Irish Pub Vibes Meet Cincinnati Soul At The Red Leprechaun

By: The Gnarly Gnome
Photos By: The Gnarly Gnome

I’m always a little hesitant about a new bar that leans into any “theme,” – and “Irish Pubs” are near the top of my list for that. It’s too easy to mess up without understanding what you’re doing. When I heard that the ownership behind Fishbowl at the Banks would be opening up an Irish Pub at the Banks, I was certainly a little worried. Don’t get me wrong, Fishbowl isn’t a bad bar. Fishbowl is a ton of fun and nails what they’re shooting for. It’s very, well… not an Irish Pub, though.

I was happily surprised when I first stepped foot in The Red Leprechaun, though. I’ll be the first to admit that they did an incredible job. Not only are there no fishbowls in sight, but they have nailed the charm and character of what makes Irish Pubs so wonderful while still holding on to the soul of Cincinnati—and it’s beautiful.

What To Expect When You Head To The Red Leprechaun

Walking into the bar, you’re immediately hit by the lighting. Even on a beautiful day when all the front windows are open, the dark red lighting makes it impossible to discern what time it really is. The ability to get lost in a pint or two and forget about the world outside is a lost art in the modern bar world.

The big bar (which we’ll talk about in a moment) stretches along one side of the room. Next to the bar are a couple of little booths, creating the perfect little “snugs” to hang out with a date or a small group of friends when you want to have a conversation (remember when that happened in bars?). The other side of the bar is a little offshoot room that has a small stage with, from what I can tell, very frequent live music.

There are TVs on either side of the bar, but from what I can tell, unless someone starts complaining, they rarely have anything but music videos playing. That brings me to my biggest thought about the bar…

It’s A Throwback

I don’t mean that Red Leprechaun feels like an old bar, quite the opposite, it feels super modern and almost upscale compared to what a lot of Irish Pubs I’ve been to feel like. I mean that it’s a throwback in the sense that it’s about talking. It’s about spending time with actual people… like bars used to be.

It’s also important to note that this vibe isn’t always the case. I did have one experience at the Red Leprechaun worth noting and sharing with you. One night, while I was out a little later than usual with a few friends, we stopped in for a couple of pints of Guinness, and something very strange happened. The lighting changed, the music got really loud, and without a better way to describe it – the bar sort of turned into a dance club. It was like someone flipped some sort of hidden switch that completely transformed the bar. It was wild, and not really all that enjoyable.

That’s not normal, and that’s the only time that I’ve experienced that.

The Bar

Before I talk about the food, I have to go back to that bar that I mentioned. When they were opening up the bar, owner Danny Scott wanted to find something that wasn’t new to give the bar some genuine personality. What he stumbled across was a bar. This big wooden bar once lived in a pub in Malahide, Ireland, where it sat for generations. It took them the better part of a year to get the bar back here to Cincinnati – but we’re left now with a real focal point of the whole space.

Eating While You Drink

When you belly up to the bar at The Red Leprechaun, don’t make the mistake of not grabbing some food to go with your Guinness. The menu is fantastic. It was designed by chef Brian Duffy (I hope you’re a fan of Bar Rescue with Jon Taffer), and while it features some great stuff like Burgers, Poutine, Salads, etc. – the star that you absolutely cannot miss is the Pasties.

Pasties, pronounced “Past-eees,” were a new thing to me. They’re a Northern Irish dish, a fried, flaky pastry usually filled with minced meat, vegetables… potatoes… you get it. Red Leprechaun still offers traditional pasties but also kicks things up to a new level with my favorite choice, the Cincinnati Chili pastie. It’s filled with Cincinnati-stye chili, cheese, onions, and mustard sauce to dip it in. This is one of the most perfect drinking foods I’ve ever found. Do not skip it, whatever you do.

In short – Red Leprechaun is the perfect place for you if you want to settle into a pint (or a cocktail… I didn’t even touch on their cocktails… that might be a post for another day) and enjoy the experience of having a drink with other people. It’s not a sports bar; it’s (hopefully) not a dance club or even a restaurant. It’s a pub… and we need more places scattered around the city that understand how to be that.