Catherine Rooney's was one of the highlights of our trip to Delaware! We visited during their Easter menu, and everything from the food to the service made for a wonderful dining experience. We started with the giant pretzel served with three different dipping sauces, and it was the perfect appetizer to share. For brunch, we enjoyed pancakes, bacon, a delicious breakfast skillet topped with fresh lump crab meat, and the half-and-half soup featuring Maryland crab. Every dish was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. One of our party also ordered an espresso martini, which was a great addition to the meal. The ambiance was warm, inviting, and perfect for enjoying great conversation with friends. Our waiters were fantastic--we even learned they were from Greece, which led to a fun and memorable conversation that made the experience feel even more personal. From the outstanding food to the friendly hospitality, Catherine Rooney's delivered a memorable brunch experience. If you're in Delaware and looking for delicious food, excellent service, and a welcoming atmosphere, I highly recommend stopping by. I would gladly return on my next visit! read more

See all

I ordered the truffle fries, a pretzel, and an order of shepherd's pie...all three were fantastic. The server was friendly, and our drinks/apps came out very quickly. I loved the decoration of the place, and the music was pleasant. Best time I've had going to lunch in quite some time, and I will definitely be back! Next time I'm having Guinness. read more

Our group of three had a late dinner last Saturday night and enjoyed everything we were served. The truffle fries were made with thick cut fries and while I normally don't care for those they were delicious. My group enjoyed cocktails while I had a mocktail. This place is unique as they make their mocktails with zero proof alcohol instead of simply juice soda water ginger beer etc. I would eat the sweet pea pesto pappardelle every day if I could! While we were there it turned into a late night scene which looked fun although we did not stay. Hope to return if only for the pappardelle! read more

See all

Cozy atmosphere. They have a room with a lit fireplace in winter. Nice selection of lunch items. Good service. read more

Catherine Rooney's - Shephard's pie loaded potato skins - Irish Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

I have 40 birthday party for my daughter and the tap room It was so much fun. Everybody had a blast, and the service was excellent. read more

Philly cheesesteak is amazing!!! And the perfect Guinness pour!!!! We also got the small nachos to share and the small size is PLENTY. Nice crowd :-) read more

Different Cheesesteak #1152. Tuesday drinks and cheesesteaks with Amigo Dan. I'm glad I watched my video. I forgot how much we liked this (bar) cheesesteak. It was a Tuesday afternoon and they had a good crowd. The cheesesteak came with kettle chips and a pickle. They serve their cheesesteak on a toasted roll with fried onions and peppers. I got provolone cheese to complement the peppers. That was a good choice. read more

See all

I got the chicken wings and they were delicious, I'm pretty picky about chicken and they weren't too chewy but the perfect amount of crisp. I had Ava as my server and she's so sweet, she even remembered me and my boyfriend from the last time we were in. I also really love that they had Guinness on tap! Would recommend :) read more

Just went for brunch and it was great! Love the ample outdoor seating and our server did a great job!

We brought a large family group to Catherine Rooney's for an after party, following my daughter's wedding in January. From the time we reserved a space to when we paid the bill, the staff was extremely helpful and attentive. Great drinks, food, service, and lively, authentic Irish pub atmosphere. It was a perfect way to end a beautiful day. We'll be back during future trips to Wilmington! read more

Edit- after reaching out to the management I can gladly say that they were very quick to respond to this situation and very kind about everything. As someone who has loved to come here I will say I am furious with the unprofessional behavior from the security. Me and my fiance had walked to the bathroom as we are standing in line a security guy steps face to face with my fiance and says "you need to move if you're not in line for the bathroom" at first we do not realize this was staff because he was not wearing anything that told us this we thought he was regular bar goer trying to start something. So that is my first issue the staff needs to be wearing something that makes it known they are staff. This security guy gets up in my fiancés face and pushes him down the few stairs. When I saw this I said "do not ever push my fiancé down the stairs he did nothing wrong" after I say this he pushes my fiance again then shoves my shoulder and throws my drink at me. We then leave because apparently we were causing a issue (we just were trying to use the bathroom) as we are standing outside waiting for our groups of friends he comes out side trying to start a physical fight with us I was called a "bitch and a cunt" multiple times. We then proceeded to leave and walk away so nothing more happens. This interaction was super unprofessional and I have heard this is not the first time they have started something with guest just to kick them out. Having a man who is working his job put his hands on me and throw a drink at me just because we were trying to use the bathroom is very unprofessional and frustrating as a woman who wants to be able to feel comfortable going out. This being a staff member treating us like this needs to be taken care of. read more

