ROCK AND REILLY’S IRISH PUB
SOLID IRISH COMFORT FOOD ON THE STRIP

In the heart of the Sunset Strip, amongst glitz, glamour and a rich rock & roll tradition, there are bar galore and plenty of trendy places to see and be seen. But there’s also Rock and Reilly’s Irish Pub, which offers solid, hearty fare that anyone making a night of it will greatly appreciate, although you may feel guilty about it in the morning.

During a recent visit on a Tuesday night, we found out that the Irish are apparently big fans of tacos, or at least the Reilly kitchen staff is because Tuesday is “Taco Tuesday” at his festive pub. Putting an Irish Pub spin on tacos, there’s even a Corned Beef taco to be had, which features Guinness-braised corned beef, cabbage, cilantro and diced onions. Reilly’s Taco Tuesday menu allows you to mix-and-match tacos for $2 each.

But as you do at any Irish pub, you have to start with a drink. I started with the Reilly’s Hootch, a mix of the bar’s very own Reilly’s Mother’s Milk Whiskey, along with Pavan Liqueur, infused with pear, apple, orange, lemon, white cranberry and pineapple juice. It’s a tasty concoction. I really like the Mother’s Milk and while I’m not a big fan of sweet cocktails, I am partial to Pavan. This one, for only $8 is a great starter drink and also perfect for day drinking (think weekend brunch).

If you’re looking for hearty pub food, the Mini Corndog, made with homemade ale-batter, is a must. This is classic bar food, sure, it’s not good for you but it so hits the spot, especially when you’re drinking. Isn’t that the only time we really go for this kind of diet breaking grub?

Other menu winners that your trainer won’t be a big fan of are the hearty Mac & Cheese with Chipotle four cheese sauce, applewood smoked bacon, and truffle oil for an extra $3. The Reilly’s Turkey & Pork Belly Club with crispy pork belly, smoked turkey, garlic aioli, spring mix, avocado, and tomato on country white bread is a surefire winner.
And you can’t go wrong with the Whiskey BBQ Short Rib Sliders, these are three 10-hour braised short rib sliders tossed in Reilly’s Whiskey BBQ sauce. Come on, there’s only three of them and they’re slider sized for crying out loud!

If you’re here on Taco Tuesday, then your choices include the aforementioned Corned Beef, as well as the Mulitas Asada, Grilled Cactus, and Pescado Pibil. At $2 each, why not get a tasty sampler?  I’m partial to the Mulitas Asada—grilled short rib asada, pepper jack cheese, pickled red onion and grilled jalapeno—although the Corned Beef with braised cabbage and Dijon mustard, especially in the pub setting, is a good choice.
The Grilled Cactus with poblano avocado puree, cheddar crisp and chipotle cream is unusual and worth trying, as is the Pescado Pibil with annatto seed braised fish, cilantro, pickled red onion and pineapple.

Weekends feature bottomless mimosas and Bloody Mary’s, and happy hour is Monday through Friday from 3-6pm. Not as high end as next door’s Pearl’s, owned by the same folks, Rock and Reilly’s Irish Pub is a great place to chill, drink and overindulge.

Rock and Reilly’s Irish Pub is located at 8911 W Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood. Hours: Monday – Friday 11:30am to 2am; Saturday – Sunday 11am to 2am. Call 310-360-1400.

Story By: Jose Martinez

First two main photos courtesy of: Rock and Reilly’s Irish Pub