200 W Benson Street
Overall Price for a Guinness: $6.50 | Overall Rating 8.00
Foley's is the definition of a neighborhood Pub. The regulars are made up of almost nothing but blue collar workers during the daytime and when it comes to the evening; well, still majority blue collar but with a pinch of the older crowd who has enough money to blow on a fun night out but nothing more. The people here are what make it fantastic. The bartenders (for the most part) have been here for years, the BOH workers normally come out of the kitchen and interact with everyone, and the servers are engaging.
We've been here well over 10 times and we've never left without having at least 2 or 3 conversations with different people. It seems that just about everyone that sits at the bar is incredibly accommodating and eager to chat it up over anything that comes to mind. That my friend is a good starting recipe for some Craic.
They used to have a pool table inside, but now they just use that space for more dining/socializing. You should find said pool table on their rather large patio during the summer time though which is fun. Their patio is fantastic during the warmer months with plenty of space, plenty of ash trays, and umbrellas for shade. If you come while the sun is still shining then you'll almost certainly find a kid or two running around in the dining room. Sometimes the kids can be annoying which is never fun for pubgoers like us.
They offer food for the hungries and it's nothing to write home about. The soup is very meh, their sandwiches are sub-par to the ones mom used to make, but their appetizers are very good for the price. They have all of the local beers on tap that you'll want, however, when it comes to the Guinness pours they lack quite a bit. This wasn't the first time we've gotten a mighty Bishop's Collar here at Foley's and I'm sure it won't be the last. As I said, it's typically the same bar-staff every time so it seems as they might be a bit stuck in their ways.
It's located in the "Bridal District" just north of Cincinnati, OH (believe it or not it's the largest bridal district in all of North America, so bring the girlfriend if you have one). They offer an updated Golden Tee machine for the athletes, a large dining room for the foodies, and live music as well as a jukebox for the music lovers. Their bathrooms are normally tidy and scentless and they offer ample parking for an establishment in a "downtown" setting. There are a handful of TVs for watching the games, however, if you're sitting at the bar you'll be turning your head 180 degrees anytime you decide to switch to another game.
At the end of the day, Foley's gets the job done when you're in the mood for a decent Irish Pub. It won't knock your socks off by absolutely any means; it will never size up to a Pub from Yonkers, you won't find any brogues here, the pours are just ok, but the conversations you'll have will make up for all of the negatives. The people here are really what make Foley's a great time. If you're in the Reading, Ohio area then we definitely recommend you stopping in for a pint or 3.
Slainte!
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