Silver Sprung

While generally supporting the effort to create authentic Irish pubs around the globe, I'm a little put off by attempts to create illusions of authenticity in new shopping malls. Unfortunately , McGinty's Public House in downtown Silver Spring, MD is such an example. On the positive side, the establishment pours a decent pint of stout. Since friends who ought to know have suggested for some time that we should give the new pub a go, we arrived with high expectations--perhaps too high.

The best pubs make you feel welcome from the time you walk in the door, and feeling like you're family by the time the evening is over. Afraid McGinty's is found wanting in the hospitality category. We entered from the sidewalk entrance early enough on Saturday night that the place was busy but not overcrowded. The entrance brings you into the pub room on the lower level where you may or may not be greeted by a host or someone from the wait staff. After a brief time, a hostess appeared, took our measure and a quick look around the room, and suggested we should try upstairs, pointing--not leading-- to the staircase.

Expecting to find another host station upstairs, we were not disappointed, unless you consider that after about five minutes we interrupted a busser scurrying by to ask if there was anyone tending the station. A couple minutes more and someone appeared to find us a smallish table in the upstairs dining room.

The decor was somewhat reminiscent of pubs and restaurants we had visited in Ireland, but the beamed suspended ceiling and thatched roof simulation looked like a amateurish attempt to imitate an authentic reproduction.

To make a long story bearable, the drinks were adequate and the food less so. I'm a great fan of lamb and hoped for lamb stew on the evening, but none was to be found. So I tried the grilled lamb chops, which proved to be closer to mutton than lamb.

Suggest you give this one a pass. We won't be back.