Yet another wonderful Christmas party celebration at The Harp! I can't say enough good things about this place. A huge thank you to Devin and the entire staff--they were absolutely wonderful and so attentive to every detail. We felt so well taken care of all night. It's another party for the books! If you're looking for a great spot in Utica with amazing service, this is it. Love this place! read more

The Celtic Harp Restaurant and Pub - Burgers Near Me - Utica, New York

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Our Sever/Bartender was phenomenal! Very attentive even though she had a full bar of patrons. I had the Loaded Potato Skins. They were ok. Not the best, not the worst. The best part was the Irish bacon on them. My husband had the Philly Steak. It was good but bland he said. One of our friends had the New England chowder. She said it was good. Our other friend had the fish sandwich but didn't eat all of it. He said it didn't taste great. Everyone loved the fries. The atmosphere is not warm and cozy. It's rather sparse. But the bar patrons seemed happy and the bar area was more warm feeling in terms of ambiance. So if you and some friends want a place to grab a pint and have a burger, I'd recommend it but I wouldn't recommend anything we ate. read more

Another great lunch at the Celtic, opted for the Reuben this time, served with a side of thousand island dressing to make things extra sloppy and flavorful. The place was mostly empty on a beautiful Friday afternoon which was shocking but I'm sure the crowd arrived a couple hours after I left. This place never disappoints - and I love the French Fries. read more

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OMG! What a find! Friendly help and the owner put the Big 10 final game on for us. It was a perfect St Paddy's Day...cold Smithwicks, b-ball, live music, good food (not standard bar food), and then a bonus...an Irish Dance Troupe! It will be a stop when we drive from IL to MA again! read more

For Fish Fry Friday we found the perfect place in Utica. The Celtic Harp is more than just a fun pub...it has amazing food. The fish and chips had just the right amount of breading and the burger my son had was juicy and he loved it. There was also live music that added to the experience....we wandered into a great place. read more

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This bar is good for watching a basketball game or for an early dinner before the crowd gets crazy on the weekends... During saranac Thursdays you can't even breath in the crowd. It gets really packed even during winter months. The bartenders are great. I didn't catch his name but there's this one black guy that is always nice and he makes a great Moscow mule. Also, Rachel is a great bartender and is always fun to chat with!! They have pretty good food here too. I've never had a bad meal. I've had the baked haddock and sweet potato fries and it was deliiiish. I've also had the patty melt with coleslaw on the side. It's a juicy burger in between 2 slices of toasted bread with bacon, Swiss cheese and caramelized onions. It was sooo filling but soooo good. Another one of my favorites here are the everything wings. My friend and I came today for lunch and their new waitress is awesome!! I didn't catch her name but she's short, cute & blonde. She's super friendly and personable!! During Saranac Thursdays the outdoor bar is open and they have live bands on the stage! Always a good time. THE LINES FOR THE BATHROOM ARE RIDICULOUS THOUGH. Save yourself some time and go upstairs, the lines are always shorter for the bathrooms up there! It's always quicker to get a drink at the upstairs bar too!! read more

The Celtic Harp Restaurant and Pub - Yummmm - Burgers Near Me - Utica, New York

Vegan option! Couldn't believe it! I got the beyond burger without the bun (gluten allergy) and it was delicious, their fries are great too! My grandma got the Varick Street Chicken and loved it. Great place if you have someone who's vegan/vegetarian but everybody else doesn't want to eat vegan food! Our server Sarah was lovely, very attentive and a sweet girl. Parking is free and very easy to find. Definitely a sports bar, but it wasn't loud at all. Just some quiet music playing. Great place for dinner! read more

The Celtic Harp Restaurant and Pub - Both of us cleared our plates and the aioli was great - Burgers Near Me - Utica, New York

Random Yelp find. Fabulous vibe on a cold Saturday. My husband gave the wings a huge thumbs up. The potato leek soup was so good. We're pretty picky about bartenders, but Kim was a 10 out of 10. Locals were appropriately chatty and truly lovely. We'll come back when in the area. read more

We went here for lunch. The food was delicious all around and everything we tried. Had the black & blue, the patty melt, shepherds pie, chilli and mozrella sticks. Each item was 10/10. I also felt the food quality was great. Despite eating an entire burger with fries, I feel super light and not stuffed. Portion sizes were good as well. Would recommend and will be coming back for more. read more

