St. Patrick’s Day bar options in Snohomish County

  • By Quinn Russell Brown Herald Writer
  • Friday, March 14, 2014 8:18am
  • LifeGo-See-Do

At 4 percent, draft Guinness has a relatively low alcohol content. That will help some people drink from the time they get off work on St. Patrick’s Day until the time they should be waking up for work the next day. Others, though, will still get pretty wasted, helping the holiday live up to its nickname, “Amateur Day.”

While St. Patrick’s Day has religious origins, the American iteration is less about patron saints and more about pitchers and pints. We meld stereotypes of Irish and Scottish culture together and embrace the one-eighth, -12th or -16th of Irish blood that we might have. Those who don’t have any Irish in them — which probably includes many who say they have Irish in them — can simply wear green and fit right in.

Here are a few Irish and not-so-Irish pubs to pop into on Paddy’s Day. Go out and eat, drink and dance to loud, fast music. The pipe bands will be making the rounds, so if you bar hop you might see the same group at more than one place.

For a relatively authentic Irish/Scottish experience

The Irishmen, downtown Everett’s Irish pub, has been celebrating “St. Paddy’s Day” the whole month. March 17 will be especially raucous, with live music beginning as early as 2 p.m. and Guinness being poured the right way — in two shots so that the foam settles. The shows go on after Monday, with live Irish music on March 21, 22 and 29.

Shawn O’Donnell’s kicked off a week of St. Patrick’s Day festivities with Irish Pub Trivia on March 11. It opens at 7 a.m. on Monday for a full day of events, including face painting, a magician, a beer garden, a buffet and, of course, bagpipes. They can offer you special rates at the Comfort Inn across the street if you’re the type who can’t handle your Guinness.

A younger crowd

O’Finnigans on Highway 99, known for “White Trash Wednesday” and trays of Jell-O shots, will have a tent out front with homemade food cooked up by the mother of one of the owners. There won’t be any pipe bands inside; instead, karaoke will be blasting as it is every night at O’Finnigans. Someone will at least sing U2.

Located on the southern border of Snohomish County, Getaway Tavern in Mountlake Terrace is stationed between your local nightlife scene and downtown Seattle. That means you can feel like you’re going out on the town while also cutting your designated driver some slack. Sing karaoke, chow down cabbage and play pool and pinball with a crowd in their 20s and 30s.

Focus on the food

McMenamins in Mill Creek will celebrate with food specials. They’ll have corned beef and cabbage, Irish Reuben and Irish stew that you can wash down with an Irish Stout Nitro beer or Irish coffee. One bagpiper will be playing.

If you’re in Marysville, check out Home Plate Pub for some grub. They’ll be serving up the St. Patrick’s Day classics with a pipe band for entertainment at 7 p.m.

For a friendly atmosphere

Kroakers will change its name to “PC O’Ruckers” in order to become the only Irish bar on Rucker Avenue. Expect to find friendly neighborhood vibes inside and cabbage bowling outside. Expect corned beef sliders and drink specials.

For a very laid-back vibe

Stop by The Scotsman, a small restaurant buried in a residential area of Mukilteo. It has a full menu as well as extensive wine list, but owner George K. Black of Scotland runs it like a pub back home. Live music will come in the form of soothing acoustic guitar, not blaring bagpipes. The place holds about 30 with additional seating outside.

For those who want more than Guinness

Scuttlebutt Brewing Company has bagpipes and drums scheduled for 4:30 p.m. And lots and lots of beer.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.