First time at Donovan's and it definitely won't be the last. Great local Irish pub right near our neighborhood in Palencia, with some excellent Irish beers on tap. I went with the corned beef and cabbage and it did not disappoint -- exactly what you want from a place like this. The staff is super friendly and the service was great from start to finish. Support your local business owner and your local Irish pub. Do yourself a favor and come check this place out. read more

A much better experience this time around at Donovan's! It seems that my first-time visit a couple of years ago may have been an anomaly, since this visit was far better. It all started with our server, Kelly who had an amazing energy and an all-around great enthusiasm. We ordered appetizers including fried pickles, Reuben egg rolls, and the Irish nachos with corned beef. All were very good, the Reuben egg rolls being the best. The environment is energetic - it seems they run a lot of daily specials and special activities including bingo, wing nights, etc. during our visit, the bar area was quite full even around 5 pm, and the dining room was filling up in anticipation of bingo. We left before bingo, but I'm sure my wife will be back to enjoy a bingo night in the future. With good food, amazing service, and reasonable pricing, Donovan's is a great option in the area. read more

We go to Donovan's Irish Pub for Irish comfort food and good drinks. We stopped in for a late lunch and started with the Irish egg rolls. The two diagonal cut egg rolls arrived steaming hot and were stuffed with corned beef, sauerkraut, and cheese. The thousand island sauce was the perfect compliment to the corned beef. We shared the fish and chips for our entree. The fish filets were large and perfectly fried. The steak fries were fresh and added nicely to the fish. The slaw was a bit bland and really did not add to the meal. The beer is always cold and they offer a large selection of cocktails. I tried the Irish margarita. It was the perfect balance between orange and margarita sour. Service is always friendly and efficient. This pub is relaxing and comfortable. We usually sit in the bar and this time we sat on the side near the banquet area. We noticed an actual pinball game and chose to play a few games. It added to the experience. They also have Uno, Old Maid/Go Fish, and cards for playing. read more

Donovan's Irish Pub - Irish Eggrolls - Irish Near Me - St. Augustine, Florida

The food is best! So clean organized very cute everything made fresh always to order! The staff very happy friendly caring respectful the service is fast and responsible so very nice kind friendly and always awesome I love it so much! I definitely coming back bring friends employees relax have fun! Happy Valentine's Day everyone! From Lauren read more

It was good. Would like to try more options. I purchased a Caesar side salad and the Reuben egg rolls with an angry orchard. Went in n a Sunday during brunch hours and one server hustling tables, she did amazing. read more

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Service very good. Irish egg rolls and beer very good. Fellow playing amplified acoustic guitar was loud and his choice of songs and his voice were so annoying we left as soon as we could pay the bill read more

We went in on Easter morning and had breakfast. We didn't think that an Irish pub would be really good serving breakfast food but boy was I mistaken. The food was fantastic. You get a lot for your money and the flavor was really good. The server was very nice. She was very attentive and managed to get all of our orders correct read more

This place has been here for years. Love the food and the atmosphere. Service is amazing and they always have something going on. You can get American food and great Irish food. My favorite is the Bangers & mash. But the Reuben is also a winner. Also great beer selections. read more

Wow! Our 2nd experience It was terrific, service was exceptional Good size portions Excellent Cesar salad, super reuben,fish and shrimp were tasty,great wine pours,and an overall very satisfying experience.plus delicious properly cooked broccoli. Thank you. Ambiance was fine,nice,then bingo started. But it was only temporarily noisy.thank you! Wait staff was on top of their game! read more

So welcoming and fun atmosphere. Food is delicious. My favorite is the buffalo cobb salad. Love their wings and blue cheese dressing plus Guiness! read more

I came in with my kids getting our appetizer took longer than what I would've liked, but it was fresh and piping hot when we got it so that makes up for it. My Reuben was delicious and the boys really enjoyed the chicken wings. I can't wait to go back for a pint. I really wanna try the Reuben eggrolls that just sounded yummy! read more

We did a pre St. Patrick's Day visit which still had live music and green beer. Service was excellent. The portions are large. Marbled rye bread on the corned beef reuben is delicious. The steak fries were really delicious. Food was very good. The menus were in need of a good cleaning. It is a nice neighborhood pub. read more

Donovan's Irish Pub - Green Beer - Irish Near Me - St. Augustine, Florida

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Jareb the owners Son and also Cat the waitress that served me were of the best service I've received in a while and I have upmost respect for their recommendations of platters and also... this is genuinely an Irish feel! I had their traditional fish and chips!!!!!! Portions are amazing!! The ambiance is spectacular! read more

