Full disclosure: I don't think much of UK cuisine. It's always struck me as bland and obvious, both in conception and execution.
Maybe that admitted bias is why I ordered the Reuben Breakfast Burrito for my first visit to Brocach. The contents itself were done fairly even if the corned beef was (deliberately?) over seasoned. The eggs could have used some pop and suffered from the same overcooked problems most scrambled dishes do. I also wouldn't have minded some more kraut. The burrito's dough was tremendous however, light and flaky yet miraculously able to contain its contents. The potatoes on the side were also well cooked and not overly salty.
The service was excellent, I might add.
I met a couple folks here after dinner to watch a game. Although the crowd is much older than what I'm used to at the other establishments around the capitol, it was a nice reprieve from the college bar scene.
I wasn't in the mood for a beer, but they did have a delicious pineapple infused vodka sitting in a water dispenser on the bar that caught my eye. Get it on the rocks or in a martini, either way, there is more than enough pineapple juice to cut the taste of vodka. Dangerous.
I've been coming to the Brocach for seven years, since before they even employed "Sinjin," everyone's favorite con artist (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fm8mer6t&s=04a53b16ce727e08b2fdfad27009e077491cd1770146b420ca89d8804f643c43" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/m8mer…</a> - for some reason, the article confuses the Brocach with the Claddagh; no wonder people aren't buying newspapers anymore). It's now my favorite place for bar trivia in Madison, though the drinks and food are fairly average.
First, the atmosphere. The bar has two stories, with several different seating areas and table/booth options, and an outdoor patio. It's a little dark, as a proper Irish pub should be, with heavy dark wood and plush padding on the seating areas. It can get loud on the weekends and during St. Patrick's Day, since there isn't much on the walls or ceiling to absorb the sound. The bathrooms are kept clean and well-stocked, and they even (finally) fixed the lock on the stall in the upstairs women's bathroom. The patio area is small and can sometimes seem cramped, and drunker patrons will sometimes smoke out there. It's normally not too bad as long as you're sitting indoors, but sometimes it wafts up and in through the second-story windows (which are open during nice weather), which is fairly unpleasant for a non-smoker like myself.
Second, the staff. They're great, absolutely one of the highlights of going there. They're very capable, and enforce certain rules when they need to do so. Marcos and Sam currently run Sunday night trivia, though Sam will be departing soon, and will be replaced by a long-time trivia regular. They're funny, friendly, and conversational, and they're great at knowing the regulars - Marcos always remembers to talk to me about the latest Lifetime Movies (a shared campy obsession of ours). The other night, I asked for a Diet Coke and Sam gave me a regular. I noticed immediately, and he profusely apologized and rectified the mistake right away. They also give great advice about the beer and scotch selections, and will pour beer samples if you're interested but unsure. Sam and Marcos do a phenomenal job of juggling trivia questions and answer grading, pouring drinks, taking orders for food, running out plates, and clearing away empty glasses and dishes, all at the same time - not easy! I've never had bad service here.
Third, the entertainment. Trivia is on Sundays. The teams with the best names each week get free whiskey shots for each of their players, and the names are one of the best parts of trivia night. The Brocach staff write their own questions, a welcome difference from the dreaded Team Trivia WI with its incredibly stupid 15-point final question. Their questions are interesting. Some rounds are weekly fixtures: current events, a picture round, a matching round, potpourri, and occasionally literature. They announce two of the trivia subjects each Sunday afternoon on their Facebook page, which is nice. They're also really responsive to questions posted on their wall as to whether a usually-scheduled event will be taking place on holidays. They do take requests for round topics, which is great! There tends to be more of an emphasis on pop culture and media, and somewhat less of a focus on sports, which my team loves. I've also been to open-mic nights, which are great. They do a great job with the artists; nothing too loud or grating. When one regular open-mic performer had an album coming out, the Brocach did a mini-album release party for him, which was great. Live Irish music nights are fun as well, though it can get fairly loud pretty quickly if you're near the band.
