Thursday 30th of December 2010 12:49:07 PM

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I went to Finnegan's for an afternoon lunch and beer drinking session.

It is located in a business district that made parking a little challenging. I was able to find a small public lot about a half block away.

Once I got inside, the first thing I noticed is that the place is tiny... and it was packed. By some miracle I was able to get the last table in the place. The bar seats were all taken as well. There were TVs, but they did not seem to dominate the cozy pub feeling of the place.

The beer menu was impressive. On tap they had selections from Goose Island, Stone, Lagunitas, Flying Dog, North Coast, Ska, Southern Tier, Three Floyds, and Two Brothers. I did not really look at the bottle selection, but it covered a few pages of the menu as well.

I had the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Stone Imperial Russian Stout, Ska Euphoria and Southern Tier Choklat. They were served at a nice temperature. The "premium" nature and high alcohol content of my selections resulted in 8oz pours and high prices, but that is to be expected.

The service was very good. The waiter had a true appreciation for the beer. He offered several good suggestions as I was working my way through the menu and he even gave me a few sample sips to help me decide. This was much appreciated and highly unusual for places that don't brew their own beer.

The food was fair. I used to think that I liked Irish pub food, but it seems that everywhere I go the quality has gone down. I had the shepherd's pie. Where do they find hamburger that tough? The bread pudding was a tasty dessert and so was the chocolate cake.

Overall, I would definitely come back to Finnegan's if I was in the area. The service and the beer were great and if you can find a place to sit, then it is a great way to spend an afternoon.

2011-03-27: return visit
I was fortunate enough to be able to stop by Finnegans for a couple of beers today. I had eaten already, so I was all about the beer.

Due to the tiny space, the place seemed packed at 5PM on a Sunday. They sat us directly next to the door. We later moved to the bar when spots opened up.

I have a knack for picking beers from the menu that have run out. My first two picks where like this, but I did find a couple of tasty brews. Lagunitas Hop Stoopid is very good on tap.

Monday 22nd of February 2010 09:40:20 AM

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Best beer selection for the area, and some great Irish food here too. Finally made it here for a late lunch on a mini-tour of the Plainfield area. I was surprised at how small the place was, it seemed like there were maybe a dozenish tables plus seating at the bar for 15 or so.

Dark wood with intricate details and small high shelves, with a couple empty Dark Lords, Utopias, and a Pliny the Elder on one top shelf. Plenty of green for St. Pattys, with a small cozy fireplace in the back. The bar had anchor posts, which gave it an old european look, though it was completely new.

We were seated promptly towards the back, and as others have mentioned the crowd is a little older here, with "cougars" on the prowl for sure. An obnoxious table of 40 somethings were making fart jokes wen we came in, but thankfully they left soon after. At the bar there seemed to be a number of regulars. So the crowd left something to be desired, but the place itself was very nice.

Beer list was a highlight, it was several pages long, and current up to the day. 21 taps behind the 1st floor bar, and 12 more upstairs. Great beers on tap like Double Trouble, Bells Oarsman, ST Mokah, Curieaux, Expedition, and many others. Bottles were very extensive, with gems like Bruery 2 Turtle Doves, and JP Noel for $30. See for yourself on beermenus... they even had a beermenus sticker on their front door.

Service was friendly, and timely considering our waitress was also tending the bar. When I asked about the Oarsmen ale, she was able to give a good idea of it, which was a plus.

Food was great, had the Rueben boxty, and the spinach and artichoke dip. Both were tasty and well made. Overall i'd return here anytime, for the area the beer selection is unmatched, one of the best beer bars in the burbs.

Saturday 22nd of August 2009 09:30:42 AM

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I have been here twice now and both times have had a good beer experience. Met the owners as well and they seem to be passionate about beer and that's a good thing for a bar owner who wants to have craft beer.
The food is standard Irish fair with some american favorites throw in. The service both times I went from the bar and from the server at our table was good. The have a main bar on the first floor with 21 taps and a small bar upstairs with an extra 11 taps. The taps had a wide array of styles to choose from to satisfy most anyones beer needs. Over 50 bottles on the list and the owner mentioned there were more and was in the process of updating the list.
This place is a gem in an area that has been void of good beer for a long time... (maybe forever)