O'Sullivan's Public House: An Irish sports bar that's family friendly

If you would rather stick close to home on St. Patrick's Day but still want to get out, then O'Sullivan's Public House might be just the place for you. Located at 12525 W. North Ave., O'Sullivan's (formerly Ritters) is practically straddling the border between Wauwatosa and Brookfield. In fact, that is what one of the owners, Jeff Syvock, says attracts customers.

"Nearly 70 percent of our customers live within 10 to 15 miles of Tosa, Brookfield and Elm Grove," he says. "They can come out and have a drink and feel safe driving home."

Syvock - who opened O'Sullivan's in 2008 with his wife, Sue, and their friends, Larry and Becky Sullivan - has a simple description for his restaurant: "It's a local sports bar with an Irish theme that serves really good food."

Their loyal clientele agrees and has developed a fondness for several items on the O'Sullivan's menu: the corned beef and cabbage ($7), the Reuben sandwich ($8), Irish stew (cup $3.50/bowl $4.50) and the ribs (half-rack $7.50/full rack $14.)

Parents of young kids can rest easy knowing that O'Sullivan's has a kids menu sure to please even the pickiest eaters, making the restaurant very popular with young families.

"We pride ourselves on having a very kid-friendly atmosphere but also a definite sports atmosphere," explains Syvock. "That's why you'll see so many high-definition TVs in the bar. I'm a sports nut!" No doubt there are many others in the western suburbs with the same sports addiction.

On St. Patrick's Day, O'Sullivan's will have its Irish pride on full display. There will be t-shirts for the first 50 customers, green beer (featuring Guinness and Murphy's Stout), bagpipers and favorite Irish food including Corned Beef and Cabbage.

So if you're looking for a place to celebrate on March 17th where you can bring the kids and not put too many miles on your car, O'Sullivan's would love for you to spend St. Patrick's Day with them.

THE BASICS

NAME: O'Sullivan's Public House

ADDRESS: 12525 W. North Ave., Brookfield

PHONE: 262-784-1656

WEBSITE: OSullivansPublicHouse.com

FARE: pub food

HOURS: Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; bar open until bar time

PRICE RANGE: $5 to $16 (approximate)

RESERVATIONS: yes

HANDICAP ACCESS: yes

GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS: no

LOOKING TO 'GRAB A BITE'?

"Grab a Bite" is an informal look at the food scene in the Wauwatosa, Brookfield and Elm Grove area by freelance writer Karen Waldkirch. Whether you're looking for a place for a date night or a casual spot for lunch, Waldkirch will be out and about scouting eateries for you. If you have a suggestion for a column, e-mail her at kmwaldkirch@yahoo.com.