Fourth, the food and beverages. Both are somewhat overpriced, although the happy hour deals aren't bad. The potato leek soup and Greek chicken salad are fairly good, but not standouts. The lounge fries are addicting and delicious, and they're great for sharing in a group of 4-6. The beer cheese dip is pretty gross; I'd recommend avoiding it. Their corned beef (in both sandwich and with cabbage) is pretty knockout, as it should be at an Irish pub. The reuben is delicious, although a bit greasy. The thick-cut fries are great! The Brocach burger is serviceable, but the black bean burger can get pretty dry. My boyfriend is a big fan of the fish fry. Another favorite of mine is the shepherd's pie. I've never tried the main courses, though - they're comparatively very expensive. The servers are excellent at listening to order modifications. I have a friend who despises pickles, but I love them, so every time we go together, he asks to have his pickle put on a separate plate for me, and the server remembers! The tap beer selection is diverse and seasonal, but quite good, and there's always a beer on special for trivia nights. The scotch and Irish whiskey list is phenomenal (Old Midleton is insanely expensive and worth every penny when you drink it neat). The mixed drinks are fantastic, especially the Irish coffee, but a bit expensive for a regular night.
BURGERS. Burgersburgersburgers. Eat them here. Especially the Dublin City. I don't like Guinness at ALL, but I loved the Guinness Stout sauce on that burger. Everything on it was cooked perfectly (fried onions, bacon, the burger itself, and there were no green vegetables involved--but sometimes it's just good to have an honestly unhealthy burger, you know? I also tried a bite (or two...or five) of my friend's roasted beet salad, which was SO delicious. I love a good goat cheese/fruit salad, and this one was awesome. The pickle that came with my burger tasted more like a cucumber than a pickle, but other than that, the food was amazing.
Service was great too. Our server was friendly, quick, efficient, and got all our orders right with no problems. I was also really impressed with the host staff--we came in at about 8 on a Friday night with a group of five, told them we were expecting to have seven of us, and they seated us right away at the couch-booth-table-thing! So great.
Eh. Â For the big Irish pub on the square, this is just average. Â I like the ambiance. Â It is a place to sit and have a pint while chatting with friends. Â It never gets too loud. Â Upstairs, the couches are fun, almost Alice in Wonderland inspired. Â
Prices are a bit high, but if you happen to luck out for happy hour then you are golden. Â They have happy hour everyday from 10pm to close. Â It is a nice place to end your day and get a deal.
I have had their food a couple of time. Â It is ok. Â I am just not overly excited about this place. Â They always card. ALWAYS. Â Kind of annoying because I am obviously over 21 and there creates this HUGE congestion at the door. Â
I do not hate this place but I do not love it.
Brocach is one of the best bars to go to in Madison as far as being able to have a conversation and drink good drinks while still having a fun atmosphere. I like to drink upstairs where I can have a view of the capitol. Â I used to love the lounge fries, but the last two times I have ordered them, they have skimped on toppings and looked like they've been sitting under the heat lamp for a long time. I hope these improve again.
They always have vegan food, which is great. Also, try the Hibernian Berry for an after-dinner drink.
Their burgers... yuuuuuum! You honestly can't go wrong with any of their burgers.
On top of that, they make a mean Shepard's Pie, do a great Fish N' Chips and serve some delicious soups.
Oh, and not to mention, they have a pretty extensive drinks list.
I get it, Madison, you have some amazing pub food. Now if only there were more Chinese options...
We went to Brocach's during the last day of restaurant week and were seated right away! Â I had the Beer Cheese burger and it was really good! Â The atmosphere was fun and it wasn't too loud to hold a conversation. Â There's a ton of delicious sounding food on the menu, so we'll definitely be back!
Review Source:Dude... for a pub, the food here is superb.
No joke, I have had every single one of the Irish specialties on Brocach's menu, even the vegetarian shepherd's pie (and I'm a meat lover). They are usually both quality and quantity. So if you go to here, you can probably pick anything in that section and it'll be a safe bet that you'll be satisfied (maybe not, since you'll probably want to come back and try the other stuff). I'm also a fan of the Irish Stew. It's an interesting and original dish, with beef, lamb, and veggies cooked in Guinness broth. Give it a shot if you're brave.
Sadly, I haven't had anything other than the Irish specialties, but I'm sure the other stuff is good too.
