Old Fashion Food, in an Old Fashion Setting
Published: 09/12/2011 at Richard Gonzalez
Photo Gallery
I'm not sure when was the last time that I traveled down I95 and headed west on Griffin Road in Dania Beach, Florida. Somewhere between the interstate and state road 7 is a hidden gem. A very large birch tree shades a cottage style Irish pub and eatery known, by the locals, as The Fields. For the rest of us, the pubs full name is “The Fields Irish Pub and Eatery”.
The parking was a turnoff right away. The parking lot was full, so we had to park at their other lot, which was located a block and a half away. At first glance, the outside appearance is a typical Florida style bar. A lot of outside dinning options complete with ceiling fans that swish around the already stale air that has become commonplace for this part of the country. What makes the outside bar a bit unique is that they have installed mist machines next to the ceiling fans, making it a bit more tolerable to dine outside in the middle of a hot summer night.
While walking past the outdoor bar, you are presented with two options: the inside bar or the dinning section. If you open either door, you are greeted by a warm cottage atmosphere. Having never been to Ireland, I can only speculate that this is a spot on replica of any bar in the Emerald Isle. It is complete with an Irish band that plays all your favorite Irish folk/drinking songs (admittedly, I do have one favorite song that requires audience participation - "Whiskey in the Jar" - the clapping still gets me every time).
The ambience of “The Fields” does not reflect where the restaurant is located on a congested road. Most restaurants have well lit tables so that you can see what you're eating but “The Fields” goes in the opposite direction. Within the establishment, it has dark wood, brick walls, and a very low light oasis. We sat on table that was tucked right up against an old fireplace. The Irish pub does incorporate benches and booths throughout the restaurant and they also have an indoor bar.
This pub takes their beer seriously because they are the proud recipient of the South Florida's best poured Guinness award. I'm not exactly sure how one would judge a properly poured beer but one thing is for sure: it took them literally three minutes to pour me a pint. When I did finally have the pint in front of me, it was heaven in a glass.
The food is a typical pub-grub style cuisine with no frills attached to it. For example, the Drunken Chicken is a breast of chicken cooked with Irish Whiskey and covered with a light mushroom sauce. The Drunken Chicken was one of their specialties and I'm glad that I took the advice of our server who convinced me to try something different than my normal standby, Shepard’s pie. My wife ordered the Corn Beef and Cabbage and she really enjoyed the dish as well.
My overall opinion of this place was “A” for atmosphere, “B+” for the beer, and a solid “C+” for the food. The prices are reasonable, about $20 per person, and it does not include drinks (which is crazy to come to a place like this and not order a drink.) The overall atmosphere is a laid back, drink with friends, and re-connect with your Irish roots, even if your not Irish. We will definitely be visiting this pub again in the near future.