Donovan's Irish Pub - Irish Near Me - St. Augustine, Florida

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Stopped by for open mic night but was equally impressed by the food. Very traditional Irish fare. Fish was excellent but the chips were cold. Dublin pot roast was a lot of food. Shepherds pie is also excellent. Our server was terrific and checked on us regularly. Guinness is half price on Wednesday. Very Irish pub motif. read more

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We went to brunch here on Sunday and the food was absolutely great! Our server was nicky and she was so kind and attentive! She encouraged us to try the Irish breakfast and it was absolutely amazing!! We'll definitely be coming back for brunch again! read more

Service is good & Guinness on draft is always good. Now on to the negatives. The country music is a weird option for an Irish pub. Margarita was weak. Horrible, dry corned beef & weird potatoes. (Had to use hot sauce to get through it.). Terrible cabbage. The Reuben egg roll was DRIPPING with grease. Amateurish Shepherd's pie. Thumbs down read more

Donovan's Irish Pub - Corned beef & cabbage - Irish Near Me - St. Augustine, Florida

my family of 9 stopped in for early supper yesterday. started to finish it was a very pleasant experience. Samantha did an outstanding job taking care of us, particularly when the youngest of the party had a catastrophic drink failure. food was excellent, portions were good and leftovers scrummy today. slainte ! One comment: add shades to your westward facing windows so we're not blinded by the sinking sun! read more

MAKE SURE TO CHECK YOUR CREDIT CARD! First time visiting this restaurant and everything was good until I checked my bank statement several days later. I paid with my debit card but left a 20% CASH tip. They put additional tip onto my card. I'll be driving down with copies in hand to get my extra tip that was added to account EDIT - I got my money back. read more

Saturday late lunch. We were seated right away. There were people at the bar and 2 other tables of people seated in the dining area. Appetizer: I ordered us (2 ppl) the egg roll appetizer. Hearty, fresh, and hot. I don't like sauerkraut but this was enjoyable ... I wouldn't want a full sandwich (Reuben) but I would have one of these again. It's served with the traditional Thousand Island dressing. Entree: For my lunch, I ordered the fish (haddock) & shrimp with coleslaw and cabbage. My meal was served without the cabbage, it was still cooking and that is no big deal to me. The breading on both the fish and shrimp were good. The coleslaw is more of a vinegar base but it was ok. I do wish it would have been cold - it was room temp. Unfortunately, the fish was cooked a little too long and was dry, but the seasoning of the fish was on point. When the cabbage came, it was still quite crunchy and bland except for pepper. So why 3 stars? For me, the basics go a long way. We were seated at a table that had not been wiped down. The perfect ring circles from previous glasses, small crumbs, and sticky spots. It wasn't enough to notice before being seated. Whoever cleared the plates clearly forgot. The hostess that seated us nor the waitress noticed. When we realized, no one was around so, we cleaned the table ourselves. The floor was sticky and my flip flops wanted to stick with every step going to and away from the table. The food was good but it wouldn't draw me back for another visit, it wasn't memorable or delectable enough, sadly. read more

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Great restaurant. Went for drinks and dinner while my husband attended a Bonsai workshop on site. The waitresses were very nice. Reuben egg rolls were so good! Key Lime Pie one of the best! read more

The food was great! Service not so good,our waitress was not around a whole lot and we were the only ones she was serving. Other than that we were pretty satisfied. read more

Donovan's Irish Pub - French fries - Irish Near Me - St. Augustine, Florida

Great neighborhood atmosphere. So so service at the bar and good bar food. Convenient to Palencia residents, it's a great place to eat a Friday night dinner. They serve food until 10pm every night. We will be back! read more

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I took an Irish guest and a close friend to Donovan's Irish Pub in St. Augustine today, hoping for something that felt a bit closer to home .... certainly, better than the usual American junk food burger and fries routine he can't stand. "Let's go somewhere proper," I thought. Big mistake anddissapointment. We ordered fish and chips for both of us. Not exactly Irish, more English, but fair enough. What arrived was American style deep-fried everything. The fish itself wasn't terrible, but it wasn't memorable and good looking either. Just throw the s* on a plate and let it get cold. I was asked why Americans like cold food almost everywere? The fries were limp, lukewarm, and tasted like they'd given up on life hours earlier. "Chips" should be hearty, hot, and comforting. These were pale, watery, half baked and forgettable. The portions felt half-hearted. For someone who owns a restaurant this is something marketed as pub comfort food, it lacked soul. But the real shock came with the bill.  Two fish and chips and three beers: Bloody $78.79. (Seventy-eight dollars and seventy-nine cents). For that amount in Belfast, I could feed an entire family and not on half portions of barely warm fish with soggy fries. I genuinely felt ill when I saw the total. Not because the food was inedible, it wasn't , but because the price to value ratio was absurd. This is what's becoming impossible to ignore: prices in Florida keep climbing every few weeks, yet nothing improves. Now in the mean time the portion size is getting smaller. No warm food. No quality. No service. And then we're still expected to subsidize wages through mandatory feeling tips on top of already inflated bills. At some point, enough is enough. Restaurant owners raise prices relentlessly, but customers are still expected to carry the burden of payroll through gratuities. I've reached two clear conclusions: 1) I will never go back. 2) I will no longer feel responsible for compensating broken business models through automatic tipping. An Irish pub should offer warmth, generosity, authentic and value not sticker shock and disappointment. What was meant to be a taste of home turned into a very expensive reminder of how far hospitality standards in Florida have drifted. Deep-fried fish is forgivable. A $78 pub lunch for two is not. read more

