A Touch of Irish Cuisine My spouse and I visited McCracken's Irish Pub in Leesburg for the first time after seeing it pop up on Facebook, and we're glad we did. The restaurant is larger than it looks from the outside, and I immediately thought it might be a great spot to bring my Sunday golf group in the future. We were greeted by Jonathan, who became our server, and the relaxed, laid back atmosphere set the tone for a great lunch. Since we arrived right at opening, the staff was just getting started, but Jonathan was attentive from the moment we sat down. He brought the menus -- the main menu, a pick three appetizer menu, and the drink list -- and took the time to explain a few dishes that caught our eye. My spouse ordered an IPA, and I went with an unsweetened Arnold Palmer. We started with the Tavern Fries, which reminded me of Canadian poutine. The twist here is that the cheese curds are breaded and fried, then topped with brown gravy. Rich, hearty, and absolutely delicious. For my entrée, I chose the Shepherd's Pie. Traditionally, shepherd's pie is made with lamb, while cottage pie uses beef. McCracken's version combines lamb, beef, and vegetables, baked until piping hot. I was worried the lamb might be too gamy, but the flavor was excellent -- comforting and well seasoned. My spouse ordered the Corned Beef Boxty Stack, which is like a Reuben but served on potato pancakes instead of bread. He loved it, and the bite I tried was delicious. Jonathan checked on us often and even brought me a refill before I finished my first drink. Portions were generous, and neither of us could finish our meals -- especially after the Tavern Fries. We took leftovers home. We were so impressed with the food and service that I've already decided to bring my Sunday golf group here on September 13. McCracken's Irish Pub was definitely an adventure worth exploring. read more

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This Irish joint was busy as hell during Bikefest, but well worth the visit. I recommend the Fish & Chips and Blt and a frothy pint of Guinness. The place is clean and we sat outside on the patio. The staff is very accommodating and friendly. The price is fair and the portions are just right. Ample parking is available as well. Slainté. read more

McCrackens Pub - Blt and Parmesan Fries. - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

The fish was delicious as usual. This time instead of fish and chips, I had the fish sliders. They were a terrific small plate alternative. Service was wonderful as always. The ambiance is pub like, so depending on if it's busy, will depend on the noise level. read more

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The waitress was so nice and warm, you could tell she really cares for her regulars and also was equally warm to us, newbies she'd never seen. Service was outstanding. I love an Irish pub, this place had a back room with games and shuffle board, had inside and outside dining, outside looks out to charming Main Street of leesburg, We had boxtys only as we had a big later family meal, they had good flavor but could have been more hot all the way through. I'd 100% eat here again and I'd love to See it on a night where it's more hopping. We visited mid morning on a Friday afternoon. read more

McCrackens Pub - Boxtys - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

Traveled over from Orlando for a football game and stopped here after perusing the options in the area. The pub is nicely situated on Main St. in Leesburg, a quaint setting. The interior is about what you'd expect for an Irish pub, a bit dated and drab. Our service was amiable and proficient. I really enjoyed the Shepherd's Fries. The Guinness glaze really kicks the flavor up a notch and the thick-cut fries are hearty. The Boxtys were decent and my cocktail was enjoyable. Prices are fair. I'd definitely return in the future if I'm in the area. read more

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Short pour on the drink, dainty portions of meat in both the patty melt and the corned beef sandwich. I would expect this from a corporate place controlled by bean counters, not from an independent place. What there was of it tasted good, cute though it was. read more

Our server, Justin, was really great. We got the shepherds fries (fries with beer cheese, shepherd's beef filling, balsamic, and a drizzle of sour cream. I think next time I would order extra sour cream and no balsamic. There was so much balsamic it pooled at the bottom of the plate. The fish lunch special was really good. Nicely prepared, large piece of solid fish, good tartar. We really wanted to try the shark bite, but they were out of cider so we had a Harp instead. The atmosphere was great! read more