If I could give them 2.5 stars, I would. We chose this place on a Friday night because we looked at the menu online and it looked good. Based on the name, I expected something a little more charming, but this is a bare bones pub, with a bar and a few tables. It was pretty busy and the service was quite slow. We got the American appetizer sampler platter, which everyone enjoyed. My daughter got the shepherd's pie, but didn't really like it: it's drowning in cheese and the chunks of meat inside were not tender. My son got the Irish Banger Burger, which he said was good. I got the Egg and Bacon Burger, which as pretty good (I got it without a bun so that it would be GF). The sunny side up egg was cooked perfectly, and the burger was on the rare side of medium, but not overly so. The big problem was that it didn't have the field greens or "house made vinaigrette" that were included in the description (which is a big reason that I ordered it - I even discussed it with the waitress - when I ordered it, she asked if I wanted mayonaise, and I said "no, because it comes with vinaigrette"). Also, the bacon was overcooked - very dark and very crispy. I like it like that, but I'm sure many patrons would be surprised by it, and not pleasantly. With several other pubs in the area, I would probably not return here, but rather, would try someone else. read more

The Celtic Harp Restaurant and Pub - Egg & Bacon Burger. No bun - I eat gluten free. Bacon is VERY crispy. Field greens and vinegarette were not there. - Burgers Near Me - Utica, New York

Good place for a burger and beer. The service was pretty good considering there was one person waiting tables and working the bar.

Came to the Harp for lunch today. Only one person, bartender, working the bar and floor tables. Extremely long wait times for service and food to come out. If you're in a hurry, don't bother with this place. read more

I come here often and don't usually have a bad time. Always good food and all of the staffs are always so nice and friendly. Drinks are delicious and they're willing to make whatever you're in the mood for. They have weekly specials and I recommend the Reuben, shepherd pie, bangers and mash, and of course their burgers. read more

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The most racist, disrespectful establishment I have ever been to. I will never come back to The Celtic Harp. They would not allow my boyfriend and I inside because he was wearing a durag. We were told that these are "the owners rules". Yet, there were other people inside wearing hats. A durag is a protective hair covering that secures moisture in the hair - distinctive towards people of color. I am extremely disgusted. read more

Baked Haddock fried fish Cold and fries colder. Never go here on a Friday night if you are expecting to eat a fish fry that's cold after a group of 4 Adults(50-and up wait from a 5:30 pm arrival) to a 7pm food arrival. Totally criminal the new waitress actually had to be walked thru the way to make a martini with another wait staff person . Result poor. It's all about the young adults being served outside And The beer on tap. Too bad eaten there before fish fry meal Loved but Sept 24th a disaster. read more

We were in town for Utica's Tomato Pie Day and the Utica College PT club's Muscle Hustle fund raising event. Mid afternoon drinks while wainting for a friend and then returned latter at night w/ the UC PT students. During the afternoon there was a good crowd at the bar and a big party (50+) in the upstairs room. This place was recommended by our friend and also other Utica residents. Located on the popular Varick St neighborhood a good punt to the Saranac Brewery. Friendly place. Baseball on the TVs. Many people were meeting friends here. Big & boisterous as you would expect (and enjoy) in an Irish-themed pub in the USA. Restroom were very clean & bright. Also compliments to the ownership on the excellent artwork and signage throughout the pub. We will definitely return and recommend this stop to all fellow travelers. Slainte! read more

Nice quiet place with really good food. My wife and I went there a few weeks back and really enjoyed it, we will be going back!

Out of all the bars in the city I really do stand by this particular one. Very nice people, good menu choices, and when I say cold bottled beer.....Yes the bottled beer is that cold that this bar is favored by almost everyone on varick st. The dance parties and musicians make for good dancing times. And dont be shy on karaoke night especially if you drinked enough booze before singing read more

Utica. Why you let me down so? I get it, things happen. People have issues, which cause issues for their employers and their businesses. It's really tough finding a restaurant after 8pm in this city, and once we settled on one, it appeared we were going to eat like Irish royalty. Not so fast. We arrive at The Celtic Harp to find out that their cook had to leave, which left us with a beer in-hand, rain outside, 1000 miles from home. I just wanted something to eat tonight, aside from the usual gut-bombs that are open at these hours. Fried foods only boys. We decide to tease our guts with wings, and a couple beers, then head home. The bartender was great with what she had at her beckoned call. If we do come back, I look forward to trying something off the menu of the Irish variety. It's been a while. read more

