The Barrington Hills Observer

Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day with Guinness-glazed pub shrimp at Bennigan’s. | Courtesy of Bennigan’s

By Rick West | Daily Herald

With St. Patrick’s Day falling on Sunday, most bars and restaurants are planning a weekend, if not a full week, of activities and specials. So gear up in your best green and get ready to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland with music, corned beef, green beer and more. Sláinte!

Bennigan’s

495 Airport Road, Elgin, (847) 488-9900, bennigans.com/. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at one of the original Irish chain restaurants, which will be serving green beer, corned beef and cabbage and beer cheese soup Sunday, March 17. And now through April 2, Bennigan’s is serving Blarney Blast 2024 drink and food deals, including Guinness-glazed pub shrimp, Reuben burger and Finn’s beer-battered fish and chips. Wash it down with Emerald Isle Party Punch, Blarney Stone Kiss and Tableside Irish Coffee.

Broken Oar

614 Rawson Bridge Road, Port Barrington, (847) 639-9468, brokenoar.com/ or tickettailor.com/events/brokenoar/850057. Get ready for St. Patrick’s Day with Broken Oar’s Shamrockers Ball over the next two weekends, Friday through Sunday, March 8-10 and 15-17. There will be live music each day, including Hillbilly Rockstarz at 9 p.m. Friday, March 8; Semple at 9 p.m. Saturday, March 9; Kashmir at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 10; Infinity at 9 p.m. March 15; Tennessee Whiskey at 9 p.m. March 16; Modern Day Romeos at 3 p.m. March 17, and more. Plus, Irish dancers, Irish beer, corned beef and cabbage and more. Daily pass is $10; six-day pass is $30. Buy tickets in advance at tickettailor.com.

Head to Buffalo Creek Brewing for the annual St. Paddy’s Shindig March 15-17. | Courtesy of Buffalo Creek Brewing

Buffalo Creek Brewing

360 Historical Lane, Long Grove, (847) 821-6140, buffalocreekbrewing.com/. BCB goes green for their annual St. Paddy’s Shindig March 15-17. Guests are invited to celebrate in the taproom or outside in the biergarten alongside the firepits. The party starts Friday night with Chicago-style hot dogs and green pretzels. Saturday morning, doors open early at 9 a.m. with Indaba USA serving up authentic Full Irish Bunnies (Pullman loaf filled with bangers, bacon, mushrooms and English beans topped with an egg) and green beer. The afternoon continues with Irish folk dancing from McNulty’s School of Irish Dance and Chicago Culinary Kitchen’s corned beef creations. DAMJAX will keep the festivities rocking all night with traditional Irish folk music. Small batch of S¢ott 72 (Dry Irish Stout) will be released at the opening on Saturday along with weekend specials on pints and steins of Burning Red Irish Ale.

Try the grasshopper topped with lucky marshmallows at City Works Eatery & Pour House. | Courtesy of City Works Eatery and Pour House

City Works Eatery & Pour House

1850 E. Golf Road, Schaumburg, (847) 584-2500 and 929 N. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills, (847) 984-3571, cityworksrestaurant.com/. Irish specials available March 13-17 include Shepherd’s pie flatbread, corned beef hash and Irish mac n’ cheese. Specialty drinks include Jameson honey mule, grasshopper topped with lucky marshmallows, baby Guinness shots and more. Guests in green gear at the restaurant can tag City Works on their socials on March 17 for a chance to win a $100 gift card.

Cooper’s Hawk

Locations in Algonquin, Arlington Heights, Bloomingdale, Burr Ridge, Downers Grove, Gurnee, Kildeer, Naperville, South Barrington, St. Charles, Wheeling and more; chwinery.com/. Add a dash of green to your celebration with Shamrock Reserve, a fresh and complex wine with a wee bit o’ Irish color. Pair it with corned beef sliders and corned beef and cabbage on March 17.

Durty Nellie’s

180 N. Smith St., Palatine, durtystpats.com/. Join in on the shenanigans at the 12th annual Durty Nellie’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Saturday, March 16. It begins with a traditional Irish breakfast from 8:30-10:30 a.m. that includes rashers, bangers, eggs, baked beans, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, Irish soda bread, black pudding and hash browns — along with fruit and pastries. It’s $25 per person and includes an Irish-themed cocktail. The annual Durty St. Pat’s Parade will follow at 11 a.m., stepping off from the corner of Wood and Oak streets, heading west and ending at Durty Nellie’s, where the Epic After Party will kick off at noon featuring traditional Irish fare, music, dancing and more.

