We love McGrath's but we hadn't been there in quite a while. Over the years we have enjoyed occasional meals, St. Patrick's Day(s), Friday | Saturday nights and great live Irish music. Our visit last night with out of town family ended up becoming one of those evenings that are remembered with laughter for how things went down. We were greeted by an older gentleman at the front desk and entered the pub. The air was warm, heavy and really smelly. I asked the gent at the desk if we could be served in the lobby due to the unpleasant air quality. An emphatic, "No", was the reply. Perhaps a table in the dining room for our party of six? "No, it's closed". I mentioned the air quality again and suggested an open window as a remedy. Wizened gent at the front desk retorts, "Well, what do you expect? This is a welcoming event for the hikers of the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine." Sincere kudos to all hikers who brave the trek! However, this was a fairly dubious welcome for unsuspecting, freshly showered guests with intact olfactory receptors. Well, we were there and being Irish, wanted to have our McGrath's experience. So, sucking in a last fresh breath of pure Vermont mountain air, in we went. After a bit, we had our whiskeys and a bite and things didn't seem so bad. A good time was had by all. As we waited for our check, we laughed about the start of the evening and quipped about the only other potential air quality issue that might have resulted in marring the evening. Then it happened. A monumental crop dusting that left us with burning eyes and the inability to draw air. The millennials in our group knowingly gave a nod to all the kale that might have contributed to the piquant flavor of the cloud that enveloped us. We couldn't escape fast enough. Once in the parking lot, the gent from earlier chased us down and handed a flyer to the husbands in our group. It explained the significance of the presence of the lodge and its purpose for the hikers; then essentially excused the establishment for the earthy fragrances within. Well played McGrath's, well played. read more