Didn't have the decency to tell us most of our order wasn't going to be delivered to avoid the order being cancelled. They ended up pocketing $48 for 2 small apps and "mac and cheese" that is basically penne with parm cheese sprinkled on. Way to rip off your customer! read more

The Celtic Harp Restaurant and Pub - a bowl of pasta - Burgers Near Me - Utica, New York

I cannot say much about the restaurant because I only had drinks when I went to The Celtic Harp. The beer was good and the bartender was on his game getting everyone drinks as soon as they were empty, especially since the bar was packed. There is an outside seating area which was nice and enjoyable. read more

So this place was new to me last time I went home. I liked it though. It had a little bit of class to it for an Irish Pub. It's got a pretty nice bar and a local crowd. I came for trivia night where they come up with some really good questions for the people there. Competition is quite fierce, and the winner gets a 100 buck gift certificate if I remember correctly. (The champs at the table behind me had been drinking for free for a few weeks I was told). They have pretty good food as well. The bangers and mash was pretty good and the shepard's pie looked and smelled good as well. It was good to see a cool chill bar though as I am used to the old, dark, nasty run down ones in the area this place was great. The only thing that really really irked me ... the waitress. When you sit down at a table at a bar and the waitress comes up and says, "What can I get y'all to drink?" You would expect her to know the choices ... or at least provide a beer menu. ... Nope she just shook her head and with telling me that their were "lots" :) It was cute, but when I realized that was her real answer I was disappointed. Luckily I was with some regulars so they knew some of the choices. Saranacs are all there, but again check out the taps on your way in for seasonal brews. It's right across the street from the brewery so it's not a shock to have that. read more

Pretty solid beer selection and some really good food. It's seat yourself and can be difficult to get a server right away, I suggest asking the bartender for a menu before sitting down that way they get a server right over to you. I prefer sitting upstairs when dining. The Shepard's Pie and Pot Roast Grinder are amazing, burgers are good, and the Dublin Dippers are an awesome app. Later at night it's definitely a fun bar atmosphere which gets crowded. Took off a star because service can be spotty and slow but the atmosphere and food make it a worth while stop. read more

The Celtic Harp Restaurant and Pub - Pot Roast Grinder and a UC Draft - Burgers Near Me - Utica, New York

I usually dont review anywhere before 3 visitis and we just went once here but there were 8 of us, some fussy, so I figured it would be ok to do this. We were running late, because we wanted to do the brewery tour next door. We onkly had 45 minutes from the time we walked in. (More on that in a minute.) The food was great. Great salads, appetizers and entrees. The soups couldn't be better (the roasted red pepper and gouda soup was fantastic.) The food is a four.(The setting was nice too. Faux Pub but clean and nice enough. ) I just want to commend the service, which was a five. The real issue was time, and we told the server. She was fantastic. Got us everything as soon as she could and had the check ready with 5 minutes to spare. We would have understood if they couldnt have done an 8 person party under such a time constraint but they did great. I dont get to Utica much, but Ill be back here when I do. read more

I stopped in here with my boyfriend on the way to the Saranac Brewery for a concert. This place was clean, comfortable, and had excellent wait staff. We were only in for a couple drinks but I wouldn't have minded staying for dinner. There was a lot of space inside and outside and all of the food that passed us by looked outstanding! Location is great too. A Varick St bar crawl would be a great addition to our next travels in Utica. read more

Stopped in on my way through Utica, for a beer and some grub. It right across the street from the Utica Brewery. Great atmosphere, the best music feed in. I had their Ruben sandwich, which is one of their top sellers. Very good. read more

Came here on a Saturday night. It's your typical college bar. Upstairs was more a chill vibe. Downstairs was the dance floor. DJ seemed to be older and playing all the right songs, but he played them from beginning to end. A lot different from NYC DJs. drinks were super cheap. I'd def be back when I come visit again. read more

