O'leary's Restaurant and Pub

With red hair, pale skin, and freckles, one couldn't fit in anywhere better than an Irish pub. My safe haven is O'leary's Restaurant and Pub, located at 260 E. Lincoln Hwy in Dekalb, Il. Built in 1939, O'leary's didn't officially get its name until 2000. Since then, this pub has kept the Irish spirit alive. With its eye-catching decor, O'leary's make you excited with expectation. After being seated, one wouldn't expect to have an authentic Irish waiter, but that's what we got. Surprised, yet impressed with my experience thus far, I was psyched to dive into the menu. When thinking about the array of dishes that descend from Ireland, one may think, there are only a few ways to go about preparing corn beef and cabbage and Shepard's pie. Yet you will come to find that O'leary's Irish influenced plates are artistic and clever. O'leary's appetizers menu has all the basics of any other pub-like restaurant but they have brilliantly executed a twist on the Reuben Sandwich by coming up with the Irish Egg Rolls. Soft tortillas filled with sauerkraut, corned beef, Swiss cheese, deep fried and served over onion straws with thousand island dressing for dipping. And while only priced at $8.25, these egg rolls virtually sing with flavor. I've dreamt about these egg rolls, and after one bite you will too. The rest of the menu is enticing, and packed with just about anything you can think of. From their homemade baked French Onion Soup...(Oh My God, Taste Bud Heaven!) to an array of sandwiches like Rory's Reuben to entrees like a classic pub filler, Fish N' Chips for only $10.25. There's been a lot of talk around campus about O'leary's Pub Club Sandwich, so I decided I would have to give her a try. Tender shaved ham and turkey piled high a top a fresh multi grain bread with fresh tomato, lettuce, crisp bacon, and honey mustard sauce and grilled to perfection. The result is delicious. I chose to pair the awesomely greasy sandwich with O'leary's famous French Onion soup. Soon after finishing my meal I slipped into a food coma. Outside of always having Guinness on draft this Irish dedicated joint always offers and encourages its customers to opt for the 23oz Guinness draft to accompany any meal. Outside of the scrumptious food menu, O'leary's has great drink special's everyday! Monday's they offer $3 Long Islands, Tuesday's they've got $2 Domestic Bottles and $3 Jager Bombs. Wednesday's they offer $3 classic martini's and $3 Corona Bottles. Did I mention Wednesday is my favorite day of the week? On Thursday's they've got $3 U-CALL-ITS and on Friday's they try to lasso in the college kids with $3 Captain Mixers, $3 Big Beers, and $3 Jager Bombs. The weekend starts with $3 Long Islands and ends with $3 Bloody Mary's. So look out Fatty's, because O'leary's is some serious competition. With their ability to put a creative twist on classic Irish dishes, O'leary's has definitely caught the attention of my taste buds, and it will surely catch yours. And hey, you've worked hard all semester, so do yourself a favor and celebrate at O'leary's!