Shillelagh
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Mon-Fri 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun 8:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
30 reviews
Neighborhood: Torrance
"Meat overload is a good thing. If you are a carnivore, you should set up camp here. Fantastic Brazilian BBQ! It just keeps coming. Endless…" read more »
48 Reviews for Shillelagh
i've eaten here twice and it was ok, nothing mind blowing. i'll give it one more try.....perhaps i'm ordering the wrong thing (skip the chilaquiles). i like the patio and the service is friendly.
Perhaps this is terribly unfair, but I'm writing this review without having tried the food at Shillelagh. Here is why: my boyfriend and I really wanted to try the food here, and we made it to the restaurant with high hopes after reading so many glowing Yelp reviews. However, upon being seated in the back patio we were kind of horrified. This place is a *mess*. The tables and chairs were covered in dirt, bird poop, and other forms of unsightly grime, and the decor (if you can even call it that) screams "neglect." Even the menus that were handed to us were spotted with nasty food particles and grease. When the server turned to go inside, we looked at each other, nodded, and made a bee-line out the patio exit. I wouldn't even consider myself a "germophobe" or "neat freak," but honestly, until this place cleans up its act, I won't be a customer.
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Open minded? willing to overlook a few quirks? this place has great food and is run by good people! Grilled artichoke and brie appetizer, steak, burger, pizza (pizza is awesome if you like thin style crust) were all excellent. No need to bring your own wine - their wine is very good.
You, my dear restaurant, are another one of the establishments that make me miss Long Beach. I miss your sweet cook/owner, your unassuming booths and your tasty tasty handmade veggie burgers. dammit. separation anxiety.
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This place was solid. Had a turkey burger because of recommendations here. And it was so moist, so good.
And for the record, it is pronounced Shi-ley-lee. It's a thing you hit people with.
http://en.wikipedia.or...)
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Went here based on what I read in The District and the reviews on here. Overall, I had a nice meal. My burger was damn good, cooked to my specs perfectly. The fries were a bit on the salty side, but crispy just like I like them.
We sat outdoors, which was bitter sweet. I like the atmosphere, but the table cover was still sticky with goo from the previous meal and the patio chairs are those cheapo plastic ones you get from Big Lots in a bulk discount. I'm not gigantic, but I'm a big guy and if I was any bigger, I would not be able to sit out there for fear of braking a chair or not being able to breath.
Also, the patio is not wheelchair accessible, but the main dining room is.
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I did my yelp homework before coming to Shillelagh. I read the reviews and learned that all the best stuff was off the menu. By the way, I still don't know how to pronounce Shillelagh. SHY-la? She-LAY? Good luck when trying to tell your friends about this place.
Anyhow my friend and I arrived early Sunday evening and it was a ghost town. I worried. Where was everyone if this place was so great? We were promptly greeted and offerd seating inside or outside on their back patio. There were blankets and a fire pit so we opted to sit outside. The seating is those plastic lawnchairs, so be warned if you're big in the butt you might not be comfortable.
Our server was so warm and friendly, she went over the details of the specials for the day. I was tempted to try the salmon burger, and the shrimp & chips looked tempting too. We choose the baked brie appetizer served with crackers, apple slices and dried cranberries. Then we split a cranberry & walnut salad.
They serve the basic american fare like sandwiches, salads, along with pizza. It's also connected to the neighboring bar that has pool tables. There's a comfortable vibe to the place, very relaxed.
My one gripe, the place could use some paint and some sprucing up. It has this shabby look to it that ain't so chic.
Otherwise they offer great service, good food and the prices are very affordable.
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within two blocks of us, this place literally is a casual neighborhood restaurant. we've only been a few times, but they always make us feel at home. when we were there last week, they hadn't updated the specials menu, so when i asked about their specials, i was given a long list of options and pretty much had the impression that they could whip up something special for me from the list of fresh ingredients.
the food is of the comfort food variety, but with a little something extra. the chicken fried steak i had may not have been the best chicken fried steak, but it tasted like real steak battered and fried, and it was slathered with a flavorful sage gravy. some food is alright, but there are certain dishes, that when they're good, they're great. not only can you get a regular burger that's pretty good, but you can get an excellent salmon burger with a tasty cream sauce.
