Fitzpatrick's Tavern
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This is my second visit here, and I am remiss in not having reviewed my first visit - but, ""s for each visit! This place is non-descript yet just off the main park downtown, and an easy walk from most of the major hotels in town, or the central parking lot - plus lots of street parking as well. It seems rather small, with one area for bar seating and small tables, plus a larger dining area "next door" to the bar, but I like the bar ambiance, so it may be challenging on busy tourist days. Luckily, I travel on non-busy days and have always had a good seat. The ambiance is great, with a typical, colorfully decorated pub feel with TVs offering an invitation to relax and have a pint - or two! The menu is varied, and I had planned for what I wanted, but when the server/bartender/boss offered the daily special as an option, I quickly jumped at the chance. The special was a queso dip with house-made chips, and I had to try it! Sadly, I also ordered my usual, the Cobb salad. Sadly, because after the "appetizer" arrived, I quickly realized the full consequences of the saying "your eyes are bigger than your stomach!" The dip and chips were plentiful in both, and for me would have made a great meal on their own. But I was committed and managed to finish the salad. On my previous visit, I had the mac 'n cheese and the Cobb salad, along with a Guinness dark! That was sooo tasty as well! The food at this visit was great, and the service was as well. Sam, who is the owner, bartender, server, and jack-of-all-trades, is always friendly, professional, and efficient, no matter how busy it is, and this visit was the only one outside the kitchen. If you're in the area, give them a try! And leave room for dessert - I have yet to do that, but you can learn from my mistakes!
CALAMARI NOOOOO!! I've never had calamari that looked so appetizing, but turned out to be complete burnt rubber. The poor server, Nick, was alone on July 3rd of a 4th of July weekend so service was a 2 star at best. He said there was a new cook, but the calamari arrived looking the same as all the review pics of the calamari. The basic message to this review is just don't dine on the calamari.
Came here for dinner after exploring the bustling streets and lights around downtown Solvang. The wait was a little long but the waiter did his best to get through the line as fast as possible. We were asked if we would like the inside bar, table or outside seating. We chose to wait for an inside table. Once we were seated, we ordered the calamari, poutine fries, chicken pot pie, and the Dublin era burger with onion rings. The waiter asked if we'd like our apps out first and we said yes please. Food came out pretty fast so we were happy. Calamari- 6/10 There was a lot of it. It was thinking pieces with a lot of breading that made it really crispy. Just no flavor and the dipping sauce was a salsa. Although, the salsa was good, it just didn't pair well with the calamari. Poutine Fries- 7/10 The fries themselves were over salted and there were more than a few bites that were hard to eat. It comes with shredded cheese instead of cheese curd, which I was ok with. The gravy was really good but we could've used a lot more gravy. My husband enjoyed it overall though. Chicken Pot Pie- 8/10 The dish looks big but the serving is shallow so it's really not THAT much pot pie. The flavor of the gravy was really good but lacked salt and pepper. My husband added a good amount of both to his food and it made it much better. The crust was delicious and really pulled the whole meal together. My husband was very satisfied. Dubliner Burger- 8/10 I really enjoyed the taste of this burger. It was more cooked than I prefer but saw on my receipt that the waiter put medium well for the cook. He didn't ask me how I'd like it cooked or else I would've said medium. He was really busy and under a lot of stress though so I forgive him. I wish there was more of the garlic aioli, it would've helped the dryness from the meat. The bacon was delicious, but the real star of the burger was the bun. I don't know where they got it from but I wish I would've asked. I would've bought some to take home if I could've. My husband really liked the onion rings as well. They don't sell liquor here, mostly just beers in case you're looking for that, be warned. All in all, we enjoyed our meal. Yes, it could've been better and service could've been more attentive, but it was a busy Saturday night and the waiter was manning the line, tables, and running all the food on his own. He did it without an attitude and tried to the best of his abilities. I'd eat here again.
Nick was great with the service and information. Everyone liked their food . My fish and chips were great. Nice and light, the way I prefer. I would definitely recommend visiting.
