Napper Tandy’s Irish Restaurant & Pub

While I still don’t care for Napper Tandy’s on weekend nights and don’t feel that they’re a true Irish Pub, because of trivia nights, Napper Tandy’s has grown on me over the past year and half.
They take reservations so if you have plans for a group then feel free to call ahead. They’re super helpful in accommodating you and finding a good space for your group! The service there is pretty good too.
I’ve been for brunch with my Mom and brunch with my book club. They don’t serve a brunch buffet like they did years ago, but they do offer their regular menu and some breakfast offerings like French Toast. Brunch at Napper’s is rather dark on a Sunday morning/​early afternoon because of the dark woods and calm atmosphere which is a deep contrast to their regular activity. It’s endearing at the same time though and more genuine.
My trivia group has also been there for trivia three times in the past year. DJ Trivia serves as host for trivia nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Trivia starts at 7:30 and lasts for a couple of hours. Trivia is really why I go there because their weekend night activity still isn’t for me.
Over my visits in the past year and half I’ve sampled a variety of items on their menu. Their hot wings are pretty good, but could use a little more sauce. Their Pub Style Nachos are monstrous and really good! I’ve also tried a burger there and one of the specials.
I can’t remember what else I’ve had there because it’s been a few months, but I was just reflecting on some of our favorite trivia spots and wanted to share that their trivia nights really have improved my experiences at Napper’s. The food isn’t fantastic, but it’s pub fare and that’s to be expected. Pubs are meant to entertain with their atmosphere. I wouldn’t say this is a true pub — I’ve been to plenty authentic pubs in London, but it’s a fun pub and I think people really do have fun there so there’s something to be said for that.

I’m here all the time to meet up with friends. Hate it. Food sucks. I eat before I come here cause the food is so horrible and WAY Overpriced. Service usually sucks.

I’ve rarely been to Napper Tandy’s and not enjoyed myself. I include it almost every time I am on Glenwood. The drinks are stiff and the karaōke is decent. Its just not a five because although I almost always meet cool people there, its not a very inclusive place. Bring a group.

Yeah, ive been to better places. Beer was bad. Service was not so great.

We went here last night for the all you can eat wing special on Wednesday’s. It was great! The server was very pleasant, and attentive. I don’t think I sat for more than about 2 – 3 minutes with a finished plate of wings before being asked if I wanted any more. The karaōke was fun to listen to, and the atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming.
The Guiness BBQ wings were my favorite («they’ll give you diabetes» per my friend), but they also had hot, mild, and teriyaki. They did not skimp at all when you had multiple plates. One of my friends came in right before the wing deal was ending, and the staff made sure he had plenty of wings to eat before the end (bringing him multiple plates).
What more can you want: great service, good food, well priced beer. Oh, and karaōke!
I’ll definitely be going back!

I’ve been twice and both times the food has been good. Not off the charts but a great place to meet for drinks and friendly banter. Service is touch and go depending on who you get.
I ordered the shepards pie as a suggestion from the bartender and it was quite tasty… And quite expensive… 12.95 and not that large.
All in all a great place– been there for DJ bingo and enjoyed it. Solid 3 out of 5.

I’ve been looking for a place to play Trivia on Tuesday nights. Napper Tandy’s offers DJ Trivia from 7:30−9pm, which was an almost perfect time slot for my friends and I… but unfortunately the service was nowhere near perfect.
I went a second time just in case what I experienced was a rarity, but I received the same lackluster service. The beginning of the night always starts out great — we are seated promptly, place our drink orders, and receive our initial drinks pretty quickly. As the night went on, our server began to not come around as often until we are left with empty pint glasses and looking around for the server instead of enjoying the night.
Twice the manager came over after noticing us looking around and asked if we needed anything and went to go get the server herself, which was nice of her.
The reason I’m giving them a second star is due to the food and trivia being pretty good. I ordered calamari and it was great — friends ordered chicken wraps and said good things about them as well.
It’s really a shame that the service is not up to par, as I loved the atmosphere and the trivia.