I love me some good Irish pub food, and Brocach fits the bill. Â As a fan of the Milwaukee location, I was glad to see that the Madison spot offers equally tasty fare. Â They accommodated our group of 8 with reservations during a busy conference in the area, which was great. Â It was a slight headache to explain split checks to the waitress, as they have a policy against splitting beyond a certain number. Â Thankfully, it worked out easily enough. Â I ordered the potato leek soup, which was surprisingly delicious. Â I probably could've made an entree out of that alone. Â However, I paired it with the Rachel (turkey Reuben), which was so, so, so good. Â Great food, beautiful location right on the Capitol Square, and helpful staff. Â Worth visiting again.
Review Source:We stopped at Brocach for dinner one Saturday night after walking around the square and being met with long waits at several of our other dining options. Brocach had available seating and we jumped on the chance to avoid a wait.
Normally, the lack of a wait would make me nervous, but we went with it & I had heard good things about Brocach in the past. I shouldn't have worried, though. The restaurant seemed to fill up within minutes of our arrival and there was a crowd of people waiting to be seated when we leave about an hour later.
Enough about the wait or lack of it - on to the food! My husband was "starving", so we got an order of lounge fried immediately. SO GOOD. Although how can fries smothered in melted cheese + bacon be bad? Yep, it can't. I ordered a salad and a cup of potato leek soup for my meal. The soup was delicious, the salad was just ok.
My husband ordered Bangers & Mash at the recommendation of our server. He really enjoyed it. I tried a bite too, and LOVED the added sweetness from the apples. He also ordered a couple of drinks, and enjoyed the large & creative drink menu.
Both my husband and I grew up in the restaurant industry. We are very critical of where and what we eat. This is my first, and will probably by my only, 5 star rating.
We have been to Brocach many times. Each time we are impressed with the food and the service. We generally go to dinner on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening around 7-8pm. We've always been greeted and seated right away.
The salmon is unbelievably good. Most places dress salmon up with a sauce because it can be a fickle fish to prepare. it can be underdone, or overdone. The Broach's salmon was prepared perfectly! They are so confident in their ability to cook a good salmon, that it is served minus a sauce. Superb all around.
My last meal was the Berkshire Porkchop. I took one bite and had a religious experience. Definitely recommended!
Besides the food, the service is great. Management has always been present and our servers have always been exceptionally knowledgeable and polite. In fact, our server last night, Zack, actually ASKED if he could take our plates when we  were finished. That is a level of politeness rarely found in these days of 'feed 'em and get 'em outta here' mentality. We never found ourselves waiting for a server, our food was served quickly, efficiently, and was excellent. The management and servers are warm and inviting.
Because of the prices, this is often a once month or every other month splurge for us. But the cost is worth how delicious the food is!
Let me start by saying... We went on the best night on the best day with the best weather. This place was awesome. Live irish music on fridays, phenomenal bangers and mash! The shepherds pie was pretty good. The sweet chili shrimp was yummy, but just as expensive as my entree, so I didn't think it was worth it.
Overall, apps are way over priced, but the beer, irish dishes and atmosphere totally made the place. I drank a delicious snakebite. But the bangers and mash had this apple saute on top that blew my mind. GET THEM.
Visited on a Saturday during the Farmer's Market with family, and so glad we did.
The Restaurant has so much character and ambiance, the Menu is a traditional Bar/Irish pub menu with lots of options.
My father in law had the fish and chips which looked great and he raved about. My wife and I shared the poutine which was great.
Service wasn't great but wasn't terrible either. We will definately come back.
I held my wedding reception here for about 40 people and was given the run of the entire upstairs for the night. Â We had a great time and the service was wonderful...we hit a few snags but were always able to work it out quickly and without any of my guests being any wiser :) Â I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a laid back but still classy place to have a private party and especially to the budget bride who doesn't want to pay thousands of dollars just to rent a reception venue. Â They even recommended a cake maker who turned out to be an excellent choice, she did an amazing job on our cake and really contributed to some beautiful memories.
We had our own wait staff and bartender and all of my guests told me how much they enjoyed the intimate atmosphere...not really any room for dancing (although we did use the small area near the front as our private "first dance" area) but neither one of our families are the dancing type...although if they had been, there certainly would have been room if we had wanted it. Â We used the private party menu which had some very good choices available and at reasonable prices too.
