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Hands reach toward a plate of fries covered in gravy and corned beef. A bowl of sausages and potatoes sits next to the pile of fries, as well as a bowl of mac and cheese.
Corned-beef-topped fries, bangers and mash, and other dishes at Paddy’s in downtown Portland.
Paddy’s

Where to Find Super-Comforting Irish Food in Portland and Beyond

Irish bars, restaurants, and spots for shepherd’s pie

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Corned-beef-topped fries, bangers and mash, and other dishes at Paddy’s in downtown Portland.
| Paddy’s

As Portland’s food and drink scene expands, we continue to be spoiled by a vast array of different cuisines from around the world; however, Portland’s Irish culinary sector may be the exception. In the last few years, Portland has lost two of its favorite Irish restaurants, with the unceremonious and indefinite closing of both the O’Neill Pub and the Raven and Rose (and by extension, the Rookery). However, those that remain strong and standing offer remarkable Irish food and drink. From Vancouver to Lake Oswego, the greater Portland area offers traditional Irish fare in a variety of different atmospheres with their own distinct twists. As the weather gets rainier and colder, these are the spots that provide comfort in the form of shepherd’s pie, soda bread, and — of course — a pint of Guinness.

Note: Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Shanahan's Pub & Grill

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This Vancouver neighborhood bar has a relaxed atmosphere with more than 20 beers on draft, pool tables, arcade games, and an outdoor patio. The menu offers a braised corn beef hoagie with horseradish sauce and beer-battered Alaskan cod fish and chips. If whiskey is what you seek, hop on over to the Infirmary, the newest addition to Shanahan’s, which features more 250 varieties. The Infirmary also offers a wide range of cigars that can be enjoyed on the smoke-friendly patio. 

T.C. O'Leary's

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Thomas Christopher (“T.C.”) O’Leary, who started his career working as an actor on the Irish soap opera Fair City, opened his Alberta Street bar in 2016. O’Leary’s has a traditional Irish pub feel, with a dark wood-heavy, minimalist vibe that serves as the setting for bowls of seafood chowder with house-made soda bread, followed by Guinness brownies with Irish cream drizzle. Unlike some Irish restaurants, the menu at T.C. O’Leary’s also includes many vegetarian and vegan dishes, such as Bridie’s Curry with sweet potatoes and mustard greens, or the portobello mushroom burger with rosemary-tomato jam. Irish beers like Guinness, Smithwick’s, and Kilkenny are served on draft, in addition to a good selection of Irish whiskey and cocktails.

Katie O'Brien's

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Known for its all-day breakfast classics like corned beef hash and Irish country Benedict, Katie’s has drawn regulars for decades thanks to its relaxed atmosphere, draft beer selection, and house-made corned beef, which appears on a triple-decker Reuben and an Irish-inspired take on a French dip. Visitors can dine and drink inside, where they can also watch a game or play pool. 

Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub

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Family-owned brewpub Kells first opened downtown in 1990, though the family began brewing beer at Kells’s Northwest Portland brewery in 2012. At the downtown location, Irish chef Dawn Farley, hired in 2015, revamped the menu, which now includes traditional Irish fare using ingredients sourced from Kells’s own 50-acre farm in Wilsonville. The Irish Stew is not be missed, with its salty, tender lamb and potatoes tempered by the addition of the brewery’s own Irish stout. For dessert, bread pudding with whiskey-soaked raisins and Jameson butter sauce is a good move before heading to the cigar lounge.

Leaky Roof Gastro Pub

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Originally a food cart, the Leaky Roof opened its Goose Hollow pub in 1947, still going strong as a neighborhood fixture. Set in a cozy, dark wood pub, Leaky Roof serves standards such as Reubens and Guinness Irish stew, alongside a respectable whiskey selection. The shepherd’s pie in particular can easily be a dish for two, with its generous portion and consummate comfort food combination of melty cheese, buttery soft mashed potatoes, and seasoned beef. 