Neighborhood pub with old school lively vibe. Beautiful wood interior, plenty of space. Mia is awesome, greeted us with a big smile and promptly got us started with some delicious wings and cold brew from the tap. Highly recommend the chicken wings, Jameson Mild and Honey Garlic Stinger. Perfect crunchy base and finger-lickin good! For mains, the Brisket Grilled Cheese is phenomenal. Big enough for two so will try the Blackened Salmon Blat next visit. Bread pudding is delicious for dessert, traditional family style recipe. Really enjoyed our visit, highly recommended!! read more

See all

This place is our Cheers! We've never had a bad meal here and some of our favorites include the wings, crab bisque, Gaelic dip, and salmon. The bar tenders are so nice and it really has that old Irish pub vibe. read more

Met an old friend here for an impromptu dinner. There is a a lot of on street parking nearby. We sat on the porch/patio which is open onto the street. Server was just the right amount of attentive- there when you need her but not overbearing. My companion got the three street taco appetizer and got three different kinds of protein (grilled shrimp, sauteed shrimp, and carnitas). We didn't really talk about how he liked them, but they disappeared awfully fast! I got the beer battered fish and chips and they were DELICIOUS! The fish was really good- flaky and tender. There was malt vinegar available which is an always welcome addition. I asked for pickles The manager stopped by the table and offered us free sugar cookies advertising an event at their sister pub which was sweet, although the cookie itself was not very interesting. All in all a very pleasant meal. read more

Came on Saturday, March 9 when the place was packed for the Irish celebration Ordered the fish and chips, and cannot believe how fast they arrived, PLUS they were delicious. read more

I've been ordering takeout from here a lot recently and it is pretty much always on point. I can't think of a single thing I've been disappointed in. We've ordered more than one thing off the kids menu for our son and my husband and I each order something new every time. Most recently I ordered a cup of crab bisque with the Bavarian pretzel (that comes with 3 dips!) - the two dishes paired together perfectly. The kids meals are a great portion size, my son loves their tenders. And my husband is equally as pleased with his meal every time. Most recently he had a chicken sandwich, the Belfast I think it was called. And he was surprised by how much he liked it. He said it wan exceptionally good. And it was huge! Also, they have a limited late night takeout menu, which we love and have ordered off many times. I think I've been to the bar a time or two in the past as well and it's fine! Dark from what I remember but fine. And the service was good. I would stop in again if in Trolley. But we will definitely continue doing frequent takeout. read more

First time here for dinner! The customer service alone was really great! Jeff answered the phone when I messed up my online order and he helped me out. Food: 1. 2 Cheesesteak meals 2. Kids chicken tenders 3. Kids cheeseburger 4. 2 order of wings (honey garlic and Coca Cola BBQ) The wings were delicious, and the cheesesteak was too! The kids ate all their food so they must've liked it too! Lol I would definitely try this place again in the future when I visit. read more

On December 5 around 2:45pm five friends and I walked to Catherine Rooneys. We are all in our sixties and seventies. It was bitter cold and very windy. We walked up to the door and a man in shorts with leg tattoos, short, bald, and unpleasant, was sweeping the walk. He said we don't open until 3pm. I said can we just go in out of the wind and wait? it was under 15 minutes until opening by this time. He said...and I quote...."we don't cater to you, we are a restaurant". He could have said he was sorry but couldn't do that. That's fine, but he wanted to be mean and condescending. Of course my friends and I left and went elsewhere. We will never go there again. Mr McCoy, who was the owner at one time and a very nice, kind man, would be appalled at his behavior. Never again and I will tell everyone I know. read more

I've been coming here now for about 2 years. I've minded my own business paid the check and gone on my way. Occasionally my order hasn't been right. If there was too much salt I sent it back to be corrected. About 2 months ago I was eating in here with my friend and the waitress appeared to have slammed the bill onto the bar and we were waiting to get the check after waiting for awhile. Another patron told her when he saw her again that our checks weren't paid. This wasn't true. We returned home following Tuesday to straighten it out. Joey agreed that we'd paid our checks and that was the end of it or so I thought?? My friend hasn't since returned. The manager who ALWAYS handles problems left last weekend. I went to have breakfast today and my breakfast meat was in my omelet I requested it be cooked again. The waitress complied. Once the bill arrived I was charged another $2.00 and I requested to see the manager. He explained they were tired of me??? And we don't want you here?? After that another customer sitting next to me cursed me saying F you. As I was taking a picture he said God help if that picture gets out?? That's a TERRORISTIC THEART! you if Another customer's (Rene) wife i was blocked me telling me to get out. The Department of Justice needs to get investigate them for targeted racism. I've seen it happen to a few other women of color also.I don't appreciate being treated poorly when I've been a decent customer. They have no record of ever asking me to leave because I did anything. I hope someone can audit them and stop this nonsense. read more

Delicious lunch. Burger & 2 McRubens. Service timely & friendly. Was able to eat outside due to unusual very warm weather.

