Where to drink

Where to drink right now: 10 best Irish pubs around Fort Worth

Gotta have fish 'n chips.

Photo courtesy of Trinity College Irish Pub

There’s something about St. Patrick’s Day that intrigues the masses, and while the celebration of Irish culture is technically one day only on March 17, the party seems to last all month long. Irish pubs become hot destinations, and locally, they are some of the most popular watering holes in town. It could be the friendly nature of those who own and operate them (a lot are transplants from Ireland or have Irish roots). Or it could be the laid-back vibe that’s a bit more mature than some of the area college bars, one where patrons can amicably play darts and have a conversation without much hassle. A killer plate of fish 'n chips doesn't hurt, either. Here are 10 great Fort Worth-area Irish pubs to check out this month. Sláinte!

Abbey Pub
Longtime locals might remember Shamrock Tavern, opened by an Irish transplant in 2000 on West 7th Street just before the district’s big boom. In 2012 the name changed to Abbey Pub, still an Irish pub and still popular with locals and out-of-towners hopping around the Cultural District. Choose from more than 60 beers, including more than a dozen on tap. Cure any hunger pangs by ordering barbecue from 360 Smoke Shack next door, and the meal will be delivered to you.

Poag Mahone’s Irish Pub
The West 7th district has literally grown up around this nearby mainstay, but Poag’s still stands out as a time-honored watering hole where both regulars and newbies are always welcome. It’s never really packed, meaning conversations can be heard and pool can be played without too much distraction. Speaking of pool, expect pool and dart tournaments to begin soon. There’s a lengthy row of craft beer taps, along with a good lineup of Irish whiskey and scotch.

Durty Murphy’s
The folks behind this longtime, matchbook-sized downtown bar have a big resume. It includes The Winchester, The Local, the newer Radler on West Magnolia Avenue, and the other “Durty” spot in town — the Durty Crow in the West 7th district. This one is one of their oldest bars, having drawn in passersby on Houston Street for a stiff drink in a tight space since 2006. There’s no food (no room for that), but the drinks are stout and service is attentive.

Trinity College Irish Pub
This spot was opened by a real Dublin transplant back in 2020, the most treacherous year for bar openings. But Trinity College Pub has stood strong as a standout for proper Irish food, drinks, and service, thanks to owner Alan Kearney’s experience owning a bar is his Ireland hometown. Guinness is poured at the correct temperature, and the food menu boasts authentic Scotch eggs, shepherd’s pie, and bangers and mash. Don’t leave without a Jameson-spiked Irish car bomb.

Finn MacCool’s Pub
For more than 25 years now, this neighborhood pub has made the South Side a little cooler. Located near the medical district on 8th Avenue, the friendly spot sits in a repurposed 1929 building, where regulars gather to loosen up after work. Note that the kitchen is open from 12-4 pm for comfort eats like sausage and potato soup and steak fingers. Dart tournaments are big here, as are pours of whiskey.

Conlon’s Pub
It takes a little searching to find this tenured pub, which sits on White Settlement Road in an industrial district across from Angelo’s BBQ. There are games galore here, from darts and pool to ping pong and Golden Tee. Open since 2007, the dive is mostly known by locals. The bartenders are friendly and ready to pour something classic.

McCullar’s Irish Pub
There are two locations of this Arlington Irish pub and grill, one on Little Road and a newer one opened just last year on Green Oaks Boulevard. Both are Irish-owned and operated, and patrons will find a lengthy list of menu items like fish 'n chips and even “Irish pizza” topped with corned beef, green peppers, and mushrooms. Expect a dimly-lit setting with pool tables, lots of TVs and several beers on draft at each.

J. Gilligan’s Bar & Grill
One of the oldest Irish bars in all of North Texas, this Arlington destination has been operating since 1979. It’s the home of the “original” Irish nachos, and these skin-on cottage fries topped with cheese, bacon, chives and tomatoes have been featured on the Travel Channel, Food Network, and ESPN-U, among others. Because of its proximity to AT&T stadium and Globe Life Field, patrons can expect lots of sports fans. But UTA is also nearby, and many college students cut their teeth on bar life here. They host one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parties in the Metroplex, with tented outdoor areas and lots of live music.

