208 N Tryon Street
Guinness Tag: $7.75 | Overall Rating: 9.00
Sometimes Irish Pubs get a bad rap no matter what, depending on who walks in and when. Some people prefer their Irish Pub to be proper while others prefer the more Western style with TVs. Some people only care about the Craic and how cozy the Pub is, while some people only determine a Pub's value over how many Irish things they have on the wall.
There are so many things to consider about an Irish Pub when you give it an honest rating. How were the pours? How was the bartender? Is it more authentic or more of a gimmick? Do the prices equate to value? How's the music and atmosphere? Does it turn into an annoying night club when the sun goes down? Most importantly... how much Craic will I find? Without the Craic; you're nothing.
Ri Ra's does a great job absorbing many of these things together while not making it seem like they're trying to "cater to everyone." Anyone in the restaurant world knows that if you try to cater to everyone; you end up pleasing nobody. If you go at the right time, especially when the sun is coming down, Ri Ra's offers such a beautiful and cozy atmosphere with an incredible combination of both natural and bulb lighting. It's hard to describe, but the best way to put it is when you walk in and stare down the long and skinny walkway surrounded by tables, stones, and barstools with the dim-lit/golden glow you feel so warm and cozy that you say to yourself, "I'm certainly bending the elbows here for a while." In a sense, you already know that you're going to enjoy yourself before you even plop your potato on a barstool. Then, when the staff and regulars succeed on the prenotion of high expectations; it's like heaven.
The bar itself is an incredibly long countertop that holds well over 30 people that gets glanced upon by nestled booths and tables from across the walkway. As you walk from one end of the bar to the other, you'll notice a few different themes and architecture from behind the countertop. It all goes hand in hand, however, it's a neat touch. One my favorite things about Ri Ra's is the area where you can find a 5ft sculpture of St. Patrick posted up near the liquor shelves behind the taps. I'd much rather enjoy a Guinness and conversation surrounding that than a TV (okay, perhaps not on a Sunday).
Another great asset of the place is the room where you place the ass; Ri Ra's certainly has the best toiletries of any Irish Pub in downtown. Key note; of any Irish Pub. Most Irish Pubs have small, grungy toiletries, but not Ri Ra's!
The food is actually really great. The Reuben won't knock your socks off, but the Cottage Pie and Soda Bread certainly will. Other than Guinness you'll find great cocktails as well, including the "Carolina Irish Lemonade" which receives an A+ from us. Speaking of their Guinness, it rings in rather steep at about $8 bucks, but the pours are above average. They have an above average whiskey selection for those looking to sip and the draft beer choices are going to impress anyone who isn't a picky jerk, giving you both local and imported options.
When you walk through the entrance door you're welcomed in by stained glass and beautifully layered rocks. There's certainly a lot of charm to Ri Ra's when you counter in all of the crown molding, craftsmanship, light fixtures, stained oak, and legit furniture. The staff is great for the most part and many of them came straight from Ireland themselves. The music could probably be better, but it could definitely be worse. The Craic? It's there. It might not be as prominent as other Pubs, but it's there. Most people are coming to Ri Ra's with their own groups of family and friends, however, that's not to say you can't walk in and find friendly conversation with random locals; it's just not as easy to do that here than it is in say, The Belfast Mill, where the bar is more intimate and geared toward that sort of thing.
The thing about Ri Ra's is that there are so many components to it that make it really great that it's hard to capture it all. This is definitely a spot where it's just better to see it for yourself than to take my pictures and "go." It's the original location to its few; including spots in Vegas and Vermont. If you're an Irish Pub enthusiast and love being surrounded by the Irish culture, then you will certainly enjoy yourself here. We highly recommend grabbing a barstool here, especially if you're anywhere within a couple hundred-mile radius of the beautiful city of Charlotte.
Thanks for the lovely time, Ri Ra's! Go Panthers. Slainte.