We stopped in for lunch. The service was amazing and the food was good as well. It definitely has that Irish flare the server was wearing a kilt. They have a nice size patio out in front for people watching or booths inside.
Cool Irish pub with friendly staff. Plenty of free parking nearby. They have a pretty cool decibel meter behind the bar. The staff make sure you have a good time and have plenty of suggestions for local fun things to check out.
One of our quick stops while visiting this cute little village. I love how they have the beer cocktail options. Very interesting. Definitely has to be added to the list for a fast well served drink!
The Ruben!! Yes, it is absolutely worth the visit. Mini sliders as good as the picture. Service was excellent.
outdoor dog friendly pub. street views and TVs with MNF enjoying hot and tasty shepherds pie and corn chowder in a soft sourdough bread bowl. food delicious, service ok. was a little chilly so grateful for the hot food
I waited at the door for 8 minutes waiting to be seated, Every employee looked at me before I was seated, when I was seated I started to look at the reviews and my heart dropped! Oh no, why did I wait ! I wanted to give them the chance to prove the reviews wrong. I was prepared when a young gentleman brought a menu , I was ready to order! I ordered a lemonade, fish and chips , There were 12 folks eating when I came in . Less than 10 minutes later my fish and chips came , the fries were almost too cold to eat and the fish was greasy but edible. I ordered an additional order or fries/chips , when they came they were very hot , I was happy . The inside was decorated like a pub should be , I finished my meal and asked where the restroom was, it's outside and shared with other businesses, it needed to be cleaned. This town is a great place to walk around and people watch, I believe the next time I come back I will be trying a new place to eat , I will read my Yelp reviews first . Not outstanding
Stopped in Thursday evening. Very nice ambiance inside, I liked the decibel meter at the bar. My wife was happy they served strongbow and I grabbed one as well. We ordered the bacon cheese fries and we all thought they were delicious. I got the lamb shank that was good but seemed to need more seasoning. My wife ordered the short ribs that she enjoyed. My mother in law thoroughly enjoyed her chicken pot pie. Will be back for sure.
It would be 4 stars if it weren't for the slow service. If you can overlook it, stop by for some comfort food. Centrally located across from the Hans Christian Andersen park and it's a tiny place with 8 or so booths and 12-18 stool/counter seating inside and 8/10 stools outside. Corned beef is lean which is why I went for the fish and chips. My parents got the corned beef and it's a decent serving. Overall it's ok but just know it'll be slow
This is a really good spot to grab a bite around 5:30pm during the holiday. You get front row view of the light show and some delicious food to accompany. We stumbled upon this spot bc the Wood Fire pizza shop was closed: Mac and Cheese: My 8y/o shared with her buddy and there was plenty to go around for the two. From their response, it was a thumbs up. Sheppard's Pie - I have to say this was delicious. It kind of reminded me of sloppy Joe covered with mashed potatoes. The mashed potato was creamy and melts in your mouth. I are or 2 days layered cold bc I didn't have the appropriate tools to heat up and the dish was still good. The flavor tasted the same as it did when it was hot. Chicken sandwich with salad - my daughter loved the avocado and tomato in my sandwich. The chicken was juicy and flavor was good. Not salty. Beef stew: thumbs up from my friend's daughter. She ate everything including the bread bowl. The wedges were huge and pretty good. Not too salty. Definitely give this place a try. If we venture to Solvang again, I'm trying the chicken pot pie.
