Easy to find, on the main Cork-Macroom route, Joe and Maura Carey's popular pub presents an attractive face towards the road and there's plenty of parking in the shopping area alongside it.
Very much the heart of the community, this friendly big pub serves lunch and dinner in the bar and restaurant but - as you'll guess from the decor - the activity doesn’t stop wth food and drink. An upstairs room is famous for hosting the best of local and visiting musical talent, and it sometimes also doubles as a mini-theatre - they even have their own guitar band, and a brew-club, too, so this unusual venue has pretty much all bases covered, including music in the bar on Saturday nights.
Menus are extensive, which is often a warning sign, but - despite the fact that there are some 15 main courses alone (not including a bunch of specials on the board) - there's no compromising on quality here. There are plenty of crowd pleasers, usually including four different burgers; the tasty Seoul Food Burger, for example, has a spiced meat patty glazed in Korean BBQ sauce, chilli garlic mayo and kimchi slaw.
Fish and seafood include ever-popular Chilli Salted Calamari, and an aromatic Malaysian Monkfish Curry, while hungry vegetarians should be pleased with the lovely Vegetable Moussaka; comprising layers of chargrilled Mediterranean vegetables, puy lentils and ricotta cheese stepped in a rich tomato sauce, it's served not only with pitta and hummus, but also a splendid salad laden with Feta cheese.
And, although the cooking style is eclectic, there's a focus on local producers, with Jack McCarthy sausages and puddings, Pana bread, Baldwin’s Ice-cream and Badger & Dodo coffee among the listed suppliers, along with respected craft brewers such as Eight Degrees and White Gypsy Brewing.
All burgers are made of local beef and they have taken the trouble to recommend either a craft beer or a wine with each of the many main dishes.The wine list is short but covers the popular choices, many available by the glass, and other drinks includie gins and whiskeys, both Irish and international, as well as craft beer.
Everything is very appetising and generous - and, although the short Kids Menu consists of the usual suspects, there is a complimentary Baby Bowl.
Lunch time sees a good few of the same dishes on offer, supplemented by Toasties, Wraps, Falafels and sandwiches - and of course you can pop in at any time for a cup of that excellent Badger & Dodod coffee, roasted at nearby Fermoy.
Owners Joe and Maura Carey direct operations at this well run pub personally, and it shows. Well worth a visit.
