Critic's Review
Waxy's is one of those places that you might get a bad idea about if you've never been inside. When you drive by it on E17th Street, there's usually a bunch of dudes on the patio drinking and smoking. This is a place where Euros gather to watch Soccer. During big games, like the world cup, the place overflows into the parking lot.
Inside, Waxy's is your standard Irish pub. A bit on the old side, they have a big room air conditioner humming away to help the central air which struggles in the summer months. There's a big bar and of course, nice big flat screens to watch the games.
When there's no game on, it's a pretty quiet irish put. With no windows inside, you'll hardly know you're right on a main drag.
I ordered some iced tea, and this is another place that's cutting back on lemons. They give you a little sliver that can't possibly make an impact on a 16oz iced tea. This is a trend which is really becoming an annoyance.
I decided to go with some Irish fare, so I started off with the potato leek soup. It's only available in a bowl, and it's one of those narrow bowls so it's not all that much. At $4.95 it's enough as a starter.
Waxy O'Conners Potato Leek Soup
The soup isn't a smooth puree; it's a bit lumpy and a bit salty. Not great and not bad. For a main course, I had the bangers and mash.
Waxy O'Conners Bangers and Mash
Lumpy mash, caramelized onions and 3 well-browned irish sausages; comfort food at it's finest. Surprisingly, it wasn't as flavorful as expected. It would have benefited with some extra onions or a bit more seasoning in the gravy, but overall it was decent bar grub.
As Irish Pubs go, Waxy's is a few dollars cheaper for lunch than Maguire's Hill or The Field. The bangers and mash were only $9.50 here, which is a fair price for what I got.