I found this to be a very nice irish bar. Staff was friendly and attentive. The first night j went here I had the banshee burger...hands down the best burger I've ever had. A burger with pulled pork,bacon,cheese and coleslaw. It was incredible, the second day I had the fish sandwich, delicious but the burger was a hard act to follow. They also have a decent craft beer menu. read more

The Celtic Harp Restaurant and Pub - Burgers Near Me - Utica, New York

Cool bar atmosphere but everything we ordered to eat was awful. The chowder had no flavor and too much potatoes while the chili had too much tomatoes. The regular and the sweet potato fries were over cooked and the fried meatballs were also over cooked and served over marinara with no flavor. I will not go here again. read more

We came in for dinner and beers on a Saturday night before a show at the saranac brewery. It was pretty quiet when we sat, so the service was quick. We had medium wings and potato skins for appetizers. The wings tasted like quality chicken and were decent sized, though they came without bleu cheese or ranch. Potato skins were large and delicious. For entrees, my father and I both got corned beef Reubens. The sandwiches were meaty and fries were crispy, though we had to ask for a side of dressing because both sandwiches were very dry. My mother and girlfriend both ordered different burgers, one medium rare with bacon and the works and one medium well and plain. Somewhere along the line, the burger orders got switched up and the wrong burgers were cooked to the wrong temperatures. Instead of sending them back, they had to exchange at the table which was annoying. They tasted good though. Overall, it was good but not great. On a side note, we didn't realize until after we ate that there was outside seating unless we probably would have sat there. read more

Pint of my favorite beer Switchback on tap can't get that in Buffalo. The chicken fingers were good and so was the atmosphere. There was pretty good live music that night with no cover. read more

The Celtic Harp Restaurant and Pub - Switchy. - Burgers Near Me - Utica, New York

Hey, not bad! Went here without reservations for a group of about 20...on a Saturday night...and they were able to accommodate us. It's your typical pub joint type food, plenty of huge plates and oil to satisfy...but, even the salads people ordered came out looking good...not a whole lot in the way of leftovers, most people's plates were clean, and I can't say anyone left hungry. Bonus props for the "Singo" game the DJ was running, that was fun! Minus a star for ordering a burger "medium well" and it coming out rare. read more

This is a classic pub. The menu has standard pub food. The specials however, can light up a room. There's several beers on tap and they do a good job of cycling the seasonal beers through. The Shepard's Pie is a must. It does get busy with a solid bar crowd after the dinner hour. If you are on Varick St it's worth the look. read more

Well we were headed to the Stanley for a STYX concert and stopped here for dinner. Celtic Harp is normally awesome. Place was packed and Priscilla greeted us but said she was finished with her sift....which just left the bartender to wait tables and tend bar. Did I mentioned the place was packed and took forever to get our meal. Approximately 50 people. Priscilla clocked back in to help or the service would have ground to a halt!! That being said the food was great when we received it...no complaints there. I am thinking the owner should get his head out of his butt and properly staff the place considering there was a concert at the Stanley. This has happened before but not quite this bad. He should appreciate Priscilla and the bartender...they need a raise read more

Good food and good service. Had the harp house burger and it was exactly what was expected. It was trivia night too and that was plenty fun.

Went there midday to just get a beer. The bartender, whose name I wish I had gotten was fantastic: tall guy with tats. Very personable, made recommendations, friendly and attentive. If I lived there, I would hang at this place because of his service! The atmosphere is cool, very clean and comfortable! They serve the Saranac Beers- he suggested the Black Forrest which was amazingly good! Took my son there for his first "legal beer" on his birthday- the experience was memorable! read more

The research that went into "The Harp" by Tommy P and company really pays off as the decor and colors capture that Irish feel with a more Americanized western contemporary edge. Drink prices can be great pending when you visit and specials. Overall the Harp is the gem of the Varick Street/Brewery district establishments. read more

Fun place, great atmosphere. They usually have music on the weekends, and they are a restaurant during the day that serves traditional Irish food. Gets wicked busy and crowded sat nights, but worth a look read more

This place is the best happy hour spot. We ordered a bunch of apps on our visit and each one was so good. Definitely recommend the Black and Tan onion rings!! The bartenders were very nice and attentive. Go on a Tuesday for trivia night! read more

This place gets packed, and sometimes it hard to get a drink because it's super busy. I do appreciate the live music though. Once, you get outside of the actual bar at least there is breathing room, and bands playing. read more