Unimpressed. Â Decor is nice. Â Staff, host, and owner are very friendly. Â Waiter could've been a little more attentive, so I didn't have to wave him down to keep ordering drinks. Â Also, this is the second Irish bar in Atlanta where I have ordered a half and half and received a mixed drink. Â The Guinness is supposed to be on top, the Harp on the bottom; not mixed.
Moving on to the food. Â The appetizer I got was the Untraditional Potato Cakes. Â These were nice round crab cake size potato cakes with a slice of pork belly on top and a mustard type sauce. Â It was actually quite tasty, though I found the pork belly to be a little unnecessary. The potato cakes were good enough without it.
Then I had the Guinness Stew and ended up with the same problem I find at most Irish pubs across the country. Â Guinness Stew should be dark brown/black and taste of Guinness as the base. Â I've found it twice in New York City and once in Albuquerque. Â Otherwise, here, like everywhere else I've tried, this is more of an unspecific stew more tomato based than Guinness (at least in taste). Â The carrots were undercooked and hard. Â The stew was soupy and should've been thicker. Â And when it was served there was a skin on top? Â That's not normal. Â Doesn't that mean it's microwaved or something?
Anyway, nothing special. The women who sat next to me claimed everything was good there, then proceeded to order two salads. Â Not very Irish.
This is a good place to hang out with friends and maybe watch a game . Drinks arent over priced. I def enjoy the decor of the place. Mainly made of wood. Has a great irish pub feeling to it. There are  3 rooms and a patio. Plenty of space to go around if you feel a bit crowded while trying to get a drink at the main bar. I def plan on coming back.
Review Source:Food was okay. We had a buffet set up for us in the top room. The potato cakes were good but bland. We had a very nice bartender! And I think our friend had an awesome celebration for her graduation. So over all I am very pleased with the service, everyone was so nice and helpful. I would love to go back and experience this place as a dinner guest.
Review Source:Be careful when parking. It is 2 hours in the deck with validation but after 2 hours the validation is cancelled with no credit. It was $12 to park. The attendant was laughing as we drove away. That is crazy.
That said the place is lovely and I shouldn't base my review on the parking problems. A great place in Atlanta for a pint.
We discovered RiRa's through Outspoken Entertainment's trivia. Prior to that, I'd been a little skeptical, because I'd heard it was Midtown's version of Fado's..... often loud, crowded, and not parking friendly.
When we arrived, we were seated instantly, and saw that it was actually very low key (it was 8 Â PM on a Tuesday, so most of the happy hour crowd was gone.) The waiter was super-friendly, and answered all the questions we had about the menu.
The menu itself gives plenty of opportunity to try something new, and while Irish food isn't always my favourite, I was really pleased with RiRa's. The bar is also excellent, and although I'm not a beer drinker, they have an excellent selection. When I inquired about a martini they weren't sure they had the ingredients for, they not only pulled something together, but it ended up being one of the best I've had in ages.
The trivia host is friendly and polite. The only problem is the acoustics. The space itself has an "echo", so sitting too close to the trivia is very loud, but sitting too far away means the people next to you can keep you from hearing. There's little to be done about that, though..it's just kind of how the space is built.
I am thinking about hosting a future event for my social group at RiRa's. We'll definitely be back! :)
I've stopped by Ri Ra exactly three times since it opened years ago. Â Why only three? because I lost hope for this place, until today. My first visit was within a few months of it opening and it was only for drinks at a work function. I recall the service was horrible and the drinks were watery. Â A few years later I decided to give this place another try. Sadly, the service still sucked and the food was... inedible. Â We tried the pot roast with potatoes and the Shepherds pie; both were flavorless. They were so bad we paid and left, only to stop by Tin Lizzy's for take out because we didnt finish our food. Im telling you... it was bad!! Now, both times I sat outside so maybe that had something to do with the experiences. Â Fast forward a couple years and we've got visit number three!
Stopped by with some friends who often come in to watch the game (soccer). Â It was around 3pm so the place was empty, maybe 7 patrons in total. Â I noticed they have a pretty good selection of seating inside where folks can watch the game from various vantage points and not have an obstructed view. Â The sets are fairly new and large which helps if you're seated father away. Â I ordered the Hot & Smoky burger with brussels spouts. Â The looked great and I think this was the first time I've ever finished my veggies without even looking at my entree. They were yummy! Â I'll note they had a slight taste of vinegar which I wasnt expecting and didnt enjoy but it wasnt so much that I wouldn't order it again. Â Honestly, I could have ordered a large brussels sprout and been completely satisfied. The burger... *shakes head* nope, not doing that again. I ordered it medium and it arrived well done. Â Again... very bland, even with all the fixins' I found myself eating it simply due to starvation. Â Had a $6 dollar slice of cake. Â Its was good but considering how small it was I wouldnt say it was worth the $6.