Overall the ambiance was intimate, the staff were very friendly and attentive, and we had a great time, as did all of our guests...and the best part is that I was able to arrange all of this by email as I live in Portland, OR! Â Caitlyn and Sam were both very helpful and gave me some great advice on how best to use my limited budget and it turned out beautifully.
My husband and I were looking for a good hearty meal after taking in the ART at the Square fest. Â What a delight this place was! Â
 We split everything that we had and we had a LOT.  We had:
a cup of the potato leek soup:  very creamy, buttery, and potato-y.  A little undersalted        Â
                         but quite good to start.
a Scotch Egg: Â a good novelty item, though not too exciting and a bit expensive at 4.50
crab cakes w/ roasted corn & blackbeans on the side: Â PERFECTION. Â
Shepherd's pie: Â wonderful and massive portion
lamb stew: Â Near perfect. Â The broth was flavorful & just the right amount of
          meat/veggies.  It came with a hearty and delicious slice of brown bread.
The service was outstanding. Â The after-dinner whiskey my husband got was the perfect way to end this experience. Â
I would recommend Brocach over any other restaurant it the square any day. Â Our friends, who went into the Old-Fashioned about 15 minutes before we headed towards Brocach, ended up finishing almost a 1/2 hour after we did. Â I couldn't help but feel glad that we decided to ditch the Old-Fashioned for this marvelous pub.
Didn't get to try the beer... I was being cheap that night, and the company I was interviewing for wouldn't cover alcohol expenses.
Scotch eggs were seemingly expensive for what they are ($4.50 for one soft-boiled egg wrapped in a thin layer of sausage and deep-fried). But the BBQ fries were great (like nachos except on a bed of fries instead of chips!), and the Irish stew made with Guinness was really great. Wish I had the recipe!
I have eaten here several times while staying at the Inn On the Park nearby. Â Tonight I ordered a "Dublin" burger. Â It was kind of terrible. Â Meat was cold, sauce was colder and overly sweet, and it was missing the mushrooms and bacon advertised. Â Just...nothing. Â Had a salad with it that included fishy-tasting Caesar dressing. Â One of my friends had shepherd's pie which he described as tasting "like a hamburger with peas in it." Â Service was adequate. Â Overall, not impressive. Â Dunno if I'd willingly go back.
Review Source:Went here to meet a friend for a few drinks and apps. I went in to ask the host to put me at a table outside. After that, I was not acknowledged for almost 20 minutes. I checked how much time had elapsed- to make sure I wasn't tripping. For real- no "hello", "be right with you", not even a glass of water or menus. I watched other outdoor patrons being helped and chatted with while I was not even given a glance. I saw lots of scurrying and wasted motion, which gave the clear impression of a very scattered and inefficient staff. Â Finally, a server seemed to notice me. I do not fault her- she was really nice, actually. I think the place is just not run well, and the staff reflects that confusion.
I had a cup of clam chowder that tasted like it was from a can and a very bland and inadequately boozy Bloody Mary. Soon after, my friend showed up and had one drink. He had a Bucky Book coupon for a "special entree"- none of which appealed to him, so he didn't have anything. A vodka tonic was what he ended up having. The other food I've had there has been bland and overpriced. The Scotch eggs are alright, but they are TINY. If not for my friend's suggestion, I wouldn't have considered going there. I usually refer to Brocach as Irish Disney Land. That about sums this place up...
In full disclosure, I have been boycotting this place since they botched my wedding rehearsal party 2.5 years ago. A bride never forgets.
However, I was forced back there this week with co-workers. I was seated in a booth with an enormous hole in the center (think toilet). The black bean sliders were bland and mushy, served on a dry bun (guacamole was promised, but not delivered), with the tiniest shred of rubbery cheese on top. Two of us ordered this and both of us agreed - never again. I tried a bite of the truffle fries and they were pretty good. Although, I would eat cardboard if you drizzled enough truffle oil on it. The Guinness is solid, for America. Â
The kicker. They inquired about whether they could seat another party in our booth - like, with us. It took everyone by surprise but me, since that was the same thing did for my wedding rehearsal dinner. Two parties in the same room. Â But that time they didn't ask.
