St. Paddy's Day Events

by Ann Curran

You'll find plenty of pubs and restaurants with an Irish flavor this time of year. If you want to hear the occasional brogue, too, try the Irish group events, which are open to the public.

Friday, March 13

Kick-off Ceili (Irish dancing) with Pittsburgh Ceili Club: Epiphany Hall, 1018 Centre Ave., uptown. 7 p.m. Music by The Usual Suspects; hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Members, $15; non-members, $20. 412/486-2684, pittsburghceiliclub.org.

Saturday, March 14

Smithfield Café: 639 Smithfield St., downtown, 412/281-5452. Go for breakfast before the parade. Guaranteed Irish plays from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Paddy Folan, Bruce Foley and Jimmy Lamb sing Irish ballads and dance accompanied by the accordion, guitars, uilleann pipes and whistles.

Finnigan's Wake: 20 E. General Robinson St., North Side, 412/325-2601, finniganspittsburgh.com. The pub offers corned beef and cabbage, fish 'n' chips and more.

Max's Allegheny Tavern: 537 Suisman St., North Side, 412/231-1899, maxsalleghenytavern.com. Find great German food and a rollicking bar with lots of Guinness and Harp. The restaurant will even provide a green Iron City if you prefer.

Mahoney's Restaurant and Lounge: 949 Liberty Ave., downtown, 412/471-4243, mahoneysrestaurant.com. The menu includes soups, salads, steaks, burgers, pasta and even grilled meatloaf and an omelet of the day.

Molly Brannigans Traditional Irish Pub & Restaurant: 660 Washington Road, Mount Lebanon, 412/341-7827, mollybrannigans.com. Find drinks by the pint, the Irish way. Mix Guinness with Boddingtons for a Dirty Ol' Englishman.

Monterey Pub: 1227 Monterey St., North Side, 412/322-6535, montereypub.com. Try Guinness nachos, ploughman's lunch or smoked salmon roulades.

Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle: 2329 Penn Ave., Strip District, 412/642-6622, harpandfiddle.com. Guaranteed Irish plays from 7 p.m. "until they drop." The band also plays on Tuesday, March 17 at 7 p.m.

Piper's Pub: 1828 E. Carson St., South Side, 412/381-3977, piperspub.com. The restaurant serves Guinness stew, Scotch eggs, Gaelic four-onion soup and a stilton and rasher salad.

Sammy's Famous Corned Beef: 564 Forbes Ave., downtown, 412/261-7033; 901 Liberty Ave., downtown, 412/765-2244; 4067 Penn Ave., Bloomfield, 412/688-7399. The restaurants offer corned beef and cabbage or corned beef with sauerkraut "like they have in Ireland."

The Claddagh Irish Pub: 407 Cinema Drive, South Side Works, 412/381-4800, claddaghirishpubs.com. Try corned beef and cabbage rolls, Kinvara Salmon, smoked salmon boxty, steamed black mussels, Guinness beef stew, Jameson drunken steak, shepherd's pie or Galway Bay fish pie.

The Irish Centre of Pittsburgh Dinner-Dance: 6886 Forward Ave., Squirrel Hill. Irish music and dance. Tickets: $15. Reservations requested. 724/834-0233, pittsburghirish.org/irishcentre/index.htm.

Knights of Equity and Daughters of Erin's After the Parade Party: The Sports Rock Café, 1400 Smallman St., Strip District. Aran Band and sports games. $5. Noon-5 p.m. 412/931-6807, sportsrockcafepgh.com.

Pittsburgh Ceili Club: Epiphany Hall, 1018 Centre Ave., uptown. Burgers, dogs, pasta. The Usual Suspects will play. Noon-4 p.m. Adults, $12; children 10 and under, $9, 412/486-2684.

Tuesday, March 17

Paddys' Pour House: 215 E. Main St., Carnegie, 412/279-0770, paddyspourhouse.com. Jack Puskar plays traditional Irish music with the guitar and tin whistle from 11 a.m. to midnight. Try colcannon, Guinness fries, Irish whiskeys and Irish beers on tap.

All Ireland Social: Sponsored by All Ireland Athletic Club (dancing is as athletic as they get). American Legion Hall, 5857 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. 8 p.m. Comhaltas Ceoltóirí éireann musicians will perform. Admission: $5, includes food, 412/362-1963.

St. Patrick's Day Mass: Irish Centre of Pittsburgh, 6886 Forward Ave., Squirrel Hill. 6:30 p.m.

114th Annual St. Patrick's Day Banquet and Dance: Knights of Equity and Daughters of Erin headquarters, 1248 Evergreen Road, Millvale. Cocktails, 6 p.m.; dinner, 7 p.m. Live music. $33. Reservations required, 412/758-5446.