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Have you tried the specials? I was over the moon when I saw scotch eggs were available for a few weeks. They are different from any I've had before but excellent. Served with mustard and bacon pepper jam, they are medium cooked eggs wrapped in sausage, rolled in panko crumbs and deep fried. Get them while they're still available. Another happy hour surprise was the extra 1/2 shot of Jamesons for a dollar. Hats off to our server for bringing it to my attention! Quiet in a Monday night. C'mon people. Let's keep this place hopping. read more

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Food was great but the balsamic chicken portion was tiny and the waitress later told me it was a diet portion. Next time I'll try the onion chicken that she highly recommended. My friend got the Shepard's pie and loved it. I tasted it and it was good but salty. I hope you can request less salt in it. Being that my chicken was delicious I want to come back again and try other dishes. read more

We have been coming to McCracken's for couple years since moving to Florida, and really appreciate their authentic Irish food, and congenial atmosphere. We usually get fish and chips and Boxty potato latkes, which are SO good with side of cheese beer sauce. Our waiter Jonathan today was terrific, very attentive, friendly, and quick to bring refills, without our even having to ask! read more

We stopped here with friends after a walk. We chose to enjoy their outdoor patio area since the weather was lovely. Our server was very friendly and attentive to our group. We started with some drinks; I tried the threesome beer which had three different beers together and enjoyed it. I also tried their organic chocolate stout with peanut butter whiskey dropped in which was decadent and tasty. I ordered the pot roast dip sandwich with a side of Mac and cheese. My bf ordered shepherd's pie. Several in our group got the whiskey burger and one got boneless wings. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I loved my pot roast sandwich; the meat was tender and flavorful on a toasted bun that soaked up the yummy au jus perfectly. The Mac and cheese was tasty and I tried the shepherd's pie also which was good. Our chatty group was fairly quiet during meal time because everyone was happily indulging in their food! Overall, this is a great spot with a cool atmosphere and delicious food. I'd definitely return! read more

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Had a great time service was excellent. I had the corn corn beef. And cabbage, which was very good.My daughter had a corn beef sandwich with coleslaw and fries, which were excellent Would recommend going and trying the food and a great atmosphere. read more

Run, don't walk here. The service was outstanding, the feel is of an old time Public House and the food sublime. We split a Corned Beef and Sour Kraut with Cole slaw. Nice balance, a great portion of meat and the bread was strong and flavorful. However, I saved the best for last. We also shared an order of the Shepard s Pie fries, extra crispy as well. We can say unequivocally that this is the best order of fries we have ever eaten. The fries are planks, but cut thinner and curved into scoops. The Shepard's Pie topping perfect from the meat to the peas. To go and not eat these is a sin against beer and food. read more

McCrackens Pub - The signature sign. - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

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Love this place, nice friendly hang at the bar. Tasty awesome whiskey burger and fries. Bartenders are welcoming and will engage with you if you want to talk. read more

We really enjoy McCrackens Pub. The waitstaff always make us feel welcome. The food and drink selection is fantastic, and the quality of the food never disappoints! read more

McCrackens Pub - Harp - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

Stopped in this gem, after driving through the city of Leesburg and looking at our choices. We are so glad we chose this place. The hostess seated us and said Tiffany would be our server, and almost immediately she appeared to take our drink orders, and explain a number of items on the menu. When drinks were brought, more explanation of items gave us the opportunity to pick two lunch options and off Tiffany went to get the kitchen working. Wasn't any time at lol and out came our lunch fish and chips, with one piece of good sized beer batter fish and interesting Irish fries. My choice was a smash 1/4 pounder on rye with cheese and onions along with fries and an extra side of coleslaw. All was fantastic and ample with my choice allowing my to take some home with me. Tiffany brought our bill and we had a great conversation and we thanked her profusely. The menu looked like there was other great options for us to try. read more

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This is a fun Irish tavern and restaurant in downtown Leesburg. My fish and chips were great. I liked the Parmesan fries too. My Wife enjoyed her French Onion soup and a salad. Our server was attentive and offered us a coupon for an appetizer. I get the impression, Leesburg is really trying to boost business in the downtown region. There are too many empty storefronts, which denotes financial troubles. But this oasis of niceness is a welcome surprise. read more