Brocach was just what I needed to satisfy my fill of Irish ambiance. Thankfully I had Yelp to rely on while searching for Irish grub last week. Â Carol K.'s review peaked my interest and did not disappoint. Â Thank you Carol K.!
We were there on a Tuesday night hoping to enjoy good Irish food and traditional Irish music. Â We didn't get the live Irish music (not surprising on a Tuesday night), but we listened to Irish music piped throughout the restaurant while enjoying our Irish dinner and traditional Irish beverages. Â
Cait was our waitress and was on point with her recommendations and timely check-ins. Â Cait shared the drink specials which allowed us to have more of what we originally requested (plus an extra shot of whiskey for another $1!). Â This was such a good deal that I'm sharing the breaksdown of this special.
DRINKS:
Husband's Irish beverage of choice:
-Guinness - reg. $5.25 (half-pints available for $3.75)
- John Powers - reg. $5.25 (2 oz. shot of Irish Whiskey)
*Special = $6.25 for a pint of Guiness and shot of John Powers
Wendy's Irish beverage of choice:
- Jameson and coke is what I requested; however, Cait's recommendation was to take advantage of the *half-priced Irish Whiskey & Scotch special and upgrade to the 18 yr. Jameson with a coke on the side. Â It was perfect...and I only had to cough up $6.00!
FOOD:
My husband enjoyed the shepards pie and said it was good, but needed more meat, veggies, and gravy to go along with the heap of mashed pototoes. He can't wait to come back and try the Irish Stew. Â I ordered the fish and chips. Â You can't go wrong with Harp battered haddock filets. Everything was very fresh and with just enough fish and a good portion of "chips". I probably ate too many of the chips since they were really good and I can't stop once I start eating them with the malt vinegar. Â Certain meals are served with brown bread and I think it would be a nice touch for them to include Kerry Gold butter on the side. It's from Ireland and it's good...no need to elaborate.
MUSIC/AMBIANCE:
- Music lineup is good if you can catch them on the right days and times. Â
- Live Irish music on various evenings...approx. 7 nights per month.
- Great ambiance with traditional feel throughout the restaurant and pub area. Â
- There is also a second floor (which I did not go up to) and you can view an interior balcony area from the first floor of the restaurant.
TIPS:
- Check out the music lineup on my photo (as of Nov. 2011). Â It is not on their website.
- Happy Hour is every day 3-6PM and 10PM - Close
- All you can eat Fish Fry on Friday's. Â $15 from 4:30 - 10PM
- I saw a sign in the restroom that promoted Private Parties with no party room charges.
- Trivia night: Sunday @8PM w/ drink specials and prizes
- Brocach is pronounced BROH-kaw
- Parking can be tricky. Â Some meters have 15 min limits or 1 hour limits, but will take all of your coins if you drop them in the meter. Â I was a little confused since our meter indicated a 15 min limit with a 1.5 hour max time. Â
I will definitely be returning to Brocach whenever I'm in Madison. Â Hopefully, the Irish bands will coincide with my schedule. I'd also be interested in trying them out for breakfast sometime. My standards are pretty high for a proper Irish breakfast...so Brocach, I hope you're ready!
Sláinte!
Love this bar for drinks after work. Â Great bar food and love the dim-lit atmosphere.
Took a star away because the last time I was there the service was very slow. Â It was a badger game night and all, but when I have to be the one to initiate contact something is wrong. Â The extra wait staff had no wait skills or personal skills whatsoever. Â
In the end, i'm still going back again and again for their loaded fries!
We just went for brunch again today ... and sad to say, we were disappointed. :( Maybe it's because the first two times were such a success?
Mostly we wanted to point out that the $3 side of asparagus was extremely disappointed, laughable, and totally overpriced. It tasted okay but I assure you, you can do the same thing at home with an oven and some olive oil. They gave us about 6 pieces and just threw them on a plate without any thought for presentation. I felt quite cheated -- it should've been a dollar at the MOST. Boo.
I'm a huge fan of this place. Â The Irish food at this place is absolutely fantastic and definitely holds a candle to the food I've had in Dublin and Galway. Â The atmosphere is top notch, and they have a decent selection of beers on tap (I think it was 12ish?). Â
Price is more than other places in Madison, but it's not outrageous since food/drink seems to be cheaper in the area overall! Â $12-15 for a main dish.
