Media and Press Releases

February 3, 2012:  Lake County Super Bowl Hot Spots (Patch)

January 31, 2012:  Barrington Announces Upcoming Cultural Events (Patch)

January 26, 2012:  Barrington events serving up winter fun (Daily Herald)

January 26, 2012:  Where to Party on Super Bowl Sunday (JustOffTheTracks.com)

January 19, 2012:  Barrington merchants get holiday update from village (Pioneer Press)

November 30, 2011: Suburban pubs are home to a few of our favorite things (Daily Herald)

November 16, 2011: Fashion, Fundraising, and a little Rock & Roll (Patch)

November 12, 2011:  "Cup of Joe with Joe Walsh" at McGonigal's Pub (Examiner)

September 28, 2011: What's Hot in the Suburbs this Weekend (Daily Herald + video)

July 7, 2011: International Festival a Hit With Community (Patch)

July 5, 2011: Barrington Brew Fest set for July 9th  (Daily Herald)

April 8, 2011: McGonigal's Pub - Has Come Onboard (Just Off The Tracks)

March 16, 2011: Fest a public-private collaboration (Chicago Tribune)

March 16, 2011: McGonigal's Putting on Celtic Fest (Pioneer Press)

March 16, 2011: St. Pat's Celebrated at Barrington Celtic Fest (Patch)

March 15, 2011: Celtic Fest in Bryan McGonigal’s Own Words (365Barrington.com)

March 9, 2011: For St. Patrick's Day, check out some historic Irish bars (Chicago Sun-Times)

March 1, 2011: Barrington Celtic Fest (Village of Barrington newsletter)   Barrington Celtic Fest (Village of Barrington)

February 25, 2011: Benefit Concert, Saturday March 19th at McGonigal's Pub (JustOffTheTracks)

February 17, 2011: Irish Fest to Close Street (TribLocal)   Celtic Fest Coming to Barrington (Pioneer Press)

February 17, 2011: Barrington Expects First Revenue Increase since 2006 (Courier-Review, and we're quoted in it)

February 6, 2011: Super Bowl Party at the Pub - recommendations!   365Barrington Link     Barrington Patch Link

February 3, 2011: Irish Tales Before the Blizzard - info about a new Irish Pub book by Mike Danahey, featuring McGonigal's and McNally's (Courier-News)

January 12, 2011: "Guess Where Wednesday" (365Barrington.com)  Winner Info (January 19, 2011)

December 26-31, 2010: New Years Eve party coverage - TribLocal Link   365Barrington Link   Barrington COC Link   Barrington Patch Link

October 25 - 29, 2010: Halloween party coverage - TribLocal Link     365Barrington Link     Barrington Chamber of Commerce Link

September 29, 2010: Fork, Cork & Style event (Pub is a sponsor/participant); Emeril Lagasse to Headline Fork, Cork & Style at Arlington Park (PR Newswire)

September 23, 2010: Fox News Chicago features McGonigal's Pub for their "Deal of the Day" (FOX TV)

August 20, 2010: "365 Things To Do In Barrington" -featued sponsor for Barrington's Summer Fun Friday

August 16, 2010: McGonigal's Pub in Barrington - brief food review (Food Nerd Ciao!)

August 1, 2010: McGonigal's Pub is the feature in the August 2010 Irish American News  / Download print edition in PDF format (IAN)

July 23, 2010: WGN AM720 l"Hometown Voices" tour - live broadcast from McGonigal's Pub (WGN AM720)

July 22, 2010: "365 Things To Do in Barrington" - promoting the WGN Live Broadcast

July 15, 2010: Book Signing at McGonigal's Pub - Mike Cameron's "Public Bonehead, Private Hero" (TribLocal)

July 10, 2010: Go Gourmet Outdoors - tips for an upscale picnic (Tom Kalomiris, Park Avenue Wine Bar) (NBC-TV)

June 27, 2010: Live on the air - "Livin' Large with Geoff Pinkus Show (WIND AM-560)

June 9, 2010: What Goes Around Comes Around for Local Chef (Daily Herald)

May 15, 2010: The Food Dude Reviews...McGonigal's Pub (The RoundUp/BHS)

May 4, 2010: (video) WGN-TV Midday Fix segment - Tom Kalomiris (Park Avenue Wine Bar) provides Al Fresco dining and wine ideas (WGN-TV)

April 30, 2010: The Architects of Barrington's Amazing New Space (Quintessential Barrington)

April 6, 2010: Melissa Bean Discusses Bill with Business People (meeting held at McGonigal's Pub)

March 24, 2010: (video) WGN-TV Lunchbreak segment - Chef Ted Stay prepares a boxty live on-air (WGN-TV - coupon expired 4/1/10)

March 23, 2010: McGonigal's serving up beer, music and plenty of pub grub (Daily Herald)

March 19, 2010: Brief mention in Chicago Restaurants Openings and Closings (Chicago Sun-Times)

March 17, 2010: The Real McKoi - Chicago Dish (Chicago Magazine)

March 13, 2010:  We're being Tweeted!  Plus we have some Grand Opening and upcoming St. Patrick's Day coverage in the TribLocal (Chicago Tribune)

March 11, 2010: New Irish Pub bows (Zagat.com), McGonigal's Pub info (Centerstage.com), Preliminary reviews start through Yelp! (yelp.com)

March 9, 2010: Trustees Happy With Downtown Establishment Opening (Barrington Courier-Review)

March 5, 2010: New Irish Pub Racing to Open Before St. Patrick's Day (Daily Herald)

March 5, 2010:  We are mentioned in article Barrington updates residents on CN rail issue, downtown development (Daily Herald)

March 3-4, 2010: Additional mentions in Pioneer Local, Suite 101,

March 2, 2010: Brief mention on our opening day in the News Digest (Barrington Courier-Review)

January 26, 2010: Fox News Chicago features our employment hiring info on their Monday night (1/25) broadcast!