McCrackens Pub - Bar and dining room. - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

Our first time going here and both my friend and I were super pleased. The atmosphere is great, very relaxed and pleasant. Our waiter was very professional, kept a good eye on us without being intrusive, and was relaxed and friendly and very efficient. And the food was excellent! I ordered bangers & mash because real B&M is something I rarely cook at home. But this was so good I'm going to have to go back because I've never had any like this. The beer infused onions were incredible and really made the dish. My friend had the poppy bowl and said she enjoyed the pot roast hers with topped with. Portions were good sized and we both took a little home, which we were happy about. All in all this was a really good experience and we absolutely will be going back. Our thanks to the server and the chef, who made it happen. read more

I had the Onion Sage Chicken. It was delicious. We were there on a Sunday so ambience was quiet. We sat at the bar and had excellent service. read more

McCrackens Pub - Onion Sage Chicken. - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

Wait staff and food was excellent. I had the famous French onion soup and it was beyond great!

Food is excellent and services is above expectations. BEST fish and chips around. Good pot roast as well. Ambiance for this place is true to a Irish restaurant read more

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The food was good, just expensive for the Poppy bowl for the amount of food you get. Husband said the Guinness was GREAT! We will be back to try the fish. read more

Well, I really don't know where to start. Our server was really good, we ordered fish and chips and they came out cold, she took them back and brought us out fresh hot fish & chips. She blamed the kitchen but it took along time to get our original order so I think she might have left it in the window too long. Once we received the hot food it was ok, nothing special I didn't even finish mine. We also ordered their version of a potato pancake it was greasy not very good Simple housekeeping things that we noticed, catsup and hot sauce bottles were dirty and almost out. They need to wipe these down so they are sticky and gross. This area has allot of great restaurants and if this place is going to make it they need to step up their game. read more

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Had the Poppy Pot Roast Bowl, it was delicious!! great comfort food! Our waitress, Mia was very knowledgeable about the menu and drinks. She was thoughtful and brought rolls to go with the yummy gravy! Can't wait to go back and try other offerings!! read more

Thanks to Yelp we ended up at this place in Leesburg, and we are so glad we did! I had the pot roast sandwich with mashed potatoes, and my husband had the corn beef and coleslaw sandwich. Both were excellent. The horseradish in my sandwich was so good. The drinks were on point, our service was friendly and prompt, the place was really nice, clean, open looking. They had a great playlist going at a level that was low enough that you could hear yourself talk, which is great, most restaurants can't seem to manage that. We really enjoyed our first visit here, and we will definitely be back. read more

McCrackens Pub - My husband had a Guinness and Harp combo. - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

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We were in the area visiting relatives and decided to stop for a bite to eat beforehand. McCrackens is located on a street with other eateries. However, McCrackens seemed to be the most popular of the lot. It was mid afternoon during the week and the establishment was at about 80% capacity. Upon walking in, it looks like a average pub but a little brighter than most. We were seated at a booth which was nice and spacious. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures. The staff are friendly and welcoming, good service. I had the grilled cheese and it was so delicious, it was made on thick sourdough toast, and it was crispy and moist. My husband had the pot roast. Loved his meal, the meat was tender and well flavored. But he did eat half of my sandwich, and he raved about that as well. Nice establishment good food, a solid choice if you are in the area read more

McCrackens Pub - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

McCracken's absolutely amazing. The atmosphere, servers and hostess are all friendly. My son and I are there at least once a month or more. The Whiskey Burger is fantastic and the loaded fries with beer cheese are equally as good. Never been disappointed. Thanks for being there ! read more

Service was outstanding even with a group of 14. Had Shepherd's pie and it was out of this world. We will certainly be back again!

