Limerick Junction

We’ve been coming here for years. Tonight was our last night. Our server charged us incorrectly and refused to fix it. He cursed at me when I questioned the tab. A completely frustrating and unprofessional experience from a place we used to love.

I’ve been through the Virginia Highlands tons of times, and to Atkins Park and Neighbors, but not once did I notice little old Limerick Junction, tucked squarely in the middle of all this.
I found out about it because a girlfriend and I were going to a Paint Nite together and the painting and date we happened to pick was being hosted at Limerick Junction. So there we were.
Our event was on a Tuesday night and although the painting was scheduled to start at 7, we got there about a half hour early to get a good spot and order some food and drinks before things got underway. Limerick Junction is a cute Irish pub in the middle of the Virginia Highlands that has a nice big bar when you enter the front door, a good smattering of tables and booths for dining and a very cute Irish owner/​bartender with a sexy accent who’s super nice.
I didn’t catch his name, but as soon as I entered and greeted my friend, he was greeting us both, and told us the specials and what was on tap as we walked up to the bar. Super nice, like I said. We looked over the menu and ordered food and drinks before walking over to the tables that were already set up with easels, paint and paint brushes.
Our teacher for the evening was great, she had a pre-​made picture of our project for the evening, a microphone and another plain canvas which she proceeded to paint with us, step-​by-​step. Once everyone had assembled, we dove right in with our teacher leading, giving tips and encouraging people to stand up periodically and see what others who were putting their own flair to their paintings were doing.
It was a little tough to eat my pastrami sandwich and paint, so I ended up eating only half even though it was tasty, and taking the other half home. Our group was good — people were talented and I was happy how with how my picture turned out too. There was one guy at the bar who was actively cheering us on, and telling us how good our paintings were (I think in hopes of piquing one of the women’s interests), but everyone just sort of kept doing their own things.
We finished up about 15 minutes before 9, and paid our bills at the bar after cleaning up a little bit. Overall, I had a great time and Limerick Junction was very accommodating to our group and a nice spot to do it, because it wasn’t too big and the teacher was able to be heard easily and give everyone attention. It was a fun experience.

Enjoy the bar, but hate the cigarette smoke. Wish Limerick would get onboard the non-​smoking train.

Bartender wasn’t very helpful. It was s Wednesday and not very busy but she left me and a couple others dry numerous times.

One of my regular spots. Sean Jamie and liz will take great care of you. This is a place where you can relax and just be part of the neighborhood. Great live music most nights. Simple bar for simple drinks. Nothing fancy. Which is why I love it!

Great bar with really friendly service. Drinks are reasonably priced and they have TVs to watch sports. The rating could increase a star if they didn’t allow smoking, the ventilation isn’t good enough for this not to be a problem.

I have been coming here since they opened… in 1988.
reminds me of the pubs I grew up in Hell’s Kitchen…
a real Irish pub in Atlanta Ga…
best Guinness, best bartenders… hands down.
and when you go there enough, they remember what you drink.
and that, to me, is what a pub is supposed to be

Fun place to hang out if you love live music. I’ve never eaten a full meal, but their irish eggroll appetizer is delicious late night. They also serve free popcorn.

The open mic night with Brian is dynamite. Great original music and local feel. Also the helpful and patient bartender Megan Is unsurpassed. A hidden gem on a Wednesday night.

So we ordered drinks 5 minutes before last call, waitress forgot we ordered drinks, and kicked us out when we were obviously waiting for our über driver. We ordered drinks, she refused to give them to us, tried to make it up to my friend because it is her bday with a free half shot of Jamison, and kicked us the f*** out. Not cool yo.

I can’t base this on food as I have yet to eat here, but Limerick Junction is a great spot to stop by for a few drinks. I love car bombs and this is the place to get them where they are made right. The bartender said we were the cleanest car bomb drinkers she’d ever seen (why splash the good stuff away?). The live music is great, the regulars are fun, it’s just a good spot to chill out for a bit.

I’m currently sitting at comedy night at Limerick Junction and the shit is going UP. I’m drinking my second Smithwick’s ordered from a fool with an ill Irish accent (I know that matters to y’all).
The vibe is fantastic, the drinks are on point, and I just spit out my beer to a pedophile joke. Fun spot with «chill pub» atmosphere.

SO many better options within 100 yards, don’t waste your time.

