I am a big fan of MacCool's. Having grown up in Chicago, the Irish pub is a staple from my childhood. I spent many a night with friends enjoying Irish music and food. However, Ogden and most of Northern Utah had few viable options. I used to take the trek down to Foothill and was pleased when they opened the Layton location.
However, with Ogden you get the real feel of an Irish pub. Located in the Historic Ben Lomond Hotel, MacCool's has the feel of classic American Irish pubs. Â The warm atmosphere, plethora of televisions, shuffleboard and excellent bar make it a great spot for a drink after work. MacCool's also has wonderful food. I am also a fan of the lamb riblets and I really enjoy their tradiitional Irish fare.
This is definitely a great place!
The food was decent, however the owner and staff were NOT! We went there because my husbands coworkers recommended it. Was our first meal in a new state, we ordered and waited quite a while for our food. As I was eating I noticed a hair at the bottom of my food. I sent it back, and a man came over to accuse me of placing the hair on my plate. He then called my daughter weird and cornered my husband to find out 'what had upset' me so much. I got home to call the owner and explain what had happened at his restaurant. It turns out the 'manager' that accused me WAS THE OWNER! We will NEVER be back there. I have never been treated so horribly. Can't believe this place is still in business if that is how they treat customers!!!
Review Source:I have been to MacCools several times and every time I am treated like a regular. They smile, are happy to see me and the service is quick. My first meal was on a Tuesday when i discovered that appetizers are half price...half price people! Of course I ordered lamb ribs which are usually $12.99.Let me tell ya, lamb ribs are amazing! They were sweet with a tiny bit of spice and oh so messy and good. The Lamb meat was perfectly tender and came right off the bone.
I admit I am an appetizer queen. Every time we have gone it has been when we wanted a quick bite so I have yet to try a whole meal. But, luckily for me their appetizers are nothing short of delicious. A couple are my faves (besides lamb ribs mmm) are the Finn skins and sweet potato fries. Finn skins are sliced potatoes topped with cheese, green onions, bacon and served with a green onion and sour cream dip. Two words describe this dish- food coma. The sweet potatoe  fries are your every day are your run of the mill fries but they are served with a yummy curry dip.
On my last visit I ventured off the appetizer menu and splurged on some fish and chips. It was a bit pricey for only 3 small pieces of fish but they were still very good. The tartar sauce was super fresh and the chips were nice and crisp (perhaps a bit too crisp for my taste). I only wish there was one or two more piece of fish to make it worth the $13.
If you stop by MacCools you must try some brew! They are great about picking out the right beer for your meal and  they have plenty to choose from. I am not much of a beer drinker but every time I  drank a  recommended brew I was quite happy with it.
I've always thought MacCool's food was nothing too fabulous, based on their Layton location. I had the corned beef and cabbage boxty on my latest visit, and I'm just not sure the boxty is my thing.
But, I do think that it should be noted that the Ogden location is seriously beautiful compared to what it was. I frequented that space a few times over the last couple of years when it was the bar Rumors, and they sure classed up that dump. I couldn't believe I was in the same building.
So, overall, their food did nothing more to wow me than it did in Layton, but the atmosphere is really nice.
Never did I imagine MacCool's to be a source of great food, but as you can see from my initial review, I was wildly excited to have a new pub offering in the Og. Roosters continues to disappoint, and now MacCool's seems to be fading in that direction.
My previous review had 1-star inflation due to shuffleboard. This update is probably still inflated to the same degree...
Listen (and really, I hope the owners are listening), visiting MacCool's is like visiting a dying--and not particularly beloved--uncle.
For whatever reason, there seems to have been little or no publicity effort in support of the new Ogden location. You're even likely to miss it just walking past because of the paltry signage. I'm not sure what the strategy is, but on the three or four times I've dined there, the number of idle wait staff exceeded the number of patrons. This contributes to disquieting feelings of desperation and uncertainty about how much food might be languishing in the pantry (and for how long).
I will say that the staff has always been very pleasant, but the standard greeting of "Sit anywhere you like, you're the only one coming in today!!!" is really awkward.
The interior space of this location is really quite nice. Reasonably bright with different zones for "bar," "sports," and "sittin' pub." They have created, however, one of the most deadly and difficult entrances ever. The railings are obstacles, the stairs have little tripper additions, and there's a lamp post threatening to bonk you into Narnia. So, naturally, that's where the specials board also lives.
But hey, all minor shortcomings can be overcome by good food, right? Well, my greatest fondness for MacCool's stems from their commitment to quality ingredients, especially ethically sourced meats. So when I had the Niman Ranch bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich this morning and it tasted like two-day-old Hormel, my heart sank. THEN, I sampled the brunch pie, an unholy conglomeration of cheese, eggs, potatoes, onions, peppers, and goop that went straight past the heart and into the bowels. Nothing short of vile.
This was an all-time low, but I have had some tasty food at this location ... I think.
It will be some time before (or if) I return. Maybe come winter the Ben Lomond Hotel will fill up and MacCool's will come alive. Until then, Uncle Mac lingers, subsisting on nursing home food and looking increasingly terminal.
I love MacCool's! Â The staff is so friendly, always making me feel welcome. Â I love the atmosphere and the food. And the beer! ;D
I have only been disappointed once in my experience there, and that was just me not liking a dish. Â The curry Boxty, not the most amazing thing in the world. Â
But everything else there is simply fantastic! Â Go in any Tuesday for half price appetizers! Â I get some sweet potato fries & a Newcastle or a Tetley. Perfect!
They have done a nice job installing this restaurant in the historic old Ben Lomond Hotel and the ambience seems rather relaxed and the service good. The red trout was very good and tasty, the shepherd's pie was uninspiring, and the lamb shank was  disappointing. It tasted excellent and the grilled potatoes were very enjoyable but ONE shank doea not a meal make ! To my mind the menu is way over-priced.
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