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By CategoryRobbie O'Connell's Pub
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Robbie O'Connell's PubIrish Beer & Irish Cheer
2005-10-12
Article Written by: Jillian Smith
When it comes to an evening on the town, there are those of us who crave the loud pulsating tunes and crowded atmosphere of your average dance club and there are those who prefer the quiet laid-back atmosphere of a smaller pub. For the former, there are more options out there than you could easily count, especially here in the Daytona Beach area. For the latter, though, it can prove slightly more difficult to find the kind of joint that makes you feel comfortable and at home. For just that reason, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Robbie O’Connell—the man, the pub, and the local tradition.
Robbie O’Connell, the man, is a local boy through and through. He was raised in the area, graduating from New Smyrna Beach High School and later attending DBCC. Though it is true that he was temporarily displaced while pursuing his higher education at Kent State, a strong desire to be close to his family and his first home drew him back to the Sunshine State. Once resettled, the man and the pub began to blur into one another.
Now located at 530 Seabreeze Boulevard, this Irish haven was inspired by Robbie’s grandfather who moved to New Smyrna directly from Ireland. His staff has been around for quite a while and he considers them all part of his extended family. On an average night, you will usually see Robbie running around the pub like crazy, but it is his hands-on approach to the business that sets his establishment apart from the rest. Unlike some of the other themed restaurants and bars around, Robbie and his family are genuine articles.
When you come inside, you will step into a time capsule of memorabilia left behind by friends, locals and Irish folk from all over the world over the past 7 years. As an added bonus, on those nights when you are feeling frisky enough to let your taste buds experiment with something new, this friendly and knowledgeable staff can tell you all you need to know about the more than sixty different varieties of ice cold bottled beer from around the world. You can taste beers and beverages from Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, and so much more! Also on draught every night you will find old favorites like Guinness Stout, Boddington's Pub Ale, Fuller’s London Pride, Sea Dog Wild Blueberry Ale, Stella Artois, Harp Lager, Strongbow Hard Cider, Woodchuck Pear Cider, Smithwick’s Ale, Murphy's Irish Stout, New Castle Brown, Kwak, and Killian's Irish Red. The Robbie’s tradition is keeping up with the times, too; you can order a beer online for yourself at a discount or treat someone you see at the bar from the pub’s web cam. Want everyone in the bar to sing the “Jolly Good Fellow” song to you? Ring the bell and buy the bar a round!! They also offer free WiFi, internet access, PS2 and Xbox. If these high tech toys are a little more than you are ready for, they also have a full array of board games, pub games and the Craic to help while away the time.
Occasionally, Robbie O’Connell’s also holds special events for all of his loyal patrons to enjoy, the most recent of which was the annual Oktoberfest celebration. On October 2nd, employees were dressed up in their finest festive lederhosen, and the pub was packed with standing room only available for the many jolly partiers. There was a buffet set up, complete with German mashed potatoes, sour kraut and sausages, and, of course, beer flowing like water. It was clear that the crowd was feeling more festive than ever, and, as usual, they were all open to making new friends as they came through the door.
In short, no matter what season, what night or what time, Robbie’s has everything you could want from an authentic Irish pub. It is the one spot in town where everybody knows your name or, at least, they will before you leave. If you have yet felt the “Robbie Love” come on in and enjoy this unique experience, and don’t forget to ring the bell!
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