Lucas Bar — Restaurant in County Clare

I have been going here regularly enough with friends over the last few years. Was there for the Ireland - All Blacks game with one friend who doesn't drink alcohol. While I was ordering a pint at half time at the main bar, a bartender, who had been watching us from where we were sitting, approached me and asked me if my friend was going to drink anything. I said I would ask him when I return with my drink to see if he wanted anything. He didn't ask my friend directly because "I didn't know if he spoke English"... When I got to my friend and told him about what had been said, he reaffirmed he was alright and didn't need a drink. We thought nothing more of it, I was paying so it wasn't as though we were just sitting there watching the game and not contributing. The game restarted, and I'm surprised when the same bartender confronts my friend in a rude tone with "are you buying anything? are you buying anything?" I told him we were loyal customers and that our group have been coming to Lucas's for years. He ignored me and asked my friend to leave the pub, even though he was not causing any issue and the place wasn't even full. My friend didn't want to cause a fuss and bought a soft drink even though he didn't even want it. Ironically, the point he made to me was "we have a service and we want people to enjoy it, so you have to pay" - well as a paying customer, he ruined my night by asking my friend to leave in such an aggressive manner. My friend did not have to be spoken to like that, and so while he thought he was doing good business, I can reassure this pub that me, my group of friends, and our families, will not be returning again. It is a shame because most of the staff are very friendly, and the pints are great, but I will not tolerate my friend being treated like that. It has never been an issue...

They used to have a decent beer selection, but now you can't even get locally brewed cans. They say "it wasnt selling enough". There's an empty shelf in the fridge! It costs nothin to keep a few special cans in. I'll be takin my business to Knox's. They support...

Lovely warm atmosphere complete with open fire. Old stone flag floor and plenty of history with a contemporary twist. Great place to either watch sport when a big game is on or else to go for a quiet pint where the art of conversation is...