January 9, 2010: Short article featued in the Irish-American News (IAN)

January 7, 2010: Video of progress, courtesy of PioneerLocal.com (Barrington Courier-Review)

October 27, 2009: Two Establishments Closer to Opening

August 5-8, 2009: Pub and Wine Bar to come to Barrington Village Center

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Older News

November 7, 2011:  The pub is helping sponsor a local school with "McGonigal Mondays." On the first Monday of every month, if you dine in at the pub you can help support North Barrington Elementary School.  10% of the sales on your bill on these days will be donated back to the school.  Restrictions apply and you must present the coupon at the time of service to assure the school gets credited. Click here for the coupon, and on behalf of the owner the Pub thanks you for your support!

November 1, 2011:  I'd like to thank everyone who came out for what was an AWESOME Halloween Party this past Saturday (10/29).  It truly was a BOO-zey night, and pictures will be posted soon...both here and on our Facebook page.  Also, if you are looking to book corporate or personal holiday parties (or any type of event), check us out!  Some information is posted in our Events/Banquets section.  Contact Ismini or Sonam via email or at 847-277-7400. Dates are really filling up fast so don't delay!

October 24, 2011:  Just wanted to take a moment to wish my father, Dennis McGonigal, a very happy birthday today - he's a "young" 68 and doing well!  Our pub and Park Avenue Wine Bar would not exist with all his help and support, so besides the birthday wishes, on behalf of the entire McGonigal & Berry family I wanted to say THANKS...and we love you dad!

October 20, 2011:  Apologies from the owner as we've been very slow in getting this information posted...but here's some brief information on the 2011 Barrington Pub Crawl, #3 of 3 for the year:  It's Saturday November 5th from 11 AM - 7 PM and will feature Chessies 111 Grille, McGonigal's Pub, the Blue Heron Cafe, The Onion Pub and ending at the Yankee Doodle.  Tickets go on sale Saturday October 22, with more details to follow on the events page.

October 14, 2011:  Our pub is pleased to announce that effective today, we are partnering with local establishment Cooper's of Barrington and providing FREE pizza slices to customers every Friday evening after midnight!  Why, you may ask?  Bryan, the pub owner, has some fond memories of days past when a local watering hole would occasionally serve up free pizza slices for its patrons late Friday nights...so he has decided to do the same. 

Pizzas should arrive between 12-12:15 AM.  Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis...we obviously can't guarantee we'll be able to feed everyone, but odds are good you'll be able to at least grab a slice or two!  A great midnight snack from a great Barrington business, courtesy of your friends at the pub!

October 13, 2011: The pub is proud to be sponsoring Barrington High School "Blackout" Friday, when the Broncos play the Fremd Vikings.  Students, faculty and many of our own pub employees will be wearing some stylish "Blackout" shirts that feature the pub logo on the sleeve.  Come out and cheer on Barrington Broncos football to victory, then head to the pub for some after-game food and drinks!

October 8, 2011: We officially welcome Labatt Blue to our taps - it's a "clean, refreshing pilsner with a distinctive hoppy aroma, a delicate character, and a slightly sweet aftertaste (5% ABV)." Also, it's the #1 selling Canadian beer in the world!  Draft pints are $3.00 every day, and on Blackhawks game days we offer 23oz drafts for $4.00!

September 29, 2011: Thank you to my friend Deb Pankey and the Daily Herald for the nice plug on "What's Hot in the Suburbs this Weekend."  In the video we are mentioned about two minutes into it!  As a reminder, every weekend we feature some great specials, including Guinness, Harp & Smithwicks 20oz Imperial Pints for $5 and buckets of select domestic beers for $12.  Check out our Specials page for details and the official pub Facebook page for all the most recent & up-to-the-minute updates.

September 22, 2011: The pub will join Park Avenue Wine Bar in their efforts by donating a percentage of the pub sales on Tuesday September 27th to ovarian cancer research.  Mary McGonigal, mother of Bryan McGonigal and Melissa (McGonigal) Berry succumbed to this terrible disease in March 2006.  More details to follow, but please plan on joining us on 9/27 and help the fight against cancer.   UPDATE September 28, 2011 - On behalf of both the Pub and Wine Bar, we appreciate everyone who came out for the day, supporting both establishments AND helping the fight against ovarian cancer. Total figures aren't available yet but between both places we should be donating several hundred dollars to the cause. Again, THANK YOU!

September 20, 2011: We are proud to support another Barrington area establishment by promoting (well, selling) one of their great beers - The Onion Pub's Paddy Pale Ale is now on tap at OUR pub!  "This American-style pale ale their flagship brand and celebrates the blending of intense hop character and crisp, malty mouthful." 

$5 a pint everyday at McGonigal's Pub!

September 15, 2011: Major site updates are on the way...for starters the Banquets page (in our Events section) now contains party package information, images of our facilties and the proper event team contacts.  Took a while but it's finally there!  If you are looking to book holiday, personal or corporate parties, please take a look at this page and then contact either Ismini or Sonam for details (events@mcgonigalspub.com or 847-277-7400).

September 11, 2011:  Remembering this tragic day ten years ago.

September 6, 2011: Celebrate "Halfway to St. Patrick's Day" at the pub on Saturday, September 17th...we'll have some GREAT food and drink specials, giveaways, live music on both levels and some special guests!  Check back soon for details.

September 1, 2011: Our September BEER OF THE MONTH is an Irish one, and one of our best sellers...Harp Lager!  All month you'll get 20oz Imperial Pint drafts of Harp for just $4.50!

August 21, 2011: We're putting together GREAT plans for the upcoming NFL and College football season...awesome food and drink specials every gameday, along with giveaways (courtesy of our vendors) and other great stuff!  We'll take full advantage of our 2nd level with nine HDTVs, so you can see all the games!  More information posted soon.

