Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    McGilvra's

    3.1 (201 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    McGilvra's Photos

    MCGILVRA'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - McGilvra's

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Fries.
    Jennifer J.

    If you're looking for an Irish bar in Madison Park well, this one is (literally and figuratively) at the end of the line. I've popped in a few times over the years, most recently after wedding dress shopping with a couple of friends, and it has never disappointed. Good beer, fast service, affordable appies...I mean, I'm not sure what else I could want! They even have a nice happy hour, which makes the inevitable hunt for good parking worth the hassle. Is the place a tiny bit run down? Maybe a little, especially for this upscale part of town. But it's not exactly in dive bar territory yet. If it was remotely on the beaten path to anywhere, I'd definitely pop in here more frequently! As it is, though, this is my go-to watering hole when I find myself at the end o' the line in M-Park.

    Our wonderful server Mark.
    Susane G.

    We happened upon this place by accident and we were not disappointed . I have to say this maybe my new favorite place to dine while we have this summer heat. The staff is so warm and friendly . They treat each guest as family. They also have AC so that is a plus. Please come and see for yourself. You will not be disappointed .the very nice young man that was our server was as nice as can be. We talk and found out we had a lot in common. Thank you Mark for giving us a great dinning experience .

    Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl.

    I've had Clam Chowder from San Francisco to Nova Scotia, and my new favorite is McGilvra's! I ordered it in the sourdough bread bowl for the full experience, and wasn't disappointed. The chowder was full of tender clams, potatoes, carrots, celery?, and tasted like full cream. And that bread bowl; I couldn't stop eating it- fresh & delicious. Two others in my party ordered the chili, and thought it was great, but would prefer no corn. One had a Cuban, and would give it four stars, reporting a better bun could improve the rating. Our server, Sophia, was absolutely adorable, attentive, thorough; five stars! Coffee was good. Guinness was a generous pour, and nice brewed iced tea. Overall for service & food, we'd give it 4.5 stars. We'd all definitely go again.

    Brie appetizer
    Tammy E.

    We stopped by here for a drink after dinner down the road. They have an ample patio seating area with views of the lake - lots of folks with cute pups make for good people/pet watching! They have a good offering of pub food and drink. We ended up staying way past sunset and getting hungry again..glad we ordered the baked brie - it was a huge platter of a sort of bread bowl with brie in the middle and a cranberry jam type topping. After twenty minutes or so the food still wasn't out - they probably should have updated us on the status of the food since it was the end of the night and they weren't very busy. Anyway this dish satisfied our hunger and we enjoyed the wine and martini here. I would say the only suggestion would be for less of the sweet topping as it detracted from the delicious brie. Service was good and the restrooms were clean. Will come back for a full meal next time!

    Today's brunch view of a quiet lake
    Stacy S.

    While I enjoy going to McGivra's, it's mainly because of the company I'm with. Service is good, as is the food. (This is a great place to watch the game, if you're looking for a comfortable place to enjoy a drink while you cheer on the home team.)

    Chicken taco salad
    Tiffany N.

    Great service and food! We went on a sunny Saturday afternoon and sat on the front patio (it's a great spot to enjoy the view and people watch). My friends and I got the BLTA, taco salad, and I got the pretzel bites appetizer. Everything came out in a timely manner. I stole a couple of my friend's fries and they were well seasoned and crispy: it seemed like they coated them in the fish and chips batter. I would come here again!

    two glasses of alcohol on a bar

    See all

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 1
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Eva G.
    169
    198
    209

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Darya V.
    34
    21
    15

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of S S.
    0
    65
    8

    4 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 2
    Photo of Edie S.
    0
    107
    65

    3 years ago

    The food here has improved of late. Great selection and quality. Friendly neighborhood bar with greet service and awesome beers on tap.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rob R.
    8
    36
    0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kathy Z.
    11
    112
    33

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    I had the fish sticks on a bun. I threw up for the rest of the evening. The interior is not very clean.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Aldo G.
    4
    18
    23

    6 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark M.
    3
    88
    11

    4 years ago

    Had lunch here a couple of Saturdays ago. Whiskey crab soup and a BLT. Both were really good. Service and the atmosphere were good.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Michael V.
    99
    100
    10

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Finn M.