Napper Tandy’s is always a great time. There is a night and time for everyone. I have been there on quiet nights as well as nights with live music. There are always good drink specials as well as food specials. The bartenders are always friendly. Beware on a really busy night though as they can get behind on heir orders. The doormen are often friendly as well. I had gone only a few times sporadically and they remembered me already. An all around friendly place.
My favorite nights to go are Wednesday’s or a weekend. Wednesday night is karaōke night. They have $ 2.50 pints as well as $ 8 pitchers and wings. The guys that run karaōke are fun and keep the crowd going. The karaōke crowd is crazy and sing a wide variety of songs. Get there when it starts and you will more than likely hear some slow love ballads. As the night wears on the songs pick up. On the weekends they tend to have bands play. Some of my favorite bands play here. They have great 80’s bands which I love. If you can catch them 80’s enuff plays and they are amazing. Always a good time.
If you need quiet they have a large patio as well as a back room area. There are actually many different rooms here to tuck away into. Great for parties and group events.

Overall, a pretty nice layout at Napper Tandy’s — multiple bars, small alcoves here and there, sections of the restaurant have raised platforms. Our bartender, Melissa, was really nice and super attentive. There is outdoor seating with heat lamps and live music in the evenings.
We used to frequent this location when it was RiRa’s and it definitely doesn’t have the same heavy atmosphere, although there is the classic dark wood that you would expect of an Irish Bar.
We haven’t had the chance to try to food yet, so my review is really just on on drinks and atmosphere.
We enjoyed ourselves and will definitely be back again!

I absolutely LOVE Napper Tandy’s. I have been there on a few different occasions and am currently a regular at Wednesday Night Karaōke. Karaōke night there is SO much fun, and is absolutely something for everyone to check out at least once. Even if you cannot brave the getting up on stage part, you are sure to have a good time watching and listening to everyone else. (Although I do recommend at least trying the singing part, no one laughs, hard.) I usually go with a large group of people, and the staff is always patient with our table, getting everyone’s drink orders and pulling up extra chairs when necessary. The two guys who run karaōke are great too. You can literally choose any song you can think of, they have it all! I personally usually go for tacky 90s throwbacks myself. (Backstreet Boys, Old School Britney, that sort of thing). They let any number of people on stage with you, so if you have a fear of singing alone, bring some back up on there! I am an awful singer, but when I got all my friends up there with me it’s not so bad! You will find people fresh out of college or fresh out of retirement at this all ages night of entertainment! (All ages over 21 of course). They also have an all you can eat chicken wing buffet that I have not had, but I’ve heard is really good. You can also get $ 8 pitchers on Wednesday nights, if you wish to enjoy a mid week libation :-)
I’ve also been to Napper Tandy’s for Halloween and for New Year’s Eve and had a blast at both events. They had an 80s band at both, «80s Enuff» and «Love Tribe» and it was so much fun listening to throwback songs from one of the best decades of music. On Halloween I had planned on doing a bar crawl, but had so much fun at Napper Tandy’s that I just stayed the whole night. The bar on both those occasions was extremely crowded, there was barely any room to move, but with the multiple bars and plenty of staff I did not have trouble getting a drink, and the crowd wasn’t too bad because the band kept everyone moving and excited. The women’s bathroom line was even bearable, which is a feat in my book.
Napper Tandy’s has a lot of special events going on, and constantly has live bands. If you are in the mood for good music, good beer and a good time you should absolutely check it out. I know I will definitely be back to hear some awesome 80s tunes, and will continue to make it my hump day hangout!

Lets see if you are looking for a bar for drinks only and then have some bar food to soak up the many beers in your belly while listening to really loud and bad Karoke? This is the place and I would give a four.
For a sit down dinner… this place ain’t Irish… the Shephard’s Pie… well lets just say chain restaurant that make this is better than this place. The mozza sticks… again go to the frozen food section of your local grocery store. This place is a two for dinner. This is a place for the first section of my review only.

I’ve had an «on again off again» relationship with Napper Tandy’s and it’s earlier incarnation, RiRa’s, for years. It wasn’t always their fault though, I just happend to have a lot of weird experiences in this bar.
I always liked the food (though it seemed like they changed the menu a lot) and the atmosphere. I love the multiple bars and the private rooms. The service was iffy — I used to have a writer’s group that would meet here regularly and they always acted like they were doing us a favor even though we all spent a lot of money there. It was strange! Since I no longer attend the group, this is no longer an issue, but it definitely left an impression. With all the private areas, you’d think the place was good for groups, but I wouldn’t recommend having a group event here. Also, it can get pretty noisy making conversation difficult any way.
Napper Tandy’s has a great outside seating area and it’s a fun place to just chill out with your friends. they always have drink specials and I recommend the potato cakes and the philly boxty. My last experience at Napper Tandy’s was great, so it seems we are «on» right now!