August 1, 2011: Our August BEER OF THE MONTH is Sam Adams Octoberfest - pints are just $4.00 all month!

July 20, 2011: We are excited to announce that Ismini Walsh has officially joined our staff!  She will function as a full-time FOH manager and our primary contact for events planning.  Ismini brings a wealth of experience with her, putting in over 20 years in the business and comes from a family that's always been involved in this industry.  Most recently she was managing the Curragh Pub in Edison Park.  Ismini just happens to be married to our star bartender Declan, so we now have a husband-wife superteam at the pub!

July 10, 2011: The 8th Annual Barrington Brew Fest (Saturday July 9th) was a huge success!  Thank you to everyone who made it out on this beautiful and HOT day...attendance was awesome, easily the biggest and best one to date.  The pub was very proud to once again be the major sponsor, and it's great to see BACOA benefit from all the proceeds.  Pictures and a wrapup of the event will be posted soon on the Brew Fest website and on the Facebook page.

July 2, 2011:  Come out and visit Barrington this weekend - the annual festival is in full swing this weekend, featuring many family friendly activites, live music and of course the famous Brat Tent!  Check it all out at http://www.barrington4thofjuly.com.  We're right next to all the festivities, so be sure to stop by the pub this weekend and enjoy what we're offering too!  As a reminder, we open at 5:00 PM on July 4th.

June 27, 2011: Just wanted to make a quick announcement that the pub will open at 5:00 PM on Monday, July 4th, offering full bar service until 1:00 AM and a limited menu (until 10:30 PM).   Also, we are selling LOTS of Brewfest tickets and have a fresh supply of T-Shirts available in all three colors...

June 8, 2010: The Barrington Cruise Nights officially started last Thursday (6/2), and the pub is once again proud to be a major sponsor of this summertime event held every Thursday through early September.  We will also be the main food vendor this Thursday, June 9th and on August 4th and September 1st.

May 30, 2011: On behalf of the pub staff I'd like to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day.  Let's always remember...it's the Soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the Freedom of the Press. It's the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us the Freedom of Speech. It's the Soldier, not the politicians, that ensures our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. It's the Soldier who salutes the Flag, who serves beneath the Flag, and whose coffin is draped by the Flag.

May 22, 2011: We should have our outdoor seating set up later this week, just in time for Memorial Day weekend and the 2nd Annual Barrington Art Fair!  More details to follow...

May 13, 2011:  Another new addition to our to our tap offerings, and this is a GREAT one:  Magners Irish Cider served in 20oz Imperial pints!

I'd also like to congratulate and thank a few long-time pub employees - Declan Walsh, Aisling Cogburn, Sonam Zaveri and our current manager John Pauley - who are taking on additional managerial and supervisory responsibilities at the pub.  Pictures and other bio data forthcoming on our About Us page.

April 30, 2011: We recently added New Holland Brewery's Mad Hatter IPA to our beers on tap list, and welcome the retun of summer (some day) with May's Beer of the Month, Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy.  

  

ALSO...mark your calendars for the 8th Annual Barrington Brew Fest, scheduled for Saturday July 9th in the Barrington Metra Station north parking lot.  This event gets bigger and better every year, and projected attendance for this event is around 1500!  Our pub will once again be the major sponsor for this event and one of the only places where you can get both tickets and t-shirts in advance!  More information is available at the official website and the Facebook page.  

April 17, 2011: The inaugural Barrington Pub Crawl (Saturday April 16) went over quite well, and though several of us were less than sober throughout the day, having the shuttle bus transportation got everyone around safely!  I'd like to personally thank our friends at 111 Grille for providing the starting point and the bus.  The next two crawls will be on Saturday August 6th and Saturday November 5th.  Pictures will be posted shortly...

Also, we are painfully aware that we're woefully behind in getting pictures posted from the Barrington Celtic Fest and other things, but hopefully this will be resolved within the next few weeks.  Thanks for your patience and stay tuned!

March 21, 2011: Just have time for a BRIEF update to say THANKS to all our staff, vendors, sponsors and of course everyone who came out for the first ever Barrington Celtic Fest this past Thursday & Friday...even though it was scheduled as a two-day event, it carried through the entire weekend!  Yes it was a tremendous success and we look forward to making it even bigger and better in 2012.  Pictures and additional updates will be posted soon.  We also had a nice writeup from Liz Luby of 365Barrington.com, which gives a bit of history on the pub itself.  Check it out by clicking here.

March 15, 2011: This is on the personal side of the McGonigal family, but something that should be mentioned.  It was five years ago today that my mother, Mary McGonigal, lost her two year battle with cancer and passed away at age 62.  She was fortunate enough to spend some time with her new grandchildren, but was not around to see dream of this great establishment materialize.  However, we believe that she would have been very proud of all of us.  Our tribute to her was built into the the 2nd level of the pub.

Mary McGonigal, 1944-2006

Mothers hold their children's hands for just a little while...And their hearts forever.

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sunshine warm upon your face.

May the rains fall upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

MAy God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

March 14, 2011: Just off the Tracks in conjunction with McGonigal’s Pub in Barrington are hosting a Benefit Concert for Children’s Memorial Hospital and SuperSibs (an organization recognizing the siblings of children with pediatric cancer) on Saturday, March 19th,  beginning at 7:00 PM in the pub 2nd level. The Lost and Nameless Orchestra is the featured entertainment and they've come all the way from Austin, TX.  They are "Fiddle Driven Rock" and their music is foot-stomping, fun and perfect for every age.  Their songs and lyrics make this band a perfect way to celebrate on St. Patrick’s Day, weekend.  Your $5 cover and 10 % of your bar & food will go directly to these 2 charities. So grab your friends and family and have some fun – stop in and listen to the band,  have a some brews, and eat, all benefiting children that are affected by pediatric cancers.  Please come out to Eat & Drink for a Cause!!!

