Donovan's Irish Pub — Restaurant in Holyoke

Review of Donovan's Irish Pub, Springfield, Massachusetts

Donovan's Irish Pub has transitioned beautifully from its original location in the Eastfield Mall to this new and upgraded space, delivering an enhanced experience while maintaining its authentic charm. Over the past nine years, I’ve visited Donovan’s occasionally with my kids, and I can confidently say this new spot takes the atmosphere and quality to the next level.

The Food: The chef's meatloaf entrée I ordered was superb—rich, hearty, and perfectly paired with mashed potatoes, gravy, and a side of broccoli. Before that, the pretzel appetizer was a delight, served warm with mustard and a creamy dipping sauce. Every bite felt freshly made and full of flavor. They’ve truly mastered the balance of great pub food with a hint of finesse.

The Atmosphere: It was a lively Friday night, enriched by a two-man Irish band. One played the guitar, the other the accordion, filling the space with energetic tunes and taking requests. The music added an authentic Irish ambiance that made the experience truly special. The crowd was engaged, and the energy in the air was contagious.

The bartender provided his own entertainment with his “Friday the 13th” Irish luck humor after a mishap with some glasses. His commentary about staying indoors for Sunday’s full moon had everyone chuckling. The banter among staff and patrons was friendly and lighthearted, and it was clear that everyone was enjoying themselves.

The Details: The venue itself is clean, welcoming, and well-organized, with a mix of table and bar seating to accommodate various preferences. The staff is attentive and kind, and it’s evident they genuinely enjoy creating a welcoming environment for guests.

This is a place that successfully blends good food, lively entertainment, and a warm atmosphere. Whether you’re a regular or a first-timer, Donovan’s is an inviting spot to enjoy a memorable evening. Perfect for a solo visit, a night with friends, or even bringing family along.

Highlights:

Live music that brings the Irish spirit alive.

The chef’s meatloaf is a must-try.

Engaging and witty staff who make you feel at home.

A great variety of food and drinks, with attention to quality.

If you’re looking for a place with great food, fun entertainment, and that unmistakable Irish charm, Donovan’s Irish Pub is absolutely...

ALL-AROUND AMAZING PLACE!

Attached to the back end of the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, Donovan's Irish Pub aims to please and always delivers!

My wife and I recently came here to celebrate my birthday... we absolutely love this place. We were promptly seated at a booth in the back of the restaurant upon arrival... when other places in the area had over an hour wait.

The wait staff are extremely pleasant and super attentive! My glass of Guinness never went fully empty! ; - )

The kitchen was firing on all cylinders!: our appetizer of Mozzarella Triangles (three cheesy triangles, lightly breaded and fried with marinara sauce) came out super quick after our drinks were brought to the table. We ordered the Grilled Reuben and the Scallop / Clam Strip combo. We each had a mozzarella triangle and OUR DINNER(S) ALREADY ARRIVED!!! Everything comes out of the kitchen piping hot!!!

Atmosphere / Ambiance - It's a super cozy Irish pub! What more could you ask for! Thursday, Friday and Saturday features Live Irish music!

Cleanliness - Everything was clean and well cared for.

Service - The wait staff were extremely pleasant, our food came out of the kitchen super quick. Beers never went all the way empty due to the super attentiveness of the servers. Awesome service!

Food - Crazy good! The Mozzarella Triangles were amazing... great seasoning and super cheesy! The Fried Scallops / Clam Strips were massive and delicious (comes with fries and coleslaw)... melt in your mouth amazing. The Grilled Reuben (lean corned beef, imported Swiss, sauerkraut and Russian dressing on grilled dark rye bread, comes with fries and coleslaw) was to die for!!! Everything on the menu is extremely affordable too!!!

This is most definitely, without a doubt, our go-to date night place for an awesome time and an equally...

From the moment we looked at Justine and said “We know this may sound strange, but we want to have our wedding reception here” and she looked back at us and replied “Let’s do it!”; we knew we were in capable hands. They did not even flinch, but instead were ecstatic when we threw the curveball of “Can we surprise our guests and get married here too?”.

Everyone at Donovan’s truly went above and beyond to make our day so special. Justine and Matt allowed us to view the space as many times as we needed and being able to set up the night before made the day of so stress free.

The food!!! So many different selections to choose from and our guests did not stop raving about it, best meal ever had at a wedding and I’m not just being biased because it was mine!!

Where do I even begin to start with how amazing both the bartenders/event hosts were the entire night?? Colleen and I were able to share a special bonding moment that I will never forget. Both bartenders were constantly behind me and helping with whatever was needed, making sure I was keeping hydrated, making sure I was eating, making sure I was happy, making sure of all the things turned out amazing. We could not of been more blessed to of had such an amazing team that night who helped to make our entire wedding perfect.

How cool is it we can say “We were Donovan’s first wedding!”. Not one of our guests had a clue this was the first event of its kind thrown there and everyone enjoyed their night so much.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to Frank, Justine, Matt, and to every single member of Donovan’s staff for the best wedding Daniel and I could have asked for, we truly appreciate it! ❤️

HIGHLY...