The Florida restaurant where soup is just $0.18 and all brunch comes with frozen Irish coffee
Seafood shacks are a dime a dozen on the Gulf Coast, but there’s a legendary spot in Destin, Florida that trades in all the usual trappings of oceanfront establishments for traditions that are entirely its own. Inside McGuire’s Irish Pub, the moody, maze-like dining room is a far cry from the bright and airy seafood joints most vacationers are used to frequenting. The walls and ceilings are plastered in layers upon layers of dollar bills stapled down by appreciative customers. The restaurant claims they total to at least a million. It’s hard to imagine now considering its incredible scope (the restaurant seats upwards of 500 and also includes a gift shop, on-site brewery, and attached pizza and sushi restaurants), but McGuire’s actually started out as a small, neighborhood pub in a Pensacola shopping center in 1977. Five years later, it moved to a much bigger spot down the road. After that success, the Destin location opened its doors in 1996.
The first time I heard about McGuire’s, I wasn’t sold. My now-husband recommended it during a college spring break more than 10 years ago. He had grown up going with his family, but the idea of sitting in a dark pub when I was supposed to be working on my tan felt wrong. We ended up going (it was his birthday week after all), and soon I found myself eating my words.
In my defense, the sheer size of the place, plus the neon-green signage and branded double decker bus parked out front, made it seem more like a tourist attraction than a serious restaurant. But once I tried the food, I was sold. The menu is large and varied, but I’ve legitimately never had anything that was less than great. Irish specialties like corned beef with cabbage, shepherd’s pie, and lamb stew are all popular orders. I can personally attest that the steak and mushroom pie and salmon glazed with black mustard Irish whiskey are both excellent.
Outside of the on-theme menu items, you can also try char-grilled steaks, seafood, and ¾-pound burgers. Every time we go, my husband says he’s going to order one thing, but quickly waivers once we park and smell the ribs that are smoked onsite. If the food offerings are extensive, the drink menu might be even longer. You can choose from seven beers brewed onsite, but there’s also a healthy selection of specialty martinis, a long wine list, and a sipper so potent that there’s a three-drink limit. Order the Irish Wake and you can even take the oversized jar it’s served in home.
One of the best things about McGuire’s other than its penchant for a good time and quality food, is its commitment to bringing diners a bargain. We’re all used to paying an arm and a leg to dine out while on vacation, but that’s not necessary here. Instead of paying $18 for a cocktail, you’ll pay $8 to $10. Happy hour is daily from 4 to 6 p.m., featuring half-price beer, wine, and wells. Additional deals include $3 margaritas on Monday, $5 double-shoot martinis on Tuesdays, and $4 vodka drinks on Fridays. Daily lunch specials are just $11 and range from fish and chips to homemade meatloaf with sides.
And then there’s McGuire’s famous bean soup, which only sets diners back a measly $0.18. Using the very same recipe that the U.S. Senate has served in its cafeteria for decades, McGuire’s Senate Bean Soup is sold for the same price that the soup cost in the Senate in 1977, the year McGuire’s first opened its doors. Though the price has ballooned to $7 in the Senate since, McGuire’s still sells it for less than a quarter. The simple combo of navy beans, smoked ham hocks, onion, and butter is still the best way to start a meal here. A slice of the complimentary Irish honey black bread that comes to your table lacquered in a delicious glaze is the perfect companion.
My favorite way to visit McGuire’s is for what I call a "dreary day meal". When you’re visiting the beach, you’re bound to get at least one not-so-great weather day. So every time there’s a chance for morning showers, or if it’s just not particularly beautiful out, I suggest we head to McGuire’s for brunch or lunch. I don’t have to feel bad about sitting in a dark room when it’s sunny out. It’s a great way to kill some time before we can hopefully hit the beach later. And we get a delicious meal at a silly cheap price.
 Credit: Tara Massouleh McCay Credit: Tara Massouleh McCay |  Credit: Tara Massouleh McCay Credit: Tara Massouleh McCay |  Credit: Tara Massouleh McCay Credit: Tara Massouleh McCay |
This year, our dreary day happened to fall on a Sunday, so we got to take advantage of McGuire's special Sunday-only brunch. Served from 10 a.m. to 20 p.m. every meal comes with Irish coffee ( frozen or hot) and unlimited homemade beignets. The limited menu features giant omelets, Belgian waffles, and two versions of eggs Benedict—one that’s traditional and another that trades the ham and tomato for filet mignon tips and asparagus. Everything comes with with Potatoes O’Brien and fresh fruit. Meals start at just $11, with the most expensive—a comically sized six-egg omelet stuffed with filet mignon tips and Swiss cheese—costing just $16.
It was both our 6-month-old daughter's and my mom's first McGuire’s experience. My mom raved about it after. My daughter slept through the meal, which I'm taking as the ultimate seal of approval. It was an ideal dreary brunch, and after we were so stuffed we couldn’t manage another bite, there was nothing left to do but hang a $1 bill to commemorate the experience. Somewhere among the many twisty hallways and hidden dining rooms inside the restaurant, there’s another from my first visit in 2014. I like to think that in the years to come there’ll be more.