March 9, 2011: As of today it's officially been one year since the pub and Park Avenue Wine Bar opened their doors for business...and it has been a GREAT year!  Thank you to our patrons, staff and the surrounding community for all your support.  The big celebration kicks off next week at the Barrington Celtic Fest...lots of bands, local and Irish merchants, NCAA basketball tournament showing in our 2nd level and FREE admission both days...don't miss it!

March 1, 2011: Happy March!  We're quickly approaching our one year anniversary, which is Wednesday March 9th, and of course the the first ever Barrington Celtic Fest happening on March 17-18.  Our main anniversary celebration will be at the fest, but we'll likely be doing something special on the 9th as well.  Stay tuned for more details in the very near future.  Also, our March BEER OF THE MONTH is Blue Moon, just $3.50 per draft all month long!

February 19, 2011: We are pleased to announce a long-overdue addition to our menu, something that's still a full meal yet a bit lighter than our other entrees.  Effective today we have the Half Sandwich & Soup for $7.50, which includes your choice of ham, turkey or corned beef, along with a cup of our soup of the day or baked onion (you may also substititue a side salad for the soup).  We also have the Soup and Salad Combo for $8.00, which features a full bowl of your choice of soup and a salad.  Both are great deals and won't weight you down!

February 17, 2011: Hooray for Barrington, and we're thrilled that both the pub and wine bar are helping this great town!  Check out the article from Pionner Press (Courier-Review): Barrington Expects First Revenue Increase since 2006

February 5, 2011: Our pub received the honor of being nominated for Best New Venue and Best Irish Pub in the SuburbanNites Magazine "Best of the Burbs" contest. You can vote for us (and your other favorite nominated places) every day through February 28th!  If you're a fan of the pub (and I'm guessing that you are if you're reading this now), please help!  Check out http://nitelife.org/ and click on the "Best of the Burbs" banner at the top to get started. No special registrations needed to participate.  Thanks!

February 2, 2011: Most of our local fans already know that the Chicagoland area was hit with a major blizzard that started on February 1st...but no worries as the Pub did open today at our normal hours!  As of this posting it's still early and staffing (along with some food availability) is limited, but we should be up to full speed later this afternoon.  I woudln't recommend driving around in this weather, but if you're within walking distance we're open for you.  Happy Groundhog's Day...haha!  

January 27, 2011: Our manager is going crazy with new beer offerings, but they've been great choices!  Replacing the Ranger IPA for now is Chicago-based Half Acre's Daisy Cutter Pale Ale, $4.50 a pint. 

January 12, 2011: We welcome two new drafts to our taps, Breckenridge Avalanche Ale ($4 a pint) and New Belgium's Ranger IPA ($4.50 a pint).  Stop by and give 'em both a test run!

       

January 6, 2011: Happy New Year everyone!  The pub had an awesome New Years Eve celebration and a couple days later officially ended the holiday season with a great employee holiday party.  As we slowly move into 2011, you'll see some exciting things happening in and around the pub.  To stay current, keep checking back to this site for more information, be sure to get on our mailing list, and if you have not become a "Facebook Fan" yet, please do so to start receiving real-time updates!

December 30, 2010: Just announced:  Kory Quinn & the Comrades - the band that brought a GREAT time to the pub on December 23rd - is back for one more show before Kory (a native of Barrington) returns to his current home in Oregon.  They are schedule for Saturday, January 1st at 9:30 PM on our main level stage.  If you missed them the first time, here's your second chance!

December 27, 2010: We're throwing an awesome New Years Eve party, but if you're just interested in coming out to have a few drinks without taking advantage of the great package deal, no problem...the pub main level will be open for all patrons all evening (full kitchen services until 11:30 PM with limited appetizer menu until 1:00 AM).  We'll be open for normal business hours on Saturday, January 1st and will be showing ALL the college bowl games . . . this will include some all-day snack buffets and great drink specials too!  Monday January 3rd is a special day for the pub and wine bar staff - we're having our holiday staff party to thank all our valued employees for doing such a great job for both establishments!  Because of this event, at 8:30 PM the pub will close to the general public.  Thank you for your understanding. 

December 20, 2010: Just a quick reminder that the Pub will be open for normal business hours on Friday, December 24th (11 AM - 2 AM), but kitchen services will only be available until 8 PM.  The Pub will be closed on Saturday, December 25th so that our employees can enjoy Christmas Day with their families and friends.  Also, we are having an IRISH NEW YEARS EVE PARTY - tickets are on sale NOW, and details are available on the events page! 

December 14, 2010:  We are excited to welcome Gina Mocchi as our new Events Coordinator!  Gina has been successfully handling all the private parties and other functions with our connected neighbor Park Avenue Wine Bar.  Working directly with both businesses gives our customers many more options...so if you have any inquiries on booking rooms for special events, etc., Gina can be reached at events@mcgonigalspub.com or 224-688-4688.  Additionally we are pleased to announce that one of our star bartenders Nelius O'Connell has taken over supervisory duties with the pub, joining Damien Dunne and John Pauley on our managerial staff.  Congrats to all!

December 10, 2010:  Thank you to Joe Cicero and STAR105.5 FM for helping promote McGonigal's Pub with their successful "Date Night" this past Thursday!  You can check out some of the pictures here.  No, we haven't turned into a dating service but our pub really is a great place to bring that special someone!

December 4, 2010:  We have started a reorganization of our site, adding quite a bit of new information and resorting several other things.  One major helpful change is the addition of the "Specials" tab so you can quickly & easily view all of our daily, monthly, industry/community and everyday food & drink specials.  We still have lots to add (i.e., pictures) and many categories to fill out, and of during this process some items may temporarily "disappear" or be located in an unfamiliar spot.  Hopefully once completed these changes will make it easier overall to navigate and find info.  Bear with us!