    Finn M.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Helena F.
    192
    7
    28

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Pam R.
    2
    37
    0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Katie J.
    182
    38
    0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of STEVE C.
    12
    284
    0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    Page 1 of 6

    McGilvra's Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - McGilvra's

    Do they have anything gluten free?

    Yes we have plenty of gluten free options. We have gluten free bread and pizza dough. Our chili and salmon risotto are gluten free. Just a few to start

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    You might also consider

    Kells Irish Restaurant & Bar

    Kells Irish Restaurant & Bar

    3.5
    (809 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    My husband and I were looking for ramen on our way to our parked car, however, we ended up going to…read moreKells because the hankering of a Guinness was greater than ramen in that instance of time. We ordered the Irish chowder, and corned beef and cabbage with mash potatoes, and a glass of Guinness beer. The chowder tasted like any chowder I had before but this came with soda bread, and the bread was really good. The corned beef dish was also delicious. Lots of flavor to it and certainly not salty. The cabbage (carrots and string beans) paired well with the mash and the beef. Service was quick and non- bothersome. Our waiter came to check in when they needed to and not when we were about to stuff food in our mouth which happens far too often than I would like to share. As for the establishment itself, it is quite dark, which all align with what pubs would be. Interesting to say though that the walls were adorned with art and the right pillar where we sat had a frame of what looked to be a collection of irish stamps. It was pretty neat to look at.

    I needed a Smithwick's. I frequently went to Kell's, but that was a long time ago. At Kell's…read moretoday you can get a Guinness and beer they brew themselves. Bartender recommended - no, suggested - a red ale similar to Smithwick's. It is not Smithwick's. I don't really remember the food, and I suspect that's a good thing. I asked the waiter if the corned beef and cabbage was good. He said, "We are an Irish bar." When gently pressed, he added, "A lot of people order it." The staff doesn't seem to think there's much to recommend at Kell's these days and I'm inclined to agree. 3 stars for some good memories, they still put on live music, and the fact that while nothing was great, nothing was terrible either.

    Photos
    Kells Irish Restaurant & Bar
    Kells Irish Restaurant & Bar
    Kells Irish Restaurant & Bar

    See all

    T S McHugh's

    T S McHugh's

    2.9
    (294 reviews)
    3.8 mi
    $$

    The service was really nice, the pinball and other bar games were cool, the food was extremely…read moremediocre. Definitely overpriced burgers that could've had more flavor and maybe not an entire raw onion. Fries were okay, could've been more salted. All an all an okay place with okay food, but barely

    We finally got the chance to check this place out for St. Patrick's Day, and it did not disappoint…read more The food could have been better than I hoped, but the drinks and vibes were most definitely here. Love the dark cherry wood throughout and the amazing service. FYI, they also have a few arcade games in the back. We ordered: Pot Pie - This was a bit strange because the Pie is topped with a flaky puff pastry instead of it being a pie we're accustomed to where the pie filling sits within the breaded/puff pastry. The inside was alright, but the pastry part was delicious! Shepherd's Pie - this was super light and didn't have much flavor, it more like a snack than a meal. Unlike a traditional shepherd's Pie, it wasn't topped with mashed potatoes, and there was hardly any meat inside. Maybe they forgot to top mine with potatoes? Even the menu describes this dish as having a mashed potato topping. :( Bangers & Mash - This was the best dish that we ordered. Savory and filling enough, as compared to the others. The burger sausages were delicious! Snakebites - Special St. Patty's drink special - Guinness and Cider a bunch of Guinness drafts They had a live band singing traditional Irish songs plus a few contemporary songs all night, and the pub hosted the Keith Highlanders Pipe Band, who also played throughout the evening and night. Ngl, the first time the Bagpipe band walked through the pub, everyone was hyped, and some got emotional. Such a fun night! I highly recommend catching their live bands. I'm curious how often they host bands, but it's worth visiting.

    Photos
    T S McHugh's
    T S McHugh's
    A pot pie to die for

    See all

    A pot pie to die for

    McGilvra's - tradamerican - Updated June 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...