Not as traditionally Irish as they’d have you believe, O’Neills does represent good value for money if you don’t like to be surprised.

The Venue
This pub makes good use of its space downstairs, feeling open and light while still managing to fit in a large number of tables. The large upstairs balcony is regally decorated with green and red arches, and can house 260 people, but is largely under-used, meaning on busier nights the downstairs area can become cramped.

The large bar is located on the right-hand side of the pub and in spite of its size can become crowded, particularly on sports nights. There is a large screen in the centre of the pub, which is clearly a focal point. Although O’Neills usually blares out music rather than sport (indeed on Friday and Saturday nights they host live music) it is well known as being a rugby friendly pub, and can become rammed when there’s a big game on.

The People
The people and atmosphere of O’Neills is rather mixed, with the character of the bar entirely defined by the character of the crowd. On quiet nights this pub is painfully nondescript, but when it’s busy (particularly during rugby matches) you can easily succumb to the cliches decorating the walls and believe that every stranger is a friend you have yet to meet.

The staff are all reasonably young and fairly friendly, and the service is polite and efficient. The range of customers is broad, with some people popping in for a quick bite to eat and a cheeky pint, while others choose to make it their home for many hours. There isn’t really a typical O’Neills punter, they come in all shapes, sizes, and ages.

The Food
No surprises on this menu, offering up traditional pub fare, but with an Irish twist, with colcannon rather than mash, Irish soda bread, rather than bread, and so on. There is the usual selection of burgers, ‘pub classics’, and grilled food with all dishes coming in at under £10 and an average spend of around £6 for a meal. There is nothing wrong with this food, but it’s nothing to write home about either. It may not be a gastronomic treat, but it fills a hole and is reasonably tasty.

The seafood crock pot (£5.75) is perhaps a highlight on a fairly standard menu with a double Irish whammy of colcannon and soda bread. The portion is fairly generous and the prawns, mussels and salmon complement the potato very well, finished off with a very tasty and creamy white sauce.

If you’re pinching the pennies at the moment the ‘Taste of Ireland’ menu is a bargain, with eight ‘traditional’ dishes at a very reasonable £3.45 each. The dessert menu is predictably basic and reasonably priced. Pudding will set you back £2.95 and to tempt you there’s a free Irish hot drink thrown in for good measure. For the fair prices, the menu is worth sampling, just don’t expect to be dazzled.

The Drink
Although perhaps lacking in character at times, O’Neills certainly isn’t lacking in choice for drinkers. There are several draught ales at around £2.70 for a pint. The Timothy Taylor’s Landlord £2.70 is a dependable and light bitter, and the smooth and creamy Caffrey’s is also on offer.

For the ‘When in Rome’ drinkers, the Guinness is well looked after and as is as thick, smooth and bitter as you would expect. There is a choice between standard Guinness, extra cold, and Guinness red; it is a well-represented beverage, as you would expect in a pub that makes such a song and dance about its Irishness.

The wine list represents good value for money, with a good selection at around £6 to £8 on average for a bottle. There is also a wide range of bottled drinks and spirits on offer, at around £2.50 for a spirit and mixer. There is certainly plenty to choose from at this large and well stocked bar.

The Last Word
Solid and dependable, O’Neills is a pleasant enough watering hole, offering a good range of drinks and simple pub grub. Where it falls short is in the craic stakes. This is definitely an Irish-themed pub, rather than a traditional Irish pub, and attempts at Emerald Isle jollity feel a little forced.

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