Overview
Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub is a restaurant located in Chapel Hill, N.C. that opened its doors in May 2013 and has a sister location in Charlotte, N.C. Replacing its predecessor, Kildare’s Irish Pub, Fitzgerald’s boasts a departure from the more traditional pub atmosphere by considering itself an Irish-American sports pub, specializing in a fusion of Irish classics and bar staples with an emphasis on its large and diverse beer menu.
While Kildare’s catered mainly to the students of UNC-Chapel Hill, Fitzgerald’s mission is to focus on building a presence among the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities.
History
Fitzgerald’s officially opened its doors on Friday, May 10, 2013, hosting a grand-opening celebration from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.
James Jackson, a former employee of the original Fitzgerald’s location at 201 E. Fifth St. in Charlotte, is the owner and operator of the Chapel Hill pub, which renovated the venue after the departure of Kildare’s, which unexpectedly closed in March 2013 just three days before St. Patrick's Day.
The location is just a short walk from the campus of UNC-CH, and formerly housed longtime local live-music venue Cat’s Cradle.
Menu
The menu at Fitzgerald’s includes standard American fare like soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches, but their primary entrees feature traditional Irish food such as shepherd’s pie and corned beef. Lunch prices generally range from $5 to $8, and prices for dinner entrees range from $9 to $20.
All desserts are guaranteed homemade, and the bar has a wide selection of draft beers — 24 on tap — as well as wines, cocktails and specialty martinis. Car bombs are always $5, but daily specials provide different bargains on specific drinks and meals every day.
Events
Fitzgerald’s holds a trivia night every Monday at 8 p.m. Trivia night features prizes every round and special prices on appetizers and drinks, and it ends around 10 p.m. The restaurant frequently hosts local musicians on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. as well, and these events also include deals on drinks and certain entrees. There are 30 TVs throughout the pub, and Fitzgerald’s regularly handles private bookings of various sizes for parties or fundraisers.
Location
Fitzgerald’s is located at 206 W. Franklin St. It is directly across the street from University Square, where there is free parking after 6 p.m. and all day on Sundays. On weekdays it is open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., and on weekends it is open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sources
Go to www.fitzgeraldschapelhill.com for more information, or find reviews at http://www.yelp.com/biz/fitzgeralds-irish-pub-chapel-hill. Additional sources used in this article can be found on the Daily Tar Heel website here and here.