Eating Green: Drinking & Dining on St. Patrick's Day

By Wynter Holden Tue., Mar. 16 2010 at 12:10 PM

Categories: Dining and Drinking Deals, Events

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28181943@N04/ / CC BY 2.0

Let's not pretend that tomorrow is about shamrocks and pots o' gold. In America, St. Patrick's Day is nothing more than a thinly veiled excuse to get sloshed on green beer. Unfortunately, it's less fun when you start start feeling green two songs into Blackwood's Celtic pub song set.

We tracked down a few local Irish pubs offering great grub on St. Pat's. The more corned beef and cabbage to soak up the myriad pints of Guinness you'll be offered, the better.

Downtown Phoenix
Rosie McCaffrey's at 906 E. Camelback Rd. will start their party on Wednesday, March 17 at 6 a.m. with breakfast, beer and radio hosts Beth & Bill. The festivities continue with traditional Irish fare, step dancers, bagpipers and drink specials. No cover until noon; after that, it's $10.

Seamus McCaffreys at 18 West Monroe St. and The Turf at 705 N. 1st St. in Phoenix are banding together for twice the St. Patty's Day fun. Look for corned beef and cabbage, Irish whiskey cake and all-day live entertainment at the Turf, including Celtic bands Blackwood and The Waters. The "Molly O'Trolley" will run between both pubs.

East Valley
D'Arcy McGee's at the Tempe Marketplace is hosting a parking lot party with an Irish buffet, live music, a beer tent and a Bloody Mary bar and Irish breakfast with KUPD's Morning Crew beginning at 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

Have some shepherd's pie with your beer!

Kiley's Grill at 2394 N. Alma School Rd. in Chandler is dishing up green eggs and ham for breakfast. Hit up any Keegan's Grill & Taproom location in the Valley at 3:17 and score beer for a buck, or pop by for the $9.95 corned beef lunch special earlier in the day.

One of the most popular St. Patty's Day festivals can be found at Tempe's Rula Bula, 401 S. Mill Ave. Expect traditional Irish foodstuffs, lots of Guinness and live music from Pat McCrossan and the Keltic Cowboys. Win a trip to Ireland in the ring toss game at Murphy's Law in Chandler. They've also got live music, cornhole and other pub games, and step dancers at noon.

West Side
From 10 a.m. to last call, Lis Doon Varna at 16100 Arrowhead Fountains Way in Peoria is hosting an outdoor festival with drink specials, raffles and Irish step dancers.

Padre Murphy's on Bell Rd. in Glendale is going family-friendly with a Big Top theme party featuring clowns and face painting (with green beer and corned beef & cabbage for mom and dad). Look for traditional Irish music before 7 p.m., and country/Top 40 afterwards.