McP’s Irish Pub

McP’s Irish Pub has been providing good food and good times to Coronado residents and others for over 34 years now. It’s become a bit of an institution on the island.

It was founded by a former Navy SEAL, Greg McPartlin, and, in its early days was quite the hangout for SEALs stationed just down the road. Today, the SEALs still frequent the pub, but the majority of their patrons now are local Coronado residents and tourists.

The actual pub itself is on the small side with a bar area decked out in Navy memorabilia and separate seating area. The vast majority of people tend to enjoy their Guinness on the patio under the shade of a few umbrellas or the trees around the patio with green, white, and orange lights running overhead. Live music often fills the patio with some good ol’ toe-tapping songs that can bring smiles to faces.

During my visit on a Sunday afternoon, it was clear that many of the guests were locals who were regulars at McP’s. The patio is pet friendly, and one gentleman had what appeared to be a bloodhound with him (or some close relative of a bloodhound). As the band was wrapping up one of its songs, the hound let out with a short howl, as if to punctuate the end of the song. Without missing a beat, about half the patrons on the patio howled in response. Someone said, “Don’t get him started!” Sure enough, the dog replied in kind, and this went back and forth between the dog and the audience for several minutes. It was hilarious. And fun.

I ordered the Reuben sandwich with potato salad and both were tasty. Throw in an iced tea and a tip, and the total bill ran about $20. The servers seemed to be a tad understaffed for a busy Sunday afternoon, so that seemed to slow things down a little. It just meant that I enjoyed the music and howling show a little longer.

If you want a fun experience and good food, take a drive across the bridge or up the Strand to explore McP’s.

What You Need To Know

Location: 1107 Orange Ave., Coronado, CA 92118

Hours: Mon.–Sat. 11 a.m.–2 a.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.

Cost: Moderate

Phone: (619) 435-5280

Website: mcpspub.com

Tips: Parking along Orange Avenue is both a challenge and metered. There are meters on some of the side streets as well. Plan on parking a couple of blocks away and walking.