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KICK ASS! I have been here quite a few time, probably close to 10. I have nothing but great thing to say about this place. The food is good especially there cranberry salad with tri tip and balsamic vinaigrette...yum yum. The surroundings are awesome if you sit outside in the back, and there service is pretty darn good considering there is only one server there at a time. Feel free to bring in your own booze as there is no corkage fee, but if you want beer they have fat tire in tap for 450...not to bad at all!
I recommend you give this place a try.
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I have to honestly say, the best turkey burgers I've ever had. Unfortunately the services was horrendous each time I went, despite the fact that the place was empty during lunch hours. The lady that tried to cash me out kept on saying "How do you work this thing? I don't know what to do" ... that's not exactly what I want to hear when she's holding my visa card in her hand. She ended up charging me twice and I had to jump through loops to get a refund for that second charge. I'm contemplating whether or not to give them another try, just heed my words, take cash and try the turkey burger with fries.
*Update 4-30-08*
Went there yesterday for lunch, turkey burgers are NOT the same, I repeat, turkey burgers are NOt the same :( I noticed the cook was different and there was a waitress there. None of the usual people were there. I'm afraid they might be under new ownership. Sad sauce, their turkey burgers were the best.
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I feel like such a giver these days. I keep giving everywhere I've been 5 stars, but I've been eating at so many great places! I guess it's a good thing, and I shouldn't complain. Anyway.
Eating at Shillelagh (God - what a pain in the ass that is to spell), is more like hanging out in your friend's backyard if your friend happens to be an amazing cook.
We didn't even open our menus. The owner brought back a specials board and we pretty much ordered one of everything on the list. To start we ordered Mac & Cheese and Gnocchi with browned butter & sage. The Mac & Cheese had this beautiful layer of crunchy cheese on top and was wonderfully creamy. The Gnocchi were amazing and tasted so good cold the next morning!
My entree was a pork chop, which he had put a little bit of brown sugar on, browned and served with an apple something sauce. The brown sugar caramelized onto the pork chop giving it this amazing sweet-burned flavor. I am SO trying that next time I make pork chops.
Dessert was some homemade scones they had left over. These weren't just scones tho. They were huge and pillowy and fluffy - well as huge and pillowy and fluffy as a scone can be anyway. They were nice and soft tho, which is how I like scones to be. They served them with Lemon Curd and Pumpkin Butter and the whole thing was just good, especially since I had a cup of tea with it.
Shillelagh serves comfort food at its finest and I think I'll be feeling the need for some of that comfort really soon.
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I had been anticipating this little jewel in the heart of the Long Beach. We entered through that bar which is connected and was lead to the outside patio which has a backyard feel to it which is nice for intimate dining. The decor was shabby sheik (plastic chairs and wobbly tables, hanging votive candles) from which I completely dug!
I started out with a Blue Moon beer and my boyfriend tried their hemp beer which was light and semi-chocolate like. Then we ordered, it wasn't a hard decision.
The secret of ordering at Shillelagh's esp. if your going for dinner is...
TO ORDER OFF THE SPECIALS MENU.....
I had the Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Raviolis with a creamy vodka sauce. The boy had the same but with a creamy red diablo spicy sauce from which he nearly licked his plate.
After we praised our server for such a great and wonderful meal we were treated to their Chocolate Mouse given to us on the house. Which was light as a feather and made with fresh whipped cream and sprinkled with coco powder.
I almost don't want to post this review in fear that this place will be impossible to dine at without reservations. I can't wait until my next encounter at Shillelagh's.
P.S. I'll also bring a bottle of wine since they don't have a corkage fee, which is completely awesome.
