KEEGAN’S PUBLIC HOUSE | Several of us had been wanting to try Keegan’s since it opened at the very top of Big Spring Park around two years ago. Uniquely situated at the top of the park stair case on the east side of the square, above the spring fountain, the entrance to the restaurant comes complete with a spiral staircase descending from the main part of the square downtown almost directly to the front door of the restaurant.
A wisteria-covered awning is adjacent to the patio of the restaurant, and it is probably a lovely atmosphere in the spring, summer, and fall. Since it’s currently winter, we chose to eat inside and we weren’t disappointed! The layout of the restaurant is friendly and communal but also presents the opportunity to dine in smaller groups by the large, windowed wall overlooking the park.
Appetizers
Irish Spring Rolls - $8.00
"Wontons stuffed with lean corned beef, cabbage, and Swiss cheese, served with a side of 1000 island dressing."
This was the favorite for our table. The flavors blended very well and the pastry was light and fluffy. We wished Keegan’s served whole sandwiches of these things!
Harp Lager Cheese Dip - $8.00
"A blend of three cheese made with Harp Lager and a hint of fresh Chipotle. Served with fresh chips."
The cheese sauce was pretty heavy but the Chipotle flavor was unexpected and pleasing, balancing the rich, cheesy flavor of the dish.
Smothered Tots - $9.00
"Crispy tater tots smothered in our Harp Lager Cheese dip, topped with diced tomatoes and jalapenos."
The tater tots were crispy underneath a layer of rich cheese sauce. The jalapenos added a little heat, complimenting the cheese flavor.
The Boss
I loved the location of this restaurant. It’s basically situated on a cliff overlooking Huntsville’s beautiful Big Spring Park. I would suggest sitting by the window so you have the great view of the fountain and park below. I also loved the spiral staircase leading down from the square to the entrance of the restaurant; it’s such a neat addition to the place! Once we got inside, the wait staff was super attentive or friendly, but they weren’t rude either. The food came out fairly quickly once we all arrived, but it was more expensive than I was expecting, for what it was.
WHAT SHE ATE:
Pub Meatloaf w/Mashed Potatoes and Sweet Potato Fries - $15.00
Homemade meatloaf with beef and pork served over mashed potatoes, covered with rich brown gravy. Served with choice of one side.
I normally am not a big fan of meatloaf, but our waitress encouraged us to try it, saying it was one of her favorite things on the menu. Also intrigued by the “beef and pork” as well as the “brown gravy” aspects from the menu description of the dish, I decided to go for it! I was definitely not disappointed – the meatloaf was very tender and the gravy was savory and had a uniquely delicious flavor. The mashed potatoes were also flavorful and seasoned very well. The sweet potato fries were not my favorite, being a little bland and overcooked/dry/crispy. I would definitely order the meatloaf and mashed potatoes again, and just choose a different side to go with them!
The Engineer
When we walked in, the overall atmosphere was very nice! It was an organized and clean restaurant with waiters and waitresses who were attentive and were very helpful. I felt like they enjoyed being there and serving. The room was bright and there were a few TV’s around with different types of sports that could be enjoyed by pretty much anyone there. It wasn’t very loud, so it was easy to maintain conversation with the people around me.
WHAT HE ATE:
Pub Grilled Cheese w/Tomato Soup - $12.00
A blend of three cheeses melted to perfection with bacon and tomato between two slices of slices of sour dough bread, served with a cup of soup of the day
The grilled cheese came with the soup of the day, which was tomato soup today. The soup was extremely creamy and well made! There was a very good amount of soup, since there wasn’t very much left over after eating a little with my sandwich. It is important to me that the soup to sandwich ratio is perfect, and here, it was! The cheese was melted perfectly on the sandwich, and the consistency was great. I am pretty satisfied with my meal, and the only improvement could’ve been a little more flavor in the spices. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to groups as it is spacious and the food is delicious.
Strings O'Shaughnessy
Unfortunately I had never been to Keegan’s before today. I had seen the restaurant many times, but never knew what it was. After my experience today, I can say that I will definitely be going back this spring/summer. The atmosphere was great, and seemed like the perfect place to meet up with friends and grab some food and a drink. The smothered tots was the appetizer that stuck out the most to me. The beer cheese dip and the jalapenos paired perfectly with the crunchy tots. This is definitely the appetizer to order.