2 years ago
3 years ago
My partner and I stopped here on the way to Lompoc about a week ago and dropped in again on the way down from Morro Bay today. It's a no frills pub style bar. Service was good both times. We had a Black Velvet both times. I recommend it (combo of stout and champagne). The drink was much better the first time we had it. The second time around, too much champagne was added. Nevertheless, we enjoyed it. During our first visit, I ordered the fish and chips, and my partner ordered the shepherd's pie, which was actually more of a cottage pie. We enjoyed our meals. This is a place I'd definitely visit again! read more
Cute little place with a great view of the park. I had the bangers and mash for lunch and it was very tasty. The only thing I would say that would make me want to give 4.5/5 stars is that it seems to be quite understaffed. Only one young lady working during the lunch rush on a Friday. She alone was seating guests, serving tables, getting refills, and bussing the tables. I saw several people leave when they were tired of waiting for a table. read more
Visiting Solvang early this month lunch time I was hoping to find some good Fish and Chips. It was a Wednesday afternoon and Farmer's market was happening. Husband picked this pub. I was thinking okay I guess. It wasn't busy at this time. We were tended on by a young lady who looked to be working alone. She helped us and was very pleasant considering she did seem busy in the back. I ordered the fish and chips. YES! So delicious! Wonderful tasting cod and just the perfect batter. Husband had the Guinness stew. He finished by cleaning the dish with his bread. Bravo to whomever was in the kitchen this day. Definitely worthy meal. Highly recommend if you are in the area. (Side note currently they only serve beer. No liquor license just an FYI) read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sam S.
Sorry you didn’t like your Guinness, unfortunately Guinness isn’t for…
2 years ago
4 years ago
Best Rueben Sandwich in town. The beer is nice and cold and Sam the owner is super friendly!!!!! read more
2 years ago
Cool little pub in Solvang. The service was really good, friendly and attentive. The food was good and they had one of my favorite beers on tap Hoppy Poppy IPA. IF you're staying in Solvang it's a great place to walk to and grab a drink. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
I see there are mixed reviews, but my experience was quite great! Fun, Irish theme to create a nice atmosphere. The service was good, our server basically took care of all the tables at 7pm - till closing on a Saturday. Delicious dubliner burger! Amazing thick, fresh fries! I will definitely come back when I'm in Solvang again! I want to try the other foods on their menu! read more
Located in the adorable city of Solvang we stumbled upon this place recommended by fellow Yelpers. We were hungry so comfort food sounded perfect. Chicken Pot Pie: says it's made with heavy cream? Pretty sure I read that however I didn't see it or if it was it was sparse. I make a to die for chicken pot pie with lots of heavy cream so I expected it to be similar to mine. Filling was very runny (again, expected heavy thick rich buttery creaminess) and lacking in chicken. Flavor was good. Fish and Chips: fish was so so. Breading was soggy. I think using Panko as a coating instead of flour would help with that but theirs seemed to be a simple beer battered coating. The tarter sauce and fresh lemons really saved this dish. I had to ask for tarter sauce so make sure to ask if it's not there. Fries were yummy. read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Juls, thanks for stopping by while you were in town. Your feedback is…
2 years ago
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sam S.
Yesssss!!!…
2 years ago
3 years ago
My brother and I, visiting family in Santa Ynez Valley in September, decided to try the only Irish bar/ Restaurant in Solvang California. My brother loves a good Irish bar. We came for dinner and an Irish whiskey, but found out they don't have a liquor license which is very costly in the state of California and they have the license to sell wine based drinks. No big deal. So that's what we enjoyed. The server/bartender was the owner of this great establishment. He was entertaining and very friendly and he and my brother hit it off. Well my brother was so impressed with him that he had to go put his kilt on. Yes, he brought that with him and he went back to the hotel to put it on then we walked back and take a picture with the owner, who also was wearing his kilt. We told my family that lives in the valley about Fitzpatrick and told him they've definitely got to go back in there and support this great business. read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Haha!! Yessss!!! I remember you guys!! So cool to hear this!!!…
5 years ago
Mostly Harmless The fish n chips is good. The Irish stew lacks authentic flavor Management leave a lot to be desired read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Thank you for your constructive review Mark. We really appreciate it.…
3 years ago
4 years ago
Business owner information
Sam S.