P.S.S. What I love most about this place is that it may not be what you think a "restaurant" should look like. But the FOOD speaks for itself. It's unpretentious and completely original in their approach.
Go see for yourself!
I read all the wonderful reviews on Schillelagh and decided to try this restaurant. My sweetie and I dined here and we were amazed by how good the food is. We ordered the pork lion with Schillelagh's special mash potatoes and Cajun talapia with a wonderful cilantro sauce. Damn! The food was good.
This little whole in the wall diner is very shabby chic. It's adjacent to a bar and smells like a bar. But don't let it's grunge look foul you. The food is good and reasonable. Schillelagh looks & feels a lot like the comfy diners you find in San Francisco or Seattle with it's eclectic paintings and music. The daily specials are the best thing to order. Try the brie as an appetizer. They melt the brie appetizer with sauteed mushrooms and garlic. Shillelagh serves it on a plate with green apple slices and crackers. It's a yummy appetizer before a meal.
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yes, I did give them 5 stars and you know what? I would put 7 if it were an option. The entrance to Shillelagh is one of many to that little green building. The atmosphere is just what I want in a restaurant. If I could reach in my dreams for a homey place to enjoy amazing potato soup this would be it. Please do yourself a favor and go.
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My new roomies and their peeps are crazy about this place, and now I know why! We were there on a rainy Tuesday evening and had delightful, personal service, truly yummy food, and big thick blankets to wrap up in out on the patio. I ate from their basic menu which was great, but their specials were excellent and varied as well. Simple and unassuming but fab. And I'm pretty sure booze is on their menu now but BYOB is kinda fun (and cost-effective!) too.
Don't let O'Connell's adjacent presence or the simplicity of the place/menu dissuade you!
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For this place, you could definitely use the timeless cliche "Don't judge a book by it's cover". And definitely judge it because of it's neighboring bar, O'Connell's. Walk to the back patio if the weather is nice. It's super cozy. The menu is standard American food but I'd suggest going for the specials. They had Ahi tuna tacos that night and those in our group who ordered it said it was amazing. I had the Tomato Basil Pizza - I wasn't too impressed it was a little soggy but the sauce, cheese, basil, tomatoes were all super fresh. Someone ordered a pasta dish and it looked and they said it tasted so good.
And that's what I'm impressed with - the freshness and the quality of the food. And at around $10-12 a person, it's worth it to come here and expect the unexpected.
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Yelp saves the day again! Shillelagh is one of those great hole in the wall restaurants whose main source of advertisement is via word of mouth. And now, thanks to yelp, Shillelagh is getting more deserved attention. When you drive/walk by Shillelagh, it is very unassuming and you'd hardly notice it besides the shamrock sign.
Come on in, seat yourself, and order everything that isn't on the menu. Be sure to order a side of fries or at least something under the "pub grub" section on the menu. The Jerk fries with pepperoncinis, cajun seasoning, and cheese make for a delicious appetizer. I ordered the nutloaf which was AWESOME. The nutloaf is made of nuts and mushrooms with a crumble top, dressed in a cranberry sauce. So good. With a side of bok choy and homemade mashed potatoes, you can't go wrong! David has the chicken fried steak, which was done perfectly.
What made our experience here great was Donnie. He and his wife own Shillelagh, and he runs the front while she runs the kitchen. He was very welcoming when we came in, gave us a rundown on the specials, and told us the story of Shillelagh. You can basically order whatever you want on certain days, and they will make it for you. Talk about customer service! I can't wait to try out Shillelagh's for breakfast! We will definitely be coming back. :)
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Shillelagh feels like home.
I had amazing potato leek soup. So good it made me knees weak.
The food IS good but the atmosphere is amazing. Kinda kitsch but in a really good way. The service is personal, also, in a really good way. The food is home-cooking at it's best. Yeah, okay, it's a little pricey, but well worth it.
