This is a very cozy, casual bar, sort of the opposite of the larger establishments in this very *unique* section of the north Bronx.
PARKING
Parking can be a pain in the ass. It's an urban, mixed-use neighborhood. 'Nough said! Public transportation is available, mainly by bus, but ya gotta be patient.
INTERIOR
Once you get here, you will find it fairly dim, with an odd, curved bar that I liked, and a cheery, chubby guy behind it, named Tom. There is a pool table and several TVs, displaying the usual sports shows. The bar looked well stocked. The decor was soccer flags, for the World Cup, when I was there. So, they at least try. The mens' bathroom was working and reasonably clean.
NO MENU
There's no freakin' menu! Y'know why? Because Tom only cooks burgers! They are big, and tasty, and you can get onions and cheese on them, but that's all there is. You may also be offered a Twizzler (the red licorice candy from 200 years ago).
FRIENDLY
My suggestion is to go when you feel gregarious ("Gregarious: adj. Seeking and enjoying the company of others."). This is not the kind of place to go when you want to be alone. People here are usually very friendly, so a serious, suspicious stranger might not go over well. The place gets going, like everything on this block, on late weekend nights.
As for the no-Guinness-on-tap issue, raised by a prior Yelper, that is apparently due to economic and beer quality issues, so it isn't a deterrent to me.
SERVICE
I thought the service was good, altho I could imagine that one bartender might be a little overwhelmed on a very crowded Saturday night. I drank bottled beer, and the selection was good. My friend's Long Island Ice Tea was huge, and well made. Everything is done by hand, so, at the end of the evening, your tab will not be a beautifully printed computer tape. Like I said, casual. My bill was a very reasonable $52, for two drinks, two beers and two burgers.
ENTERTAINMENT
They run sports specials and karaoke nights. I went for a Friday open mic night, which was fun. It wasn't too crowded. Mike Darmiento ran it and did a good job. Everyone got a chance and the sound system worked well.
The bar's music system played great classic rock, between the open mic sets. It was a warm night, and they opened the whole front of the place, and the music spilled into the street. The atmosphere, overall, was really nice.
HISTORY
The back story is that the place was opened in 1977, by Tom's father, John Mulligan. That's why it says "John Mulligan's" above the Fireside sign outside. The Irish trickled into the area, during the 1970's, then became a torrent in the 1980's. Now the whole area (sometimes called "Bronkers," because it overlaps Yonkers, in Westchester County) is an incredibly vibrant, attractive piece of the "old country" right here in the U.S.! read more