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Frank O'Dowd's
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
10 reviews for Frank O'Dowd's
10 reviews in English
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Review from David R.
1/31/2012
Don't get me wrong--the pub is handsome and a hell of a good time. But the Gaeliphiliac decor is way over the top, with signage, memorabilia, and various "Irish" bric-a-brac. Again, it is a pleasant effect and creates an enjoyable atmosphere--but it's not authentic. Just be aware that you're walking into a 110% Americanized Irish pub on steroids.
That being said--don't miss it. If you happen to be a guest at the hotel, you should pop in here at least once a day. During my recent 38-hour stay in the hotel, I visited thrice. The Friday and Saturday night bartender Joy was great, and I appreciated the solid beer selection and extensive whisk(e)y list. Many of the options were standard, though welcome, but there were a few surprises and newcomers for me to try. I tried a Welsh whisky for the first time--Penderyn. Perhaps not to my taste, but I'm glad to have had the opportunity.
They have Irish dancers and live music on the weekends, and the place fills up on Saturday night. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that this is the most popular bar in town, for tourists and townies alike. -
Review from Siobhan M.
Elgin, IL
7/16/2011
In a word: Irishish.
For a place that has so much Irish decor, you'd think that they would have more Irish food. In fact, just more food would be a good start. Their selection was minimal, with about a dozen dinner options total, and very little on there was even distantly Irish. Being an Irish lass myself, I had high hopes. They were dashed. I came in expecting Irish and got "Irishish".
I ended up getting a corned beef sandwich, which came with a side of either fries or mashed potatoes. I opted for the mashed potatoes, and ended up with fries (though the waitress even repeated "mashed potatoes" back to me; I can be certain that it was not her fault). Not one to complain, I accepted the fries and said nothing to our waitress, who I will get to in a minute. My boyfriend got the Shepherd's Pie. Since we were already over on our vacation budget, we just got water to drink, even though that bar did look awfully inviting...
The food was tasty, don't get me wrong. My corned beef was tender and flavorful, the marble bread soft and thick. The fries, as it turned out, were really, really good, too. The Shepherd's Pie was piping hot when it arrived with a very tasty looking pretzel roll on the side.
Our waitress, Steph, was SUPER sweet and friendly. She had the sweet, bubbly personality that is absolutely contagious without being annoying or fake. She wasn't obnoxious and in our faces the whole time, but popped by and made sure that we were doing well and didn't need anything else. She was wonderfully pleasant, so here's my breakdown:
Theme: 1 Star. I blame false-advertising, here.
Food: 4 Stars. Tasty, would get the same order again.
Waitress: 5 Stars. Some of the best service we have ever had! -
Review from Sean W.
Cedar Rapids, IA
8/30/2010
If you hit downtown Galena on the main drag for all the shops, be sure and drive across the bridge and about .5mile away on the right you'll pop-out and see the Irish Cottage Hotel and Frank O'Dowd's.
Very nicely decor'd and lot of which was brought in from Ireland.
Atmosphere is that of which you'd expect, rich warm colors, with authenticity.
If you are there to catch the live celtic dancers or grab a pint or get some food, there are many different areas to sit for each and your party.
It is kinda pricey, but portions are good.
Lot of nice specialty drinks from martinis to large array of mixed Guiness or Harp drinks. Which you can get a flight of 4 beers for $8 to try them out, which I recommend. -
Review from Francis K.
Chicago, IL
4/13/2008 1 photo
This is part of the Irish Cottage Hotel and the temptation is to give it a miss. The Pub is really proud of the Irish ancestry and the fact that it took them several months to come up with the concept of the pub and design it in Ireland. The provide in elaborate detail how this went about.
They forget one thing, if the place lacked the charm it would miss the point. We really did love the craftmanship that went into designing it. To be honest I enjoyed reading the details of how the pub was designed.
What I loved about the pub the most though, were the Irish bangers and chips. These are simply worth the trip.
What I loved was the way the seating arrangements force you to talk to the people next to you.
What I loved was the live dancing and music.
What I loved about the pub were the friendly bar staff.
All these things will go a longer way than an authentic looking pub and THAT it is. -
Review from Tom M.
Chicago, IL
9/6/2009
Driving by, or checking this place out online, I thought it seemed pretty tacky.
But when we went in for a post-birthday dinner drink, we were pleasantly surprised by the nice Irish pub them they have recreated here!
Great drinks, live music by and Irish singer-songwriter, and great service! -
Review from Brian L.