The «classic reuben» was disgusting. It was soggy & chewy. I did not get silverware or the sauce I asked for. This is the worst reuben in the city. Not only that but it took forever and we were the only people there.

Came here to watch the World Cup game.
I love this pub. That’s right. PUB.
The waitstaff is great. Attentive and knowledgeable.
The food is actually fun and delicious.
The corn beef and cabbage with farmer’s cheese egg rolls are the noms.
The house made honey mustard I had on my salad is perfection to me.
I have been coming here while… bought time I said something.
It is a smoking establishment, but, funny enough, I didn’t smell like smoke when I left. I wasn’t as bothered by the smoke as I usually am. Great filter system.
Parking in the back is free and you can just climb the stairs to the patio.

Oh yeah, the Irish place! This place also had a cool bartender and a pro-​World Cup vibe. Weird food menu and food but drinks were good.

Could be a cool place but it is smoke filled. Stay away if you don’t like drinking your Guiness in a cloud of smoke. We stopped in on a Saturday night and ordered a round of drinks but ended up leaving before finishing them.

I must no have a bit of Irish in me.
I didn’t like it.
Had something called a Chicken Gouyons.
Wish I could have my money back.
Only went here cause they were part of a bar crawl and I got a comp drink.
I must not have a bit of Irish in me.
51 of 100

I feel conflicted about how to write a review for Limerick. On the one hand, I’ve frequented it many times and have loved it, on the other my friend was in real danger.
I went through a period where me and the crew loved to go here after a night of drinking. Or just come late and get smashed. The beer selection is good for college kids and cheapskates– lots of good, mid-​range beers for cheap. Whichever special they have that night is usually fine. It’s not great, but you don’t go here for great drinks, you go to enjoy the faux Irish vibe they have going on, which implies rowdy drunkenness.
On a good night, the vibe is great, cozy but not tame. There’s usually one of the same two artists in there, singing and playing guitar. They play alternative acoustic hits and covers, and once everyone’s ready to sing, Irish drinking songs. Great fun.
I want to like Limerick but I can’t because some guy tried to DATE RAPE MY FRIEND HERE. This isn’t the bar’s fault, but it is a reflection of their patronage.
On that particular night there was a big group of us at a booth in the back. My friend got up to chat with folks at the bar and to bum a cigarette from someone. The same guy who offered her a cigarette also turned out to be a sleezey, rapey scumbag. He offered to buy her a drink, and as soon as the bartender placed it in front of him he did a bad job of hiding the fact that he was emptying a capsule full of white powder into it. She was not very intoxicated at all and called him on it, to which he replied, «You’re really drunk right now.» She didn’t tell me this until after we’d all left the bar (she didn’t want to ‘ruin the mood’). I promptly freaked out and never went there again.
I can already hear a potential response of, «Women can get date raped anywhere! They just have to be aware and know how to keep themselves safe from predators!!» TRUE. BUT. Limerick comes off as a fun, neighborhood pub kind of place, and the fact that a date rapist felt comfortable enough to attempt to spike a drink in front of a crowded bar, and potentially drag an intoxicated woman out of there with him to do date-​rapey things to her says a lot about what he thinks he can get away with in that environment. And if it had happened to a friend of yours, how would you feel about it?
There are a lot of places in Atlanta where women can and should go where they can drink safely. I’m sorry that this isn’t one of them.
How to rate this? The times I did go I had awesome experiences, so I don’t want to hurt Limerick’s rating because of a one-​off that was horrible. But I’m not going to excuse the establishment because of the «it could happen anywhere» mentality. That would be unsafe and is right up there with telling women they should prevent sexual assault by not wearing sexy clothes.
So… 3 stars, but ladies, WATCH YOUR SHIT.

I got a chance to relive my college days this weekend, going to Music Midtown, a Tech game, and Limerick for some live music.
We were lucky enough to get the back booth, giving us space to spread out. I got the free popcorn, which was excessively salty and slightly stale, while J got the drinks. They have dark and stormy’s on the menu now, a welcome treat after having beer all day.
Galen was playing, and he’s our favorite now. He’s a good mix of crowd-​pleasing Irish classics (Wild Rover, Seven Drunken Nights, Devil is Dead), covers, and his own music. He called up a few friends to join in the performances. He was upset that he’d missed seeing Pearl Jam play, but when we told him that they hadn’t played Daughter or Hunger Strike, he obliged. Nice touch.
Limerick is a great neighborhood bar, particularly if you’ve got a seat.