November 29, 2010:  The pub is beginning its Christmas decorating, and the Village of Barrington has plenty in store for the next few weeks.  We're pleased to announce that this Saturday, December 4th the "main events" begin...which happen to be right outside our front door! Here's a highlight from the Events section of the village website:  Saturday, December 4 from 12:00 – 8:00 p.m. - Barrington Aglow – A Holiday Tradition in the Village - Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at 5:00 p.m. and Visits with Santa from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.A holiday tradition not to be missed! Free carriage rides, Madrigal Singers, extended evening store hours in shops and restaurants and Santa’s arrival to light Barrington’s Christmas tree!  After his arrival, Santa will visit with kids in his red Santa House on South Cook Street, checking his list twice to make sure all who visit him have been good this year. Refreshments and hot cocoa will be offered to those who have braved the cold. Remember to bring a camera to capture those memorable moments with Santa.

November 22, 2010:  Yes, the holiday season is officially upon us...here's our holiday schedule:

Thanksgiving Day (Thursday November 25) the pub will open at 6:00 PM; the bar will be fully stocked and ready for our patrons, but kitchen operations will be closed down.

 Christmas Eve (Friday December 24) the pub will be open for normal business hours, but will have a special limited menu in the evening.

 Christmas Day (Saturday December 25) the pub will be CLOSED.  Merry Christmas, everyone!

 New Years Eve (Friday December 31) the pub is open for normal operations until about 7:00 PM, when we will then shift to starting our first annual New Years Eve party!  It will be a package deal with reservations in advance.  More details forthcoming.

 New Years Day (Saturday January 1) the pub will be open for normal business operations - expect some great drink specials and buffets for the football games!

Also, if you are looking for a place to host your corporate or family holiday party, look no further than our spots in downtown Barrington!  Both the pub and Park Avenue Wine Bar have banquet facilities available for private and semi-private parties & events.  The pub can provide you with use of our amazing second level that will seat up to 100, and there are two other boardrooms available on the second level (wine bar side), one which holds 24-30 and another that holds 12.  There is ample parking available and of course we are only 2½ blocks from the Metra Train Station!  For further information you can contact us at 847-277-7400 or events@mcgonigalspub.com. Times and dates are filling up rather quickly, so reserve your spot now! 

November 10, 2010:  We are very sad to report that one of our loyal patrons and a good friend of the pub, Chris Johnson, passed away suddenly at his home this past Monday (11/8). Our sincere condolences go out to his family and everyone who had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. Chris, you will be missed.

November 8, 2010:  The pub and wine bar were represented nicely on the "Livin' Large with Geoff Pinkus" show this past Sunday evening (November 7) on WIND AM560.  Bryan McGonigal and Park Avenue Wine Bar GM Tom Kalomiris chatted with Geoff and his crew on the businesses and some of the upcoming events taking place.  They also do remote broadcasts from our establishments every Tuesday evening, and on November 9th they will be broadcasting from the pub on our main level stage.

November 5, 2010:  This weekend (Saturday November 6-Sunday November 7) our friends at the Irish American Heritage Center and the Irish American News are sponsoring iBAM!  More than 100 Irish and Irish-themed authors, artists and musicians will participate in second annual celebration of Irish books, arts and media.  Highly acclaimed Irish broadcaster and prolific author Frank Delaney and The Bogside Artists from Derry, Northern Ireland, are just some of the many names appearing at the iBAM! Chicago 2010 celebration.  Festivities kick off at 11 AM each day.  For more information please visit the website or their Facebook page.

October 31, 2010: The First Annual Pub Halloween Party was an absolutely HUGE success!  Thanks to all who attended, and of course that great band The Outbreaks and their crew for setting the mood in the 2nd level party room!  We'll get some pictures posted ASAP.  Also, besides our daily promotions, we now have a "Beer of the Month" and for November it's Smithwicks - Ireland's oldest beer!  During November, 20oz pints of Smithwicks are $4.50. 

October 25, 2010: Great news for our customers - we will be introducing our new Gift Card and "Pub Club" loyalty programs soon, definitely in plenty of time to take advantage of the holiday season!  Also, we have officially started the Pub's "Industry Night" every Monday; this is our way to thank all of those in this type of business.  Individuals who are currently employed in the bar/restaurant industry (with valid ID) will receive 15% off their dining bill on Mondays.  Some restrictions do apply, but details and reminders will be posted here.  One additional reminder - we are participating in Barrington's 7th Annual Taste'Fest & Expo this Thursday (October 28).

October 21, 2010: Are you looking for a place to plan your corporate or family holiday party?  Both the pub and Park Avenue Wine Bar have banquet facilities available for private and semi-private parties & events.  The pub can provide you with use of our amazing second level that will seat up to 100, and there are two other boardrooms available on the second level (wine bar side), one which holds 24-30 and another that holds 12.  My apologies as information about event hosting has been sorely lacking on this website, so for further information you can contact our events director Christian Webel at 847-345-7342 or send her an email.  Times and dates are filling up rather quickly, so reserve your spot now! 

October 18, 2010: This week we're finally getting our act together and starting some consistent DAILY specials...Martini Mondays w/Industry night, Buckets and Trinity Tuesdays, Wings & Bud Wednesdays, Irish Thursdays, New Food Fridays to kick off the weekend food special, and of course our Football Weekends that started back in September.  In addition to our Thursday-Saturday music schedules we'll be adding in some other special weekly and monthly pub events!  Once we get through the first couple weeks we'll have a permanent posting on the site, but in the meantime daily details will be posted right here and on Facebook. 

