2298 Scenic Highway 30-A West
Santa Rosa Beach
(850) 267-0101

Hours: Open daily at 11 a.m.
Reservations: Not necessary
Children’s menu: Yes
Dress: Casual
Credit cards not accepted—ATM on premises

Food:
Service:
Atmosphere:
Overall:

I have visited an Irish bar or two in my time, mostly when I lived in New York. The really Irish joints shared some common characteristics. Notable was the near-complete absence of “Irish” music played over the sound system. A favorite place of mine in Manhattan, the Dublin House, offered Sinatra, the Beatles, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and other elder statesmen of pop and rock on the juke box. No Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem or Clannad. Absolutely no Sinead O‘Connor.

While we were at Johnny McTighe’s, in darlin’ old Santa Rosa Beach, the closest thing I heard to Celtic music was “My Generation,” rendered by a very youthful Roger Daltrey. The rest was good ‘70s vintage rock ‘n roll. I regard it as a tribute to the complete assimilation of the Irish into American culture.

However, unlike most of the places I watered at in New York, Johnny McTighe’s actually serves real food. There’s a full menu, and everything is available all day. We decided to eat there for lunch. The place was fairly quiet, but since they stay open late, we probably missed the crowd.

Johnny McTighe’s is actually three places in one. There’s a full bar (of course—show me an Irish bar that only serves beer and wine, and I’ll show you an Albanian owner), with stools and some tables along one side. There’s a game room, with most of the traditional fixtures. Then there’s the dining room. That’s where we went, though we were invited to sit wherever we pleased. The decorator—though naturally inclining toward shades of green—kept it very tasteful, with muted lighting, beige contrasts and harmonious tablecloths. It looked kind of homey, actually, in a Santa Rosa Beach sort of way. The walls of the dining room are decorated with framed photos of trains and displays of police, fire department, and EMS uniforms, in keeping with the Irish tradition of public service. Our friendly server gave us menus, got us drinks, and let us study.

You can order breakfast at Johnny McTighe’s, provided you have a hearty appetite. The Irish breakfast (no, it’s not Guinness and corn flakes) consists of two eggs, Irish bacon and sausage (“rashers and bangers“), stewed tomatoes and baked beans. We passed, but I have a feeling it’s a popular item. Starters include Maine lobster bisque, buffalo wings at varying levels of heat, smoked tuna dip, onion rings, and no fewer than seven apps involving potatoes. There’s also chicken fingers and mac-and-cheese bites. We decided to skip an appetizer and take our potatoes as side dishes. We had our eyes on two fairly substantial main course items.

I ordered fish and chips, an indulgence I like to indulge whenever I can. My friend ordered a grouper sandwich on kaiser roll. Both came with house-made fries. The menu at Johnny McTighe’s offers close to 20 sandwiches, including hot dogs, burgers, buffalo chicken, Irish corned beef reuben, Philly cheese steak, sausage, grilled chicken, veggie sub, BLT and club. They serve two sizes of pizza, with more than 20 toppings, plus a “For the Health of It” pizza option with kalamata olives, roasted garlic, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.

The fish came—both were fried—and was plenty hot. Mine was the traditional cod, two dense and meaty chunks, served with a bottle malt vinegar to cut the richness. The grouper was more tender and mild, served on a soft roll with tartar sauce on the side. Both were served with equally hot, fresh-cut fries, and probably would have gone well with a couple of pints of Harp, except that we had a busy afternoon planned. Have one—or two—for me.

There’s one dessert. It’s key lime pie, not especially Irish, but certainly green. We split a tangy wedge, which featured a graham cracker crust and a fancy twisted slice of lime. The menu, both takeout and the one online, indicates that additional items, including more Irish fare, are coming soon.

Johnny McTighe’s is unique in the part of Walton County where it resides. It does have the trappings of an authentic Irish bar, and looks ready, willing and able to establish itself as a late-night joint along Highway 30-A. They only take cash, they’ve got plenty to eat and drink, and they won’t send you home before 2 in the a.m.

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