Venue Review: O'Flaherty's Ale House - Irish Restaurant & Pub (NYC - New York City)

What to say when reviewing an Irish Pub? Guinness, Wood Paneling, and Corned Beef? NY Mag sums up the issue concisely:

The city’s Irish watering holes have been wildly successful subscribing to a simple McPub formula: a preponderance of shining brass and wood paneling, choice of Guinness and Budweiser on tap, and obligatory, only-in-America fare like Irish nachos.

O’Flaherty’s checks off every box on the list. The joint is also on Restaurant Row, steps away from Times Square. Visions of tourists dancing in your mind yet? Some how the place works, and it works well. Yes the tourists are there--the pub is large, three rooms, two bars, and a patio outback--but so are the hard-core drinkers you'd expect at an authentic Irish Pub.

The contrasting influences that define O'Flaherty's were on display last Saturday Night. The place was packed with a diverse St. Patrick's Day crowd, everyone sharing the same urge to drown themselves in a pool of Guinness and Jameson. A pair of massive bodyguards blocked off a corner booth up near the front window. Behind them, Mariah Carey sat, casually drinking with her mother and a small crew. Few people noticed, but then an intrepid patron realized that O'Flaherty's had recently installed one of those MP3 jukeboxes which allow a bar to offer a couple hundred thousand songs on demand. Normally a place like O'Flaherty's would never have the likes of Mariah Carey in the jukebox. Well, score one for modern technology. Suddenly half the bar was singing, All I want For Christmas Is You. Before the song was over someone pulled the plug on the music. A little while later--after posing for some photos--Ms. Carey slipped out the front door. Her Maybach was waiting for her, idling at the curb. Not exactly your normal night out at the Irish Pub.

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