I'll give this place another try when the men wanna go watch the (euro) football game.
Best Irish pub in Atlanta! I see a lot of food reviews here but the real reason you're coming to an Irish pub is to drink and party and there's no better place in Midtown than Rira. If you are going to order food make sure it's the curry chips - great Irish pub food. The brown bread is really good too but would taste better with a layer of Kerrygold butter (get on it Rira!)
Friday and Saturday are the best nights here. A band and DJ play in 2 different rooms and  the pub really starts getting going around 10.30pm.  It attracts a great international mix of people, I've met them all in here - Bolivians, Colombians, Palestinians, Peurto Ricans! Drink prices are good for Midtown, and Heineken is great value at $4. A lot of the bar staff are Irish so you also know you're going to get a good pint of Guinness. There is a bar at the very back which is a great place to have a quiet drink.
If you can get away from your drink for a minute take a look at the decor on the walls, really cool stuff from Ireland like old roadsigns and beer bottles.
Tip: Make sure you buy a bag of the Irish chips/crisps Tayto from behind the bar.
It was one of my co-worker's last days at our office, so a group of us decided to get together and go out for a last lunch with him, so a large reservation was made for Friday around noon.
When our group of 18 assembled in Ri Ra's at the hostess stand, they barely blinked an eye before whisking us all up to the long table assembled in the middle of the main dining room. Â As others have said, Ri Ra Irish Pub is very authentic looking: dark wood everywhere, dim lighting, a working fireplace (although mysteriously they turned on the a/c while we were dining and it was only about 60 degrees F outside), multiple bars and lots of sports (mostly soccer) on the TVs and Ireland-related paraphernalia.
The menu, likewise, is a good mix of authentic Irish dishes like Irish stew, Reubens, and potato pancakes and American fare for the less adventurous: burgers, chicken tenders, and salads. Â Along with the food, the drink menu is impressive and extensive - lots of Irish whiskeys (obviously) to choose from, Irish coffees, beers on tap and, of course, Guinness.
The beef and Guinness stew sounded really enticing, but in order to avoid a total food coma afterwards, I opted for the bistro salad instead. Â It's a large salad of fresh mixed greens, generous helpings of red grapes and green apples, bleu cheese crumbles, walnuts and champagne vinaigrette with a slice of dark rye bread on the side. Â All the ingredients were fresh and even without ordering extra meat, I was plenty full by the end. Â Â Â Â
Although our group was 18 strong, the service was quite good - checks were split from the beginning and not mixed up at the end, drinks were kept full and our food came out in a timely manner (it may just have been that it was Good Friday and less crowded than normal), but we were in and out in a little over an hour.
Nice job Ri Ra's, I'll have to come back sometime and try out your more authentic Irish offerings.
Dropped in on a rainy day for after work drinks and snacks...since I love Irish pubs, I was sure I would like this place. Â I knew I would feel like I was back in Boston when the Dropkick Murphy's songs started playing over the restaurant speakers. Â Friendly but not overly friendly bartenders. Â I told one of them that i had a smidgen of a cold, so he made me a real strong warm hot toddy...very soothing and cozy, but yeah, STRONG. Â Next time, I'll try the shepherds pie so I have some more food in my stomach .
Review Source:I met a large group of people here during one of my last visits to Atlanta. From the drinks to the service, everything was great and the restaurant had a great vibe. Given the number of people, we decided to get a bunch of appetizers.
I tried the Fried Pickle Chips and the Spinach & Artichoke Dip. The pickle chips were nicely fried and seasoned. They were served with a garlic mayo sauce and a spicy ranch dressing. I love spicy food so I favored the spicy ranch a bit more. The Spinach & Artichoke Dip had great flavor which good chunks of artichoke. But the bread that was served with it... wow... this perfectly baked mini loaf was warm, super soft on the inside and the crust had a nice crunch.
Overall, the food was great and the service was excellent. So whether its just a few people for dinner or a large party looking to drink and have some small bites, I would definitely recommend this place. Hopefully I'll be able to try some of their Irish fare next time.