Great vibes here. We stopped in late for a bite on the way home. Donovan's hit the spot! At first glance: Typical Irish Pub (I'm showing my age here, but..) reminiscent of Bennigan's but a little more bar energy than restaurant. It was loud, but not crowded at all. On the table: Had to try the Reuben Egg Rolls (I love reubens!), Beer Battered Fish & chips, and a Bloody Mary. Everything was crispy and flavorful! Could improve: There was nothing that really stood out. The food didn't have a WoW factor, and the place could use a little updating The goods: live music. He was great! Played songs we could all song along to. decent service. read more

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Went here a few months ago with my family, the food was great and the drinks were perfect! Decided to take my Irish bf here for his first time! I really hyped it up to him! We arrived, we were seated by our wonderful server Lauren. She did a great job serving us and helping us with any issues we had. I ordered the Harp and my bf ordered the Guinness. The Guinness arrived with 90% head. Basically meaning poured wrong. I don't like Guinness as it is but trying that one almost tasted like a light Yeager. We asked for a re-pour and the second arrived the same as the first one. It was automatically sent back and the bartender talked back to us by saying "how is it wrong, i pour it all day". We ordered the fried pickles for our appetizer, they came fresh and they were delicious. As our entree, I got the fish and chips. I love the batter they use for their fried items so the fish and chips really hit the spot. He got the patty melt, i took a bite of the melt and it just tasted like meat and cheese, no seasoning and no sauce. You can tell the patty itself was previously frozen, there was maybe only one bite that had sauce on it. A little disappointed with the meal, drinks, and bartenders service. Very happy with the interior of the restaurant and Laurens service though! read more

It's way past the time when I should have updated my review. After my last review, we gave this place a break, but that was 5 years ago. I received a lovely private message from the owner back then and my guys sort of eased back in first, then before we knew it...we were back to going all the time. Yes, I/we have been there a lot more than the check-ins reflect for sure. As of now...Donovan's is our "go-to" place. If we can't think of what to make for dinner...we go to Donovan's. If I am out with my lady friends, the guys go to Donovan's. When we get back from a trip...we go to Donovan's instead of cooking or ordering in. When we just want some family time with a few drinks, a few rounds of cards, and a nice meal...we go to Donovan's. When my guys just want to hang out and do Father & son stuff...they end up at Donovan's. When friends want to meet us for dinner...we recommend Donovan's. Why you may be wondering? Because the beer is always cold, the food is always good and the service is always wonderful! Not to mention it's a laid back comfortable joint to hang out in/at. It means a lot when you go into a place and they recognize you. Although the staff may not know your name...they do recognize you and that recognition makes you feel special and it keeps us coming back. Depending on who our server is, we don't even have to ask for that special thing...they just know since we've been there so much. These "things" my fellow Yelpers...are all reasons to not only give this place a go, but add it to your "go-to" list. One of the things I want to commend the owners on was staying open during Covid. They struggled. We all wanted to go out still and not be cooped up. Folks complained about the limited menu or service back then, but businesses needed some customer patience during that time. We feared they'd close, but they made it and we are grateful...especially grateful since there really isn't much in this area. They are closed on Tuesday, but that's ok! Personal Note: Their menu changes now and then, but the popular items always remain. We are sad they stopped selling things like the Triple Decker and Fried Pickles, but maybe they'll make it back one day (hint-hint). Parking Note: Just so you know, there is a fair amount of parking in front and around the small strip mall it is located in. There used to be a big lot to the south side, which now has the new Palencia Pet Clinic building. When they get busy (like St Patrick's Day), you may have to park further down closer to the bank and beyond around the Publix area and walk. On a regular day, parking is never an issue, but if you plan to go on a day they have an event...it can be tricky. Now you know! read more

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Service was good but food was terrible. I had breakfast which consisted of eggs, hash browns and meat. The eggs were overcooked and the had brown was a patty you get at Mc Donald's. I would never go there again and do not recommend it. I only give a one star for this place. read more