You sound angry Josiah. (Or maybe this is Brittany again?) I’m not…
They had me at Smithwicks on Tap 20oz!!! Warm inviting place. Super friendly greeting and service. You can't go wrong with a smiling Kilted Man . Food: Poutine fries to start, holy cow. Onion gravy, cheese and nice crisp fries. Shepard's Pie for hubby. I totally stole some, and it was delicious. Layers and flavors just perfect. Bangers and mash with peas for me. I am in a Happy Irish Deja Vue Fog. Wonderful texture and flavor on the Banger, Potatoes, and Peas excellent. A little slice of Ireland if you can't make the trip just now. Thank you for warming us up, and filling our stomach with Happy. read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Thank you, Darla, for sharing how much you enjoyed our poutine and…
2 years ago
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sam S.
lol. Thank you for your kind words and review!…
2 years ago
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sam S.
Thank you for your awesome review Abby!! Telling it like it is!…
2 years ago
4 years ago
The service was good! Cute & cozy establishment. We got the corn chowder it was delish & the cornbeef & cabbage had good flavor, but the meat was slightly tough. read more
2 years ago
6 years ago
We ordered here today on DoorDash and I have to say it was excellent, the corn chowder bread bowl and the Ruben were just as you would imagine, also the onion rings were so good I didn't need ketchup. If your in area don't be filled it's not just a bar but a place with bomb food. read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Awesome to hear this Marlo! Glad you enjoyed our food togo! Thank you…
3 years ago
5 years ago
Well, we didn't know that in Solvang they close all the business quite early! Thankfully we found this place and the kitchen is functional until closing time. Besides a couple beers we got a Guinness stew and a Shepherds pie. For the stew, it was ok but there was some sort of tomato-ish acidic taste in the gravy we couldn't really tell what it was. The bread was good, tho. The shepherd pie meat sauce was ok, just a little dry but not that much. The mashed potatoes were good. We were able to watch a baseball game and enjoy the drinks and the food. Our waitress was friendly and kept us posted on what was going on with the food. Good pub. read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Thanks for the review Tatiana! Glad you guys had fun!! See you next…
2 years ago
just happened to wander into this place on Sunday, July 14th. At about 5 pm I was looking for an early dinner and Solvang being a busy tourists area there were already quite a few tables. The waitress directed me to a book and promptly brought a menu. what a great menu! she returned to take my order and bbeing already out of a few things I decided on the Irish Nachos and a ginger pilsner of some kind. I could see she was busy and had no help, she was seating, taking orders, bussing and was also the bartender. And as I watched her do all this I noticed her precision ! she had it under control even with an increasing number of tables coming in. I asked her name, Melissa she said, and I hope the owners realize what a gem she is! The food was great! I will go back! read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sam S.
I’m so sorry I wasn’t faster for you Boss.…
5 years ago
We decided on a fast eat while visiting Solvang and decided on this tavern. It was evident relatively quick that this location was short staffed. The host became the server and the bartender became a bus hit. Lucky for the two women working, it was clear they had a strong relationship and supported each other as much as they could. As a regional manager, it is very disheartening to see employees not being set up for success. My hope is management sees this comment and intentionally strives to provide support for their staff. We were four minutes short of waiting an entire hour to get our food. No fuss from our table though, it was clear something was held up in the kitchen and the serving staff was efficient and quick with everything they could control. The food was great which is a shame, because as much as the wait staff wanted to provided exceptional service and build connections, they were pulled in every which direction trying to stay afloat. Management please be better at supporting the workers who keep your business successful. read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Thanks for review Cassy. Covid has had a serious effect on staffing…
6 years ago
Ugh I thought I had found a true Irish pub here in solvang. Boy was I wrong!! As someone who is actually IRISH, the menu was the furthest thing I've seen from Irish food fare. IRISH NACHOS ARE NOT IRISH!! Also no full bar, what?! So I can't get a dram of Jameson?! Cmon now. I decided to pick another NON IRISH food item Poutine and then a truly was the most vile poutine I have ever had! It tasted like chunks of onions mixed with a French onion soup packet on a bed of raw undercooked potato chunks. The server was rude from the offset, not in anyway accommodating and just plain unpleasant. If you come to solvang, please stay away, It's not worth it! read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Thank you for your kind words and constructive criticism of our menu.…
