An Irish Bar on an Irish Holiday

Ok, so maybe itâ??s not officially an Irish holiday, but when you get pinched for not wearing green or just plain cussed out at a bar, you have to wonder which nationality would have any desire to claim St. Patickâ??s Day as their own creation. I do enjoy Irish whiskeyâ??s and beers on occasion, but St. Patrickâ??s day can either provide you with a great excuse to have a couple of Guinnessâ??s or get completely sloshed, depending on which route you want to take. If you want a real Irish experience in Seattle and donâ??t want to stray far from Capital Hill, then Clever Dunneâ??s on Olive Way is the place for you.

Youâ??re probably wondering why Iâ??m reviewing this bar post St. Patrickâ??s Day, and I understand your confusion, but sometimes in the wake of the complete drunken personal destruction often associated with drinking on March 17^th, you realize that sometimes in the middle of summer or even in the rainy depths of autumn, you crave a bar with real Irish grit. And thatâ??s exactly how Iâ??d describe Clever Dunneâ??s. Itâ??s not a great place to go on that Irish holiday if you donâ??t like large raucous crowds and singing that lasts far beyond last call. Heck, to help give this bar the Irish respect and credibility it deserves, Iâ??ve even seen some knock-down, drag-out fights at the place, and those werenâ??t even associated with a holiday at all.

Clever Dunne’s is warm, friendly, and downright quaint as far as Irish bars go. Sure Seattle has other bars with similar cultural flair, like Fado for example, but none of them has the real feel of a back-alley brew house in Dublin quite the way Clever Dunne’s accomplishes this hard to duplicate or simulate atmosphere. The floors are made of long pine planks that take on the odor and moisture while the walls seem to swell and sway with the crowds, this observation however may just be dependant on the number of drinks you’ve already enjoyed but it’s a cozy little place when there’s a crowd out enjoying the night. There are a handful of tables with old rickety chairs and small bars here and there with bar stools. Most of the time though it’s either feast or famine with the size of the crowd. I’m usually either wading my way to the bar through ha sea of people or all by my lonesome enjoying a Strongbow at a quiet table.

The bar has dartboards and a multitude of different nooks and crannies with which to sit and enjoy a pint or shot or two. I especially enjoy Clever Dunneâ??s on warm summer nights when they open the windows and shutters facing the street and serve beer to bar patrons from the sills of the open windows. Iâ??ve never had a negative experience at this bar with any of the bar staff and the patrons are a rowdy but friendly group on most nights. Drinks are medium priced and poured stiff and even if you happen to find yourself inside this establishment on a weeknight, youâ??ll certainly enjoy the authentic Irish feel and hospitality that Clever Dunneâ??s is famous for providing.