About
The Irish Oak Restaurant and Pub opened in late May 1998 in the shadow of the "friendly confines" of Wrigley Field at 3511 N. Clark St.
This new generation Irish Pub combines the best of traditional and contemporary Irish pub cultures that is wining worldwide popularity for decor, hospitality, humor and friendly staff.
Designed and handcrafted by artisans of the Belfast-based Pub of the Year Limited, each piece of the pub was shipped to Chicago for installation by Irish craftsmen. The oak, pine and mahogany beams and floor timbers give the pub an old world quality. Curved and linear fixed wood benches upholstered in rich fabrics opposite groupings of small tables and captain's chairs provide areas for intimate conversation or socializing with many friends.
In the front half of the pub the circular oak bar features a copper canopy, and the walls throughout are adorned with old photographs and vintage Irish posters. Collections or pottery, dishes and other bric a brac on shelves and in cases lend a homey touch, and the glow from iron wall fixtures and chandeliers lends perfectly to the warmth of the pub.
Moving on past displays of antique silver goblets and trays and shelves laden with books is the back room where a second circular bar is dominant. Old copper stills which were used to make "poitin" (juice of the potato) from which Irish whiskey was made after being aged in the floor-to-ceiling barrels. A pot belly stove sits against an exposed brick wall opposite the bar and fixed benches along the back wall with tables and chairs create a friendly space to accommodate large and small gatherings for dining, featured entertainment and impromptu seissuns (jam sessions). This back room is also available for private parties of up to 80 people.
A pub isn't Irish without stout, and The Irish Oak offers both Guinness and Murphy's Irish Stout on draft, as well as Harp Lager, Bass Ale, Hardcore Cider and a variety of domestic brews. In addition to house spirits, a selection of Irish whiskeys is available including Jameson's, Bushmill's, Powers and Tullamore Dew.
The Irish Oak is owned by Galway native Billy Lawless and managed by his daughter Clodagh. Billy brings 20 years of experience in Ireland's hospitality industry, most recently as owner and operator of the three-star Twelve Pins Lodge outside of Galway City. He is past president of Irish Publicans, an association of 6,000 pub owners in 25 counties of Ireland. Married to Anne for 26 years, Billy is the father of two sons and two daughter. Says Billy, "I chose Chicago for its friendly people, its architecture and its location on Lake Michigan," reminiscent of his home off Galway Bay.
31 year-old Clodagh Lawless graduated from the University of Galway with a degree in Marketing and attend the University of Valladalid in Spain where she became fluent in Spanish.
The family hopes to open another pub in Chicago and is setting sights on Philadelphia and St. Louis as possible sites for new pubs.