This place is overrated. Â Jeez where do I start? Â First of all, do not go in there with a big group. Â You'll be packed like sardines into a table that isn't big enough, even if you reserve a table over a week in advance. Â Then the place will be so loud that you can't even really talk to the other people in your party. Â The tables will be packed so close together that the servers will bump into you on every pass they make, which is about every 30 seconds, although there's never any food or drink in the servers hands. Â You'll be charged 18% for the worst service you've encountered in a long while (the girl with the artificially red hair). Â The food, when you finally get it, will be luke warm, as if it was prepared a few minutes ago and sat up in the heat lamp for another 5 to 10 minutes. Â Did I mention it will be as loud as you can imagine? Â Not sure if you heard me say it the first time. Â Oh yeah, once 11 pm hits, this irish pub with truly good looking woodwork, will pay a nerdy hippie wearing a baja and some thick lenses in his glasses to come in to this irish pub and play house music for kids who look like they just got done taking a test at Emory and wanted to let their hair down after doing science nonstop for the last 2 weeks. Â yeah, they're "raising the roof" and "letting the dogs out"....it's that kind of lame crowd..... Â I guess if you're in midtown, you're too scared to leave, and you really want Irish food...kind of....then I guess give this disappointing place a try. Â Just bring some cheese because this place is not cheap...and that's really where the value quotient gets lost. Â Like if it wasn't an expensive place, it might be tolerable as it is.
Review Source:Went here on a Friday night to grab some brews with a friend. We walked in about 9:30 and tried to find a spot at the bar. There were a few single chairs open, so we just decided to grab a table top. Service was quick and before we realized it was after 11:00. The place was definitely picking up momentum, but it never felt overly crowded. Pretty good beer selection and good crowd for mingling.
Review Source:Versatile atmosphere. My buds and I had dinner and drinks there, and then stayed and watched it turn into more of a festive, lively atmosphere. I liked that at one end of the place, you had a live band playing old classics that everyone could enjoy...and at the other end, a completely segregated spot, you had the new age, DJ type vibe. If you're into pleasing everyone, this just might be your spot. I give my meal a 7 and the drinks a 6. Gets really packed after 10. Enjoy.
Review Source:Ri-Ra is just an awesome and chilled place to grab a bite and have a night out afterwards. I love the ambiance and the feel. If I lived in Midtown, they'd have to throw me out like one of those drunkies you see on television.
Anywho, I had one of each sliders under the Small Plates header, which I think is genius for those who don't feel like having a massive meal and to-going it afterwards, and multiple rounds of beer. My friend referred to one of the sliders as a "mini Krabby Patty". On the other hand, they also serve hearty meals for those with larger appetite. I haven't had a poor experience yet so let's keep it that way.
Truly, a setting for great food and drinks... "As good as it gets!"
This is an awesome place for grabbing a beer, hanging out with friends or meeting up for someones party. I have been going to this place for several times in the last two years and I'm not sure why there is no review on my part. I can only remember good experiences from this place, starting with my birthday party two and a half years ago and taking their trio of different beers, to just meeting with a couple of friends after work to bitch about it. But, my most fondest memory is from an afterparty of one of my best friends. Â The music was great for dancing (you can find either a dj or a live band) drinks were really good and the ambiance was unforgettable.
Review Source:Half price apps weekdays from 5-7pm - need I say more? Â Okay, how about a wide range of beers (but no Strongbow - but Magners always works for me)? Â
The wait staff is great - always great service and I have never had bad food here. Â I will say they don't have my favorite Shepherd's Pie in town, but it is still a good one. Â They do excellent Jameson Honey Glazed Wings (ask them to make them spicy), Fried Pickles and what they call Chicken Goujons (Chicken Fingers) with a great mustard dipping sauce. Â Plus anything you can get the Guinness BBQ sauce on it great. Â The Kilcooly is my favorite sandwich - it is turkey, cheddar, apple, bacon and a cranberry mayonnaise on grilled sourdough bread. Â Delish! Â I also recommend the Pimento Mac and Cheese.
This is our favorite Thursday night after work hangout spot for a few beers, some apps and hanging out on the patio to decompress after a long workweek.
Ri Ra is one of my favorite places to go out when I don't really feel like dressing up. Don't get me wrong, plenty of people keep it classy here but no one is going to give you a second look if you don't. It's an equally good spot for meeting the guys on a Friday night as it is for grabbing a beer any afternoon. It is always dimly lit here and is covered floor to ceiling in dark wood. This gives the bar a really masculine feel sans the crystal chandelier.
For the most part Ri Ra is low key. Obviously the weekends are an exception. Friday is my favorite night. They have pretty solid music and to knowledge I've never been charged a cover on a Friday. It's dancier in the back. Saturday nights are a little different speed. They have live music in the back room and the dancing is in the lower bar. Sundays are cool too. They have a traditional Irish breakfast bar which I think runs a little over ten bucks. I'm not big on Irish breakfast foods, but they have an awesome mix-your-own bloody mary station that runs 5 bucks a pop.
