the irish lion restaurant & pub

love it!. i live out of town but have been to the irishlionon several different occasions starting back in the late 90's for everything from wedding party to drinks with friends and buissiness lunches.
everytime has been just wonderfull. yes somtimes it's busy and there is a wait but it is well worth it.
everything we have had over the years has been very good to "wow that's awsome" .
i agree that the crowd is mostly older and i love that. no sceaming kids at the next table ^-^ but the resturant is family friendly and enough choices on the menu for everyone to be happy.
the old building has a very interesting feel. there are many levels of seating that look up or down on each other. lots of ambiance.

best irish-style pub outside of ireland. found myself staying at the biddle hotel on the iu campus for a sherlock holmes conference and after a long day of travel was desperate for a guinness so trotted over to the irishlionafter googling for a likely spot to find a decent pint of the black stuff. the irishlionwas perfect, and quite frankly, for my money it is hands down the single best irish-style pub i've visited in north america...and i've visited a good number. staff was welcoming and the decor what you'd expect. initial drinks served quickly, or as quickly as one can pull a pint of guinness properly, and any questions about meal choices answered without hesitation. landed there on a thursday night after 8pm and was faced with an irresistible meal special consisting of a 12 ounce prime rib with roasted potatoes, soup or salad, and irish soda bread for $20. meat was cooked to the requested medium rare, potatoes were tasty and the house balsamic dressing was perfect on the mixed green salad. the irish soda bread was unbelievably good too. all in all, a perfect pub meal.

my wife and i enjoyed our visit so much that we were back the next day to meet up with friends. that time i opted for the shepherds pie, served with a side salad, and my wife opted for, on the recommendation of a friend, the corned beef and cabbage. while the shepherds pie was a of the individual crock variety, it was made with rather nicely seasoned lamb, which is a huge plus as most north american pubs just use ground beef. had mushy peas made their way to the plate it i'd forgive the crock and consider it a perfect pub meal. as it stands, i really can't complain. again, a very tasty meal and my wife was extremely enthusiastic about the corned beef being one of the best she's had. and since we liked the irish soda bread so much on the first visit, we actually ordered it as an appy while waiting for the rest of our party to arrive. my only complaint is that i didn't have a chance to come back a third time to sample some more intriguing items on the menu.

if you're in bloomington and like pub atmosphere and pub food, this is the place for you!

perfect for friend reunion. ist time here--to meet a friend i had not seen in eight years--so we wanted a quiet, comfortable place to talk and catch-up. the irishlionwas perfect. lovely, comfortable, clean environment. no loud throbbing music, so we were able to talk to each other with ease. the beer was excellent--ok i had guiness so you cant go wrong--but it was delicious. all the food orders were very good--the lamb burger and the soup i would order again. the wait staff was attentive and caring with quick service

fantastic! the service was phenomenal, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere was a cross between cozy and elegant. we ordered way too much food, but it was so good! i would highly recommend the irishlionfor brunch!!

wedding. we had our 35 person wedding reception at the irishlionand it was wonderful! they were very flexible and attentive to our needs... they set the room up the way we wanted it and even put out our place cards. plus, the food was great! we had guests pick between chicken and beef. couldn't be more pleased!

good place, some good food, some okay. i agree with many of the reviews that the irishlionis a great place with good ambience, good service, good prices. the food can vary. i recommend the bread bowls with either of the stews. i do not recommend the burgers. they aren't cooked to order and looked very much like they come as frozen, pre-formed patties.

the whiskey pie is an excellent dessert option.

best drink menu in town. if you want a fancy drink with great service, the irishlionis the way to go! they have a great selection, and the staff is wonderful. the atmosphere can't be beat, and it's the only irish place in town.

a local gem. from the charming ambiance to the ample menu this place is a gem.

it's a great place to grab some irish stew inside on a cold winter's day or a great place for a beer outside on a sunny afternoon.

the downstairs features ample seating along an heirloom bar. cozy booths sit opposite the bar on the main level. a bi-level back end features more seating in a slit level above and below. additional and expansive seating can be found upstairs, making it a favorite for large groups.

the irishlionis particularly popular with indiana university graduate students, faculty, and staff and lacks (thankfully) the college bar vibe.

plentiful menu options, both traditional irish and american pub fare, as well as a fine beer and spirits selection make this a great, unique, experience in bloomington.