The Cheesesteak rolls were not bad, the sweetpotatos and brocoli sides not as much. The service is a bit slow, even though the place is near empty and two people are manning the little bar area. It took a third person, to come in and take my order. read more

Catherine Rooney's - Bar area - Irish Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

See all

Great service every time I go. I love when the weekly specials come out, they've got some really tasty, creative dishes on there and their game specials are hard to beat. read more

Their menu looks revamped. Haven't been in a while but their Jameson wings were brilliant today. Flavor on point. Perfectly fried. Well worth the visit read more

Catherine Rooney's - Jameson Wings - Irish Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

5 stars is because our server Dana was awesome and took our veggie burger orders - we created 2 different sorts of meals out of them, one ended up a veggie Rueben and the other a veggie meatloaf - and got it perfectly right. And all with an awesome smile on her face. She was also brutally honest on the dessert choices, which we appreciated! We didn't know the name of this restaurant until the check came. We only ended up here as the place we drove here for - Scrumptious - didn't serve food after 3pm, and we didn't find that out till we walked in their door. We sort of wandered the nearby area until we stumbled into the door here. Thank you Dana and Catherine Rooney's! read more

First of all, I'd like to say "thank you" to Yelp friend, Brenda C. When I asked her for some restaurant recommendations for Trolley Square, she passed along several for me to consider. I appreciated that because when it comes to Trolley Square---so many restaurants, so little time! After looking into the restaurants, my husband decided to try Catherine Rooney's because they had corned beef and cabbage on the menu---or so the online menu claimed. Before heading out there, I asked him if he wanted to call them to see if it was still on the menu. He declined and said even if they didn't have it, he would order something else. We got there around 5 p.m. on a Sunday night. Upon entering, we noticed the small bar by the entrance seemed to be filled with regulars---and most were our age or older. They looked at us and my husband announced "We're not from around here." which caused them to engage us in conversation. Our server saw us waiting and told us to choose a table. At that hour of the day, we had our pick. The tables and chairs looked like they saw better days as they were now on the rickety side. We looked at the menu, and...no corned beef and cabbage. When our server came back to take our drink orders, we asked about the corned beef. She told us that the owners recently took it off the menu and a lot of customers were not happy about that. I mentioned that the menu online still listed it and she said she didn't know why they didn't remove it. She seemed hopeful that they just might bring it back. To drink, my husband had a Yuengling. I wanted a soda so I asked the server what they had. She mentioned that they had both RC and also had coke. I ordered coke. What I got was either RC or old coke---not sure. For dinner, I ordered Irish meatloaf which consists of: "A great dish combining ground beef and pork sausage topped with bacon and mushroom gravy" I'm not crazy about mushrooms but our server told us that they could take them out of the gravy. This dish comes with 2 sides. I chose champs potatoes (which are mashed potatoes) and the veggie of the day which was zucchini and yellow squash. The meatloaf arrived looking like an over sized hamburger. This turned out to be a great choice. It was properly cooked, moist and very flavorful. The gravy had a few stray mushrooms in it which wasn't a problem. The veggies were lightly sauteed and thinly sliced---simply prepared and tasty. The potatoes were run of the mill. My husband ordered the McReuben sandwich which consists of: "A classic! Grilled seedless rye topped with warm tender slices of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and 1000 Island dressing". It also comes with fries and a dill pickle slice. I was surprised that my husband ordered this because he doesn't like "1000 island dressing". Much to his surprise, he enjoyed this sandwich saying that the dressing wasn't overpowering. He said that the fries were okay. We both would eat here again. My husband hopes that they bring back the corned beef and cabbage. As he said to our server "What kind of Irish pub doesn't serve it?" LOL! read more

Catherine Rooney's - McReuben sandwich - Irish Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

See all

Great live music. I went the day before St. Patrick's day and there were two bands. One outside and one inside. Excellent stew and beer selection. We ended up going back a couple weeks later and weren't disappointed. read more

Just meh. We went on a week night and had no wait. Very few other patrons. Server was attentive enough but not spectacular. Food was just so-so. read more

I've never experienced this level of overt bigotry in my life. I even waited to post this review until I heard back after emailing the restaurant, hoping for an apology or a response. Never got a reply. If you are lgbtq, I'd steer clear of this place. I've been several times and never had a problem....Until I did. They should be ashamed of themselves read more