Protip: grab an Irish coffee when it's cold outside. They are my absolute favorite. French pressed coffee with Irish whiskey and an insanely thick creamy head of what I can only assume to be equal parts love, Bailey's and magic.
The service was excellent. Â The place appeared to have many Irish people (my wife is also Irish) which boosted my confidence as we approached. Â There were 3 performers in the patio (where we ate) playing Irish tunes that we really enjoyed.
My wife ordered a cottage pie, and myself an order of fish and chips. Â Everything was pretty delicious.
On a side note the patio was child friendly as there were 3 families here with small children enjoying the music and food.
The fish and chips were OK...my wife's dish was better. Â I would return, but I wasn't expecting too much from an Irish Pub down South anyway.
I must admit, it isn't often that I venture to the establishments on the west side of Peachtree St, between 10th and 14th streets (also affectionately known as "straight Midtown").
However, a friend invited me to Ri Ra to attend a beer dinner, pairing Ri Ra's food with a few Belgian brews, and I was happy to tag along. I was struck at the sheer size of the bar. It's got three rooms, and I can only imagine it's packed on Friday nights.
After we were seated, we were treated to four courses and the beer pairings:
- First course was a sharp cheddar and sausage soup. This was a very nice cup of soup. It was smooth, and the sharpness of the cheddar came through. It was a little bit salty. With the saltiness of the cheese and sausage together, it isn't necessary to add additional salt during cooking. I'm not sure the kitchen agreed with me.
- For the second course, the kitchen prepared kielbasa in a beer and citrus reduction. This dish was pretty ho-hum. It wasn't bad, but I didn't find anything terribly daring or innovative. It was even a bit redundant, as the second course featured the same kielbasa that was used in the first course.
- The main event consisted of braised beef over mashed potatoes with wilted spinach on the side. The dish was good, a real comfort plate. The beef was tender, and I enjoyed the brown gravy it was served in. I would say the dish was a tad salty to my liking, but others would probably enjoy it as it was. The plating on the dish could have used a little work. It almost looked like vomit on a plate, tasty vomit, but vomit nonetheless.
- The final course was the highlight by far, creme brulee. As the other dishes, this was surprisingly made with beer. The custard was delightful. It had the most wonderful silky consistency, and a delicate flavor. I'm not a big dessert guy, but I ate nearly all of this course. While the custard was great, the crust on top could use a little more attention. It wasn't fired long enough, and I found myself crunching on individual sugar crystals. Usually the fun of a creme brulee is the caramelized top, so that was a little disappointing. Fortunately, the custard under allowed me to forgive the sloppiness in preparation.
All in all, I had a pretty good experience. The staff were courteous and attentive, they seemed as though they enjoyed their work, and working together. Sadly, this is an all-too-uncommon feature in restaurants. The beer pairings worked well with the meal, so I'm sure there is a thoughtful chef working in the kitchen. Just a few areas of improvement and Ri Ra might get that 5th star from me. A little salt goes a long way, and plating, even with comfort or "rustic" dishes is still important. I do plan to visit Ri Ra again very soon. They serve brunch with bottomless mimosas.
Came here on Cinco de Mayo for one of the many bar crawls that were going on; what a mistake! As a hardcore Decatur-ite, midtown isn't my scene. A visit to Ri Ra with a few of my friends confirmed that I was very much out of my element.
We opted for the patio, thank goodness because it was loud as hell inside. Drink specials - $5 margaritas (Watered down sugar-water with a rim of salt - what a mistake. Apparently they were $1.50 off for Cinco de Mayo, so it's not like we were saving an ass-load of money). Our server seemed really frazzled (understandable, the place was a madhouse) though nice and pleasant enough. Wasn't interested in making small-talk (not really sure that's an item for criticism, though.)
As a table, we ordered nachos, mashed potatoes and gravy, calamari, spinach and artichoke dip, and I personally went with the rilled chicken foccacia sandwich with a side of sweet potato tater tots.
Ri Ra has an issue with either oversalting or majorly undersalting. Mashed potatoes and gravy and my chicken foccacia sandwich - seems like the "chef" forgot to salt both dishes. Nachos - slightly burned, taste was ok. Spinach and artichoke - SALT GALORE.
Probably wouldn't come here again...they do validate though!
Went here for the first time ever on St. Patrick's Day. I was very impressed. As you already read this is an authentic Irish Pub in Atlanta. So they go all out for the Irish Holiday. We arrived there at about 4pm and it was very crowded as you could only imagine. They closed the street down and had bands and beer outside as well as inside.