Finn McCool’s Irish Sports Pub

1941 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg, (847) 303-5100, finnmccoolschicago.com/. Get ready for FinnsFest 2024 running March 15-17 featuring music, beer, whiskey and corned beef (sliders, nachos, sandwiches and dinners) in the tented patio.

Through Sunday, March 17, order up the specialty green frosé at The Hampton Social. | Courtesy of The Hampton Social

The Hampton Social

100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington, (224) 633-5414, and locations in Burr Ridge and Skokie; thehamptonsocial.com/. Through Sunday, March 17, order up the specialty green frosé — made with Tito’s vodka, rosé wine and peach purée — for $17.

Now through Sunday, March 17, dine on St. Patrick’s Day specials such as Irish egg rolls at Miller’s Ale House. | Courtesy of Miller’s Ale House

Miller’s Ale House

778 N. Route 59, Aurora, (630) 332-8574; 455 Butterfield Road, Lombard, (630) 241-3371; and 1300 N. Meacham Road, Schaumburg, (847) 598-1090; millersalehouse.com/. Now through Sunday, March 17, dine on St. Patrick’s Day specials including Irish egg rolls (corned beef, sauerkraut, bistro sauce and Swiss cheese) for $11.99 or the Reuben for $15.99.

Peggy Kinnane’s

8 N. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights, (847) 577-7733, peggykinnanes.com/. St. Patrick’s Family Day from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 10, includes a leprechaun, face painting, magic and balloon art. A long weekend of fun starts Friday, March 15, with Irish Dancers from Hogan Irish Dance Academy at 4:30 p.m. and Chicago Highlander Pipe Band at 5 p.m. The band Farkus takes the stage from 8 p.m. to midnight. On Saturday, March 16, enjoy bagpipes at 12:15 and 4 p.m. and Irish dancers at 1 and 3:15 p.m. before Ken Dix and the Pigs take the stage at 7 p.m. On Sunday, don your best green garb for the main event from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Rep’s Place

3200 Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows, (224) 347-2916, repsplace.com/. The sixth annual St. Pat’s Party kicks off at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 16, with $5, 20-ounce green beers and live music. Featured items include Irish slammers, Jameson shots, Guinness and Reuben sandwiches.

Tap House Grill

Locations in Algonquin, Hanover Park, Lemont, Oswego, Palatine, Plainfield, St. Charles and Wheeling; taphousegrills.com/. March 9-18, dine on Irish-themed food specials such as Reuben sliders ($14), Reuben rolls ($13), Reuben sandwiches ($15), and corned beef and cabbage ($19). Check for specials and entertainment on March 17.

Timothy O’ Toole’s offers specialty cocktails for St. Patrick’s Day. | Courtesy of Timothy O’Toole’s

Timothy O’ Toole’s

412 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, (847) 984-2599; 5572 Grand Ave., Gurnee, (847) 249-0800; 10 W. Grand Ave., Lake Villa, (847) 979-0600; timothyotooles.com/. Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans at O’Toole’s Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17, with bagpiper performances, prizes, giveaways, a shot wheel and more. Food specials (available March 13-17) include corned beef and cabbage ($20), corned beef on rye ($16), Guinness beef stew ($17), shepherd’s pie ($17), classic Reuben ($17), and fish and chips ($19). Drink specials (prices may vary by location) include pints of green beer ($5), pitchers of green beer ($20), pints of Guinness, Smithwick’s and Guinness Black List ($8.50), shots of Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey or Jameson ($7), shots of Fireball or Skrewball ($6), Irish Car Bombs ($8), Dirty Leprechaun Cocktail ($10) and Dirty Leprechaun Personal Pitcher ($20). St. Paddy’s cocktails include the Pot-O-Gold ($9) with Tres Agaves tequila, blue Curacao and orange juice; Magically Delicious ($10) with Jameson, Malibu, vanilla cinnamon syrup and pineapple juice; Iced Irish coffee ($9) with Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition, Kahlua, Baileys and demerara syrup; McMint Mar-Teeny ($10) with Ole Smoky mint chocolate chip cream whiskey, shaken and garnished with chocolate shavings; and Green Tea Shot ($7) with Jameson, peach schnapps, sour mix and Sprite.

Get in the St. Patrick’s spirit with a corned beef and cabbage plate from Wildfire. | Courtesy of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants

Wildfire

1300 Patriot Blvd., Glenview, (847) 657-6363; 235 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire, (847) 279-7900; 232 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 586-9000; 1250 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 995-0100, wildfirerestaurant.com/. Get in the St. Patrick’s spirit with a Corned Beef and Cabbage Plate and Chocolate Stout Cake. The specials will be available for dine-in and carryout after 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 15-16, and all day Sunday, March 17.

Find more opportunities here.