In the world of my Irish pubs, I rarely go beyond the Hibernian or Tir Na Nog. But it would be remiss to not mention Napper Tandy’s, tucked away off of Glenwood. And that makes all the difference in the world! Napper has the same dark wood interior and great service that you might find in the other spots. But it seems a bit more mellow since it’s off the beaten path. Not to say it can’t probably get crazy at times.
Bartenders and waitstaff at Napper are friendly and efficient. The beer selection isn’t huge but good enough, don’t expect anything too exotic. They’ve also got a large patio if you want some fresh air for the evening. With trivia nights, food specials and drink specials ($ 2 pints on Thursdays), there’s pretty much a special every day of the week. So if you’re on a budget, Napper is a great place to relax without blowing too much money. I don’t go to Irish bars for anything too complicated and Napper fits the bill. A good spot for tipping back a beer and lively conversation, slainte!

I’ve been to Napper Tandy’s a few times on Wednesday nights for their sweet karaōke jamz and I’ve always had a great time! Hostesses and waitresses have been super flexible and since I usually come with an enormous group of people, I appreciate their organization and ability to get our complicated orders straight. The food seems like standard bar food– Wednesday nights they also have all-​you-​can-​eat wings, but I haven’t heard great things about them. Let’s face it though, if you’re at Napper Tandy’s, you’re probably (hopefully) not there for the food.
I love their set-​up with multiple bars. It makes ordering drinks amazing and allows you to check out the different areas of the place. Each bar has different ambiance about it– definitely worth checking out.
But what really makes this place so amazing on Wednesday nights is the karaōke. You can literally sign up to perform any song and I’ve heard everything from Elvis to the Barenaked Ladies to Florence and the Machine. Some of the singers have got to be over 60… and it is absolutely delightful to hear them belt out a ballad better left in the ‘80s. It’s also great to hear some of those songs you haven’t even thought of in 10 years (LFO Summer Girls anyone?)
Bottom line: Choose Wednesdays. You’ll get free entertainment (the good, the bad and the ugly), $ 8 pitchers of Killian’s and an excuse to celebrate Hump Day.

Napper Tandy’s is always a solid choice for a relaxed weeknight or a more gregarious weekend crowd. There are always a few excellent drink specials and Tuesday’s trivia night can be a lot of fun. Weekends often bring in some pretty awesome bands and there seems to be an emphasis on some rockin’ 80’s cover bands.
Personally, as a big beer drinker and foodie, I’m not super impressed by their drink selection and their menu. It’s typical bar food with a lot of sandwiches, burgers, and fried foods. Although, I will say that their steak sandwich is pretty good and has a nice twist– it’s served with onion rings and a balsamic glaze on top of a seasoned Ribeye, mushrooms, and melted cheddar.
I was not particularly impressed by their Shepherd’s pie and other traditional fare that was served for their brunch buffet. So overall, I believe that there are far better options for brunch in the city. But their waiters and bartenders are always super nice and the service is always quick, even on a busy Friday evening.

Woman’s bathroom has about 5 stalls, which was awesome! Pretty dead on a Thursday night, with Trivia and Bingo going on in the background. Outdoor seating was abundant, but smoking is apparently allowed, which was bothersome when the smoke drifted to our table. Waitress was friendly, but didn’t check on us as much as I would have liked, and she (admittedly) forgot my beer order for about 10 minutes.

Napper has always been a solid but average Friday night hangout for me, because truthfully Napper isn’t unlike other Irish pubs around town, and with three others within walking distance, I have not figured out what keep drawing these people in. Until last night.
It’s a sports pub. Napper has two full bars inside, surrounded by TV with local and national/​international sports ongoing. It’s an Irish Bar. Everywhere you turn in here you might see a flyer or two for Rugby match schedules. It’s a restaurant. Napper serves your standard bar foods and a bit more.
After a good friend’s wedding late afternoon, we decided to get out of our formal clothing and find celebration (and libation) elsewhere. Our night brought us to Napper Tandy’s. With a party of fourteen grabbing the table beside the stage, and random barking (over the DJ music, which were indeed a bit lacking last night due to DJ’s preference to the blast from the past with 90’s pop music) of orders for food and drinks, I was amazed at the end of night no one was complaining their checks were messed up.
Big prop to the waiting staff (Maureen and Hadley) that joined our impromptu Disco session, where we brought out all the classic moves like the sprinklers and the shopping cart and «the towel» and my personal favorite, «the Pony.»
Everyone had a great time. Everyone went home happy. I know for sure everyone will be out here again soon. «Go n-​ithe an cat thú is go n-​ithe an diabhal an cat,» or something like that.

