Set within the historic Melbourne Building, this unprententious, Irish-flavoured pub serves up Guinness, trivia and karaoke. Happy hour flows on Thurdsay, Friday and Saturday.
For drinkers who want a genuine, pint-sized taste of Ireland without leaving Canberra, P.J. O'Reilly's is a friendly place to start.
The cosy pub's wooden interior is plastered with plenty of detailed Irish memorabilia, but more importantly, the taps pour out the requisite pints of Guinness and Kilkenny, as well as Bulmers, the famous Irish cider. Even the kitchen bows to the Emerald Isle's love for black beer, plating up hearty, traditional beef and Guinness pies.
PJ's is a place where university students rub shoulders with passing travellers and tie-loosened politicians. There's also a sense of history here, with the pub set inside one of Canberra's oldest public structures, the Melbourne Building.
Not surprisingly, St Patrick's Day is proudly celebrated here with bright green fervour and plenty of fitting Irish folk music. Meanwhile, week-to-week there's regular trivia on Wednesdays and DJ sessions on Fridays. Karaoke on Saturdays and Wednesdays draws talented and talentless crooners alike. Happy hour flows generously on Thursday (8-10pm), Friday (5-7pm) and Saturday (6-11pm).
Andrea Tomaz