The bar itself inside is huge. We were starving so we attempted to get a table. The hostess staff was very very helpful and nice. They took our info and wrote down what we were wearing to make sure they could find us later. There was an approximate 2 hour wait and they were out of buzzers.
We bellied up to the main bar (which is magnificent by the way, reconstructed from a pub in Dublin) and were lucky enough to get a chair. One chair which my awesome boyfriend let me have. We ordered chicken and Irish Potato Cakes. The Potato cakes were the best I have ever had. They food came super fast and the beers were flowing. They do have Magners on tap. You will need to ask for it on ice because one of the bartenders neglected to do that which surprised my boyfriend Chris who is a huge fan of the cider. ( We went back to the hostess staff to have them take us off the list BTW since we were able to eat at the bar)
All in all is was a great day and the staff and the food and the beer selection did not disappoint.  On a day like St. Patty's Day you would think the craziness would make it a bad time but  it was just the opposite. I commend the staff for keeping it all together  with a smile while us crazies get wasted. Oh and one more thing, please do not go in there on St Patty's Day and ask for green beer. I overheard a guy ask the bartender if they had green beer. This is an authentic Irish Pub....they would never serve such a thing. Ask for a Mangers instead!
Okay firstly I was excited to here. Â The menu was pretty interesting and after all it's an Irish Pub. Well I was extremely hungry and I ordered the succulent lamp shank that was suppose to melt in my mouth and fall off the bone.
It's sounded great! really. My lamb shank was cold, tough and lacking in the flavor department. The shank didn't event taste fresh.
so I ordered a gimlet to, gosh my gimlet was watered down, i couldn't even taste the basil leaves in my drink. Â I wouldn't say that Ri Ra is the best place to eat, maybe they had an off day. But my first impression was not so great.
Our friend heard that they were having live bluegrass for brunch at Ri Ra, and that seemed much more up our alley than many of our usual (expensive, long wait, difficult for groups) brunch places.
On Sundays, the street parking is free. Â We got a spot right around the corner. It was a sign. Â As we strolled in, we thought it would make more since with our wee one to get a low table and with a high chair, but the band was playing in the first bar area - all high tops. Â So we got the ones along the wall with the padding and took turns holding the wee one. Â
As soon as I saw the sign for the $5 Irish Coffee (with Bushmills) I knew what I was drinking. Â They use their french press coffee to make these tasty warmers, and it shows. Â Delicious. Â (Should've asked for decaf... which I remembered at 2 hours past my normal bedtime when my eyes just wouldn't stay shut...).
A lot of things on the menu sounded good, but I opted for the Irish Benedict - poached eggs, ham, roasted tomato with hollandaise over their Irish potato cakes. Â I got grits on the side instead of hashbrowns, not needing the double dose of potatoes. Â
They've got a foursquare special for a free appetizer with the purchase of 2 entrees, so we asked Paul, our charming Irish server, to add on an order of fried pickles. Â He said they'd run out the night before, but that he would check with the kitchen. Â At first they said they would do it. Â But then about 5 minutes later, they said no. Â So we got the baked spinach dip instead. Â Due to this timing issue, we got the appetizer the same time as our entrees.
All the food was surprisingly good. Â I say surprisingly because I don't usually expect much from bar food, particularly chains. Â The Irish potato cakes were essentially fried patties of mashed potatoes with butter, cheese, and some chives - crisp on the outside, and full of fluffy deliciousness on the inside. Â The rest of the Benedict just didn't matter with this amazing cakes as the base, though the eggs and ham were properly cooked with great texture and seasoning. Â The baked spinach dip was deliciously rich and creamy, much more of a spread than a dip. Â Some of our party got the pimento cheese, which was a dip instead of a spread for a interesting twist.
The Bluegrass band was GREAT! Â They announced that they'd be playing in the big room with a breakfast buffet starting next week (Jan 22, 2012). Â I'm not a fan of buffets, but I'd be willing to come back to hear them again. Â
All in all, a pleasantly surprising brunch. Â I've enjoyed Ri Ra the bar, particularly in Charlotte, and a couple of times here in Atlanta, but I'm glad that they've got a great dining experience for those of us who don't go out on the town all that often.
The place is what I would call "higher end" Irish Pub. Very beautifully setup and decorated. The antique items they have as part of this establishment are fantastic. The flooring, the bar, doors and the chandeliers all have stories behind them. Take the time to ask the server or a bartender about what you are looking at. You will receive a history lesson of Northern Ireland.