Danny’s Celtic Pub
This Bedford pub and patio is a hidden in a neighborhood where locals visit for all-day happy hour and Irish dishes. Nestled on the corner of a shopping strip center, the spot has lots of floor-to-ceiling windows, giving the interior more of a restaurant feel, although there’s a long wooden bar for bellying up. Smoking inside is actually permitted here, but an advanced ventilation system helps clear the air. The patio surrounded by trees is a nice respite. Order a Killian’s Irish Red on tap.

Dublin Square
If there ever was a rowdy Irish pub in Fort Worth, this is it. Located a bit north on I-35W in the Fossil Creek area near Western Center Boulevard, this spacious, standalone entertainment destination is part sports bar, part pub, and part live music venue. (There’s even a stage.) Wings, burgers, fish 'n chips, and Irish nachos keep patrons fed, and the bartenders know how to pour a Black & Tan to wash it all down. They also boast hosting the biggest St. Patrick’s Day party in Fort Worth.

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Chef News

Fort Worth's Will Rogers Memorial Center welcomes bright new chef

FortWorthtx.gov

Will Rogers Memorial Center

There's a new chef in town: Waylon Cornelius, named executive chef of catering and concessions for Craft Culinary Concepts, the food and beverage provider at Will Rogers Memorial Center.

Will Rogers Memorial Center is the 120-acre entertainment complex anchoring Fort Worth’s Cultural District, owned and operated by the City of Fort Worth. Cornelius will oversee menus for trade shows and other events at the center which bring in more than 2 million visitors a year.

Craft Culinary Concepts is headquartered in Glendale, Arizona, and manages food and beverage programs for entertainment, sports and cultural facilities.

Chef Waylon Corneliusfortworthtx.gov

According to a release, Cornelius joined the team this summer and is already shifting the expectations of guests from a typical “BBQ and beans” menu to a bill of fare satisfying every kind of palate.

“We always have fajitas ready to go, but we also make a beautiful Beef Wellington or baked salmon with a pink salt crust,” Cornelius says in a statement.

For consumer trade shows, Craft and its partners Caribou and Taco Heads offer more choices for the thousands of guests who attend events at WRMC annually.

“Some of our equestrian guests are away from home and here for several days, and they need more than popcorn and hot dogs,” Cornelius says. “Our concessions offer biscuits and gravy, burritos made in-house, strawberry salad, fruit and yogurt cups.”

A native of Mansfield, Cornelius grew up helping in a farm-to-table kitchen. He was raised on a farm with his mother, grandmother, and grandfather -- a Vietnam veteran who enjoyed vegetable gardens and raising hogs and chickens. He studied computer science after high school and holds an associate's degree in Cultural Resource Management and Policy Analysis from Tarrant County College.

He's a 2003 graduate of AIMS Academy of Culinary Arts in Dallas where he was mentored by a number of great chefs. While training as assistant executive sous chef at the AAA four-diamond Grand Hyatt DFW, he worked with Executive Chef Sutti Sripolpa, chef Eric Dreyer (who went on to be Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef), and Chef Jean-Claude Plihon, under whom he honed his French cooking skills.

As executive sous chef at the opening of Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille in Southlake, Cornelius gained expertise with volume. While at HG Sply Co., he learned about gluten-free items and other food allergies.

HG Sply is also where he crossed paths with Chef James R. Schell III, Craft’s general manager at WRMC, who recruited Cornelius to the complex.

"James said he needed someone who can hit moving targets, push the culinary team to be more avant-garde and use locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, so here I am," Cornelius says. "Culinary is a small world."

“I want people to say, ‘When we were in Fort Worth, you won’t believe what we got at Will Rogers!’” Schell says. “Even the celebrities who perform [in the auditorium] are surprised. When Chicago played here recently and we served dinner backstage, they said they felt treated like the Rolling Stones.”

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