Being from the UK, I find the concept of Irish themed Bars a little baffling, but really liked this one! They didn't only serve Irish beers, but had a nice little selection of local brews, which made it all the more unique.
It was a very dead night in Madison (we think all the students must have gone home), so we sat outside and enjoyed wonderful views off the capital building, which was all lit up and only steps away.
All in all a pleasant evening with great drinks, decor and service!
What Can I say about a True Irish Pub that brings you joy in the mouth, fullness of the tummy and keeps your wallet still intact.
I have frequented Brocach several times over the years, discovered impeccable lunches, celebratory dinners and outdoor patio adventures in the warm months.
Brocach is a "have to repeat that" kind of pub.
Personally I do love the Roasted Beet Goat Cheese salad with the Pistachio Vinaigrette . OMG Â
We (meaning son, friends  etc) have experienced so many incredible dishes, fine Irish Whiskeys,true Black and Tans and some of the most Authentic Irish Cuisine this far from the Isle itself.
Love the bartenders (some of the more fine things to behold in my opinion) Â oh stop...and the Music..ambiance is unbeatable.
You must visit and experience. I insist.
I leave you with this...
Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor
when the pub was shut for the night.
Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse
and stood in the pale moonlight.
He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor,
then back on his haunches he sat.
And all night long you could hear him roar,
'Bring on the goddam cat!'
Sláinte!
I love me some Irish bars something serious. Be it the beers, the atmosphere, the food. I love it all.
This comes in quite handy having married an Irish woman that loves to take me to these types of places.
We love this place so much, we decided to use their upstairs room for our wedding rehearsal dinner of roughly 25 people and couldn't have had a better time. The service was excellent and the view of the capital priceless (well I guess it did have a price, but well worth it).
We even had an Irish band that plays there, Westwind, play the cocktail hour of our wedding.
College waitstaff that is better than most bar/restaurant places in the area I have found upon my 6+ visits.
Great on a weeknight, weekend, or post Badger victory.
Holy Fish Fry, Pacman! Â A friend and I were in Madison for a concert a couple of weeks ago and were walking around the square trying to decide where to eat/drink. Â We stumbled upon Broach and both had the all you can eat Fried Haddock. Â It was very very good!!! Â Nice flakey breading and the tender juicy meat inside cooked perfectly. Â Being two hungry boys after the drive from Chicago, we must have eaten several pounds of fish. Â The fries were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, done right.
Atmosphere? Â Easy to be in no bullshit Irish pub with good food. Â
Were I living in Madison, I would try some different dishes as they have a good variety. Â But if/when I'm ever back on a Friday, I'd probably opt for the Fish Fry again.
To the people who sat by my significant other and I last night in Brocach,
I apologize. You see, we were both starving. I'd just gotten done taking the LSAT and he was--well, visiting his old fraternity. Both of us just wanted good food close to our hotel.
And when we got our food (I, the Brocach Burger and a Pinot Noir, and he, the corned beef and cabbage with Cap Brewery's Oktoberfest) and had it, well, I imagine the moaning sounds were probably off-putting.
I apologize for our dramatics over how good it was, but it really was worthy of all that indulgent noise.
If I may make it up to you by suggestion, try the Brocach Buger. You'll come to understand why.
While I still cannot pronounce this place- it doesn't matter as all you have to say is that you are going to the "Irish place" and everyone pronounces it for you. But if you are a trivia nut like me- Brocach is Irish for Badger Den- now how appropriate is that for a bar located in downtown Madison home of the Wisconsin Badgers??!
On the night we were here -it was hot and humid. We opted to sit outside with an excellent view of the Capital but until the sun went down, it was pretty warm. The patio consists of 6 or so bistro tables but check inside with the host first if you plan to sit out there. Inside- there is a long, dark wood bar and plenty of tables between the two rooms.
We ordered beer and a Meze platter which was basically two kinds of hummus, warm pita points, feta cheese and a small artichoke and tomato salad. Perfect for a hot night although hardly Irish.
But if Irish food is what you want- they have it here. Shepard's pie, Fish and Chips, Bangors and Mash, Irish stew- all the favorites are on the menu. They also have a wide range of imported beers, and a good selection of unusual Irish and Scotch whiskeys. According to the bartender- they also have Irish music on select nights.
