Molly Brooke's. Lexington, KY

109 North Limestone Street

Guinness Tag: $6.00 | Overall Rating: 7.00

Today's Dedicated Pint: The Hap's Irish Pub Dart Team

As I drove to Lexington, KY I thought to myself, "I've never really heard anything good or bad about this city." I went into the trip with open arms. To be honest, I can't say I want to go back. I'm definitely coming back though, and it's not because of Molly Brooke's.

Molly Brooke's gives you the eye candy (for the most part). The storefront works, it has a decent patio with an awning above the chairs, and the interior has that typical Irish Pub feel to it. It offers a good mix of both "proper" and "American." I went in on a weekday afternoon, and the bartender was not having a good day. As soon as I claimed my barstool, he gave me the look of, "Dude, I'm not in the mood to do this." I felt like a nuisance before I was even given the chance to let him realize I'm one of his own. All I need is about 25 seconds worth of time to let a bartender know I'm not your typical annoying bar guest. He was clearly having a hangover, as his friend came in shortly after I sat down and they pursued a conversation amongst each other about how awful the women were at the place they hung out at the night prior. They also talked about how fecked up they got last night. Look, I get it; we all go into work in shitty moods sometimes, but don't take it out on me unless I walk in acting like a Karen off the rip. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt, though, because I'm sure he's a fun guy when the time is right.

Regardless, the Pub is right across the street from a homeless person's smorgasbord of funsies. I can't really tell how the regular demographics are at this place, but after mingling with a few locals before and after this Pub's experience, I can't imagine it's an amazing bunch of people. Again, I could be wrong. I like to say I have a good sense of judgment about a place after giving it one go-around, but this one is giving me a bit of a hard time. I'm leaning toward a rather negative rating so far.

As I sat down and looked around, I noticed a few fun things. There's a unique plane hanging from the ceiling, there are a few TVs for spectating, and the color scheme is very nice. The ceilings are nicely finished with beams, and the wall decor has a good variety of authentic Irish touches. I like how they infiltrated Christmas lights alongside the bar. It's certainly a visually appealing Pub. I just have this strong feeling that when it gets really crowded in here the majority of average people would say, "I'm done with this." It's a small venue, and something strongly tells me the crowd is more annoying than charming. It's definitely not a college bar, but it's certainly not a place that caters to a crowd from somewhere such as "The Dead Rabbit" or "The Kerryman."

The Guinness Pour was a bit weak, but it only came in at 6 bucks. The draft beer selections are generous, offering Magners, which was nice. The state of Ohio (where I'm currently from) has almost no opportunities to snag a Magners on tap. The bar itself is a small horseshoe that holds about 12 people at full capacity. As the session grew, the bartender opened up a bit. We left on fun terms.

It's safe to say this Pub is more of an industry bar for the immediate area. Nothing wrong with that, of course. Every city needs a few good industry bars. I'm giving the place a flat 7 of a rating, and I think that's being pretty generous. They have working toiletries, they offer aesthetics, and they can pour you multiple drafts from across the pond. Other than that, it's not going to knock your socks off, and there should never be a time when you go out of your way to get here. Do I recommend the place? No. Should you stop by if you're within walking distance with some time to kill? Absolutely. There's a hot dog joint right next door.

I'm stopping in another Pub called McCarthy's down the street that looks really fun, before I spend the night in Knoxville, TN, where I'll be grabbing a pint inside Clancy's Whiskey House. I could be wrong, but I'm going to bet my bottom dollar that this will be my least favorite of the three. The place in Knoxville has a curb appeal that reminds me of a story I had with the Cincinnati Reds during one of our "Caravans." I'll go into that once I get there, though.

Slainte!