Paddy's

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Residing in the historic Powers Building since 1979, Paddy’s Bar and Grill, with its low-key diner feel, has been known for its annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival, with bagpipers and Irish dancers. The wall behind the bar is lined with more than 600 liquor bottles, including an extensive collection of Irish whiskey; regulars drink doubles alongside Irish classics like bangers and mash, Reubens, and shepherd’s pie. Another Paddy’s favorite, the “Irish poutine,” is a soothing combination of white cheddar cheese curds, corned beef, and gravy over fries.

Whelan's Irish Pub

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One of Portland’s newer Irish pubs, Whelan’s opened right before St. Patrick’s Day in 2017. Although the interiors exude a no-fuss pub, Jody Whelan’s food menu tackles the cuisine in a creative and thoughtful way: The bar’s shepherd’s pie uses grass-fed beef and Irish cheddar, the restaurant’s burger comes with a Guinness glaze, and the Reuben uses house-brined corned beef. Sit outside in a covered patio, or to watch a game inside. 

Dublin Pub

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This Raleigh Hills staple, originally located in Southeast Portland, hosts live traditional Irish musicians almost every week. Dozens of beers on tap go alongside a menu that includes crispy beer-battered cod sandwiches, corned beef, and patty melts on dark rye bread. Dublin Pub also offers an “Irish Dip,” a play on a French dip with corned beef and grilled onions.

McCool's Pub & Grill

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This Clackamas pub has been open for nearly 20 years, and offers more than twenty varieties of Irish whisky. The kitchen churns out fish and chips made with Alaskan cod, halibut, prawns, or pan-fried Pacific oysters, as well as dishes like cottage pie made with spicy sausage in a Guinness gravy. Happy hour runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to close, with $5 well drinks as well as fish and chips.

The Dullahan Irish Pub

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Located in Lake Oswego, this family-friendly Irish bar is an area favorite. Here, neighbors pop in for standbys like bangers and mash, corned beef and bacon cabbage, Guinness stew with Irish soda bread, and shepherd’s pie, as well as fun dishes like the Blarney burger, a Reuben-burger mashup. The indoor seating is cozy, with a converted house feel and fireplace; in dryer months, diners can opt for the patio with table-side fire pits.

JB O'Briens Irish Pub

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This dark, memorabilia-filled Irish pub in Tigard is a local stalwart for its multiple IPAs on tap and massive happy hour menu. Irish dinner specialties include sage and garlic bangers with garlic mash and Guinness sauce, house-made corned beef and cabbage, and a shepherds pie uniquely made with slow-roasted pork shoulder.

Shanahan's Pub & Grill

This Vancouver neighborhood bar has a relaxed atmosphere with more than 20 beers on draft, pool tables, arcade games, and an outdoor patio. The menu offers a braised corn beef hoagie with horseradish sauce and beer-battered Alaskan cod fish and chips. If whiskey is what you seek, hop on over to the Infirmary, the newest addition to Shanahan’s, which features more 250 varieties. The Infirmary also offers a wide range of cigars that can be enjoyed on the smoke-friendly patio. 

T.C. O'Leary's

Thomas Christopher (“T.C.”) O’Leary, who started his career working as an actor on the Irish soap opera Fair City, opened his Alberta Street bar in 2016. O’Leary’s has a traditional Irish pub feel, with a dark wood-heavy, minimalist vibe that serves as the setting for bowls of seafood chowder with house-made soda bread, followed by Guinness brownies with Irish cream drizzle. Unlike some Irish restaurants, the menu at T.C. O’Leary’s also includes many vegetarian and vegan dishes, such as Bridie’s Curry with sweet potatoes and mustard greens, or the portobello mushroom burger with rosemary-tomato jam. Irish beers like Guinness, Smithwick’s, and Kilkenny are served on draft, in addition to a good selection of Irish whiskey and cocktails.