I frequent this place often with customers for lunch. Also have been back several times in the evenings for drinks.
The food, service (most everyone is from Ireland that works here) and all around vibe of the place is excellent. Very clean and nice. The prices are what you would expect for a higher end pub. High but with good quality. And yes, they do know what a proper poured pint is.
Pretty darn nice for a chain...... I enjoy myself every time I have ever been here. Quality place!
Pros: Food, Booze selection, Service, Clean, Beautiful
Cons: $$$............ Not the type of place you could or want to curl up to the bar for the afternoon/evening and melt away like you could at a more homey neighborhood Irish pub.
I went here for the first time and sat at the bar. The bartender was quick, friendly and very helpful. I ordered the shepard's pie and haven't been so pleased with the dish since I was in Ireland in 2005... so you can imagine how thrilled I was to enjoy it with a perfectly pureed Guinness!
The thing that really struck me was the atmosphere. They have some really amazing furnishings that will blow you away-- pictures don't do justice, there's just so much to this place you ought to check it out yourself!
So, Ri Ra we have finally met. Â I've heard so much about you and yet..I find you mediocre, at best.
I want to preface my review my saying that I've only been here once. Â I generally visit an establishment a few times before reviewing but, honestly, I'm not sure if I will come back again. Â I came with a small group from work for lunch (about six of us). Â We did not wait long to be seated at a six top. Â Our server came over pretty quickly to get our drink orders and asked if we had been here before. Â One guy in our group had been but the rest of us had not. Â She told us about the decor, how they brought it over from Ireland, etc. so that was kind of interesting. Â
I ordered The Kilcooly which consisted of:
Boar's Head turkey, smoked bacon, melted cheddar, sliced apple, cranberry mayo, grilled sourdough for $9.95. Â You get one side with it, too, so I ordered the sweet potato tots. Â The sandwich was actually really good and the tots were fabulous. Â I kind of thought everything was priced pretty steep, even the sandwich..but ok. Â Their lunch entree of fish and chips is $12.95! Â I'm sorry, but that is just crazy. Â This is why I say I probably won't be back. Â It's an ok place but it is seriously overpriced.
If you've been around long enough to know what the "old" Fado was like, then you know what i mean when i say the "new" Fado is a sparkly, bull$hitty, Disney World version of the original, legit drinkery.
Ri Ra, you are the bastard Disney Land to Fado's Disney World hijinks.
I was at Ri Ra following the SEC Champ game. Â After paying a cover and climbing through hordes of people we found a big table near the band and hunkered down (a reco to girl-fronted bands: Â just 'cause you're a lady, that don't mean you need to sing only female and/or Justin Bieber driven songs, y'all). Â Our service was a little slow, though not unacceptable, but getting a beer at the bar probably would have been faster. Â Oh, and read through the other reviews and you'll see we all agree - this is more an "Irish-style" pub than authentically Irish.
This is where i try to be as honest and transparent as i can, explaining my opinion, and then beating into the ground that it's merely MY opinion. Â In other words, this place isn't' a dump, is objectively a "fun" space, and from my heart of hearts, at the very least unique among the Crescent strip. Â I'm a soulless, agoraphobic jerk, but i stopped hating long enough to notice that people were here having legit fun, witnessed by my very own confused eyes. Â I even danced to pretend to fit in. Â i was there late night. And should have known better.
But seriously, for me, I prefer to get my fill of sweaty frat kids at Auburn games and not while I'm trying to get my drink-and-socialize on. Â On top of that, I hate paying to get in somewhere for a band i could out-rock. Â I hate screaming to be heard. Â I hate waiting on a beer. Â I hate climbing through people. Â I got out to socialize. Â Maybe I'm getting old. Â Or maybe i just like my friends, and my beer, and my personal space.
If you're looking for an in-town version of Highlands or Buckhead (overproduced and filled to the brim with croakies and polo shirts) then maybe this is your jam. Â Or if you've got a wild hair and want to mingle with a different crowd, i could see you having a one-off night here.
I didn't hate my time there but i won't be rushing back, either. Â For me, there are smaller, quieter, more intimate bars in the area that i prefer. Â And if i want to be surrounded by a crowd for a night, I'll pick a place with more authenticity and soul. Â And a decent band.
(Ri Ra, please don't punch me in the mouth...you tried to show me a good time...we're just not right for each other. Â I totally have a friend that i want to hook you up with though. Â Call me!).
Needed to talk with a friend who is buying a condo in this building over a couple of beers. So here I am again. Nothing has changed. Its still awful. The service was really really bad this time.