Okay, I feel like a pariah writing this, but I didn't absolutely fall in love with this place. I read all the yelp reviews, so I really wanted to give it five stars. I thought I would die and go to heaven after I ate the food, met the owners, chilled on the patio, etc.
When I got there, I was kind of like, "This is it?" Yeah, the patio is charming. The food good. But, I don't know. Seems like there are other places in Long Beach with the same flare. Granted, I only tried the soup of the day and watched as my friends enjoyed the veggie burger, the baked brie, the fries, etc. They seemed satisfied, but not amazed. (For the record, my soup was full of beans. More of a meal than a tortila soup, really, and while it was tasty, it was not a mouthgasm).
Plus, it was chilly on that patio and the heater was out of juice.Our candle wasn't lit. And the mexican blankets were a bit dirty. When we asked to fix these things, they forgot about us a couple of times. Hurrumph. Am I just feeling grumpy or is it a case of high expectations? I dunno. I'll have to go back on a sunny day and give it another shot.
Update: 12/4/07
Went back for dinner and tried the gnocci. Pretty darn good. Friendly service. The patio still isn't warm enough for dinning, but I may have to try it during the day. Breakfast sounds good.
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Shillelagh!
I feel silly that we live 2 blocks from Shillelagh and even after reading reviews, only just tried it a few weeks ago. I have to say there was something very uninviting about the storefront. Is it because of the connection to O'Connell's? I don't know. I think they have a great little neighborhood restaurant and I am sure others have not felt "invited" due to their curbside look. So many times we'd drive by and slow down to peek in and see nobody there. Had I known there was actually very tasty food to be found indoors, well, anyway on to my review.
We made our way here the weekend our stove was down for repairs. We were the only ones there, very warm welcome and sort of had that feeling like we'd been there before and we were old friends with Donnie.
We did the tilapia and the gnocchi. I loved the sauces on both dishes. Brought in a nice Cab from the Wine Country and we were really looking forward to trying the Brie but they were out. A nice dinner that didn't feel like the same old thing, made with love like a home-cooked meal.
Slightly disturbing that one ear was hearing the music from the restaurant, the other ear was subjected to the bad selections someone made on the juke over at O'Connell's.
We stepped out to the patio to finish our wine. Came back in for one glass o' Flat Tire and walked home.
We will return and try breakfast soon. It's interesting that Coffee Cup has a 30 min plus wait on Sunday and I could only see 2 heads eating in Shillelagh, yet they are just down the street. There may be a day when I regret that people have found out about this place. I hope so. The owners and their efforts are deserving of making it.
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I FINALLY made it to Shillelagh after having it bookmarked for months. My friend and I were so impressed with lunch that we went the next night for dinner because we were dying to try the specials. The service is great. In fact, I think it's the best I've ever received while dining. Our waitress(Suzie) really seems to love her job and the restaurant. She took the time to chat with us and even brought samples of stuff for us to try. Lunch was great, but like everybody says, the dinner specials are amazing. I can't wait to go back, it will be a regular spot for me.
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Veggie folks out there, don't pass this place up. Best veggie burger ever - hands down. You'd never expect it at a restaurant adjacent to an irish pub, but the food here is exceptional, well-priced and hand made. It's BYOB (last time I went) so bring a bottle of wine. The patio out back looks like it could be your own patio, giving it a homey, very Long Beach feel.
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There's much to be said about an establishment that treats every customer like a member of their very own family. the owner of Shillelagh (shuh-LAY-lee) was so incredibly warm and friendly. it seemed he made every possible effort to create the best foodening experience for us. i cant imagine finding better service in any other restaurant long beach has to offer. seriously.
Patio dining should be an enforced requirement for all first time visitors because it pretty much "makes" the experience. sure winter's a comin', but dont fret. they provide large mexican blankets to cuddle up in while youre enjoying your meal!
We ordered enough food for three (there were only two of us) and dessert. our bill was only 44 friggin' dollars!
Thanks Donny!
Standout breakast items (update):
- Breakfast Quesadilla
- Veggie Chorizo Burrito
- Pancakes!!!
