O'Neill's Irish Pub & Restaurant — Restaurant in Norwalk

We came as walk-ins for dinner, must appreciate the parking 💁‍♀️ The host / owner (?) was very nice and welcoming. The temperature inside was adjusted properly. The music was not too loud to enjoy the conversation 👍 service was genuinely nice, (we just don’t like it when constantly coming over to take away plates, it makes us feel rushed). Wooden floor portion is beautiful. The first floor restrooms have a funky smell and the paper towel dispenser is broken - this room could use a reno. Now to the food - Scones - chewy, dry 3/10. Potato skin with bacon - missing a kick, almost bland 6/10. French onion soup - we don’t fancy the liqueur in it, so almost good 7/10. Caesar Salad - lettuce should be chillier, chicken was ok 6.5/10. Burger - requested med-well, got well done chard tough patty 🤦‍♀️ but the bun, onions, pickles and lettuce were very fresh, and elevated it 7.5/10. Mashed potatoes (I’m harsh, standards are French-high) - heavy and not completely smooth, gravy is watery and lame - presentation is nice but flavor is borderline geriatric 5/10. Cobb salad - not balanced, wanted something light, more fresh lettuce, but this dish is kinda heavy 6/10. Guinness poured well. Potential IS there, we would give...

O'Neill's was within walking distance of our hotel (and the train station). We visited on a Friday night and they weren't super packed which was nice. We got a table quickly. Cheryl was our waitress and she was incredibly attentive. We never had to ask for drink refills.

The chili nachos are delicious and it was a good topping to chip ratio. I had the chicken pot pie and the filling was a little thin more like soup than pie, but the crust was so flaky and soft it seems like it's definitely made in house. Even being too thin it was good and I was happy with my order. My husband got the shepherd's pie which was too tomato-y for me but he enjoyed it. The mashed potatoes were a little dry but the side of sweet potato fries were some of the best I've ever had. We got the chocolate lava cake to go, which they packaged separately from the ice cream it came with.

If we were in the area again, we would...

I always love a great old-fashioned Irish Pub, and O'Neill's truly hits the spot when it comes to ambiance, food, and service. I stopped in for a quick lunch after visiting the local aquarium a few blocks away, and I immediately loved the atmosphere of this place as soon as I walked in. The waitstaff is friendly and welcoming, and food is truly delicious and flavorful. I ordered the Grilled Salmon Florentine, and I must say... it was a good thing I was hungry because you really get your monies worth with that plate of food. I also appreciated the complimenary little basket of what looked and tasted like irish soda bread biscuits. All the menu items are reasonably priced, in my opinion, and they have a pretty good drinks selection as well. The place is quite spacious, and they do offer outdoor dining. I definitely will make it a point to stop in again the next time I am...