5 years ago
My boyfriend and I decided to visit Solvang for the first time on Sunday, we started to get hungry a few hours in and after looking at the menu we decided on stopping here. Man oh man, we came in for the poutine and stayed for the awesome service and amazing food! Here's a breakdown of what we ordered: Poutine: 20/10 my bf and I have never had poutine before and both can agree that it was absolutely amazing. The fries were crispy and the gravy was different from any other gravy that we've had before. Onion Rings: 1000/10 okay, Were both super into onion rings and these were hands down the best onion rings we've ever had. The batter wasn't "gritty" like other onion ring batters that we've had before and the onions were sweet and delicious. Sliders: 50/10 my bf ordered the sliders after being torn between the burger and pulled pork sandwich, he LOVED both but said that the burger was the best. He also pointed out how they were properly portioned and the fries were super crisp but not over cooked. I only tried a bite of the burger and I can agree that it was super delicious. Fish and Chips: 2000/10 this is what I ordered, and it was SO good! I've had fish and chips from several other places and I think it's safe to say that this was my favorite. I like that they do smaller pieces of fish instead of one giant piece, that way you get a good batter to fish ratio. The coleslaw, the COLESLAW.... it was PERFECT. I think I might be even getting hungry just writing this review. Lastly, let's talk about the service. I've seen a couple of negative reviews on here that I'd take with a grain of salt. My bf and I went on a Sunday afternoon when most restaurants were either packed or understaffed and I think that the service here is one of the main reasons why we will come back. Our server ( who I believe is also the owner) Sam, was extremely attentive given it was just him and another employee. He was super kind and welcoming and had a nice conversation about studded belts with my bf. I think it's safe to say that that was one of the highlights of my bfs day as he brought it up quite a few times after! This place easily deserves 10000 stars out of 5! Ps: sorry you had to witness us reapplying sunscreen before leaving lol! read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Thank you for your awesome, detailed review Sara! Serving you was my…
6 years ago
Went up for a day trip to Solvang and decided to grab lunch here. Had the Dubliner burger, a red velvet drink and ordered the Four cheese bacon fries. Burger was AWESOME!!! Struggled to finish due to its size but it was scrumptious! And just a warning (if you didn't already know, I for sure didn't) they don't give you "fries", they give you potato wedges! Crispy outside but soft center. Most definitely will be going back just for this place. read more
Business owner information
Sam S.
Thanks for the review Wendy! Nice pics!!
More info about Fitzpatrick's Tavern
490 1st St
Ste A
Solvang, CA 93463
Directions
(805) 688-5500
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Visit Website
https://fitzpatrickstavernsolvang.com
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Ask the Community - Fitzpatrick's Tavern
Is kid friendly?
Yes and No, Yes during the Day, No to late night drinking crowd and loud environment.
Will you have the ufc fight this weekend 4/12?
We have a hacked fire stick over the bar. We can usually get UFC pay-per-view and boxing fights on that one, but I don’t like to promise it cause it doesn’t always work. We don’t pay for it.
I see you have 6 tv's, wanna confirm at least one will be showing the Dodger games? specifically next week 4/12!
If we get it, we will show it! Sometimes we can’t these games due to contract agreements. :0)
Do you make early reservations?
We don’t take reservations. We seat our guests in order of arrival. If you have a large party, more than 6, you can try to call us and let us know when you’re coming.
What kind of pub doesn't offer food at the bar?
We usually offer food at the bar. We didn’t during Covid and post Covid due to being short staffed in the kitchen. It’s not about eating at the bar, it’s more about how many dinning customers we can / could accommodate at one time.
Are there gluten free options?
Yes. We have gluten free buns available for any sandwich or burger. We also have a dedicated fryer.
Do you have TVs out on the patio and do you show nfl games on sunday?
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
53 reviews that are not currently recommended
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