You know a bar is seriously Irish when you look at its website on March 18 and there’s already a St. Patrick’s Day countdown for the next year ticking away, right down to the minutes and seconds.
Yep, we’re talking Shawn O’Donnell’s American Grill and Irish Pub, where every day has a taste of St. Patrick’s Day.
The Everett institution has been serving Reubens, soda bread and pints since 1987.
Did you know there’s another Shawn O’Donnell’s in Seattle?
It’s the real thing.
The founder’s son, Shawn Jr., and his best buddy since third grade, Chase Van Cotthem, own and operate the Seattle pub that opened in 2013.
Located at the base of Smith Tower, it’s a hop across a hall from the polished brass elevator that takes people to offices and attractions in the 102-year-old high-rise that was once the tallest building on the West Coast. The white terra-cotta structure with Gothic cap is still one of Seattle’s coolest buildings, inside and out.
Shawn O’Donnell’s adds to the cool factor. It has wooden booths, tall tables and sidewalk patio seating that’s perfect for people watching. Not only that, there are shelves of books, rest rooms labelled “Lads” and “Lasses” and walls festooned with photos and signs.
The owners kept more than the name and decor of the senior Shawn’s pub.
The menu? “It’s identical,” said Shawn Jr., 27.
The friends, who went through Mukilteo schools and the University of Washington together, spent several years seeking the perfect spot for a pub. They chalk up the Smith Tower find to “dumb luck.”
“One day we were walking around downtown and stumbled onto it,” Shawn Jr. said. “We were looking in the windows. There was no signage. We asked people if we could get contacts and were off and rolling. It had been vacant for 10 years.”
The pub, which has 13 brews on tap, draws Seahawks and Sounders crowds. Tourists also are drawn to try the corned beef, and often come back again. So, too, do folks from up north.
“We see Everett regulars,” Chase said.
There will be festivities at both O’Donnell’s sites for the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. They expect to cook 3,500 pounds of corned beef, bread 900 pounds of wild Alaskan cod, bake 1,600 pounds of Shepherd’s Pie and pour 120 kegs of beer.
I stopped in on a recent late afternoon with my Seattle exploring/drinking buddy Kathy Martin, a retired French teacher from Auburn.
Sure, she likes crepes, but she really gets excited about Reuben sandwiches ($10.99).
“The Reuben was very tasty, packed full of corned beef and sauerkraut,” she said.
“The Harp lager was very smooth and deliciously refreshing. The Irish beer complemented the sandwich. The atmosphere made me feel as if I was at a pub back in Ireland. Great ambiance for a Reuben and a beer.”
There’s plenty on the menu for those of us who aren’t Irish foodies.
I had a fat, juicy and delicious chipotle avocado burger ($11.59) that was topped with guacamole, pepperjack cheese, thick slices of bacon and chipotle apple coleslaw.
The pint of beer was great. I wanted another, but I didn’t want to turn green on the city bus back to Snohomish County.
Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @reporterbrown.
Shawn O’Donnell’s
508 2nd Ave., Seattle (base of the Smith Tower); 206-602-6380; www.shawnodonnells.com.
St. Patrick’s Day events at the Seattle pub: Doors open at 10 a.m. Well Known Strangers, 11 a.m. Seattle Firefighters Pipes &Drums, noon. Whiskey Gael’s Celtic Band, 3 to 6:30 p.m. Seattle Firefighters Pipes &Drums, 6 p.m. Unknown Uncles, 7:30 p.m. Guinness glass etching, 8 p.m. Face painting and Irish giveaways all day.
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