The best thing that Israel got from Ireland is Patrick’s Irish Pub & Fine Kitchen. There are several Irish pubs in Israel, but Patrick’s in Modi’in stands out among them. It is located on a large property in the heart of the city, unusual for an urban restaurant. One cannot help but be impressed by its size and various rooms and spaces, as well as the obviously large investment in this enterprise.
Three years ago, when owner Dor set out to build this restaurant, he brought architects from Ireland to create an authentic atmosphere. Even the bricks were imported from Europe to give the genuine feel. The result is a beautiful interior room, awash in wood and stone. A shimmery bar the full length of the back wall catches the eye upon entry. Alongside this room is an intimate VIP room, a beautifully invested private space, heavy on the leather.
The outdoor garden stretches down a long walkway from the street till the entrance to the restaurant. If you are hosting a party for up to 250 guests Patrick’s Garden is the place.
On the pleasant summer evening of our visit to Patrick’s, we passed on all the beautifully designed interior rooms and opted to sit outdoors under the night sky at one of the large rustic wooden tables in the garden.
An authentic Irish pub experience
Patrick’s offers an all-in-one evening of food, drinks, and entertainment. The restaurant menu, in Hebrew, English, and Chinese comes to the table on an electronic tablet. The menu starts with the drinks, and there are alcoholic drinks by the glass or the bottle, fruity teetotaler drinks, mixed cocktails, and a good selection of wine and beer on tap. Guiness anybody? After all, this is an Irish pub.
Waitresses carrying trays bearing tall glasses of beer and a rainbow of colorful drinks weave their way between the tables. What’s the frothy green drink on the next table? I wondered. Something nonalcoholic perhaps. The rum-based Santiago cocktail (NIS 59) that we chose came in a tall glass over ice topped with slivers of coconut with a slice of candied pineapple off the side. Perfect. My compliments to the very professional barman.
Patrick’s kitchen, under chef Avi Naamani Luxemburg, produces an uncompromising meat selection. The menu offers fine starters and mains. Those that do not consist of meat are generally prepared together with meat, limiting the selection for vegetarian purists. Completely non-meat options are available, mostly, from the salad menu.
The restaurant menu offers two types of burgers: the standard burger and the premium burger. The latter (NIS 99) was my companion’s choice, with chips. This was a large 250-gr. burger with smoked meat on top (grilled medium as requested). Pickles, trimmings, and condiments are served on the side, enabling each diner to compose the burger as he or she prefers. The chips had a crispy coating.
For my main dish, I chose the bouquet of mushrooms from the starter menu (NIS 55). This was a vegetarian dish, served hot off the fire. The laid-back atmosphere, the relaxing garden, and the meat menu, all suggested a tall cold beer. And so it was, a third of a Blue Onion glass of beer.
The party starts every evening at 9 p.m. with singing and dancing to different styles of music: nostalgia from the 80s and 90s or Mediterranean music. On most evenings, the DJ works inside the restaurant leaving Patrick’s Garden for peaceful relaxing dining. Reservations are a must for indoor seating. On Wednesday nights, the DJ moves outdoors to Patrick’s Garden with a mix of musical styles. Motzei Shabbat is Israeli nostalgia night, with songs of Eretz Yisrael.
The food and drink, even without the entertainment, were well worth the visit. Reservations recommended.
Getting there: While there is limited street parking on both sides of Dam Hamakabim Street, there are several multi-level underground parking lots on the street. I have it on good authority that the best place to park is by Grey, across the street.
- Patrick’s Irish Pub
- 36 Dam Hamaccabim Street
- Modi’in
- Phone: 050-2933939
- Kashrut: Rabbanut Modiin, Glatt meat, Mehadrin chicken
- Opening hours: Sun.-Thu., 12 p.m.-11 p.m.; Sat. after Shabbat. Closed Friday and Shabbat
The writer was a guest of the restaurant
The writer is the founder and CEO of eLuna.com the premier English language website for kosher restaurants in Israel.