5 Classic Irish Pubs Ripe for St. Paddy's Day Festivities in Brooklyn

St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching (it’s Thursday, March 17), and with it comes the need for a guide to some of Brooklyn’s best Irish bars.

One of Kings County’s most prominent traditional ethnic groups, the Irish have most certainly had a significant impact on the borough’s demographic makeup, representation in film and, not least important, pub culture.

From Bay Ridge to Windsor Terrace, here are some of Brooklyn’s best Celtic drinking holes.

Kitty Kiernans
This Bay Ridge spot, owned and operated by native Dubliner James Keenaghan, has been giving the neighborhood a dose of Irish culture since 1996. The bar’s facade was featured in a shot from Spike Lee’s 2002 film 25th Hour.

9715 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge. Open 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. Monday through Saturday; noon to 4 a.m. Sundays.

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The Wicked Monk
Another Irish drinking hole in Bay Ridge, the Wicked Monk has monastery-like decorations that give it a gothic vibe. Known for being a burger joint in addition to an Irish pub, the spot has a highly reviewed shepherd’s pie as well as a fittingly sacrilegious ceiling mural.

9510 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge. Open noon to 1 a.m. Monday through Friday, noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 1 a.m. Sunday.

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Irish Haven
One of a dying breed of authentic Irish dive bars, Sunset Park’s Irish Haven is a neighborhood stronghold of alcohol-filled fun. From the shamrocks on its sign to the Irish national flag out front, Irish Haven is undoubtedly proud of its heritage.

5721 4th Avenue. Open 8:30 a.m. to 4 a.m. daily.

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Hartley’s
Clinton Hill’s homely Hartley’s offers a more upscale Irish experience, with menu offerings including baked Irish soda bread, Guinness stew, fresh mussels and a spiced beef sandwich. New to the nabe, Hartley’s opened in December 2015, and this year’s will be its first St. Patrick’s Day.

14 Putnam Avenue in Clinton Hill. Open 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Mondays and Sundays, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

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Farrell’s Bar & Grill
It doesn’t get much more old-school than Farrell’s. Known for its lack of ladies and abundance of Budweiser, this Windsor Terrace landmark has been open since the 1930s. In a notable moment for the neighborhood, actress Shirley MacLaine became the first unaccompanied female to be served at Farrell’s in the early 1970s.

215 Prospect Park West. Open 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. Monday through Saturday and noon through 4 a.m. on Sundays.

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