October 6, 2010: If you happen to be in the Northwest Suburban area and are planning any "Pub Crawls" along the Union Pacific Northwest station, be sure to include us and Barrington on the route!  We're in a great location, less than three blocks from the Barrington Metra train station, a block east of Rt. 59 and half a block south of Lake-Cook Road.  If you let us know a few days in advance of your arrival we can do our best to accommodate your crowd and perhaps even provide some special event pricing.  Email or call 847-277-7400 for further assistance and details.  A few of my fellow Palatine High School graduates are planning some events over the next couple Saturday evenings.  These are Facebook invites but generally open to anyone - October 9th (impromptu gathering) and October 16th (pub crawl).  The more the merrier so join in the fun!

September 29, 2010: The pub and wine bar are participating in Fork, Cork & Style this Saturday (October 2nd) at the famous Arlington Park Race Track in Arlington Heights, IL.  McGonigal's Pub and Park Avenue Wine Bar are truly honored to have been invited to participate in this event.  Emeril Lagasse may be the headliner celebrity chef in attendance, but our own celebrity chef Ted Stay will be manning our booth!  The quote from their website about the event:  "Fork, Cork & Style is a celebration of signature foods from across the country complemented by entertaining demonstrations from top national celebrity chefs in a fun, high-energy atmosphere.  Key elements include live bands, the option to taste some of the top wines from the best vintners from around the globe, and a stylish theme designed especially for the Chicago market."  The event runs from 11 AM - 7 PM, and tickets are $25 each (buy online or at the event).  For more information check out their website.  The Daily Herald also just did a story about the event. 

September 23, 2010: First, I'd like to wish a very Happy Arthur Guinness Day to all my Irish friends and anyone who enjoys the best beer on the planet!  Great media exposure continues - the pub and Chef Ted Stay were featured on FOX News Chicago's "Deal of the Day" this morning.  Ted spent a few minutes speaking about the pub, the food we offer and of course the "deal" that's good through Friday 9/24.  A big THANKS goes out to J.A.R. PR and the good folks at Fox for having us on, and we look forward to future visits!

September 9, 2010: The pub is officially SIX MONTHS old today!  A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our patrons and the village for helping make us such a huge success so quickly!  We promise that we'll continue to grow and improve while providing you with the great service, atmosphere, food, libations and FUN that you've grown to expect from our establishment. Slainte!

September 3, 2010: We are pleased to announce that as of today we have added two new draft beer choices - Founder's IPA and Delirium Tremmens. These are great additions to our already outstanding selection of high-end beers on tap!  In the very near future we will also be getting in our new seasonals from Sam Adams and Leinekugel - both of the "Oktoberfest" genre!

September 1, 2010: There is a special anniversary that should be mentioned - one year ago today (September 1, 2009) Damien Dunne, officially began his career with McGonigal's Pub.  It was a gamble for sure, since it was a brand new business in Barrington and we hadn't even started major construction yet on our buildings!  However, the risk he took seems to be paying off nicely and I can honestly say we could not have done this without him.  So Damien, on behalf of the entire McGonigal family, THANK YOU for all you have done.  We consider you part of the family, and we look forward to seeing you grow and succeed in our establishments for years to come!

August 22, 2010: Downtown Barrington has really been doing a LOT of great things this summer, with weekly crusie nights, farmer's markets, sidewalk days and various festivals & celebrations.  Our pub is obviously very pleased to usually be in the center of all these events, and we encourage you to vote Barrington's South Cook Street area as one of Chicagoland's best undiscovered places to be!  You can check out the competition and vote here:  http://www.placemakingchicago.com/places.

There will also be some information on our fall FOOTBALL SPECIALS posted here very soon.  Stay tuned!

August 3, 2010:  Another big THANK YOU is owed to Cliff Carlson and his staff at Irish American News for the outstanding coverage our pub received in the August 2010 edition.  Not only did they do a great article, but we are also featured on the cover! 

You can find more info at www.irishamericannews.com and download a pdf copy of the print edition here.  Of course you can also pick up copies at our place (and many other Irish locations), but you best get them soon as supplies are limited!

August 1, 2010: The Chicago Tribune did a poll on people's favorite months of the year, and perhaps not surprisingly August ranked pretty low...definitely the lowest of all summer months.  We thought that to help our patrons survive the long hot Dog Days of August, some daily features on our food and drinks - with appropriate discounted pricing - would make the month more enjoyable.  So, throughout August we are offering DAILY specials...hey will appear right on the main page of this site and of course our Facebook page.

July 27, 2010: I'd like to take a moment to thank the great crowd of Palatine High School Class of '85 that spent Saturday July 24th at the pub, partying hard for sure!  I (Bryan) was in Palatine's Class of '83...but am pleased to say there were lots of my friends and many other familiar faces in this group.  There are hordes of pictures popping up on Facebook for individuals, and here's me with a couple old friends, Jennie Rush-Nichols and Chris Strzalka.

While I'm at it, thanks go out as well to Greg Jarrett, Marlene Wells and the remote broadcast staff at WGN Radio AM 720 for the fun LIVE broadcast from our pub this past Friday morning (July 23).  Also, kudos to the Barrington High School Class of '75 for hosting such an outstanding 35 year class reunion on Saturday July 17th.  Last but not least, thank you to Mike Cameron for using our establishment for his live book signing ("Public Bonehead, Private Hero") this past Sunday July 25th.

July 26, 2010: Welcome Back, McNally's Pub!  At 5:00 PM on Monday July 26th, McNally's Traditional Irish Pub in St. Charles officially reopened their doors for business in their new location, three blocks west of their original spot.  You can find them at 109 W. Main Street - right across the street from Hotel Baker.  McGonigal's Pub is proud to be affiliated with McNally's and we again thank Maurice McNally for the incredible work he did constructing our establishment.  You can find more info on McNally's at their official site or on Facebook.  Slainte!