6/16/2008 3 photos
MK and I got away for a long weekend (6/6-6/8/08) and stayed at the Irish Cottage. Part of the draw for us was the nightly entertainment and the attached pub, Frank O'Dowd's which meant we could drink without driving before going to our room nightly.
We had lunch here on the first day of our arrival and both had burgers. They were pretty good.
You get complimentary breakfast in the pub every morning which includes a choice from a small hot menu and then continental options.
It really has the Irish Pub feel and as Francis mentioned, reading about the namesake of the pub as well as the steps taken to bring that bar, handmade in Ireland to Galena, Illinois was impressive.
We had one item on the menu which was new, the Pizza Sticks and they were pretty darn good. But the choices of beer really make the place fantastic.
This is a great part of the hotel and one that's enjoyed by seemingly all of the guests. -
Review from Christine K.
Glen Ellyn, IL
6/6/2010
We've eaten at Frank O'Dowd's a few times. While the place is cool (decoration and layout are nice) they never seem to have enough staff for the number of people visiting. We don't mind waiting for a table but when we've got to wait 1/2 hour for someone to even say hello and take our drink orders we start to get annoyed. The staff is very nice-there just aren't enough of them.
The entertainment on the weekends is usually great with Irish dancing and entertainers.
The food is hit or miss. I loved the corned beef and cabbage last time we were there but my husband really hated the Shepard's Pie (which I'd figure they would do well).
Overall, we usually find better places in Galena to have a drink and a nice dinner. The location is good for those staying in the hotel but we usually go somewhere else just so we don't have to take up 2 hours of our time waiting for service and food to arrive. -
Review from Patricia K.
Chicago, IL
5/18/2009
Frank O'Dowd's is the jewel of the Irish Cottage Hotel. What the hotel somewhat lacks, the pub makes up for in many ways.
First -- the decor. There was serious design genius in the layout and construction of the space. There was no Disney-themepark feeling to the pub. It was well crafted and the layout was brilliant.
Second -- the staff. Everyone working wears a Guinness or Jameson shirt. Usually black or green.
Entertainment -- Being a Friday night, they had the Irish dancers during the dinner hour. The show was no more than 15-20 minutes. I felt it was perfect timing. It wasn't overly long and drawn out. It grabbed your attention for their entire dance without consuming your entire dining experience.
Finally, the food -- I had the chicken skewers (called the Chicken Kilkenny on their menu) and it was simply amazing. Perfectly cooked chicken and very fresh produce. It was delicious. So delicious, that I ordered it the next day when Tim was napping through the dinner hour (doh!) The first night, he had the bangers and chips. He consumed them pretty quick so it is safe to assume they were a success as well.
I am unsure if this is a daily/weekly offering but a part of our hotel package and billed as in honor of the town's hosting of the triathlon, we were given complimentary breakfast both mornings in the pub. When I asked the hotel's front desk the evening before, it was billed as being "one hot item accompanied by something from the continental breakfast foods" so I wasn't sure what to expect. When we arrived, we were given a menu of three "hot" items to chose from. The options were different the two mornings we dined there. The first morning, I got the "Tipperary Toast" which was a cinnamony-fantastic dish using strawberries and unique bread selection. Tim ordered an omlette which he appeared to have enjoyed. The second morning, we both ordered the biscuits and gravy. Unfortunately, it was a little bland. However, the continental breakfast offerings made up for it. Fresh fruits, hot from the oven scones, and plenty of muffins, bagels, cereals and yogurts were on display. We took full advantage of a very rounded breakfast.
One last note -- the Guiness Martini is fantastic. Strong but fantastic.Listed in: Galena, IL, Gimmi a Martini, Sunday Morning
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Review from Tanya S.
River Forest, IL
1/19/2010
Ambiance- Decor is nice. Feels and looks like an Irish pub. Downside for during the week visits- it's too huge for the small amount of people visiting during the week. The food is ok, had pizza sticks- good, but too filling since they are actually deep fried like mozzarella sticks. HEAVY!
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Review from Tim H.
Ballwin, MO
10/27/2009
We recently ate and drank at the pub. It was a very pleasant way to pass the evening after a day of touring the area. The food is good solid pub fare. The drinks were excellent with great beers and I found a new love of Jameson Whiskey. The staff was great, the decor wonderful. The entertainment was perfect for a pub. Not quite Irish but enough Irish, and interacted well with everyone in the place. A great place to spend an evening with friends.
