The Burren House Irish Pub & Kitchen

It’s entirely possible when you walk into this Irish pub on Fourth Street in San Rafael to hear the twang of an Irish brogue and discussion of which county said accent originates. In the case of founder and long-time Marin resident Alan Hynes, the answer is Ballinderren, in the Burren district of County Galway. Hynes leaned into creating a traditional pub in his new home, hiring Irish artisans to craft everything from the bar and furniture to art, fabrics and finishes. Local pub colors – interior gold and green and exterior deep red – hearken back to the old country. Even the paving stones at the doorway are Irish. 

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Of course there is Guinness on tap as well as Smithwick’s and Harp. Yes, you can get a Black & Tan or a Snakebite here, too. (IYKYK) And while Hynes created a clear sense of place, local beers, like Pond Farm and Fort Point KSA are on tap, as well as bottled beer, wine and cocktails. 

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The same Irish-American approach carries over to the food menus. At brunch, eggs Benedict sits alongside Irish coffee with whiskey and fresh cream. The beefiest breakfast prize goes to their Traditional Irish Breakfast. With eggs, griddled ham, sausage, black and white pudding, plus mushrooms, griddled tomato and beans, it is enough for two, or even one hungry teenager. The lunch and dinner menus are similarly multi-culti. Traditional fare (Irish stew, Shepard’s pie, chicken curry, Irish potato cakes) are balanced with burgers, wings, and a corned beef Reuben. Bring an appetite and good Irish cheer.