First time. I ordered a Manhattan. It was made very well, thank you. I ordered the fish and chips with sweet potato fries and it was good! There was live music and the service was good, nice and friendly. I will definitely go back. read more

To all, I brought my family tonight for dinner, 4 of us. I can truly say that the food was amongst the worst we have experienced in quite some time, at least ten years. We all had different dishes and the consensus was equally horrible across the board. Do not consider this restaurant, awful! read more

The service was great on a recent lunch outing. The fried fish sandwich was a great portion size and hard to finish. The burger was good and cooked to your liking. We would return if in the area again. read more

Kristin, thank you very much for taking care of me. This place has the BEST French Dip Sandwiches. I bring all my out of state guests here to try them. I also love the Irish atmosphere and great servers!! read more

Staff super attentive and amazing! The food was delicious the steak tip salad I added only oil and vinegar as dressing the steak is marinated to perfection - and the Philly cheesesteak wrap was so juicy and perfect portions. The beer glasses are icy cold! read more

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We got a late start trying to grab something for dinner and decided to try Donovan's. We walked in and were seated immediately, which was a pleasant surprise on a busier night. This is an Irish pub and we could hear live music playing, which was great because it wasn't too loud, a nice compliment to the ambiance. I looked over the menu and decided on their Irish BLT. Basically a regular BLT with cheddar cheese and a side of their pub chips. Service was quick and attentive. The Harp beer was cold and on draft. Our meals came out lickity split. I bit into my BLT and it was good. The bacon was crispy, the tomatoes tasted fresh, the lettuce was crisp, and the cheese was melted. It was a good BLT. The only downfall was when nugget sees or smells bacon, he has to have it. So there went a few pieces of my bacon. The pub chips were fried to perfection and were crisp. Pros: -Variety of pub food on the menu -Quick and attentive service -Cold beer on tap Cons: -I guess next time I'll have to order Nugget his own BLT (hold the L & T). Tips: Try the BLT, the cheddar cheese really compliments the sammie read more

Donovan's Irish Pub - Harp beer - Irish Near Me - St. Augustine, Florida

Just got home from a great dinner at Donavan's Irish Pub . We were craving corn beef and cabbage . Didn't realize that they have a whole festival curbside with a guy playing the bag pipes games for the kids set up and a cash only bar set up outside . We were told it would be about 45 minutes to get seated so we got a beer and sat down to watch everything going on . It was only about 20 minutes and we were seated . I switched from beer to a Fuzzy Leprechaun (vodka and assorted juices ) so good . We started with pretzel bites and then had our corn beef and cabbage . Huge servings and absolutely the best . Everything about the place was perfect . Great service happy people and loads of fun read more

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Stopped in for lunch with the grandbaby. Very kid friendly service. Good kids menu. Our food was very good. Rueben and Caesar salad worthy. Great service. And, of course, good Guinness. read more

Great food, friendly atmosphere and staff! It's always a pleasant experience dining here or just having a drink!

Okay, so I read a lot of reviews of different places for try for dinner. This was the only place that didn't say "closing in 17 mins". I'm just gonna say, nothing in this restaurant is "small portion" scale, so come hungry. Very hungry! All of the reviews recommended the fish tenders and the local guy I was chatting with recommended the Reuben egg roll. You cannot go wrong with either of these two. The Reuben egg rolls were my favorite and they were delicious. I'm not a huge fish person but the fish tenders were pretty tasty too! As far as service, it was on par. Molly was the bartender for the evening and she was friendly and quick with my order and before I was done with my first beer she asked if I wanted another. She kept the area behind the bar clean and was cleaning throughout the night so it wouldn't all hit at one time at the end of the night. She was pleasant and very attentive. So maybe sitting at the bar you get better or different service vs. sitting in the restaurant at the table. I would come back again! Thanks for an enjoyable night, Molly. You made my drive here worthwhile! read more

Donovan's Irish Pub - Reuben Egg Roll (yum) - appetizers - Irish Near Me - St. Augustine, Florida

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Loved everything about this little pub. The food was SO good. I got the fish & chips & my husband had a burger and both were cooked perfect! We will definitely be back! read more

Friendly staff. Quiet during lunch time. Ample parking at the front. Their fish n chips is definitely a must try if you like fish. I have tried their pot roast as well and it's good. They make awesome mule drinks. It's a must try Irish pub in the neighborhood. Support locally owned restaurants. I would rather go here when I am craving for some irish pub food vs franchise restaurants in the area. read more

Took too long to seat us. My Fish was wonderful, but fries were overcooked. Corned beef was stringy and dry. Potatoes were OK. Cabbage was good. Complained to server but still was charged for the meal. Person next to us only ate her cabbage. Did give us a dessert free. read more