Seamus McCaffrey's Irish Pub & Restaurant
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Music: Live, Juke Box
- Coat Check: No
12 Reviews for Seamus McCaffrey's Irish Pub & Restaurant
Seamus is a dive hole in the wall. I have been drinking there for almost a decade. Everything is overpoured, and you can fall off a barstool here and nobody will care. I've seen fights break out, been in fights, lost wallets on the walk home, etc. That said... it's my kind of place, just crappy enough to be awesome. I don't recommend the food, but if you want to go out with friends and really tie one off this is the place!
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I don't drink... but Seamus' is an alright place in my book. We dropped in after a DBack's game the other night, and I was seriously about to chew off my own arm I was so hungry (and nothing else was open within walking distance... at 10pm... after a baseball game...in the 5th largest city in the nation. Seriously people.).
Seamus' came through for me though - even though the kitchen was about to close and they were only serving apps... I was able to find something veg to eat - Potato Skins, sans bacon.
The service was acceptable overall, but the waitress went out of her way to make sure that I was happy. When the skins came out with bacon, she had the kitchen remake them right away.
I had to knock off one of the stars because Seamus' is a little bit dirty. Old bar dirty, not anything to be completely grossed out over... but still.
Go here. If you drink, have a pint. Try some food (if you get there early enough).
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With the two restaurants closest to the Dodge Theatre not serving alcohol (you know who you are....bastards!), finding Seamus McCaffrey's before the Margaret Cho show was like finding an EZ Bake Oven under the tree Christmas morning. Complete joy! I really don't know downtown so when we turned the corner and saw a bunch of smokers shwilling pints on the sidewalk, we ran like school girls chasing Zac Efron. Quickly and with our tongues out. We were thirsty and ready to catch a buzz before the show. Inside it was sort of narrow with a long bar on one side and scads of tables throughout. We spied an open table on the "patio" and were told we could nab that and our server would be right out. And she was. Delightful and speedy. We ordered two Stellas and a couple shots. Didn't see any food, but perused a pretty big menu. Usual fare with approachable prices. Thank you, though, Seamus, cuz the group on the "patio" was much more entertaining than Ms. Cho!
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I've just got to say .... Service (or lack thereof) can have such a huge effect on an experience and the way you forever remember that place.
Last night I was at the opening night of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. After spending about 30 minutes at the cast party, my friends and co-workers decided to wander elsewhere for another drink (or two). A few suggestions were tossed out, ranging from sports bars to hotel bars, but I recommended Seamus McCaffrey's and held to my suggestion strongly. So off we went.
The times I have been there before were fine. Great. Lovely. No complaints.
Then last night we had the most grouchy waitress I have ever met in my life, both in person and created by a writer on TV or in a movie. Seriously. She was so completely unaccomodating and rude, that I don't think I will ever think of Seamus McCaffrey's the same way.
Isn't it odd how one experience can affect them all?
It really is a fun place to go for a drink, so please do try it out. And, there was great live music last night that I enjoyed immensely.
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Great little (maybe I should say really little) Irish Pub with great food.
If you are a Jameson Irish Whiskey fan like me, this is the place.
They serve 18 year old Jameson and it is amazing.
The fish and chips are really good, too.
They have a good beer selection, one you would expect from an Irish pub.
There are live bands that play traditional Irish music, a cozy dining room and patio tables and chairs right outside if you prefer to smoke and drink.
The service has always been good and the staff is pretty friendly.
Parking is a little tough sometimes since it is right downtown.
Seamus' is always a great time, friendly crowds and great drinks.
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My real complaint with this place is the set up. Its organized far too much like a restaurant and not enough like a pub, which sucks when all you want to do is cozy up to the bar and all the stools are taken. The beer selection is fine, pretty typical, though i haven't dabbled in their scotches. Just not the type of place I'd want to drink fine scotch, anyway.
Their smoking patio is cool if you get a sizable group together and you can complain about how dead downtown is and be irritated by the construction of Monroe 44.
I think once their highrise neighbor is established this bar will get much more lively and won't have that dreaded "am I the only person drinking in downtown" feeling that i always get there.
