Irish styled Pubs everywhere these days I didn't really think how odd it is to find one situated in what is basically a ski village. All the basics are here, rustic "auld world" furnishing, Irish and UK beers on draught, and pub food. No traditional Irish music, but there was a progressive funk band from Tahoe City playing that night.
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Review from Jan M.
Mangilao, GU
8/10/2010
Im not an irish pub, guy. Probably because i dont like guiness.
that being said, i do like this place because of the food. We decided to eat here because all their food is half priced between 3 and 5 p.m.
I oredered the sheperds pie, but was told that they were out. So i ordered the guiness beef stew and the wife ordered the fish and chips. The portion size of the beef stew was huge and the stew itsself was delicious! Tender beef, savory rue, cooked carrots, soft onions, mashed potatoes in the middle, and toasted rustic bread on top. The fish and chips were equally delicious! Crispy battered and the fries had a curry taste, unexpected but nice touch.
I would definitely eat here again. -
Review from Danyell K.
Tahoe City, CA
9/14/2009
Just when I was starting to think that restaurants in Tahoe lacked service and taste, the Auld Dubliner blew me away!
I probably never would have come to this place, but http://Restaurant.com had a pretty sweet deal on a $25 gift certificate and I had a hungry uncle in town, so we opted to make the drive up to Squaw Valley and try it out.
We were seated promptly, no problem. Our waitress (was her name Kelly?) was UBER friendly. Smiled constantly and made great recommendations. I wanted to try the Irish Cider, but I guess the keg was out of tap, so I settled on a Mirror Pond (so Irish, I know).
We ordered the jacket potatoes for an appetizer. I wish the menu had mentioned the bacon (as two of us don't really eat meat outside of fish), but we didn't care too much and just scraped it off. They were great! Melted cheese in a perfectly-baked potato fry with delicious ranch dressing.
For our meals, we got the fish sandwich, fish and chips, and the salmon boxty. Let me tell you: that salmon boxty BLEW. ME. AWAY. So rich, so beautifully presented - SO SO TASTY! The veggies were steamed and seasoned to perfection and everything was coated in the right amount of sauce (was it a curry?). I've never heard of boxty, even when I was in Ireland, but I trust that it's dead-on with whatever authenticism they are going for. My fish-n-chips were equally as good - crispy, not soggy - and the fries were great! The homemade tartar sauce has the right balance of lemon-juice and seasonings. It's probably the best tartar sauce I've ever had, actually. My uncle seemed to enjoy his sandwich, as well.
Our waits for anything were non-existent and the staff was very courteous. After paying the bill, the waitress made a point to tell my boyfriend and I about local's night on Monday nights (apparently the menu is half-off on all food!), so I know they'll be seeing us again, soon. The food is too good to stay away.
All-in-all, the bill (before tip and before our gift certificate) was $60. That's not bad for two beers, a soda, an appetizer, and three entrees.
Also, since it's good to note, they had a pretty impressive selection of Irish whiskey. We weren't feeling that alcoholic, so I can't vouch for it, but the menu boasts a variety. -
Review from Matthew R.
El Dorado Hills, CA
12/31/2009
Authentic?
No.
Damn good Irish pub fare?
Yes. -
Review from Donna W.
Redwood City, CA
12/11/2010
Irish food is good...isn't that an oxymoron? Not at the auld dubliner, we stopped in for apres ski drinks and appetizers and made it a meal.
We started with the Irish bread, and brown bread- both spot on delicious, we moved onto the corn beef sliders which were out of this world, a meal in themselves, 3 small burger sized corn beef sandwiches with colman's mustard and wilted cabbage, may not sound great but they were TDF! Then we tried the quesadillas stuffed with spinach and mushrooms and a side of tomato salad, and cabbage topping-again scrumptious. Finally the sausage rolls with the british equivalent of A1 sauce and washed it all down with a round of guinness. No need for dinner after that, and the service was great. -
Review from Zakk D.
San Jose, CA
1/22/2008
What a great palce this is! Michael Collins Irish Whiskey and a bunch of great beers to select! The bar area was really narrow, but the place had a great vibe and fast bartenders.
I didn't get to try the food here (we were bar hopping after a long day of snow boarding) but it looked and smelled great! -
Review from Jennifer K.
San Jose, CA
1/15/2008
After a day of hard skiiing or boarding (or drinking hot cocoa and watching others do the previous)... this is a great place to unwind.
The curry fries are delish, and my fish & chips were super yummy. (The fish is battered in beer... can't go wrong!) My boyfriend's corned beef & cabbage was also good, but not as yummy as my fatty meal.
The evening was completed with entertainment, singer looked like a Berkeley transplant (an old hippie crooning fabulous 70's tunes... with a smattering of 80's for variety)...
I HIGHLY recommend the specialty drinks... especially the "Nutty Irishman" ... a reinvented Irish Coffee and a perfect way to end any meal.
Service was mediocre, but they were really busy on a Sat night... -
Review from Shannon E.
Staten Island, NY
2/18/2008
The fish and chips are absolutely the best I've ever had, and I'm a fish and chip connoisseur. Big and fat pieces of cod, beer-battered, crispy crunchy and just the right amount of grease.
My boyfriend's corned beef sandwich looked great, too.
I wouldn't call the atmosphere kitschy, but I guess it's as kitschy as a place in Squaw Valley can get. Prices aren't low, but are reasonable for the location.
