Nothwest Side Restaurant Review: McNamara's
By Meghan Clark in Food on May 2, 2007 11:46PM
Chicagoist originally wanted to dine al fresco at McNamara’s for the first time this year, but as is often the case in Chicago, the weather had other plans. Taking into account our very cold selves instead, we ordered a Magners and enjoyed the warmth of the bar.
The first thing to note about McNamara’s is the vast difference between their dining room and their bar area. The dining room is vast, with beautiful hardwood floors and tabletops covered with oilcloth tablecloths, and it is slightly more brightly lit than necessary. In contrast, the bar area is about a third of the size of the dining room. There are no tablecloths, but there are multiple TVs, and it’s quite a bit darker lighting-wise. We prefer the darker bar as it has more of cozy pub atmosphere.
Our Irish-accented bartender was quick to come over to our table and take our order of French Onion soup and a small Shepherd’s Pie. The soup arrived quickly and was delicious. There was a good amount of cheese melted on top of the cup, and the soup itself had a hint of sweetness to it. We were also very happy that our entrée didn’t arrive before we had finished our soup. It’s a small pet peeve of ours when this happens because it makes us feel rushed.
Our Shepherd’s Pie was delivered on a very hot plate with loads of piped out mashed potatoes on top. Chicagoist tends to be picky about our mashed potatoes and appreciates it when restaurants take the extra time to mash real potatoes instead of serving the boxed variety. McNamara’s potatoes were definitely real and very tasty. Underneath the beautifully thick layer of potatoes was a flavorful mix of ground meat, carrots and gravy. It was the perfect meal to keep us warm on a chilly night. Since Shepherd’s Pie is usually a heavier dish, Chicagoist liked that we could order the dish in either a small or large size. We found the small to be just filling enough without leaving us feeling like we’d devoured half the kitchen.
A few Magners later, we headed back into the cold night with full bellies and happy taste buds.
McNamara’s is located at 4328 W. Irving Park Road, a few blocks west of the Kennedy Expressway. Hours are 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Monday - Friday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday. The bar is open until 2 a.m. Sunday - Friday, and 3 a.m. Saturday.