As mentioned on this page, its a good spot to grab and drink and go but not really a place to blow it out all night.
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I have read a couple other reviews on this pub and I have to chuckle a little at some of the comments, one person even said it is not Irish enough. Pardon me if I seem a little defensive but I have been going to this pub for years. The person who created this pub could not be anymore Irish and even though Seamus is no longer the owner (he sold it to Frank his long time lead bartender several years ago) I can tell you it is still the same place.
I have to admit it is not uncommon for there to be a lot of patrons that are not necessarily there for the pub aspect as they are just looking for a drink before or after an event downtown. That said the atmosphere has a lot of character being attached to a historic hotel, it has that vibe only an old building can have. There are even some fun urban myths that go along with it. Some people say the hotel is haunted and the pub is not immune from those rumors, just ask some of the women who have used the restroom upstairs. For some reason I don't know of anything being said about the men's room that's right across the hall. I have not heard anything too crazy I just think some women get themselves psyched out about the rumors before they even go up stairs.
Ultimately this is one of my favorite pubs and it's also one of the best places to be on St. Patrick's Day when they close the street off in front of the pub. It is a surreal scene to see people partying at 8AM in the middle of the street in the heart of downtown Phoenix. I hope to see you all there. Slainte
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I can't think of an easier bar to go to. It always has a bizarre-if-nothing-else kind of crowd and the extensive scotch list is great for an adventure. It's also a great place to bike to if you live in the hood. The bartenders remember names in a cheers-esque manner and are quick with your next drink. Also, they leave you the hell alone if you're knee deep in conversation.
Minus a star because of both bathrooms smelling of a variety of bodily functions generally displeasing to the olfactory functions.
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The place seem to ONLY serve as a quick stop for people attending a downtown event to get a drink or two prior to the event (The Dodge Theater, Suns or Diamondbacks). Crowds come early and leave soon there after ... some may return after the event but I wouldn't count on it. The peeps are either sports fans and/or music fans that enjoy seeing a show sitting down in a cushy seat (i.e. The Dodge Theater). The fish dinner is good and Brittany the waitress even better (I'm a "big fan") ... but all-in-all ... not my cup of tea.
Seamus McCaffrey's is kind of generic when it comes to Irish pubs. Not really homey, but not a generic bar either. It's somewhere in between. Probably has something to do with the generic-ness of its downtown location.
I enjoy myself whenever I'm there but that's more due to present inebriated company than to the establishment itself. Haven't had any of the food there so I can't vouch for their pub grub, but the bartenders are pretty friendly and real patient with some of the more stupored clientele (which includes a few regulars but also a lot of tourists & business travelers staying at nearby hotels). But as far as being an ultimate Irish pub, I'm afriad Seamus isn't it.
Nice burgers, Irish beer, and the World Cup soccer is on TV - all v. good.
We skip expliring the rock formations of Sedona, to get further along. The limit is 75, yay. I-5 in California needs this to prevent falling asleep at the wheel.
There are plenty of Adopt a Highway signs, with a cactus giving us the finger up. Finally on the approach to Phoenix, we get to see the famous Arizona jungle-gym cactuses. 17st 16 east blah, the road signs are as confusing here as ever, but luckily you can see the skyscrapers, so you can roughly pick an exit.
Phoenix is another surprise after driving through the desert, a handsome, clean city.
I can never quite decide how I feel about Seamus'. On the one hand, the bar is well stocked with Irish beers on tap and all the associated "Look we're Irish!" crap, just like Rosie McCaffrey's. From first impressions, I thought it was an iffy place trying a little too hard, but I must confess that I've spent some great nights holed up with a load of friends drinking in one of the corner booths.
Prices are pretty standard, around $5 for an import pint. The food is good and they tend to keep the kitchen open fairly late (10:30 or so).
Still, the overall impression is of a place that's uncomfortably straddling the line between bar and restaurant. Not quite homey enough to feel like a real Irish pub and without the eccentricities of the Bikini Lounge or even Bar Bianco. Not really close to Casey Moore's or Rula Bula in terms of Irishness.
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