If you enter through the bar at Geraghty’s Pub, watch out for the darts!
Regulars partake in a lively game of darts in one corner of this neighborhood hanguout in the historic district of downtown Burlington. It’s a friendly bunch, and the players will make sure to point out the main entrance for safer passage next time.
Pints of Smithwicks and Guinness are served at the bar, making Geraghty’s a likely destination for some St. Patrick’s Day fun.
The menu offers familiar pub grub year-round, but emphasizes the Irish in March.
Appetizers and sides are the perfect fare for a get-together with friends. Geraghty’s touts its chicken wings, with reason. The wings are enormous and plump, piled high on a plate and slathered with your choice of sauces: mild, hot, BBQ, chili garlic or teriyaki. Even the mild sauce has some zing. Celery sticks and homemade blue cheese dressing accompany the wings.
Chicken wings
The Caesar salad is big enough to share, a flurry of crunchy romaine and zesty dressing. Homemade garlic-parmesan croutons top the salad.
Caesar salad
A side of hand-cut fries, or a dish of maple-bacon Brussels sprouts—pan-seared and tossed in real maple syrup and chopped bacon—is all you need to satisfy the munchies while watching Nascar or other sports on the big TV in the dining room.
Brussels sprouts
Entrees are less successful. Fish and chips, which ought to be a slam-dunk at an Irish pub, were mostly batter. Even more elusive was the turkey in a turkey-cranberry-grilled cheese sandwich. Either the chef forgot to add it, or the turkey melted away with the cheese. A hot roast beef sandwich was served dry and gray, and could not be salvaged, even by the freshly grated horseradish on the side.
Stick to snacks and take a seat at the bar.
Geraghty’s Pub, 148 West Broad Street in Burlington. 609-386-1121 or geraghtyspub.com.