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I had the pleasure of dining here on Friday night at my first UYE (which I recently learned means "Unofficial Yelp Event"--thanks, Holly, for explaining that as I was scratching my head over its meaning for much too long). I had only been once before (when it first opened) for breakfast. I didn't think it was much to write home about at the time, but I either ordered the wrong thing or was on crack.
As I learned on Friday, one should not order off the menu here, unless you're just looking for run-of-the-mill pub food. If you want something different and delicious, go for the specials. When my friend Sarah T. and I arrived early and asked after the delicious odor in the air, we were given a sample of one of the nights' specials (which wasn't even on the "specials" board), gnocchi with brown butter and sage. Mouth explosion one! Then we were given a plate of yummy bread squares that were topped with shredded parmesan cheese and accompanied by a vinaigrette dipping sauce. Mouth explosion two! Next we ordered the baked brie appetizer, topped with mushrooms, onions, and cranberries and soaked in a delicious garlic sauce. Mouth explosion three!
I was VERY tempted to order the gnocchi for dinner but decided on the blackened tilapia with cilantro cream sauce as I wanted to feel less like a walking clogged artery after dinner. Luckily Holly T. ordered the gnocchi and kindly shared it with the table so I was able to get a few more bites in.
Served with garlic mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli and cauliflower, and triangles of fried polenta, the tilapia was mouth explosion number four. The cilantro cream sauce was so amazing that I even stopped the owner from whisking away the remains of our bread so I could soak up the cilantro-y goodness with crumbs.
Another fantastic thing about this restaurant is that they don't charge a corkage fee! So feel free to bring in your own wine and drink away at no charge. We certainly did!
As a side note, the owner told us that he and his wife aren't always there as they also run a catering business and have to leave the restaurant in other hands when they have a catering job to tend to. So I'd recommend going in when the owners are there (usually Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays), as you're sure to get the best food when they're around.
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I am kicking myself for not coming here sooner, as I could tell from the reviews it was our kind of place, and it's only a few blocks away from us. Ah well. Now that we've finally made it here, it will be sure to be one of our regular spots.
The other reviews have described this place very well. A casual, neighborhood restaurant, husband-and-wife owned and operated, freshly made comfort food, and very laid back and friendly environment. I probably wouldn't come here if in a big hurry or if looking for a fancy, elegant place. However, I would come here to take my time and enjoy whatever's coming out of the kitchen on that particular day, especially for an affordable price tag. The food is probably more like 4 to 4.5 stars, but like Megan G said, it's all about the experience - i.e. the food is by itself is OK, but the fact that they will customize it for you makes it awesome. We really appreciate that they take such good care of us, even though they don't really know us as well as the other regulars yet.
All the food we've had here so far has been quite good. There are many specials daily, almost outnumbering the things actually on the menu. I was told by the owner that the best nights to come for specials are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, as the other days they are busy with their catering business.
We LOVE the fact that there is free corkage here!
Another thing I love is the prices! Vincent and I ate large our first time here and got 3 entrees between the two of us, dessert and coffee and drank 2 bottles of wine (which we brought ourselves, no alcohol is served here) and our bill was only about $37! This is a place even my buddy Manton could take a date! (oh snap! you know I'm just looking out for you, dude, you should check this place out!)
The outdoor patio is great, because this summer is shaping up to be way too warm for us to stay in our apartment, and it's nice to have another outdoor dining option in the area. (The patio might be a little too "rustic" for some, but it's fine with me.) Restrooms are in O'Connell's, which turns out to be cool because I'd never been in there and it was a lot nicer than I thought it would be judging from the outside.
The first time we came, we ran into some fellow Yelpers, which was funny for a couple reasons - one, it was the second time that had happened that day, and two, one of them turns out to be Kori, whom I first met back in about 1981 at summer camp. I guess that's how you know you've run into a good Long Beach spot, eh? On another occasion, I also ran into Amy P and Jodi D and met them for the first time.