If you're looking for an Irish Pub in America, I really don't think you're going to do any better than Catherine Rooney's. If I've found myself wandering into an establishment of this type, it's often because I'm looking for a late-morning pint and a bowl or plate of something hearty enough to carry my butt through the day. I did just that recently on a trip through town and couldn't have been more impressed with my experience. The restaurant is "connected" to two other spots that you can travel between without going outside on a rainy day if you're looking for a few different vibes on a weekend evening. What's more, is that the folks that work here and run the place really care. They organize all sorts of events including band-choreographed karaoke and outdoor grill-offs and even have a "secret" bar upstairs that is quiet/quaint and gives the vibe of an early 20s prohibition-era speakeasy. The staff know their drinks and food but are also an absolute joy to chat with, something that is often wanting in restaurants with potential. The management will be quick to joke with you, show you around, or answer any questions you might have. You can tell that everyone not only enjoys working there but are honestly proud of the place that they have built. When compared to other Irish Pubs, this place really sets the bar (and sets it high). I hope to find myself in Wilmington again soon so I can come back. read more

The bouncers are extremely aggressive and will put their hands on women in a physical manner. Very recently a bouncer shoved my friend so hard she almost fell in the street while yelling expletives at her. The bartenders are great but there are much better bars in the area that don't include getting physically assaulted. read more

This is a place where my fellow residents and I go for Tuesday night. The food are not the best and they have the usual drafts. But it is cheap and the bartender is cool. He even made us a special glass saying "Tuesday Tradition". The place is ok overall and not the cleanest. They have $5 burgers special every Tuesday. If you are in the mood for cheap bar food and drinks, this is the place to be read more

Catherine Rooney's - Friday night - Irish Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

I've been to Rooney's twice recently after hearing often how it's a Wilmington staple. It's a low key bar, has an Irish pub vibe. The first time I was there I had the ahi tuna tacos which were really good. Second time was later at night just for drinks. Bartenders are friendly, drinks are decent. There's nothing really remarkable about it but it's a good place to go to hang out with friends if you're looking for a relaxed environment. read more

The bartender was so focused on the 2 guys she had at the bar flirting with them that my drinks took forever to get to my table. Then they were out of avocado which was supposed to be on the turkey burger but the manager made it right by taking it off my check . Overall the food was good (minus avocado) but my biggest complaint was the girl bartender. She was so slow and just didn't pay attention to her tickets coming in just the guys sitting there . read more

Catherine Rooney's - Pineapple pepper margarita - Irish Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

I witnessed the manager professionally explain to a customer that when you order a side of bacon and eat it you have to pay for it. Why is it that Karen's think they and get away with causing a scene and people will give in. This one needs to learn how to act in public. Rooney's has great food, great service and terrific employees. read more

We came here on their "halfway to St. Patrick's day" night, so much fun. We got free beer cozies and green beads with a shamrock. Food was okay, but atmosphere was great. They had the street blocked off and tables set up outside with a live band. Drinks were delicious! I highly recommend the Celtic lemonade. read more

I've been going here ever since I moved here and the service is always great. My roomate and I usually ask for Gigi and she's super personable & on top of things. The food is great & the atmosphere is always fun. read more

Catherine Rooney's is a fun place to be and the food is great!!

This place should be embarrassed to call itself an Irish pub. Serving Guinness in a plastic cup is bad enough ..... but a cup that's not even big enough to fill an actual glass....I'm losing 20% of my Ireland's finest with every pitiful cup. Very disappointed with what I thought was going to be a great place.... read more

Catherine Rooney's - Irish pub Poser - Irish Near Me - Wilmington, Delaware

You can usually find me at Catherine Rooney's on Mondays for trivia/Quizzo --- the questions derive from a good variety of topics, vary in difficulty level, and attract enough teams to drum up some friendly competition. Mondays are usually $3 Corona and $10 personal pitchers of Miller night; though I tend to be more of a Cider girl and am content with their on-draft Magners. You would NOT find me at Rooney's for any other reason. The food is mediocre at best --- time and time again I've sample various appetizers, hoping to find THE ONE that brings me back for more, and every time I've been disappointed. The "1/2 price nacho night" on Mondays gets you a plate of gently warmed tortilla chips with large squares of pre-packaged American cheese melted over top and a few sprinkles of dried out chicken. The hummus plate gets you stale pita pieces and a pile of orange mush made edible only by adding copious amounts of feta cheese. The crab dip has a strange taste to it that is just barely reminiscent of seafood. I'll admit that when I was here for a special catered event once, the food was much better than the appetizers I had previously ordered in the bar. I suppose their genuine entrees are far more palatable, but at the end of the day, if I'm going to be the one paying for a nice entree, I'm probably going to choose to go else where. read more

Went there Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for beers, 7-9 each time. On the first two nights I was charged $4 per beer. Friday I was gouged to pay $6 for the same beer. read more