John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub AND Garden

By: Amy De La Hunt | Photography: Carmen Troesser

What started as a one-room public house in 1978 is now a maze of bars, back-room hangouts and beautiful patios—all filled with customers enjoying food and drinks plus live music and sports on TV. McGurk’s fills 20,000 square feet on one of Soulard’s liveliest corners with ripples of Irish camaraderie. It starts with the drinks: Guinness is the default, but look a little deeper and you’ll discover an excellent range of local craft beers. The menu centers on Irish standbys like potato soup, fish and chips, corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash and Irish stew. Yet somehow the toasted ravioli and other St. Louis favorites also feel right at home.

McGurk’s has a well-deserved reputation as a live music venue. Local musicians with a passion for Gaelic tunes can jam on stage. Well-known Irish groups make it a regular stop on U.S. tours. The house band, Falling Fences, plays every Sunday and occasional weekend late-night sets. Each genre has a dedicated fan base, which adds to the community vibe. But if music isn’t your thing, head toward the bars in the back rooms or on the all-weather patio, where the TVs are always tuned to sports.

1200 Russell Blvd.

314.776.8309

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