July 20, 2010:  These announcments may appear elsewhere on the site, but I wanted to highlight a couple in particular.  First of all, we are thrilled to announce that WGN Radio (AM 720) will be broadcasting LIVE from our establishment this Friday, July 23rd, from 5 AM - 9 PM.  YES you read that correctly-it's WGN-and this is part of their "Hometown Voices" tour that's hosted by Greg Jarrett.  If you are in the area please stop by to see the show.  A complimentary continental breakfast will also be served during the broadcast.  Additionally, McNally's Irish Pub is reopening in their GREAT new location, 109 W. Main Street in St. Charles IL - basically three blocks west of their former spot.  Opening date is set for Monday, July 26th!  They are also hosting/sponsoring a golf outing for Natasha McShane on August 2nd at Pheasant Run in St. Charles.  McGonigal's is proud to be affiliated with McNally's Pub, which has been in business for over twelve years.

July 9, 2010:  As you can see, some pictures of our establishment are beginning to pop up on the site.  They've been long overdue for sure but hopefully within a week there will be a significant amount more of 'em posted.  For those of you who haven't been in for a visit yet and are tired of looking at old construction pictures, this should be a pleasing change.  Also, our name continues to be promoted in a positive fashion!  We had a great Barrington Cruise Night sponsorship event by providing food for "Convertible Night" on Thursday, July 8th.  We're also proud to be the main sponsor for the 7th Annual Barrington Brew Fest, which is this Saturday (July 10th) in the north parking lot of the Metra train station.

June 29, 2010: On behalf of the pub and wine bar I'd like to thank Geoff Pinkus and his crew for having us on his WIND AM 560 radio show this past Sunday.  We are a sponsor for the "Livin' Large with Geoff Pinkus" show and had a great time chatting about our places.  If you haven't heard the show before, tune in to AM 560 Sundays at 5:00 PM or listen to the live audio feed online.  Also, There's a lot going on in Barrington this week with the 4th of July Celebrations.  We're a sponsor of the parade (happening on July 3rd) and you'll see the event advertising posted on the Park Avenue side of our building.  With all the major local events ending on July 3rd, please note that the pub will be closed on Sunday, July 4th.  Have a great holiday!

June 24, 2010: The early opening times for World Cup games have provided many of the fans with a rowdy outlet to watch their favorite teams play!  We have been happy to offer this to date and will contiue to do so for all gamedays through July 3rd.  In the future we do plan on adding in the GAA live game feeds from Ireland to our offerings, making us one of the ONLY places in the NW Suburban area to carry the games!  Details will be posted here in the future.

June 12, 2010: The Pub, in and on the news...

June 10, 2010: First and foremost, my apologies if you're on the mailing list, since some of you received multiple email messages on the below updates and others got nothing.  There was a problem with mail server that will be fixed.  On a sports note, congrats to our NHL champion CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS for taking the Stanley Cup...great series, great city, great team!  Finally, here's a few newsworthy items to report:

June 3, 2010: Every Thursdays in Barrington will be hopping, with the start of Cruise Nights @ 6:30 PM tonight - which we are a major sponsor - and joined by the daytime Farmer's Market on June 17th.  Also, as of last weekend we have our outdoor patio and most of the furniture in place; we will be "officially" opening our outdoor seating this weekend.  More news soon . . .

May 24, 2010: To briefly update you, we're already prepping for a fantastic Memorial Day weekend, including our outdoor seating setup that should be ready to go by Friday or Saturday!  We have live entertainment Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  Also, both the pub and Park Avenue Wine Bar welcome all artists and patrons to the Barrington Art Festival this Memorial Day weekend.  The show will take place right in the heart of downtown - literally right around our buildings - this Saturday 5/29 & Sunday 5/30.  You can get more details on the event and associated activities by clicking here, and while exploring the show be sure to stop in to the pub for some refreshments & delicious food.  Safe to say we'll have some specials on tap! Also, starting in June we begin our daily/weekly food and drink specials consistently, along with special daily events such as "industry night".  Live music and entertainment every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.  More sponsorship news will also be posted here soon.  Also, we will be THE place to watch the 2010 World Cup!  Stay tuned...it's going to be a GREAT summer in Barrington!

May 12, 2010: The STAR 105.5 FM sponsored event on Tuesday 5/11, "Karaoke Idol", was a huge success!  Joe Cicero and his staff are a great bunch of people and we really appreciate them promoting out pub & running a fun contest. 

Click here for the event page

Click here for the pictures page

Click here for the YouTube video recap 

May 4, 2010: Our pub and Park Avenue Wine Bar continue to get great press and rave reviews!  We are now one of the feature articles in the most recent edition of Quintessential Barrington (May/June 2010).  I'd like to personally thank the staff of the magazine for the excellent story covering both our establishments.  Click here to check it out!  Additionally, Tom Kalomiris (Park Avenue Wine Bar) was featured on WGN-TV's Midday Fix today, discussing Al Fresco dining and wine suggestions.  Here's the video link.

April 30, 2010: Still working on updates...drink listings, recent photos and a plethora of new event and pub information should be up relatively soon.  We're also getting a ton of wonderful, positive feedback which will eventually appear in the "Customer Quotes" section (under the MORE tab).  Also, our outdoor seating should be in place on or before Memorial Day weekend!

April 7, 2010: More major work is starting on this website, and my apologies for the lack of updates as we've been SOOO busy that it's been difficult to find the time! 

March 25, 2010: We've made it through our first two weeks and are doing absolutely great!  We're still quite behind on updates to this site, but Facebook news is usually happening a bit quicker than this site.  Become a fan and you'll get direct updates from that source too.

