Mary Margaret's Olde Irish Tavern

I have been planning to visit Mary Margaret's since hearing about it on the St Pete Foodie's podcast several months ago. The menu is concise and well-chosen. You have your fish chips, shepherd's pie, bangers mash, lamb stew, English breakfast, etc. If you can't decide, get the bangers mash with the stew poured over (Dublin Coddle . Having vampire cravings? The breakfast includes black pudding, and is available even when the sun isn't out. Draft beer-wise, you have a continuum of choices from light to dark such as Harp, Smithwick's and Guinness. No doubt there are others, but you can't miss with these three standards. The location near venues where loud, smoker/drinker revelers hang out can be challenging to a pleasant outdoor dining experience. Vagrants also tend to gravitate to this area, and will solicit your table. (On occasion I have later observed them lighting up, offering tangible reinforcement to their benefactors of the good they are doing. Consider it part of the atmosphere. However, I recommend visiting on a Monday night to mitigate some of these effects. Pictured: Shepherd's pie and Dublin Coddle

We've been going here for a few times and always have good experiences until today. I got the grilled cheese and it was definitely American and regular cheddar cheese, NO fresh parsley or chives in it, as you can see in the picture. $10 for a grilled cheese I could have made at home for $2. The fries were good. My boyfriend got the Reuben with mashed potatoes, he liked the Reuben but the mashed potatoes were boxed. Since he's ordered mashed potatoes from here in the past, he knew they were boxed. Very disappointed and probably won't be back. If you're going to cut corners, reduce the prices.

The food was OK but nothing to get excited about, I had the Crowley's Ruben Egg rolls; they were nothing like the original, and the Fish and Chips; the batter tasted like the oil hadn't been changed in a long time. The Guinness pours were perfect, the live music was awesome, and the staff couldn't have been any cooler.

Yep, definitely an Irish pub with great food. Love the wood work and will be definitely coming back to try other foods on the menu. I got there a tad early and the chef was still making the desserts from fresh so that's really good to know that it's not just some frozen stuff. Can't wait to try it. As an Englishman, I approve.

I ordered Shepherd's pie at this restaurant, known for serving authentic Irish cuisine. However, the dish was disappointing. It seemed to be made with a recycled hamburger patty that was roughly chopped up, and topped with instant mashed potatoes. The lack of flavor left much to be desired. This dish might be better suited for a nursing home.