Later: my credit card bill came so I had a chance to review my charges. The server had overcharged us, which I caught, then gave us the right bill, and then when she used my card added to it. I am sure it was just an accident.
Stupid menu. Disgusting food. Incompetent barkeeps. Apologetically wide-eyed servers. Thank god for beer.
This "Irish Pub" is an amalgam of O'Charley's & TGIFriday's with a pail of sheep's entrails strewn about for "authenticity".
Seriously: Calamari. Hummus. Chicken Tenders. Wow, I totally feel like I'm in Ireland, dude! Try the "Irish Remoulade"!
Moronic and disgusting. I was hoodwinked into the joint by friends. Almost puked on my "lamb stew" which was basically cubed mutton in Campbell's Beef Consommme with a bag of Ore-Ida mixed vegetables. With Mrs. Dash. I mean Mrs. Death.
This is a haven for the palate-impaired in midtown. Which is just fine, they can amble up to the troughs and dig in.
Gawd.
RiRa's never my first choice to go out on a weekend, but every time I end up there I am reminded of why I love it so!
I have a love affair with the restrooms here. That's right I said it, the room where the keep the toilets. It's CLEAN. There is rarely a line. The doors are tall and go all the way to the floor, and are made out of that nice dark wood like the rest of the bar. When you are drinking and decide you gotta go, this is the kind of atmosphere you want to be in. The mirror is tilted so you can see your entire outfit, and they have that Excelerator hand drier. Call me crazy, but I think a great bathroom is a sign of a great place.
RiRa is really large, and unlike some other spots *cough*Fado*cough* you can almost always find a spot for your crew to call your own. It's nice to have a place to sit but still feel like you are part of the energy on a Saturday night.
The people that go to RiRa are awesome. Usually I feel out of place when I go out, because people are either trying to get drunk or get laid, or both. I'm out to enjoy some time with friends. It seems like at RiRa, that's the case for everyone. Everyone is pleasant; none of the girls there look at you like you are the scum of their stiletto; they're friendly! Guys will politely make room for you to get past people or to the bar. It's weird, like almost anyone I start talking to there could become a friend!
I've had food there too on other occasions, and it has been better than average, but nothing amazing. I tried their 12th and Crescent "signature drink" once and thought it was pretty gross- I'll stick to my Harp, thanks. They didn't have any great specials like the other places nearby, so I probably would go here again after work.
Overall, I definitely would recommend if you are looking for a night out but don't want anything too over the top. We are regulars here and will keep coming back!
Rà Rá looks like a haunted house.  Yes, it is close to Halloween, and yes, there were cotton 'cobwebs' strewn about--but still, the dim lighting and the old but new dead-guy portraits on the walls (that I imagine are always there) didn't help.  And with all the argyle and boat shoes during happy hour, I'd say there must have been a costume party going down last night too. Zing!
I've been on a quest for the perfect fish & chips for a while, and was pleasantly surprised with these. The batter's texture and flavor, doneness of the fish, and quality of the chip are the standards by which I judge them.  Overcooking delicate white fish is a crime, but I also really hate when I find uncooked pockets of fry batter--it's a narrow line and  Rà Rá's haddock was cooked perfectly. Although crispy and cooked evenly, unfortunately the batter was a little too salty  and my hand cut fries sat in the fryer too long.
The meal has a lot of promise though, and on potential alone the fish & chips here are quickly rising to the top of my list. Â Oh, and at least two of the servers here have the most delightful Irish brogues.
The attention to detail and their need for authenticity is noticeable here - from the imported chandeliers to their imported Irish chef :)
I ordered my defacto Guinness. There was "football" on and of course US Open because that Georgia kid was playing.
Shepherd's Pie was surprisingly a reasonable size for a normal person to consume (bonus points in my world). Guinness BBQ burger was delish on the intake but I did feel a little queasy when I got home later in the evening.
The place is seemingly (and maybe deceptively) huge, but I suspect it gets very packed on the weekends. They run ads on one of the radio stations so I bet tons of people are checking this place out.
Get there early to nab a spot outside!
Can't get better than having to walk out of your building to go here, major plus!
Service was slow. Server was excellent from Ireland cool! She gave us the history of the place and where all the furnishings came from, cool!
My Corned beef Sandwich was somewhat of a disappointment, the Chicken Sandwich was good!
But the best part of the meal was the Colcannon,oh my god, I could not stop eating this.
The Guinness was flowing and I needed it after a day like I had!
I like this place overall and will be back, but it does need some work on the time it takes to make the food!
Visited with 3 gfs before the Legally Blonde show last night at the Fox. Our server Brandi was friendly and helpful and did a great job of ensuring that our food came out quickly so we could get to the show on time. She also very graciously maintained separate checks for us- nice!