March 16, 2010: I'm extremely pleased to report that we've had an absolutely AMAZING Grand Opening celebration and outstanding first week of business.  I'd like to thank everyone who came out to support us and apologize to those who didn't get a chance to really sit down and enjoy themselves - the crowds were simply overwhelming!  It's a truly exciting and humbling feeling to see all the enthusiasm that has been generated, and watching our new team perform very well in a new establishment under a tremendous amount of pressure, right out of the box.  There's no doubt that we're definitely an immediate hit and are just getting started - but I can promise that we will continue to keep getting better as time goes on.  SOOOO many people have told us that this area really needed something like our pub, and it appears we have been able to deliver!  From the bottom of my heart, thank you to the good people of Barrington and all the surrounding communities for your support.  I will forever be honored to be at your service.  Oh, I almost forgot about March 17th...yeah, right!  For ST. PATRICK'S DAY we will be opening at 10 AM, with the first band at noon, Irish Dancers at 3 PM, and another band (flown in directly from Kells, Ireland) at 9 PM.  $5 Guinness drafts, $4.50 Smithwicks drafts, $2.00 Miller Lite drafts.  Food menu for the day is Fish & Chips, Irish Stew, Reubens and Corned Beef & Cabbage.  Of course McGonigal's Pub is THE place to be for St. Patrick's Day in the Barrington area, and we are preparing ourselves for what should be a spectacular turnout!  Hope to see you there!  AND...let's not forget about the NCAA Tournament, which begins March 18th!  We will be broadcasting ALL the basketball games (via DirecTV).  Be sure to stop by for some great food, great drink and great NCAA action.

March 11, 2010: I have just a brief moment to catch my breath and say WOW WOW WOW, myself and our entire staff were simply amazed and rather overwhelmed with the huge turnout during our first couple days!  THANK YOU EVERYONE, and we appreciate your understanding while we learn and make the necessary adjustments to give you the best possible experience at the pub.  Right now I can tell you that on Friday March 12, our Grand Opening ribbon cutting ceremony will be at 5:30 PM, followed by Irish Dancers and additional live entertainment in the evening.  This is a public event and we are expecting a rather large turnout, so unfortunately no reservations are being taken...just swing by and enjoy the party!  Thanks for your patience and I hope to have more news very soon.

March 9, 2010: We are officially opening our doors for business at 11 AM TODAY!  This is what we'd call our "soft opening", which means we will simply open our doors for business and start serving customers.  There will of course be numerous growing pains, adjustments to be made and kinks to work out on all levels of operation, so please pardon our dust and bear with us through these early days.  This is going to be an awesome experience and will only get better each day we are open!  On behalf of the entire staff, we are very excited and pleased to be of service to you. 

Hours of Operation:

Sunday through Thursday, 11 AM - 1 AM

Friday and Saturday, 11 AM - 2 AM

Additionally, our opening day was featured in a Pionner Press article Trustees Happy With Downtown Establishment Opening.

March 1, 2010: One week away!  Sorry for the lack of additional updates over the past several days, but quite a bit more is planned & will be added later in the week.  We're in the final run on getting everything together and ready for opening, so quality web development time is a bit limited right now!  Anyway, we also did a soundcheck on our 2nd level stage this past Saturday, February 27th. We had the chance to test out our system with the Ridgeway Daredevils (Steve Berry, brother-in-law & wine bar owner, is to the right). Yes, it sounded awesome!

February 20, 2010: We had an absolutely fantastic turnout for our new employee orientation and general training session this past Thursday (2/18).  On behalf of our entire staff (for both establishments) we are thrilled to have such an outstanding group of talented and enthusiastic individuals working for us!

February 14, 2010: Over 160 new pictures of the construction and general progress have been posted; this is in addition to the original posted pics and covers the time frame from December 29 2009 through February 13 2010.  You can find them in the Images section.  Enjoy!

February 10, 2010: Our main hiring process for the Pub's first ever group of employees is about 98% completed, and individuals we've chosen to join our team have already been contacted.  This was a very long & tough process, as between the pub and the wine bar we had nearly 500 applicants for a limited number of jobs. Congratulations to those who are now part of McGonigal's Pub - we truly have a stellar group of individuals and believe they will do an outstanding job providing top notch service to our patrons!  Again I'd like to thank everyone who applied and expressed interest in working for us.  There were so many good people that I wish we could have hired three times the amount.

February 1, 2010: Our Job Fair was this past Thursday (1/28) and Saturday (1/30).  Over those two days we had an AMAZING turnout that featured a tremendous amount of enthusiastic & qualified people!  On behalf of staff for both the pub and Park Avenue Wine Bar I'd like to sincerely thank everyone who attended.  This week our management teams will be processing all the information we've received, and we will be contacting individuals targeted for hiring no later than February 8-10.  If you missed our job fair, or applied for a job and do not hear back from us, you are encouraged to check into available employment opportunities that will be featured on our new JOBS page.

January 26, 2010: Fox News Chicago picked up on our recent employment opportunities article & featured it on their Job Shop segment Monday evening (1/25).  Nice exposure for sure!

January 9, 2010: We received a bit of nice promotion from Pioneer Press - in the Barrington Courier-Review (January 7 2010) Bryan McGonigal was the cover photo, and on Pioneerlocal.com there was a 2-minute video of the construction progress (from before Christmas & narrated by our managers).  We were also featured in the IAN (Irish-American News) based on a brief interview that our manager Damien Dunne provided to the publication.  There are some errors in the article (i.e., we're not "McGonigal Family Pub") but not enough to complain, it's still good press!

December 25, 2009: Merry Christmas from McGonigal's Pub!  Many pictures of the demolition and subsequent construction were posted on our Facebook fan page.  They are also available on this site in the IMAGES section

December 21, 2009: We had a very productive meeting with our general contractors, and by taking into account what we now know about the buildings and remaining projects at hand, we have a new solid timeframe for completion.  Final work should be done by the third week of February, giving us an opening target date of March 1st. 

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