Napper T’s is an old favorite of mine and I am a semi-​regular who has been going there for years to hear a good band and drink a few cold beverages. The pub is on West street in downtown Raleigh across the street from 42^nd street Oyster Bar. It is based on the Irish pubs in architecture. I can’t really say whether or not it is authentic looking having never been to Ireland, but it probably is a good replication based on the similarity to other Irish-​American bars in the area. There are bars in the front and back with two smaller bars on the sides. When the weather is nice and on special occasions such as St. Pat’s day they will open up a bar outside too.
Some of the bartenders have been there a while, and are always friendly and attentive. Kelly at the front bar is one of my favorite bartenders in the area. She always has a smile and knows my favorite beer even before I ask for it.
I can’t really review the food here because in all the years I have been coming to Napper’s I may have eaten once or twice, but eating is often an after-​thought to the food and entertainment. I think of this place as bar first and restaurant second.
On the weekends they have bands playing and will charge a $ 5 cover after 10pm. The bands are mostly cover bands that play music from the 80’s and 90’s.
The best time of the year to visit Napper Tandy’s is in March around St. Patrick’s Day. For the big day itself they open up the court yard area adjacent to the pub and have a huge parking lot party. If you fancy a good time with friends and some cool music, head on over to Napper’s and get your Irish on!

It’s hard to imagine that two Irish pubs so close to each other would work. But, I actually prefer Napper Tandy’s to Natty Greene’s. I’ve been here twice… once on a Friday at lunch and another time on a Thursday night (trivia night!).
If you’re in downtown Raleigh on a Friday, you can’t really beat sitting on their patio eating the fish & chips ($ 8.95) with a cold beer. The only problem is that their drink specials on Friday are Heineken and Corona (not my favorites), but their overall selection is decent.
Trivia is pretty popular on Thursday night and they have $ 1 mystery beers, Sam Adams drafts, and Miller Lite bottles on special. I wasn’t feeling mysterious (or yearning for what was sure to be a PBR), so I opted for the safe bet (Sam Adams summer). Strangely enough, there are two different fish & chips on the menu (cod and haddock). I don’t know why they just don’t pick one. Haddock is cheaper by $ 1, so do that. Any of the pies (shepherd’s, steak & mushroom, etc.) are also a safe bet.
Of course, this is also a safe bet to just get drinks, but I haven’t been here when it’s been really busy.

Okay, so we’ve got Napper Tandy’s (née Rí Ra) and, just across the street is Natty Greene’s. This is just too many fake-​sounding names in close proximity, if you ask me.
Silly names aside, this place is pretty rad. I’d never been here when it wasn’t absolutely teeming with people (i.e., weekend nights), but stopped there on a Monday afternoon after doing some business in Raleigh to catch the tail-​end of the Spain-​Honduras World Cup match on one of the massive TVs they have above the bar.
We were two of only three folks at the bar, but the bartender was super-​super nice to us, saying «Yay, people!» when we came in. Other bartenders have in my opinion gotten quite irritated with having to wait on folks at off times in the afternoon when they’d otherwise just be holding up the counter.
They’ve got a lot of local microbrews on tap, although perhaps not as much Big Boss as I’d like. I loved their seasonal, however: Blanco Diablo (update: Big Boss has begun brewing and bottling Blanco Diablo year round). The husband went with Red Oak, a Greensboro standard.
Having not eaten since breakfast, I was famished, and ordered the portobello wrap, which came with a side salad AND a side: a veritable lunchtime smörgasbord (I’m mad that Unilocal wouldn’t let me use that special character «a» in that word)! There aren’t many vegetarian options on the menu, and I honestly wasn’t expecting much from this wrap, but it was pretty dang delicious. Much better, more flavorful, in my opinion, than the average pub wrap. I’d eat it again.
The prices are reasonable, the people who work there are friendly, and I’ll definitely be back. Perhaps to shoot some darts, enjoy some live music, or sit outside and shoot the breeze.