Just in time for the St. Patrick's Day party scene, the owners of Keegan's Public House in Kennesaw will officially open the doors to their Irish-themed pub. The new gathering spot is one of the first eateries to open in the Ridenour development off Barrett Parkway and the first pub for owners Mike and Patrick Ford and partner Todd Willis.

"We thought it would be a cool concept in an area that needs a neighborhood pub," said Mike Ford, who also operates several Johnny's Pizza outlets in Cobb. "We're surrounded by 1,100 residents at Ridenour. It's a good place for a bar with great food."

Renee Brock/special (ENLARGE)
The best of indoors and out for enjoying a brew is available at Keegan's Public House, a new Irish-themed spot in the Ridenour development in Kennesaw. The building has a bit of that Old World charm.
Renee Brock/special (ENLARGE)
Keegan's serves bangers and mash, Irish sausage with garlic mashed potatoes, mushrooms and red wine gravy.
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The new building has a bit of that Old World charm, with hand-hewn beams on the ceiling and a big bar with 22 seats. There's room for 100 at the booths and high-top tables inside, and another 100 can fit onto the patio.

While they don't claim to be tapping their Emerald Isle roots, the crew did go for the Irish theme and the social life it's associated with. But don't look for any Keegans behind the bar: The name was just a title they all could agree on.

"And we didn't want anything that started with O," said Mike Ford.

Irish-American menu

Keegan's isn't just about Irish cuisine, but it does offer plenty for those who hanker for Mulligan stew, fish and chips, bangers and mash, Guinness steak and mushrooms or a dash of Baileys in their coffee. There's also a full Irish breakfast, with bacon, bangers, tomatoes, baked beans, potatoes and toast.

Start off with the Harp lager and three cheese dip, spring rolls stuffed with corned beef, Angus sliders or black and tan onion rings that have been cooked in a beer batter then drizzled with a dark Guinness batter. The kitchen's signature dish is a salad of mixed greens with strawberries, caramelized walnuts and red onions. There's also a selection of spinach, iceberg wedge, Caesar and house salads.

Lunchtime fare includes sandwiches of roast beef, battered cod, sliced steak, corned beef, yellowfin tuna and veggies, along with beef and turkey burgers. Heartier dinner fare features a 12-ounce New York strip, battered and pan-fried chicken breasts, grilled yellowfin, beer-battered cod and shepherd's pie, a blend of ground beef and veggies served in a rich brown gravy with mashed potatoes. For St. Paddy's, the menu will also feature platters of corned beef and cabbage.

Desserts are simple and sweet: bread pudding, Baileys cheesecake and the "death by chocolate" cake.

From the bar

There are a dozen beers on draft, including Guinness, Harp, Bass, Newcastle and Sweetwater and Strongbow cider, and another dozen in the bottle. The short list of 20 wines tops out at $35 a bottle, and all selections are available by the glass. The real bar stars are the specialty drinks with Irish-inspired names, natch: Irish raspberry martinis, Irish car bombs (Baileys, whiskey and Guinness), the chocolate-covered leprechaun martini, a four-leaf Cosmo and the Nutty Irishman shooter (Baileys and hazelnut liqueur). The die-hards will go for it straight with an order from the ample selection of single-malt scotches and Irish whiskeys.