St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl

If you can’t get to Ireland — or even Boston — to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Las Vegas is the next best thing. The city is home to a ton of Irish-themed watering holes. With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, we thought we’d highlight four of the best.

One of the city’s best Irish pubs just happens to be the newest one on the Strip: Rí Rá Las Vegas. Crafted in the warm pub style of 19th century Ireland, Rí Rá opened last year inside the Shoppes at Mandalay Place, serving authentic Irish cuisine with a hint of American flair. Menu must-tries include the succulent prime rib with Guinness au jus and, of course, bangers and mash. The authentic Irish pub features a multitude of artifacts that were carefully restored in Wicklow, Ireland, including an 8-foot-tall, 500-pound carved plaster statue of St. Patrick that dates back to 1850. Additionally, the pub features live Irish music seven nights a week, with many of the bands flown in directly from Ireland. Visiting this month? Rí Rá will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all month long. On March 17 there will be live music starting at noon, as well as two parades (at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.) that will run through the casino and end at the pub.

Another Irish pub we love is Nine Fine Irishmen at New York-New York. Built in Ireland, then deconstructed and shipped (yes, shipped) directly to Las Vegas, the tavern is painstakingly authentic, with Victorian bars and live Irish entertainment seven nights a week.

1 Nine Fine Irishmen at New York-New York 2 Bangers and mash at Rí Rá Las Vegas (photo by Heidi Geldhauser) 3 Guinness sundae at Rí Rá 4 Fish and chips at Nine Fine Irishmen 5 Beef and Guinness pie at J.C. Wooloughan 6 Jack’s Irish Pub inside Palace Station 7 A peek inside Jack’s Irish Pub

Guests can chow down on a good selection of traditional pub favorites, like the tasty fish and chips or shepherd’s pie, as well as more sophisticated fare (nine of Ireland’s finest chefs provided their signature dishes to be incorporated into the menu). Not only have the recipes been imported, but so have the ingredients, giving the menu an authentic Irish flavor.

Looking to celebrate the madness of the holiday off-Strip? Head on over to Jack’s Irish Pub inside Palace Station. Popular with locals thanks to its affordable prices, Jack’s offers an nice assortment of sandwiches and entrées — including Irish favorites like corned beef and cabbage — with nothing costing more than $11. Guests can wash everything down with one of the pub’s featured drinks, like the black and tan (Guinness and Bass Ale), or tackle a 50-ounce domestic beer for $12 ($14 for imported beer). On St. Patrick’s Day, the intimate pub will be hosting a cover-free celebration complete with plenty of food and drink specials, live Irish entertainment and — of course — a selection of green beers.

Finally, for those staying on the west side of town, J.C. Wooloughan Irish Pub inside the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa hosts one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parties around, complete with Irish food specials, bagpipers and live bands. A favorite with locals and tourists alike, J.C. Wooloughan features 22 beers on tap, live music on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights and some of the most delectable Irish dishes in town.