Katie O'Brien's

Known for its all-day breakfast classics like corned beef hash and Irish country Benedict, Katie’s has drawn regulars for decades thanks to its relaxed atmosphere, draft beer selection, and house-made corned beef, which appears on a triple-decker Reuben and an Irish-inspired take on a French dip. Visitors can dine and drink inside, where they can also watch a game or play pool. 

Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub

Family-owned brewpub Kells first opened downtown in 1990, though the family began brewing beer at Kells’s Northwest Portland brewery in 2012. At the downtown location, Irish chef Dawn Farley, hired in 2015, revamped the menu, which now includes traditional Irish fare using ingredients sourced from Kells’s own 50-acre farm in Wilsonville. The Irish Stew is not be missed, with its salty, tender lamb and potatoes tempered by the addition of the brewery’s own Irish stout. For dessert, bread pudding with whiskey-soaked raisins and Jameson butter sauce is a good move before heading to the cigar lounge.

Leaky Roof Gastro Pub

Originally a food cart, the Leaky Roof opened its Goose Hollow pub in 1947, still going strong as a neighborhood fixture. Set in a cozy, dark wood pub, Leaky Roof serves standards such as Reubens and Guinness Irish stew, alongside a respectable whiskey selection. The shepherd’s pie in particular can easily be a dish for two, with its generous portion and consummate comfort food combination of melty cheese, buttery soft mashed potatoes, and seasoned beef. 

Paddy's

Residing in the historic Powers Building since 1979, Paddy’s Bar and Grill, with its low-key diner feel, has been known for its annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival, with bagpipers and Irish dancers. The wall behind the bar is lined with more than 600 liquor bottles, including an extensive collection of Irish whiskey; regulars drink doubles alongside Irish classics like bangers and mash, Reubens, and shepherd’s pie. Another Paddy’s favorite, the “Irish poutine,” is a soothing combination of white cheddar cheese curds, corned beef, and gravy over fries.

Whelan's Irish Pub

One of Portland’s newer Irish pubs, Whelan’s opened right before St. Patrick’s Day in 2017. Although the interiors exude a no-fuss pub, Jody Whelan’s food menu tackles the cuisine in a creative and thoughtful way: The bar’s shepherd’s pie uses grass-fed beef and Irish cheddar, the restaurant’s burger comes with a Guinness glaze, and the Reuben uses house-brined corned beef. Sit outside in a covered patio, or to watch a game inside. 

Dublin Pub

This Raleigh Hills staple, originally located in Southeast Portland, hosts live traditional Irish musicians almost every week. Dozens of beers on tap go alongside a menu that includes crispy beer-battered cod sandwiches, corned beef, and patty melts on dark rye bread. Dublin Pub also offers an “Irish Dip,” a play on a French dip with corned beef and grilled onions.

McCool's Pub & Grill

This Clackamas pub has been open for nearly 20 years, and offers more than twenty varieties of Irish whisky. The kitchen churns out fish and chips made with Alaskan cod, halibut, prawns, or pan-fried Pacific oysters, as well as dishes like cottage pie made with spicy sausage in a Guinness gravy. Happy hour runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to close, with $5 well drinks as well as fish and chips.

The Dullahan Irish Pub

Located in Lake Oswego, this family-friendly Irish bar is an area favorite. Here, neighbors pop in for standbys like bangers and mash, corned beef and bacon cabbage, Guinness stew with Irish soda bread, and shepherd’s pie, as well as fun dishes like the Blarney burger, a Reuben-burger mashup. The indoor seating is cozy, with a converted house feel and fireplace; in dryer months, diners can opt for the patio with table-side fire pits.

JB O'Briens Irish Pub

This dark, memorabilia-filled Irish pub in Tigard is a local stalwart for its multiple IPAs on tap and massive happy hour menu. Irish dinner specialties include sage and garlic bangers with garlic mash and Guinness sauce, house-made corned beef and cabbage, and a shepherds pie uniquely made with slow-roasted pork shoulder.

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