St Patrics Day. Corned Beef and Cabbage should have been on top that day. It couldn't have been worse if it came out of a KRation. Soggy, disintegrated overcooked mess. Atmosphere was fun. We will try it another time. read more

This is a classic Irish pub and I love it! The food was fabulous and delicious. I had the shepherds pie and the hubby had the pot roast dinner. Our server, Erin was was very friendly and attentive. Our order was hot and delicious, she made sure we had everything we needed. The atmosphere was full of life, and we could see why McCrackens is so popular. read more

McCrackens Pub - Shepherds Pie - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

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We didn't know about this restaurant and went there with friends a few weeks ago. It was a very good experience. Great ambiance & helpful staff. I have some food restrictions & they accommodated them very well. We definitely will go there repeatedly. Leesburg seems to be doing much to draw people to its friendly locations. read more

Very cool place, too many yummy dishes to choose from. I had pot roast and a Moscow mule. read more

McCrackens Pub - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

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Very cute place! We snuck out of the "bubble" the Villages and gave this place a try. We've heard great things about the place. Nice sized menu and prices decent. We had lunch and our check was $23 can't beat it for 2. We are telling all our friends to come eat here! Server Justin was super also! read more

McCrackens Pub - Lunch portions shepherds pie and fish n chips Very good food! - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

A friend suggested we try McCrackens Pub for our lunch get-together. I read reviews and looked at menu on line and agreed. Seeing as they refer to themselves as an Irish pub, I would have liked to have seen more food with that theme than what they offered. But I'm willing to try and off we went. Arrived Monday lunch and hostess greeted and seated our group. We selected meals (whiskey burger, corned beef sandwich and corned beef on boxty w/potato soup) Food arrived in a short while and looked fresh. Person with whiskey burger was happy with the cook and flavor. The two corned beef people were not impressed. Thin slices, over cooked and tough as can be. The boxtys were also overcooked - very hard along edges. And the potato soup was the most boring cup of soup, including the chunks of carrots. The temperature of the soup was warm-ish; but I expected hot, even in the midst of summer. Unless someone else invites me and is paying, I don't see McCrackens on my repeat list. read more

McCrackens Pub - Whiskey Burger - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

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We were recommended this pub by the super sweet bartender at wolf branch brewing right up the street. Everything was going well until my husband asked the bartender for a suggestion on what type of burger he should get, as in which one is more popular because he enjoys both lamb and beef. The bartender then very rudely responded "if you like beef get beef, if you like lamb get lamb." Why would someone even ask you your opinion about something on the menu if they didn't like main protein used in the dish?? I understand that he was trying to just get our food orders placed and keep attending to all of the customers at the bar; however, I think there were more polite or kind ways to respond that are just as brief. I didn't catch the bartender's name as we didn't end up eating there. I hate giving poor reviews, especially to small businesses but both of us have worked in the service industry and his attitude was not justified. Hopefully others have a better experience, but we will not be returning. read more

First time at Mccrackens Irish pub! The Irish onion soup and Shepards pie is delicious! Salad crisp and fresh. Ice cold beer too! Great music, recommendations and service from the bartender, Mia. We will be back read more

Just randomly popped in for a light lunch. Had the cheddar ale and lobster bisque soups. Cheddar ale was the clear winner!! We also split the Shepards Pie. Very yummy! We just sat at bar. The server was super friendly. read more

Irish food is great and the service was excellent. And the drinks (Irish beer and whiskey) along with the bartenders made it a great experience. We go there frequently. read more

All I can say is WOW! The fish and chips are the BEST I've ever had. So good! The fish was cod and the breading was perfect. It was so good that I was hesitant to use my usual malt vinegar and tarter sauce! I'm looking forward to going back and trying a burger next. read more

McCrackens Pub - Fish & Chips. Best I've ever had! - Irish Pub Near Me - Leesburg, Florida

We ordered a poppy bowl with corned beef and a corn beef sandwich. Although the sandwich was tasty the sandwich and bowl had very little meat on it. The poppy bowl came in a lunch size bowl. Not much of a meal for a man! Maybe if it had a side salad with it. Very disappointing for the price. Good service nice ambiance, please update your washrooms!!! Nit much of a meal!! read more