O’Neill’s Pub & Restaurant, 93 N Main St, Norwalk, CT
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY FROM SUNDAY DINERS
To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we decided to go for a real Irish Breakfast – so we went to the most Irish place in Norwalk, O’Neill’s Pub & Restaurant. O’Neill’s is owned by Ollie O’Neill, his brother Mick and their best friend Donny (who’s real name is Donal) Leahy — Ollie and Mick are from Tipperary, in Ireland, so you know breakfast is going to be seriously Irish!
The first thing I noticed — it was not like any breakfast place — O’Neill’s on St. Patrick’s Day is more like a party at 9:00 AM! There were tons of people dressed in green, an Irish musician playing, a bagpiper and a line for the Irish Breakfast Buffet. The pub looks like an authentic Irish pub with Irish signs and it was decorated with lots of shamrocks. The place also seems very popular with police and firemen, because there were a lot of them there!
After we found a table, we headed straight for the buffet!
Here’s what dad and I had… Scrambled Eggs, Sautéed Tomatoes and Mushrooms, Baked Beans, Rashers (which is a type of Irish Bacon), Bangers (an Irish Sausage) and Black & White Pudding – which is definitely not dessert pudding. Black & White Pudding is kind of sausage. What is the difference between the Black and White kinds? Black Pudding is made with Pigs Blood — I know that sounds GROSS! But… it tastes REALLY good — so good I had seconds. White Pudding is the same thing but made with liver and not blood. It’s really good too. I also had O’Neill’s Special Irish Soda Bread, which is Mr. Ollie and Mr. Mick’s mom’s recipe — I told Mr. Ollie that it was so good it tasted like having Butter on Butter!!!
If you’re really hungry, the Irish Breakfast is the thing for you!
I spoke with Victoria Walsh, our server, about St. Patrick’s Day at O’Neill’s and how many people will visit the restaurant today.
She said, “I don’t know but I would guess thousands! “
She also told me the main difference between a Banger and an American sausage is the texture. Our sausages are more meaty… Bangers are more grainy.
I also spoke to Kristi Crivellone, who told me a bit about the pub. She told me:
“Ollie and his brother are from Tipperary, and Tipperary’s colors are blue and gold, those colors are part of the look of the pub.”
Wow – Blue and Gold are also my school colors!
Thanks Mr. Ollie, Ms. Kristi and Ms. Victoria! Hope you have a Great St. Patrick’s Day!
The Sunday Diner Rating (in Bono’s)
FOOD * * * * * (Five Bono’s)
SERVICE * * * * * (Five Bono’s)
LOOKS * * * * * (Five Bono’s)
BATHROOM * * * * * (Five Bono’s)
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Torn Edges 
Norwalk’s hottest spot for Hot Dogs is Swanky Franks! Swanky Franks has been serving dogs since 1949 and they are good — I’ve been going there since I could eat hot dogs!
