John Nallen sought a bit of fortification before expounding on the pleasures of an Irish pub to a Yank, so he took a long sip from a fresh pint of Guinness stout, coating his mustache with a khaki froth.
“In Ireland, your local pub is your living room,” said Nallen, sitting in his namesake establishment in LoDo. “You go there for drinks and to talk about sports, business, politics, neighborhood doings, what have you. It’s all about the friendliness.”
St. Patrick’s Day is upon us. Across metro Denver, people who don’t know a shamrock from a shillelagh will don emerald green and descend on Irish pubs, capping a riotous run that began Friday.
From cozy spots like Nallen’s to so-called “superpubs” such as Fado in the Ballpark neighborhood and the new Katie Mullen’s in the downtown Sheraton, places to get your Irish on abound in the Mile High City.
You could argue that Denver needs another Irish bar like it needs another steakhouse charging 10 bucks for a side of creamed spinach. We’re awash in Guinness and Harp, not to mention the traditional pub grub those beers wash down.
But the pubs are thriving, and not just on March 17, Ireland’s national holiday.
“During the week, this place is basically regulars,” said Nallen, who opened his bar in 1993. “On weekends, suburbia comes in. But I pretty much know 90 percent of the people who come through the door.”
Nallen grew up in County Mayo, Ireland, in Ballycastle. During his youth, the town had 500 residents and nine pubs. As statistics go, that tops the people-to-church ratio you get in the American South, which is saying something.
Whether faux or authentic, or something in between, Irish pubs share a common thread.
Visually, they are all dark wood and dim lighting. Color comes courtesy of the green, white and orange flag of Ireland. Semi-enclosed booths called “snugs” encourage conversation, which is favored over blaring music, although Van Morrison, the Chieftains and U2 typically pipe from the sound system.
Guinness is always on tap, and the walls are festooned with the Dublin- brewed beer’s advertising accoutrements: mirrors, neon lights and vintage posters featuring the brand’s toucan mascot. Irish and Scotch whiskeys hold places of honor behind the bar.
No one comes in thirsting for martinis or margaritas.
“For me, a good Irish pub is full of good conversation and good humor, with less of an emphasis on dance music, high fashion, and hooking up,” said John Ragan, a Fado fan. “There is certainly nothing wrong with those things, but they are not what makes an Irish pub interesting, and they can be found in plenty of other types of clubs.”
Many pubs go to extensive — and expensive — lengths to inject a sense of authenticity in the rooms. Chain pubs Fado and Katie Mullen’s imported paneling, whole bars and fancy woodwork from manufacturers who outfit public houses in Ireland.
This bestows an instant patina and warmth. It may be prefab, but it is still effective. Once inside the warren of rooms that is Fado, you could easily believe you’re in a pub by the River Liffey, save for the mostly American accents.
On a recent afternoon, Alan O’Gorman piled himself into a booth at The Irish Rover, the South Broadway pub he opened in 2005.
“A good Irish bar is one where you can come in a complete stranger, have your politically correct two or three pints, and leave knowing a half-dozen more people,” O’Gorman said. “That comes from staffers who take an interest in people and involve them in conversation.”
O’Gorman, who arrived in America from his native Limerick 18 years ago, prides himself on running a bar where people can talk. There’s music, but it’s kept at low volume. “You want to be able to hear yourself talk,” he said.
Chances are good — actually, about 100 percent — that this rule goes by the wayside today. Like most Irish pubs in Denver over the long St. Paddy’s Day weekend, The Irish Rover is one of the stops for busloads of Celtic pipers and step dancers.
At The Irish Snug in Capitol Hill, Barbara O’Connor talked about how much she looked forward to honoring Ireland’s patron saint, although not in a way the priest could have anticipated in his fifth-century heyday.
“Do you know what a shebeening is?” O’Connor asked. “It’s you and a bunch of your friends going from pub to pub, tipping pints and gabbing.
“It’s a grand thing.”
William Porter: 303-954-1877 or wporter@denverpost.com
Where to tip a few
Looking for a place to wear the green and cheer the auld sod? Here are just a few of the area’s numerous Irish pubs.
Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant
725 19th St., 303-297-0066
Hosts the city’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day bash, spilling outside into massive tents. Fado also features fireplaces and live European football matches in its warren of rooms.
Nallen’s Irish Pub
1429 Market St., 303-572-0667
This LoDo institution is a comfy room whose owner hails from County Mayo. The Guinness is the city’s freshest, thanks to super-short lines from cask to tap.
Irish Rover Pub
54 S. Broadway, 303-282-4643
Open daily, this pub in the Baker neighborhood offers select $3 beer specials Tuesdays-Saturdays.
Katie Mullen’s
1550 Court Place, 303-573-0336
Just a month old, this sprawling, four-room “superpub” pulses with energy, music and an ambitious menu. Fun, though likely not the place for quiet chat over a pint.
The Irish Snug
1201 E. Colfax Ave.,303-839-1394
Popular Capitol Hill pub with an extensive menu that goes far beyond bangers and boxty, the traditional stuffed potato pancake.
Slattery’s Irish Pub
5364 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village, 303-741-2115
A sister restaurant of The Irish Snug and LoDo’s McLoughlin’s Restaurant & Bar. Daily happy hour and a top-notch kitchen. Plus: They vow no green beer on St. Patrick’s Day.
Conor O’Neill’s Irish Pub
1922 13th St., Boulder, 303-449-1922
With a sister restaurant in Ann Arbor, Mich., this Boulder room offers an array of beers and a sprawling menu. The stout of stomach can take on the traditional Irish breakfast: bangers, rashers, black and white pudding with two eggs, potatoes, Irish soda bread and grilled tomatoes.
The Sheabeen
2300 S. Chambers Road, Aurora, 303-696-6131
Boasting live music, pub grub and big-screen TVs tuned to sports channels, Sheabeen’s is one-stop shopping for St. Patrick’s Day revelers.
William Porter