Drinks were fantastic! Colleen H and I both had the peach margarita made with local hand cut fresh fruit, not a bottled puree and it was light and refreshing on a hot summer night. I had feared that it might be cloyingly sweet, but there was a hint of mint or something else herbacious which kept it well balanced and flat out delicious! The only issue was that it seems to be the most labor intensive drink on the menu and it took a looooonnngg time for our drinks to come up.
Gretchen O's Moscow mule and brand new yelper Meg L's Caiphirina were also well mixed and put a smile on their faces.
Salads were large and seemed A-OK but nothing to write home about- the chicken gojones (my spelling is likely off, basically house made chicken tenders) were hot and fresh and crispy- yum.
Space is beautiful, like others have noted. Although huge, it doesn't feel that way thanks to winding rooms and the patio will be great when the weather cools a bit.
I almost broke out into a little happy dance upon entering Ri Ra. Clearly it would have been an Irish jig because I'm uber talented and can tailor my happy dances to my current surroundings.
First of all, thank all things holy for new venues opening in Atlanta. Let's be honest, kids, the scene is getting a little stale. Secondly ... OK, there's no secondly. This place has all the makings for success:
1. My endorsement, duh.
2. It's HUGE and super clean.
3. Convenient location.
4. Collection of attractive patrons.
5. Lovely staff - some of whom even have an authentic accent.
I'm planning a stellar event and working with the assistant GM on details. So far so good!
Welcome to the 'hood, Ri Ra. Hope you'll stay a while.
The people who opened Rà Rá  Irish Pub did not have to import all of the woodworking and fixtures from Ireland.  They didn't have to bring in a small army of Irish craftsmen to do the buildout or import a staff of servers from  directly from Ireland either.
I'm so glad they did.
Such meticulous attention to detail is amazing and refreshing these days.  Rà Rá  (which, as I understand it, means something like "good fun") just opened, but the place feels like it's been in the neighborhood for 100 years.  The only way to describe the place is "stunning."  The authentic bars, paneling, and flooring are simply amazing.  It's one of the most beautiful bars I've ever seen. Â
During my last visit, I had the unique opportunity to talk with the architect, who pointed out some of the small details (such as flooring from the shipyard where the Titanic was built) that truly make Rà Rá unique.  The main bar is an old 19th century bar, meticulously restored.  The woodworking is just beautiful and it's highly evident the craftsmen who built the place take pride in their work.
I was a bit worried at first when I found out the place is 9,000 square feet.  I was unsure how they would maintain that comfy pub feel in a place so large.  Kudos to the staff and architects who managed to design a space so warm and comfortable.  It just doesn't feel like a big bar.  It feels like a neighborhood pub just as it should.  My best friend is a architecture and history buff and he was as giddy as a schoolgirl roaming around the place and pointing out all of the little details.  Everything is authentic, thought out, and flawless.  It's also cool to walk into Rà Rá as it sits smack dab in the middle of the new section of Midtown characterized by modern architecture, steel and glass.  I love the contrast.
The Irish menu is fantastic and the prices are very reasonable. Â I was actually quite surpassed by the fair prices considering how unbelievably amazing the place is. Â Service was warm and friendly and I enjoyed getting to know PJ, Keyshawn, Paula, Kelly, Brandon, and the rest of the team. Â I sat down at the bar and asked PJ for a beer recommendation by saying, "What's your favorite Irish beer?" Â His reply (in a thick Irish accent) was, "whiskey." Â I knew, at that point, I'd found my new favorite bartender.
Please go there and support Rà Rá Irish Pub.  I'm thrilled to have such a great place in the neighborhood and I'm certainly going to do my part to make sure they're a great success here!  From the decor to the menu to the staff, Rà Rá is simply flawless.
One of my friends who was with me at the bar turned and said to me, "Have you ever been in a bar that just made you feel like you're home?" Â That pretty much sums it up for me, too. Â Â Cheers!
UPDATE: Â Since the first review, I've been back about 5 times and have loved it just as much. Â Granted, two of the nights I went, the place was swamped and service was a bit slower, but I'd expect that in a brand new place still getting its sea legs. Â I've had the Fish and Chips, Shepherds Pie, Chicken Fingers, and Kilcooly Sandwich and all were very good. Â These guys do a really great job all around.
UPDATE: Â 10/14/2009: Â So, now I've been to RiRa about 100 times. Â The service has always been great, but once you get to know the folks, it really captures that neighborhood pub feel -- even at 9000 square feet. Â That's it. Â This is my pub.
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