🍀 What Makes a Real Irish Pub?

Hint: It's not just Guinness on tap (but that helps).

There's something unmistakably warm and magnetic about a real Irish pub. It's where the walls hum with laughter, the bartenders know your name (and your drink), and strangers leave as friends. But what actually makes a real Irish pub... well, real?

1. The Craic (and We Don't Mean Crack)

Let's start with the heart of it: the craic. Pronounced "crack," it's the Irish word for fun, banter, and good company. A real Irish pub isn't about fancy cocktails or moody lighting—it's about gathering, storytelling, and spontaneous laughter. If you leave with sore cheeks from smiling, you've done it right.

2. A Proper Pour

A true Irish pub knows how to pour a pint of Guinness—and that's no small thing. It takes 119.5 seconds, the right glassware, and a whole lot of respect for tradition (we'll break that down in next week's post). You don't slam a Guinness down. You serve it with pride.

3. Live Music, Not Just Background Noise

Irish pubs are built on live music. Not as a backdrop, but as a main event. Think fiddles, guitars, bodhráns, and harmonies that make your heart dance. And when the whole place joins in for a chorus? That's pure magic.

4. Community Over Everything

A real Irish pub is the living room of the neighborhood. It welcomes everyone—young, old, locals, newcomers, solo diners, regulars. There's no velvet rope, no VIP section. Just a bar stool, a pint, and someone to talk to.

5. Character (and Characters)

The building should have a story—and so should the people inside it. Look for worn wood, tucked-away nooks, pub quizzes, bartenders with strong opinions, and that one regular who knows the history of every beer on the wall. That's character.

At McNally's, we're proud to carry on the tradition—right here in St. Charles, Illinois. From the session musicians on Sundays to the perfect pint and hearty plate of curry chips, we're not just an Irish pub in name—we're the real deal.

Sláinte! 🍻

#McNallysIrishPub #RealIrishPub #StCharlesIL #Slainte #CraicIsMighty