Photo: Joel Schnell
This local pub is growing and changing right alongside the Woodbury community.
“The luck of the Irish” is how the saying goes, and the customers of O’Malley’s are feeling lucky with all the recent changes to the pub. As Woodbury grows and expands, O’Malley’s seeks to keep up with the town’s progress with a full facelift of the menu, design and décor. O’Malley’s has managed to maintain its family values and tradition while making major updates and improvements to the cosmetic side of the pub, the staffing, service and more.
O’Malley’s Irish Pub was opened in 2005 by co-owners Beth and Todd Hanson. The pub was named after Beth’s maternal late grandfather, Tim O’Malley, aka “Papa.” Papa has a legacy that lives on in O’Malley’s authentic Irish food and beer and in the cozy pub atmosphere. But if you walked into the pub in 2005 and again today, you may barely recognize the place with all the changes that have been made.
“We decided last summer that O’Malley’s needed to grow up as we have, as Woodbury has,” Beth says. Friends and neighbors from the community came together to redo the floors, walls, bathrooms, bar, menus and other things you can’t necessarily see right away: microphones, beer lines and the POS system. The staff was re-trained and even the plates, napkins and service ware were improved. O’Malley’s has been relying on “secret shoppers” coming in to test the quality of food, service and overall experience, as well as on customer feedback, to continually improve the service.
The quest for O’Malley’s to continue to improve has not gone unnoticed. Customers are happy with the changes and say the family feel is still what makes O’Malley’s so special. “O’Malley’s is more than a restaurant; it’s a gathering place for family and friends,” says longtime customer Tricia McCarthy. “We celebrate life’s good times and support each other in tough times over a great meal and drinks. We always feel welcome when we walk through the door, and are proud to support a local Woodbury family in growing their business.”
That local family feel is a hallmark of O’Malley’s. “We like being a mom ‘n pop,” Beth says. “My husband can do everything well at the pub: bartend, cook, serve and fix toilets. Sometimes when we are short staffed, he does all of that in the same day.” Customers also take notice of the focus O’Malley’s places on family and community, with events such as customer “give back” nights, Toys for Woodbury kids, food drives and more. Regular customer Barb Finnegan echoes her love for the family-friendly atmosphere. “From the Friday night fish fry to Sunday morning brunch, our family members enjoy the food and fun,” Finnegan says.
O’Malley’s doesn’t run short on the food and fun. The Friday night fish fry isn’t the only weekly event that attracts a crowd: Tuesday’s Burger Day, Wacky Wednesdays, Free Appetizer Thursday, Trivia Night, Free Beer Bingo, All You Can Eat Sunday Brunch and daily deals like these make for satisfied customers that keep coming back.
“O’Malley’s reminds me of Cheers; everyone is very friendly,” says customer Mike Blohm. “It’s a great place to have dinner with your family or a few drinks with your friends. The owners and the staff really get to know you on a personal level and make you feel welcome, whether you’re a regular or if it’s your first time there.”
O’Boyle Picks
Love the drinks at O’Malley’s Irish Pub but looking to play bartender and make them in the comfort of your own home on St. Patty’s Day? Head over to Top Ten Liquors for a unique Irish whiskey. Store manager Mark O’Boyle has some suggestions that are sure to impress you and your guests.
“When people think of Irish whiskey, Jameson Original usually comes to mind,” O’Boyle says. Jameson Original is a very nice blend of single pot and grain whiskeys. Single pot whiskey is made from a mash of malted and un-malted barley distilled in a single pot. However, if you want to raise the bar from your typical Jameson Original whiskey, try one of O’Boyle’s recommendations from Top Ten Liquors:
•Jameson 18-Year-Old Limited Reserve is a smooth, mellow whiskey aged for 18 years in oak barrels with hints of vanilla, toffee and spices.
• Green Spot is a single pot Irish whiskey with notes of orange slice, toffee and malt. It’s one of O’Boyle’s personal favorites. He fell in love with the whiskey when he tried it for the first time at a seminar hosted by Top Ten. See (and taste) why it’s one of O’Boyle’s favorites by adding this whiskey to your must-try liquor list.
• O’Boyle’s final recommendation is Midleton Very Rare. It is a limited-release blended Irish Whiskey with only 50 barrels produced each year. This blend is unique as it is composed of different whiskeys each year so no two years are the same. Taste profiles typically include honey and citrus with a lingering peppery finish.
