Shay McElroy's Irish Pub

01/18/08

Lovely Spot

by HoustonPaddy at Citysearch

You get the feel that you're at your local no matter where you're from.

If you're at a function in the Rice hotel you can sneak away without leaving the building. Just don't bring your under 21 members of your party

• Pros: Ambience is very Dublin / Manhattan
• Cons: You'll get thrown out if there is a child in the group after you've bought

06/10/07

Great ambience and service

by astrosfan73 at Citysearch

Shay McElroy's Irish Pub has become my favorite downtown bar. The beer -- draft or bottled -- seems to be the coldest in town. The clientele is eclectic: post-game Astros revelers chugging Irish Car Bombs, travelers from around the globe discovering St. Arnold Amber Ale on draft, and sharply dressed locals sipping single-malts and Cosmos. These groups stand elbow to elbow in the cheerful ambience created by Shay's rich Irish decor and friendly staff. Kevin, Amy, Chris, and Tina provide quick service with special attention to detail. They made me feel right at home soon after I discovered the place, calling me by my first name only a week or so after I started going there, no longer needing a credit card to secure the tab, etc. The specials include Monday $3 Shiner Draft, Tuesday $4 Smithwick's Irish Ale, Wednesday $1 Off Import Bottles (my favorite), Friday $3.50 Pyramid Hefe-Weizen Draft, and various specials over the weekends. An added perk for downtown Industry people is the sweet discount offered 7 days a week. All in all, Shay's is a downtown destination bar with the feel and comfort of your cozy neighborhood bar.

• Pros: Cold beer, scotch variety and price, service
• Cons: No food

05/19/07

Great bar

by janah at Citysearch

Great bar to relax after work with friends. Wonderful staff. Cozy, comfortable atmosphere. Convenient location.

05/18/07

Interesting Bar

by ivan_awfulitch at Citysearch

Entertaining Irish pub, one of my favorite places to drink in downtown. A great bar with reasonable downtown prices, a great jukebox and an awesome staff (especially Tina)!

A stylized version of a 19th-century Irish pub in the middle of the downtown nightlife district.

by Joshua Hinsdale at Citysearch

In Short
Facing the street on the ground floor of the Rice Lofts building, Shay McElroy's is a re-creation of a 19th-century pub, with dark-wood furnishings, Irish beer signs and traditional artwork. Owner John McElroy shipped much of the decor from his native Ireland, giving a strong taste of authenticity to the cozy bar. A crop of regulars filters in early, joined later by the after-work and party crowd, who have made McElroy's a popular downtown watering hole.

02/02/05

Good Times!

by longhornt at Citysearch

Awesome pub, my favorite place to hangout in downtown. A chill bar with reasonable downtown prices, a good jukebox and an awesome staff (especially Matt and Susan)!

• Pros: Matt, Susan, Prices

09/24/04

Best Bar in Downtown

by rickomalley at Citysearch

Recently named best bar in Downtown by the Houston Press, Shays is by far the best. For me, it's the staff. I go there alone with no other plans because I know one of the bartenders, Heather, Matt, Susan, etc.. will make me feel welcome. The regulars are great. Helpful hint: become a regular and you get happy hour prices all the time! Great atmosphere, beautiful decor, and reasonably priced for downtown Houston. It's my favorite bar and I recommend it highly.

• Pros: Staff, Atmosphere, Price

08/19/04

Love It!

by jimmytt at Citysearch

Cool Irish Pub on Main Street, Houston. Such a cool, down to earth staff who'll take the time to shoot the you-know-what with you and make you feel at home. Teh first time I went there, I was all alone. This one bartender, made me feel welcome. He even introduced me to some of the regulars so I would have people to hang out with that night. That's just going above and beyond. Suprebe place, superb staff. I recommend highly

• Pros: Staff, Staff, Staff

08/19/04

Good for an Evening

by mrscenester at Citysearch

A neat little spot. The bartender Susan has a irish lilt that sets the mood and possibly makes you plan to somehow steal her lucky charms.

Friendly and eclectic regular crew ranging from serious looking types with business suits and blackberries to girls with pink cadillac tattoos and cute dogs. Most talk philosophy or bad television with equal aplomb...

The juke box has much better stuff than you would suppose for such a chilled irish pub. What's better than sipping guiness and listening to New Order and Tom Waits?

It's a great place to kick back and meet good people.

• Pros: Very friendly, Well appointed, Cheap for downtown
• Cons: , abba cd in jukebox

08/12/04

I Love This Bar

by niceguy69 at Citysearch

This is my favorite bar in downtown main streety. It's a really beautiful bar, authentic irish fixtures. Great customers...superb staff. One of the guy bartenders there is really hot :-) I recommend this place for anyone, ages 21-99, you'll have a good time...I promise!

• Pros: Decor, Staff, Price