Restaurant Review: McShea's in Narberth

I have been to McShea's numerous times. A good friend and foodie snob took me there for my first visit and we have gone countless times since. The concept is simple—it's an Irish pub and restaurant—but the execution is where this place differs from others. The food is good here. I do not need to modify that with "good for a bar", it's actually just plain good.

The menu features the typical pub fare including a delicious burger and fries, mozzarella sticks, cheese fries, chicken fingers, etc. but the atypical menu items are when the kitchen shines. 

The Black Angus pub burger is large and always comes cooked a perfect medium rare. (This may not sound like a big feat, but having had plenty of overcooked pieces of meat the past few weeks I can say this is a big feat.) The fries are crisp and delicious and although the bourbon may dip that comes with is also tasty, I just can't say no to ketchup on my fries. 

The seared tuna options are usually good. The tuna tends to be good quality and expertly seared. It appears all over the menu.

Sometimes they'll have a fresh mozzarella salad with tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinaigrette. This protein rich salad is on point and ideal for warmer weather.

When I went in for lunch the other day I tried the Greek salad with grilled chicken. What arrived was a monstrous bowl brimming with about a pound of white breast meat, dozens of olives, cucumber slices, tomatoes and fresh mixed greens. Also noteworthy is that they were not stingy with the feta cheese. The red wine vinaigrette that came on the side was on the sweeter side but rounded out the salad nicely. 

I saw signs for soft shell crabs, which are among my favorite things to eat. Soft shell crab season usually happens during May and June when the crabs molt (hard outer shell is shed) and the new soft underlying shell emerges. It takes some time for the new shell to become hard and it is during this soft shell period that we can eat crabs shell and all. The availability of such a seasonal and specialized item is a testament to the kitchen and the chefs there. They take their food very seriously and are committed to putting out great food.

There is a constantly changing chalkboard of all the beers they have on tap. It's always fun to go in and check out what is new. I chose a honey IPA for my beverage and it tasted exactly like the server said: "A little bit sweeter than your typical IPA." It was a great middle-of-the-day beer—not too heavy, just right.

The service at McShea's is always personable. The benefit to dining there at night is the warm crab dip and bread basket. It's a treat to come in after a long day and have little noshes like this while you go over the menu. The staff is knowledgeable and laid back regardless of the time of day.

The decor is very pub-like with dark woods and plenty of booths in all stages of life (there's one booth seat that rocks back and forth, kind of like a roller coaster). It is quite bright in the dining room during the day, which came as a surprise as I had only been there at night previously.

In closing, I would compare McShea's to a domestic craft brew, because both are elevated examples of something very familiar. To say that Magic Hat #9 is just a beer is a travesty, just like comparing McShea's to any other Irish pub is. Head to McShea's for a burger and a beer or some fancier fare without any attitude.