One evening on a fall night when I was staying in Chicago, I was sort of in the mood for some good comfort food at an Irish pub - something like a Shepherd's Pie or a good braised corned beef reuben sandwich sounded really good to me. I got on line to see if there were any Irish pubs that served food near the hotel I was staying at near O'Hare Airport. One immediately popped up in my search that I wasn't familiar with - The Harp and Fiddle in nearby Park Ridge. I checked out their website and decided that I wanted to give the place a try.
It took nearly six years from the time partners Declan Stapleton and Ed Berry first came to Park Ridge city officials with their plan to open an Irish pub - originally to be named O'Reilly's - to the point where they were actually able to open their doors. In 2010, they had found a space along a block of old buildings in downtown Park Ridge and immediately procured a liquor license. Hoping to get into the space sooner than later, the two found that the building had some environmental hazards during the rehab and they had to stop the renovations of the new pub and the dream of opening Park Ridge's first Irish pub was put on hold.
But the dream never died and when a space that used to house a drug store became available in 2015, Berry and the Irish-born Stapleton jumped on the property. Things got even better when a small grocery store next to their space closed up and they bought that spot to make their pub even larger. In May of 2016, the Harp and Fiddle opened their doors bringing Park Ridge residents a "modern bar with an Irish flair."
The Harp and Fiddle is located along Main St. in downtown Park Ridge, next to the Metra tracks that run diagonally through the heart of the town. (see map) There were some parking spots along Main and I was able to get in there around 7:30 that evening.
Entering the Harp and Fiddle, I found a nice comfortable and cozy pub with wooden floors and wood accents on the ceiling. The lights were more pronounced along the walls giving the place a laid back atmosphere. There was a smaller room off to the side in the front of the place.
Along the walls were a number of paintings and artwork done by Irish artists. Most notably shown was a collage painting of musician Elvis Costello and a large portrait of the Irish band U2 over the mantle on the fireplace. On weekends, the Harp and Fiddle features live music in their dining area.
The Harp and Fiddle also has a nice patio on the side of the main building. It was a cool fall evening and there were a lot of people on the patio, but it looked like it would be a popular place in the summer months.
I ended up seated at the bar and I had to stop for a moment to admire the workmanship of the woodwork on both the bar and back bar area. Accent lights were built into the bar, and both recessed and hanging lights added lighting from above. Three large flat screen televisions were hung on the back bar wall.
I was greeted by James who was working with Eric behind the bar. James was new to the Harp and Fiddle and Eric was showing him the ropes of where everything was placed. James was obviously a seasoned bartender as he was on top of things with me all during my visit. He gave me a menu to look over and I ordered up a Smithwick's, one of the two dozen craft and import beers that they had on tap. They also had over three dozen craft, import and domestic beers available in bottles.
The menu consisted of a number of interesting entrees including a bourbon glazed pork chop, three beef tenderloin medallions served with mashed potatoes and a vegetable, a chicken curry dish, and a house-made meatloaf that caught my eye. They also have a number of burgers and sandwiches, as well as soups, salads and appetizers such as a charcuterie board, quesadillas, wings, and tacos with either chicken, steak or fish.
They also had a number of Irish specialties on the menu including a Shepherd's Pie, bangers and mash, fish and chips, and what I ended up getting - the Guinness Stew. It featured chunks of braised beef along with carrots, potatoes and onions served in a hearty Guinness gravy. Three pieces of toasted bread came with the Guinness Stew.
The stew was a definite spot-hitter for me. I was in a stretch of travel where I was getting burned out on some foods and I knew I didn't want a burger or a corned beef sandwich at that time. The Guinness Stew was rich and tasty, the braised beef was tender and flavorful. The gravy offered a nice full taste and it was wonderful on the bread which I dipped into the stew.
There are other things on the menu that will make me go back to the Harp and Fiddle and try out at some point. With a great beer selection, and a cozy and laid back atmosphere that was welcoming, the Harp and Fiddle is one of the better Irish pubs I've encountered. Service was good, the Guinness Stew I had really hit the spot for me, and I felt comfortable in there as a single diner. I had no issues with my visit to the Harp and Fiddle and would have no problem recommending the spot for anyone looking for a nice casual place to eat in the near northwest suburbs of Chicago.
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