It's going to take me a long while to try everything here, and I look forward to that journey!
(Note: for summer they are closed on Monday nights)
--Update 9/12/07--
Well, I guess we now qualify as regulars, since they know our names when we come in. This is pretty much my favorite place to eat nowadays. The specials always sound so good that we end up ordering about 3x as much food as we can eat and then taking the rest home for lunch and dinner the next day. This is one of the few places I've ever been that actually makes homemade veggie burgers. Everything I've had here is awesome. Still looking forward to trying breakfast one of these days.
--Update 1/27/08--
Finally came for breakfast, and just like everything else here, it was great. Apparently people who work at Coffee Cup come HERE for breakfast on their days off. Nuff said. Wish they had fresh squeezed OJ, though.
--Update 3/16/08--
The District did a good little piece which debunks two myths about Shillelagh: it is not an Irish pub, and it is not an upscale restaurant: http://thedistrictweek...
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Elegant meal in a Long Beach dive bar.....not really, but it sure does feel that way walking up to the restaurant....what a cool surprise. (thanks fellow yelpers!) If it's a nice night head out to the patio and you'll have a quaint dinner in this small dinner cafe'. The owner's are running the show (host, waiter, chef, dinner conversation, Donnie's on top of his place!). The food's great though, just ASK for the house specials and Donnie's advice, he's a true dining connoisseur and will point the way towards his wife's culinary specialties.
So remember, don't judge a book by it's cover and go eat outside. This place will be a "scene" before you know it.
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My best friend and I live about a block away from Shillelagh and she had read the great reviews on Yelp. We had been dying to try it out. The first Sunday we went someone had wrecked their car in the front of the store so they were closed for repairs.
The repairs they did included making the front window into a French door/window kind of thing. So even though you're inside dining, there is a nice, open feeling to it. Today was a beautiful day so sitting right near the French window made it have a nice al fresco feel. I didn't go to the back of the store but I'm pretty sure they have an outside patio which is also very nice.
The menu is a little limited with mostly your regular food and sandwiches (hamburgers, turkey burgers, tri tip sandwich, cobb salad, house salad, you get the picture) with a few things it's less common to come upon (Mediterranean sandwich, Turkey BLT with avacado) but they have daily specials that are delightfully outside of the regular (grilled fish with dill, shepherds pie, just to name a few). Our waitress told us they always offer a fish and a vegetarian dish on the list of specials as an option to other meats. I'd say they're very vegetarian friendly.
Our food was AMAZING. I ordered the Mediterranean sandwich and I'm at a loss for words to describe how delicious it was. Just fantastic. They have an incredibly delicious rosemary potato salad. It was very fresh and I like that earthy herb taste it has. I also tried some of my friend's french fries and they were really delicious too - not just your bland, "whatever" french fries. We were all really impressed with our sandwiches. I love the fact that they offer the macaroni and potato salads as an option other than french fries. They pleasantly decorate the plates as well. I had little shreds of carrots lovingly sprinkled around my plate. And our desert was beautifully covered with a thin layer of powdered sugar all the way to the edge. It was super, super good.
How about the service? She was delightful. I adored our waitress. Super sweet and very attentive to boot! I'm not sure if she's the owner as well but she definitely had a visible love for the restaurant. She was excellent about communicating the specials of the day and mentioning their dessert of the day (who could say no to a "rustic pear tart" with 2 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream?). She told us about their Valentines Day menu (which sounded delightful - you should call and ask. It's 4 course and very reasonably priced at $25/person ) It was a very open and friendly invite. She seemed to be excited about it herself as she was talking about how they were going to lay out tablecloths with candlelight and the waiters/waitresses were going to dress in black. She says she's going for a "community" feel and I really like that idea. It was very inviting, especially with her own excitement about it.
