J.P. Doyle’s Restaurant & Public House — Restaurant in Town of Mount Pleasant

3 1/2 stars

My chums and I came here this past Saturday for lunch after an underwhelming nearby estate sale. J.P.'s was easy to locate (though we were delayed a minute searching for quarters for the meter - keep that in mind if you intend to park nearby), and we were seated immediately in a dining section just off the bar area. We could hear some lively chatter in a room to our left (one of our more observant companions noted that they had an official party room there), but it definitely wasn't a negative/distraction.

I didn't have a palate for it, but if you're of a boozy disposition, this is definitely more of a beer place - there wasn't a cocktail menu, just straight-up beer, wine and spirits lists. I'm more of a wine drinker, and I tend to just go with something non-alcoholic at a public house like this if I know there's more of an understandable focus on the beer. But regardless, you have options.

Everyone at the table went with something from the sandwich menu. I opted for the pulled pork sandwich, which was good. The cheese was a LITTLE rubbery/congealed on the edges but taste-wise was fine and a decent complement to the pork. The aforementioned pork was appropriately tender, and I can always get down with ciabatta. A solid bread choice in almost all instances. There were unannounced pickle slices on the dish that had to be evacuated to nearby plates, but their presence only affected one or two bites of my sandwich. (Half of our dining party squealed in terror at them, the other half rolled their eyes and took the pickles. I feel like that's what always happens with pickles.) Given that it's a condiment/garnish that easily permeates nearby food, I really think menus should reference them if they're going to be on the plate.

We also ordered cheese curds to split as an app, which came with marinara sauce. They definitely didn't look like most cheese curds I've seen (disclosure - I've never been to Wisconsin and I'm pretty sure the vast majority of my curd experience has happened at a Chili's, which probably gives me zero street cred), and one of my chums thought after looking and tasting them that they were mislabeled mozzarella sticks. I think they looked more like tater tots, but regardless of appearance they were well received by everyone and didn't last long.

The service was very good. We had a wise-cracking native Staten Islander in our party, and the waitress had the perfect amount of savvy/moxie to good-naturedly banter with him. Additionally, all of the food and drinks came out promptly.

J.P.'s seems to be pretty popular with the locals, but I honestly didn't encounter anything food-wise during my visit that distinguished it from other American restaurants/bars in the area. That said, this place has the service intangibles that are unfortunately becoming harder to find in this day and age, so that ultimately tips the scales...

Visited here for the first time on Sunday, after reading Google Reviews (as we were driving through Sleepy Hollow), and I am so glad we did.

We were a party of 3, and because it was the middle of the day, we wanted a table in the shade where we would be comfortable and not in direct sunlight. We were immediately accommodated by one of the staff members, who also ended up being our server, and the experience was already great.

Our server (her name is BRIDIE, and what an awesome name that is) was absolutely amazing!! Super friendly, funny and personable, and a true example of how someone working in a service business should be. She answered our questions about several menu items and made her suggestions. The food came and everything was great.

Burger - oversized, juicy, and flavorful. Fries - crispy, light, and perfectly crunchy. Reuben Sandwich - tasty, nicely sized, and oh so good! Roast Beef Sandwich - large portion, very flavorful, and great bread!

They have a great outdoor seating area (more like a beer garden environment), and we watched as they sanitized between patrons leaving and arriving at tables. Great Halloween decor (and in Sleepy Hollow it would have to be), and the prices are great!

An overall excellent experience and one that I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a casual, relaxed, and nice bar/pub atmosphere.

5 STARS...

The owner Brian, and all of his staff are phenomenal people who made our whole experience wonderful from start to finish! We planned a last minute event in just two weeks time in July after finding JP Doyle’s randomly online because they have a beer garden. We were planning an outdoor ceremony at a nearby park and a reception at the beer garden. At the last minute (the night before the event) our outdoor ceremony plans were squashed! Brian saved the day and rescued the entire event from start to finish!!! He literally jumped in his car and showed us an outdoor place that worked out better than we could have thought possible!! At the same time given a week long heatwave Brian had recommended his private party room. His staff decorated it beautifully for us! The servers were friendly, professional, accommodating and went above and beyond! Brian is a warm, kind, open, accepting person who not only helped us because he runs a business, but because he is an outstanding person!!! He has earned our appreciation and our patronage for years to come!...