520 Main Street
Price of a Guinness: $5.50 | Overall Rating: 7.80
With a name like Paddy's you'd hope this place would tickle every bit of your fancies. However, it doesn't really do that. Let's go through the good tid-bits first; they just might have the best patio in all of Covington, they have a good selection of beer on tap as well as the can, there's a functioning toilet, the decor is nice and authentic, and the building itself has charm and character.
There are some more fun things about the place but let's move on to some of the aggravating things first. For one; their Guinness came in a 16oz glass and the pour (pours) were awful. Trust me... I didn't get just one... or two; I would never judge a place's pour on just one try (even though I totally could if I wanted, I don't owe anyone shit quite frankly). I've been here more than a few times and to be honest, I've actually worked with the owner of the place on a side project. So don't think this review comes off of a random 'one time visit'.
I do like how this place adores the pups, as I am a big dog lover myself. They encourage you to bring your dog and you'll typically always find a dog or two roaming around for some high-fives anytime you come in.
The whiskey selection is well above average and the prices are on par to the area. They offer karaoke and live music behind the opposite wall of the bar counter and they provide opportunities for inexperienced artists from the area to perform. They have a jukebox for the downtimes and a few TVs for those who are interested in the digital entertainment.
The ceiling is fun to look at whereas they have a plethora of old-school signs stationed side by side from each other and there are nice yet dirty windows to let in the sunlight. The bathrooms are surprisingly pretty quaint and the high-top tables allow for intimate conversation. Paddy's surely allows you to have a good time whether you're trying to kill a Saturday night with the boys or trying to spend an hour with the lady.
There's no food offered inside these walls, however, if you ask me; I kinda like it that way. I've always been a fan of the traditional Irish Pub that is meant for congregating rather than a quick visit to pop a button. They welcome anyone to bring their own food in from across the street and eat as they please (watch out for dog hair). Speaking of across the street... Paddy's sits on a main street called Mainstrasse which is a German part of town with a boatload of bars and restaurants stacked on top of another.
This little pub is located at just about the very bottom of the street and to be frank; it seems as they get most of the overflow from the jam-packed bars from the area rather than dedicated guests. Of course you'll find die-hard Paddy's-goers; we're not that stupid... but the mix of people during the busy times don't really make that much sense at times.
Typically we here at The Drunken Mallard like to sip on our Guinness before the sun goes down, if you ask us; the best time to go to an Irish Pub is during the daytime. Here at Paddy's they don't open until 4:30 every day; not a deal breaker for us of course but maybe that'll change one day.
The bartenders are normally pretty chatty and the people in general are decent as well. Of course, you might run into some sketchy shenanigans past 10pm on any given night. This is not a dangerous pub though so don't get the wrong idea.
At the end of the day, Paddy's gets the job done in regards to offering the immediate locals a fun watering hole after a long workday. It won't give a Craic addict what they're looking for and it won't offer you any authentic Irish culture. Just because a pub has green walls and an Irish flag that doesn't make it a true Irish Pub. Don't cancel your day plans to come here but if you're stumbling down Mainstrasse then definitely stop in for the experience; it ain't too shabby.
There's no dart board.
Slainte!
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