Fibber Magees
1089 West Elliot Road
Chandler, Arizona 85224
(480) 722-9434
http://www.fibbermageespub.com/
I first wondered into Fibber Magees on a Friday night on the recommendation of a friend who makes the pub his regular Friday night happy hour. I wasn’t disappointed. Fibber Magees isn’t quite what one thinks of when one pictures an “Irish pub.” The wood is light, though there is a lot of it, comprising a sprawling bar complete with a wishing well extension, and delightfully enough, books cases on the back wall. The ample bar seating is supplemented with a number of bar tables and partitioned dining area as well as a small patio.
Happy hour (Monday-Saturday 4-7) has some great food and drink specials including $2.00 off drafts, $3.00 well drinks, and ½ off appetizers and flatbreads. The menu at Fibber Magees tends more towards American pub fare than traditionally Irish food, though there are exceptions like the Fish and Chips, Sheppard’s Pie, and Corn Beef and Cabbage.
On our last visit we ordered a Tomato Basil flatbread ($9) and an order of Crispy Cod Sliders ($9) along with a Blacksmith (Guinness and Smithwicks) and a Guinness ($5.25), though we’ve tried the Crab Cakes ($9), Curry Fries ($5), and Date and Black Pepper flatbread ($10) on previous trips.
Overall I have been really pleased with the food at Fibber Mc Gees. The Crispy Cod sliders are my favorite at the moment. The mini-burgers have a piece of cod, tarter, and slaw and really hit the spot. With four in an order they’re great to share.
Both flatbreads we’ve ordered have been good and surprisingly inventive. The Tomato Basil flatbread has a good crispy crust and is well topped, but includes chili oil, bringing in a surprisingly Sicilian touch. The Date and Black Pepper flatbread is even more inventive with dates, onions, balsamic, and black pepper. It was spartanly dressed, but uniquely yummy.
I like the fries at Fibber Magees as well, and during happy hour they run all of $2.50. Yet the pub insists on serving them wrapped in a piece of paper atop a metal stand. I admit it is visually pleasing, but it isn’t stable. On our last visit, the fries didn’t make it to our table—though the spill was also amusing. We usually dump them on a plate as soon as we get them. While I like the thin and crispy fries, the Curry Sauce is a fail with me. I’m not entirely sure what it is—maybe gravy with curry powder? We skip it and go for ketchup. The crab cakes weren’t my favorite either, though I should qualify this statement with the fact that my parents live in Maryland. That said, Fibber Magees’ version doesn’t involve lump crab meat and does involve a good bit of filler.
Aside from the great happy hour prices, one main reason we come back to Fibber McGee’s is the service. On Friday evenings it comes at the hands of three gentlemen who are both attentive and highly entertaining. I would recommend watching out for the bald one, who asked the scantily clad young women sitting next to me at the bar if she was a stripper. She wasn’t. I couldn’t stop laughing. She didn’t appreciate either of us. I should say that despite his rather raw sense of humor, Baldy is an excellent bartender and his two colleagues are equally skilled and less abrasive.
Needless to say, you know where to find me come Friday at 5:00.
Recent Comments