The Best Irish Pub in Chicago

USA Today Article Dated March 13, 2009

10 great places to raise a toast to St. Patrick

Belly up. This St. Patrick's Day also marks the 250th anniversary of the beer most famously associated with Ireland, Guinness. Whatever your choice of ale,
Gregg Glaser, an editor with Modern Brewery Age, All About Beer and Yankee Brew News, shares with Ron Schoolmeester for USA TODAY his list of favorite places to pour a pint on this side of the Atlantic.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/10great/2009-03-12-irish-pubs_N.htm?loc

Frommer's Review
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/chicago/N20409.html

“Drop in on a Sunday evening for the bar's weekly traditional Irish jam session, and you're sure to hear an authentic brogue. There's no television in this quaint pub, just a decent jukebox stocked with Irish and American favorites, delicious pints of Guinness (the best in Chicago, claim many Irish expats), and a cozy fireplace.”

Metromix
http://chicago.metromix.com/bars-and-clubs/brewpub/celtic-crossings-river-north/134793/content

"At some "Irish" bars, the most they have in common with Ireland is Guinness on tap and cardboard shamrocks taped to windows. Not so here. Co-partners John Phelan, John O'Reardon and Kevin Hibbitts hail from Ireland; customers, some ruddy and red-haired, talk about their last visit to "the island." With a working stone fireplace made by George Nugent of County Clare, it aims to be like a Dublin pub--and assuredly is, since designer Hibbitts is from nearby Laois.

You'll find 13 beers on tap--mostly imports like Murphy's, Newcastle, Guinness and Harp--have no food or TV to "intrude on people's conversation," says Phelan, who's from Waterford. A good crowd comes to listen and sometimes dance to Irish bands on Saturday, but mainly people just socialize. "Most of the bars back home are just drinkin' bars," Hibbitts says. "You have a chat and you're out the door."

The Chicago Bar Project
http://www.chibarproject.com/Reviews/CelticCrossings/CelticCrossings.htm

"Somehow, Celtic Crossings had eluded me for years. How did this happen? Where did I go wrong? Why did I not listen to my friend Jenny who had a string of uninterrupted weekends spent at Celtic Crossings that lasted for as long as I knew her.

Sadly, I know not, but I finally rectified my unexplained absence with a visit and was very glad I did so. Celtic Crossings has the feel of a cozy Irish country pub and stands as the antithesis of the commercialized Fado located a bit further south. For over 12 years, Celtic Crossings has provided a welcoming neighborhood pub for an area that not only desperately needed it, but one that can only loosely be described as a neighborhood a’ tall.

You won't find any food, televisions or Golden Tee at Celtic Crossings, but you'll surely find a bit of craic and you may even bump into someone famous.

Celtic Crossings is located in River North, on the east side of Wells and just south of Chicago Avenue. The bar lies opposite the Clark Street Ale House a half a block north of Garrett Ripley's. Once painted green, you can't miss Celtic Crossings now with its bright red-painted façade with black-upon-tan lettering.

Step through the double-doored entryway and you'll immediately encounter a crackling fireplace in colder weather that is framed by two brass lanterns and which keeps the front seating area warm. Here, you can grab one of the low-slung tables under a wood-paneled ceiling and in front of smallish windows with checked curtains and neon beer signs that protect the somewhat murky interior and the regulars from the light, evil light, streaming in across Wells.

A long and battered dark wooden bar, with its death mask of James Joyce behind it, runs down most of the central portion of the south wall, terminating in a stained glass partition made of wood that separates the front room from the back.

A rather large mirror at the east end of the bar makes this single room look even bigger. Beyond the partition, you'll find more low-slung seating, a number of framed images of Ireland and its personalities, an unused fireplace, and the toilets.

The decor at Celtic crossings is rounded out by a dizzying array of kickshaws from the old country that line a shelf near the ceiling running the length of the north wall, and a small display next to the fireplace hangs an official "James Joyce Irish Pub Award" awarded to Celtic Crossings, which makes the pub one of two bars in the entire country that I know of that have been granted this prestigious award – it is usually only awarded to a handful of pubs in Ireland deemed authentic by some anonymous committee that I can't seem to find any information on...

If you can grab one of the high-backed wooden stools at the bar, that's the place to be. Additional seating can be found across from the bar at a smattering of hi-top tables with stools and bench seating. Celtic Crossings features a baker's dozen on tap, including the usual suspects Guinness and Harp, as well as Kinsale, Smithwick's, Murphy's, Bass, Carlsburg, and whatever cider happens to be popular that day.

According to a bartender at Irish Oak, Celtic Crossings is one of the top three establishments in Chicago for where you can get the best Guinness in town (Irish Oak and fadó being the other two). You'll also find a dozen Irish whiskeys on hand and you might even be able to snag a bag of chips if you're lucky. As for entertainment, Sports Center fans will have to head elsewhere as Celtic Crossings attracts those that believe in the Art of Conversation, and even some that can hold up their end of one.

The Crossings also features traditional Irish music on weekends, including the world-renowned flute playing of Larry Nugent when he's in town. Celtic Crossings draws an after-work crowd during the week, a loyal following on weekends and a surprising number of Europeans, thanks to the bar's write-up in Lonely Planet.

When visitors come in looking for food, they are promptly directed to one of the local steakhouses for dinner, followed by entertainment at the Redhead Piano Bar – but they always wind up back at Celtic Crossings afterwards. Even a handful of celebrities have been known to frequent this modest pub, including Jude Law, Colm Meany, Gabriel Byrne, and George Wendt who lists Celtic Crossings as one of his top five favorites in Chicago, along with Abbey Pub, Schuba's, Martyrs' and Fitzgerald's, according to the Chicago Tribune."
Written By; Sean Parnell

Citysearch
http://chicago.citysearch.com/profile/3663800/chicago_il/celtic_crossings.html

The Scene
Simple, comfortable and more authentic than you'd expect to find on a touristy block of North Clark Street. The pub feels like an Irish cottage, complete with a crackling wood fireplace you can sit right next to, nostalgic paintings and an old piano against the pale plaster walls. Irish literary giants like Samuel Beckett are honored by images on the back wall.

The Draw
A turn-of-the-century carved wood bar, lit by antique lamps, and a set of booths are likely to be occupied by old-timers, working folk, young professionals, regulars and a smattering of travelers. The publican will pull you a pint of Bulmers or Magners ciders, Newcastle Brown, Hoegaarden, Boddingtons, Carlsberg, Harp or Guinness. Or he may recommend one of the dozens of Irish whiskeys on hand.”

Contributer – Citysearch

Local author Sharon Shea Bossard, who wrote Finding Your Chicago Irish, checks in with her top seven picks of the best Irish pubs and restaurants in Chicago.
http://chicago.about.com/od/restaurantsclubs/a/IrishPubsRestau.htm

"It’s tempting to dismiss this bar as not worthy of a visit; it doesn’t serve Irish food, but don’t let that get in the way. Traditional Irish music on the jukebox, best two-pour in town, enough Tato chips to satisfy your salt craving, and a cozy place to meet the Irish. If it’s a bit of the ‘ould sod’ you’re looking to experience, this is as close as you’ll get. There are no TVs and no food to distract you from the lively conversations and colorful characters you’re sure to encounter. A must visit for those seeking the Irish charm and wisdom."