So the next time you are little for a little "green" on the "Square"- check out Brocach. Best Badger Den I've ever set foot in!
Has anyone ever been to an irish bar that didn't seem priced beyond what it should be? Â What is it about "irish bistro" that warrants doubling prices? Â Â I mean, its meat, potatoes, and cabbage....seemingly always for $12 and up, washed down with a $6 and up beer. Â I'm not even too sure there is a defining "irish" thing about the the irish bars except for a little more woodworking and high prices.
Disclaimer: I rarely like irish bars, in case you couldn't tell from the above.
Disclaimer aside, brocach is actually one of the better "irish bistros." Â Food is decent, but not worth what it'll cost you. Â Has a decent irish beer selection, but it's probably also not worth what it'll cost you. Â Especially when you can get the same beers elsewhere for less.
Nothing has really stood out to me that I've eaten.
I had to spell this about 6 different ways before I found it - and I've been here probably 10 times. Â Eep.
Anyway, onto the review. Â We came here on New Year's Eve with a party of 8. Â They shifted uncomfortably, said they would look around, then took us upstairs to a nearly empty bar. Â Seriously, I know a party of 8 without reservations is a faux pas, but don't feign busy-ness just to make us feel bad about patronizing your business.
I started out with the potato leek soup which was very tasty. Â Definitely recommend. Â For dinner I had the Shepherd's Pie, which was delicious - though a leeeetle dry and a little too salty in the meat. Â The meat was traditionally mixed with peas, with a big pile of mashed potatoes on top. Â Somewhere in there either I needed a side of gravy (yes, I'm a fatass) or it needed more butter - but nonetheless, meat + mashed potatoes = mmmm. Â I complemented my meat pie with a Stella, about which there is nothing to rave or complain.
Most of our table either had the regular Shep, veggie Shep, or fish and chips, and we all left satisfied. Â The fish and chips looked awesome - crispy, thin batter, served with steak fries. Â The veggie Shepherd's Pie was also reportedly good, with our veg friends saying it tasted just as good as meat... which I suppose is a compliment to fake meat, since I think it usually sucks. Â Why you wouldn't just eat meat then, the world may never understand.
Our waiter was pretty good - he even kept separate checks for each patron, which was nice. Â He kept messing up the names though, so I was like, "Either don't try to remember our names, or put the tickets in some sort of order, because we just have to correct you each time. Â But really, thanks for splitting the checks...it's a big pet peeve of mine when you don't do that."
Anyway, despite the "we're so busy" shenanigans at the beginning, I was really happy with dinner. Â It gave me a fabulous base for all that New Year's drinking, and it wasn't too pricey either.
One thing you need to know about me - I don't like Brocach. Like for real.
It's pretty boring, and feels so manufactured- maybe its the stucco on the walls, the fake irish decor, or the $6 Guinness', but I sigh every time that I get suckered into going here. Give me a break.
Two redeeming qualities: they have a scotch egg on the menu :) and their brunch is fairly legit with BOGO bloodies on sundays (I think)
The food here is pretty darned good for a "pub". I've had some great risotto and a darned good fish fry at Brocach...which are two things that don't normally come from ONE place. If I was a beer or whiskey drinker, I'd be a happy camper, for it looks like there's ample choices in both. It's actually nice decor, themed without being too campy. It does get pretty loud in the downstairs bar area, so I favor being upstairs. The view of the capitol from upstairs is breathtaking, anyhow. I'd sit at that window all night...if it weren't for fear of becoming "that weird window-lady".
If anyone were to wander up to me on the street and ask "Where's a good pseudo-Irish-pub, lassie?" I'd point my finger in Brocach's direction.
At first glance, this place is your typical Americanized-Irish pub. You know, the gaelic phrases on the wall, Guinness and Harp signs hanging on the wood-paneled walls, and a roaring fire.
But upon closer inspection, this place is actually pretty cool. The bartenders are personable and remember repeat customers. The atmosphere is warm and inviting - the kind of place full of good people, good beer, and good times.
So, stop by sometime, put your feet up, and enjoy a night out amongst friends.
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