WHAT HE ATE:
10 Hot Wings w/French Fries - $12.00
Our delicious jumbo wings fried to perfection, then hand tossed in your favorite wing sauce. Served with celery and bleu cheese or ranch dressing.
I ordered the 10-piece basket of wings, and they had the perfect crunchy texture. The only traditional flavor options included “mild” or “hot” for the wings, and I went with hot. They were definitely spicy, but not unbearable. Overall, the only problems with this meal were that fries were not included with the $12 cost, and that the wings weren’t very large (they were advertised as jumbo wings). The only problem with the experience was that the waitress was not super attentive with the drink refills, and the restaurant was not crowded at all.
The Hipster
I’d known about Keegan’s restaurant for a while but had never gone inside before today. As one would assume, the pub is decorated in Irish style decor; and there was also delightful Irish music playing in the background. We seated ourselves, and soon after, our orders for our drinks were taken.The service was great, I do think our drinks could’ve been refilled quicker, but we were a big table, so I can understand that.
WHAT SHE ATE:
Shepherd's Pie w/Sweet Potato Fries - $13.00
Ground beef and vegetables simmered in a brown gravy topped with mashed potatoes and served with choice of one side.
I ordered the Shepard’s Pie, which was made with ground beef instead of with traditional lamb. For a side, I ordered sweet potato fries, which were the best I’ve ever had (but I have a pretty picky sweet potato fry palate). The Shepard Pie was so good, a comfort food. With a layer of meat on the bottom, the mashed potatoes were on top, and was a great combo. I’ll be visiting again to try even more on their menu!
The Detective
We continually have trouble picking a place to eat so this morning we did a random number generator to pick a place on the list. Keegan’s Pub it was! Everyone who’d been there said it was awesome and we all got excited for lunch a little too early. The next couple hours consisted of us saying we’re hungry and can’t wait to go to lunch. I really loved the look and atmosphere of this pub. The music and decor was Irish and was very appropriate for this touristy restaurant.
WHAT SHE ATE:
The Dublin Burger w/French Fries - $14.00
Two Angus patties, double cheese and double bacon
I ordered the Classic Burger with fries and a pickle. Everything was cooked excellently and came out at a very reasonable time! I was very satisfied. We also tried some of the appetizers. My favorite was the Spring Rolls. They were crispy on the outside and had warm and salty meat in the inside. Delicious!
Mr. Clearwater
The place is a great hangout spot. It’s right off the square and has your usual bar atmosphere with Irish-themed decor and music. Our waitress was very friendly and took our orders promptly.
WHAT HE ATE:
Pub Grilled Cheese w/Tomato Soup - $12.00
A blend of three cheeses melted to perfection with bacon and tomato between two slices of slices of sour dough bread, served with a cup of soup of the day
My favorite part of the whole meal was the Irish spring rolls. I got the grilled cheese with tomato soup and it was also very delish. I ate it as fast as I could because I was super hungry, so to be honest, I really don’t remember very many specifics. The lunch to me was a blur.
Judge J.
I really like Keegan’s Public House and have been there a couple of times before. The decor is genuine and this is where you want to be on St. Patty’s for sure! Expect bar food, because that is what they serve up! Usually, I order the lamb stew, which actually would’ve been perfect with this rainy weather, but they do not offer the stew on the menu anymore.
WHAT SHE ATE:
Chicken Pot Pie w/Green Beans - $14.00
A comfort food classic, generous chunks of chicken and vegetables enrobed in a savory cream sauce, baked in a pie crust
After glancing over at another customer’s table and seeing an order of the Chicken Pot Pie, I followed suit. My pie came with a side of green beans. The beans were actually my favorite part of the dish, sauteed nicely with little bites of bacon. My pie had a lovely, flaky crust, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the cream sauce. It had an odd, sharp flavor that I haven’t experienced before. Overall, I would definitely visit Keegan’s again and try something else out on the menu.