I'm pretty picky when it comes to food. Moving to California from the South I feel there's a drastic change in people's tastes out here. There are lots of places to eat but only a handful are actually really delicious or much more than mediocre. More often than not I'm disappointed when I try new places, especially when they're smaller venues. So far the only places I would be really sad to leave behind are Chipotle and BJ's. But now I can add Shillelagh to my list of food I'd shed a tear for if I had to move away.
I will definitely be going back!!
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Stopped by here today for lunch and ordered the Mediterranean sandwich with macaroni salad. The sandwich was a tad spongy and the macaroni was nothing special. My expectations were much higher with all the five star reviews here on yelp.
If I didn't read the raving reviews on Yelp, I probably wouldn't have such high expectations and therefore would of reviewed it higher. Unfortunately, I came here to eat and left pretty disappointed. The decor is plain...the clientle are locals.
I would have to come again for dinner to really give it a fair shot.
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After reading about it on the site, my bf and I decided to try this place out. We tried a couple of the dishes recommended by the yelpers -- brie appetizer and tilapia with cilantro sauce. The brie appetizer was really good. It was like 2 dishes in one. I liked the apples and the warm gooey cheesy eaten together with the cranberries. You can also eat it savory style with the mushrooms, cheese, basil and crackers. We were starving and the wine was getting to our heads so it was good to have this to munch on.
He ordered the filet with the blue cheese on top and I had the infamous tilapia with cilantro sauce. The steak was very tender and the bleu cheese just made the dish. We thought the cheese was a bit overpowering, but we think it's because they used really good quality cheese. The fish was not our favorite. It did not taste very fresh and it was way too salty. The sauce didn't taste cilantro-ish enough for that to be the call-out ingredient. But I did like the fried potatoes that are in the sauce.
Overall, we had a positive experience. We will definitely try it again.
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I thought it was really good. My girlfriend's dish was too spicy. It was a spicy pasta, and I don't know who really thinks that's a good thing? Apparently the cooks here do. But, everything was fresh and well made.
Food is good, but expect to come out a few pounds more than when you went in. Everything here is cooked with "love".
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Why Shillelagh gets 5 stars from me, despite the apparent pros and cons, some of which is at your discretion.
Decor - poor to mediocre...It's quite hard to determine decor when you consider what we've really got going on here: six non-matching booths (size, color, and shape) that line either side of the room; lighting too dark to see if a proper color scheme has been chosen or whether the place has upkeep; random paintings and montages thrown haphazardly across the [army green?] painted walls; shoddy menus on the verge of laminated paper death; and finally grandma-style rose cloth table clothes on the outdoor patio, curiously clean or used to hide the dirt..hmmm? Talk about no frills, but it still gives you that "I just got back to Auntie X's farm, let's eat" feeling.
Patio - just lovely...Now this non-smoking wood-floor patio, (I know I know non-smoking, just wait....), has five to seven tables randomly placed around the small patio area. A couple tables, because of the wood flooring, are quite uneven, but the lights, candles, fresh flowers and fresh air make up for that. The chairs are half the typical plastic chairs, and half seem to originate from grandma's old dining set, which adds both comfort and style. Me like. Oh, and there conveniently is a back door that leads out to the alley, which you can pop out for a smoke, standing a mere two feet from your table..."No Smoking"? No biggie.
The booze sitch - fantastic. They serve NO alcohol. But, being attached to O'Connell's, you have the option of sitting in there and enjoying your fair at the bar, while you pull back a couple of the best bloody mary's in town. OR, option B (no it's not "don't drink"), you can bring your own bottle of wine, they'll gladly open it for you, and provide you with wine glasses, free of charge! Ralphs is about 2 blocks down, save some ca$h on the booze, who can complain about that? FYI, they are currently going through their liquor licensing process.
The owners - gems. The two owners, one who I met last night formally, are pretty insanely awesome. Together, they create everything on the menu, all the recipes, and take pride in their food. They also like to chat it up or are happy to leave you alone, at your personal preference. They are a little "hippy", so don't dismay, they are quite amazing, and btw, quit judging books by their covers!
