A friendly neighborhood bar that enjoys lively nights and sunny days, Finn McCools Irish Pub is an authentic Irish pub around the corner from the beach in Santa Monica. With an extensive whiskey menu, eighteen beers on tap and live music several nights a week, Finn McCools is a lively little piece of the Emerald Island on the West Coast.
Not all Irish pubs have the kind of connection to St. Patty's Day that Finn McCool's does. It was on St. Patrick's Day in 2002 that Fin McCool's officially opened its doors to the good patrons of Santa Monica. But what really puts the cool in McCool's is that the owner and chef, Geraldine Gilliland, actually hails from Ireland and constructed this pub from bits and pieces of her deceased step-dad's pub back home in Ireland. Born out of familial loyalty and native pride, this pub might just be the most authentic one on our list. Of course, it wouldn't be the iconic pub that it is without its awesome Irish food (think roast beef and fish and chips) and its devotion to Guinness. On St. Patrick's Day, this place gets about as crowded as you would expect (and hope) a bar with real ties to the day and the country would get. On the most fun day of the year, patrons in green swarm this beachside bar looking for a cold brew and some serious fun. You'll see people dancing, drinking and discussing the virtues of their piping hot onion rings in this cottage like pub. Even when you're not celebrating their most sacred day of the year, there are plenty of things to do at Finn McCool's besides drinking your fair share of car bombs. When it's not St. Patty's Day, most nights you can catch live shows featuring Irish musicians, like their standing Tuesday night gig spotlighting L.A.'s Celtic bands. They also do trivia nights and other cool things. But the main event is really just kicking back with a few friends and enjoying the Irish tunes, the rowdy friends and the glasses of Guinness. St. Patty's Day is always an insane day at Finn McCool's, so you will definitely want to show up early, or you'll find yourself partying outside in a never-ending line. Check out LANightlife's video to get a glimpse of what last year's insanity was like.