MONTREAL- Once upon a time, there was a man, Tom Finegan, from the Irish county of Meath who dreamed of having his own pub to call home in Montreal...and from that dream emerged a place called Finegan’s pub.
Established in 2006, the pub has become a local hotspot for locals and tourists alike. The pub feel is very authentically Irish, with the decor of flags, beer memorabilia, and of course clovers throughout the small pub. It is also has a very “Cheers Pub” approach where locals are familiar with one another but a tourist could walk in and feel just like they had never left the place.
Here is a sample from Skarwyn with their song called “The Shuffle”:
Part of the reason that this pub is so different from the dozen others in the city is just that- friendly, inviting, and very homely. Other Irish pubs in the city have the approach that bigger is better, whereas Finegan’s believes that “smaller is better, we want a quaint and friendly place for the people,” said manager Claude Ménard. A local patron who wished to remain unnamed also said, “It’s not fancy, but it sure is friendly.”
The pub has music at its heart- everyday throughout the week there is something playing. Thursdays is dedicated to karaoke, which is a great way for upcoming artists to show the pub their talent. The types of musicians range from folk rock, Irish string bands, and even some hillbilly rock. There is bound to be a sound that will capture your ear and have you captivated with the Finegan’s charm.
The only night that is not musical is Sunday, but that is one night they have saved for sports fans as they show NFL games on their TV’s. Also they have the hockey games on during the regular season. A good pub won’t forget the faithful sports fans and Finegan’s know that very well.
The pub has a great happy hour menu- Monday is “Recession day” where beers in bottles are only $3 all night. Tuesday to Friday’s specials include a 4pm-7pm 2 bottles for $5,50 and doubles on rum, rye, vodka, and gin are only $6. The weekend is left up to you and hopefully you are happy by then, but still stop by if you are in the city.
Unfortunately the pub doesn’t have a food menu, but they do carry all the ones from the surrounding area and are very open to you ordering from them to eat in the pub. This is because the pub is run by a very small staff of three- Tom Finegan, Claude Ménard, and Keely Bujold. Now one might say that a pub without a kitchen is not one to visit, however, on the contrary this is one of the reasons that add to their charm- it keeps it a small, quaint and very charming environment.
The pub is close to the Quality Inn and Ruby Foo’s hotels on Decarie. And also minutes from the Snowdon metro on the orange line. It is about 20 minutes from downtown Montreal.
Hours are Monday to Friday 2pm- 3am, Saturday 5pm- 3am, and Sunday 12pm-12am.