Location - perfect. Within a 3-5 minute walk from my house, I'm a happy camper. For those of you who live a bit further, it's also 4 seconds from a full service bar and across the street from a laundry mat.
Prices - Nice....The food is cheap as dirt, worth your money and their portions are perfect. Worth every dollar (although I'd easily pay an extra).
FOOD - YUM!! Ok, how do you beat healthy, gourmet, whole foods that are all made from scratch. The small menu consists of a few Irish items (Irish wings and fries), homemade pizzas, and above par unique sandwiches and salads. They also have a slew of specials which are oriented more towards the dinner crowd. I've eaten there more than a few times, and yes, I'm in love.
My advice, throw your laundry in the machines across the street, grab a bottle of wine at Ralphs, chat with the owners, sit out on the patio, sneak cigarettes, order a "special", then get wasted next door. And you got yourself a nice, cheap, easy meal, for less hassle and great company.
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So we've been to Shillelagh twice in one week, which isn't the norm for us unless we've been especially wowed. Holly had been hearing rave reviews about this place, and since we only live a few blocks over we decided to walk over and have dinner.
The weather's been beautiful at night this past week with the ocean breeze cooling everything down, so we sat on the patio/wooden deck out back both times. The jumbo coconut shrimp we had the first night was quite excellent, the flavor of the coconut not overpowering the taste of the pan-fried shrimp. Sadly, the wine we brought (2006 Robert Sinskey rose) didn't live up to its hype and somewhat clashed. The wild mushroom ravioli filling with the white truffle cream sauce was pretty intense, although the pasta itself was somewhat doughy. The turkey meatloaf with mashed potatoes, carrots, and bok choy was excellent comfort food with huge portions and went pretty nicely with a merlot from New Zealand. Chocolate layer cake and coffee finished up our meal.
The shrimp skewers on the second night were most excellent, but I think the high point of the night was the spinach ravioli (filling and pasta) combined with a lobster cream sauce. Simple flavors came together and disappeared into our gaping maws within a few minutes. We once again had the turkey meatloaf, but also ordered the ribeye with a gorgonzola reduction and the center-cut pork loin. The ribeye, of course, was very fatty, but the rareness along with the gorgonzola was a nice touch. The pork, on the other hand, was on the dry side.
Shillelagh is comfort food, served at hearty portions, at comparatively low prices, and only a few blocks away. C'mon, metabolism! It's time for another food workout.
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My younger brother, a new local to the area, brought me here after picking me up from the airport, along with my dad and brother's fiance. We settled out on the patio for our meal. It was a cool evening, but there was an outdoor heater. The patio is an interesting collection of tables and chairs with plants and heaters and umbrellas. It is a mish mash of styles, but really quite interesting and fun. There is music playing and the staff is very friendly.
We ordered brie and crackers (and then more crackers). Two vegetarians and two non, and everybody is happy. The food is pretty good. Not your normal bar food. The place is attached to the bar and shares a bathroom but that's about it. Its a fun little place and I would go back.
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Dear shillelagh-
the best place ever. Always stick to the specials....They will pretty much make you anything, if they have it. Everything is very homeade tasting, and they have large portions.....The back patio is adorable....I still cant get over the no corkage fee....Appetizers, 3 entrees, and desert.....33 dollars....I hope they can keep this place alive.
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This restaurant ROCK'S!!!
Donnie and Lauri are so friendly. It's like going to a friends place to relax, eat, and just kick back. I like the patio because I can bring my dog. The patio gets a nice breeze, & lots of plants, and fire pit. They have cool paintings (inside), and always play cool/interesting music.
Lauri is an amazing chef. Her soup's are fantastic. She will make you anything, even if it's not on the menu! Try the steak salad (not on the menu) and her dessert's. I just had the banana bread pudding. OMG!!! The prices are very reasonable. I can eat here breakfast,lunch & dinner, and be in "awe" everytime!!!
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