Readers' Choice: Connolly Station Voted Best Place to Celebrate St. Paddy's Day

When it comes to St. Paddy's Day parties, it's hard to top in Malverne. There's pounds of corned beef and cabage and other Irish delicacies, live Irish music and step dancers and the place it decked out in shamrocks.

Perhaps, this is why Patch readers voted this Malverne bar and restaurant to win our Readers' Choice award for the best place in celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Connolly Station took more than 50 percent of the votes, beating out Community Cafe in West Hempstead by seven votes. 

You'd be hard-pressed to find a local place that captures the spirit of the Emerald Isle more than Connolly Station. Owner Gerry Hughes left Dublin in 1969 at the age of 18, but he brought the best of his homeland with him to America.

After spending years bartending in Rockaway Beach, he opened up Connolly's in 1996, taking over what once was J.P. Doyles. 

"It has a homely feel to it," said Hughes, who tried to capture the characteristics of a genuine Irish pub, pointing out the low ceilings, wooden bar stools, vintage Guiness signs and classic civil war paintings.

His menu includes traditional Irish delicacies, including Shepherd's Pie and a Mixed Grill made with black and white pudding, Irish sausage, bacon and beans, and fried tomato. He also serves a popular fish and chips dish that he recommends dosing with malt vinegar like they do in Ireland.

Plus, there's live Irish music every Sundays starting at 6 p.m. (Hughes himself plays the first Sunday of every month) 

While it always seems like St. Paddy's Day here, when March 17 does arrive, Hughes will go all out for the holiday. Over the years, he's brought in step dancers and bag pipers, held a Shepherd's Pie eating contest and served up roughly 800 pounds of corned beef and green beer.

So put on your Kelly Green, and head over this small slice of Dublin in the village of Malverne for St. Paddy's Day or any day, and you're sure to find plenty of Irish eyes, as well as others, smiling.