O'Gara's Bar and Grill

John Henry: A Truly American Brew

admin — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:08:04 +0000

If you are a craft beer enthusiast, then John Henry is beer you must try. Brewed by Minnesota’s own Cold Spring Brewing Company, John Henry is full of flavor and American history. The beer is brewed with a variety of malts and hops and aged with bourbon-infused oak spirals. The unique flavors offer a different experience for individual pallets, ranging from a smooth caramel to a rich chocolate finish.

Who is John Henry? The name was inspired by a legendary railroad worker. John Henry was famed for his ability to use a nine-pound maul to drive railroad ties into the ground in only three strokes. He lived up to his fame when he competed with an automatic spiker machine. And he won. Fast forward several decades to Cold Spring Brewing Company’s owner, John Lenore, working on a railroad during college. When he was driving spikes into the railroad, everyone started saying, “My goodness, you’re like John Henry.” John Lenore could sink a spike in three licks. Thus came the name “3 Lick Spiker.”

Sitting at 9.1% ABV, this is a sipping ale. Sean Murrihy from the Alcoholmanac wisely says, “John Henry 3 Lick Spiker Ale is a beer that will knock you on your butt if you aren’t careful.” This brew is dedicated to all of the John Henry’s of America. A spokesperson from John Henry commented, “We thought the bourbon and the imperial stout would be a perfect marriage, and it turned out to be just that. People love it.” The spokesperson went on to suggest that the complexity of this beer is best experienced with hearty food, especially burgers and ribs.

Next time you stop by, we encourage you to grab a stool at the bar, sit back, and sip this elegant beer dedicated to those who pounded this country into existence.

Looking for a few new recipes for the summer? There are recipes for every occasion on the John Henry website. http://bit.ly/ZAfKus.

New Game-Day Special for our Twins Fans!

admin — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:27:52 +0000

With the Twins season beginning, we are excited to announce an extra little surprise for you this year. Hint: It has to do with two things that go well with baseball: wings and beer.

From first pitch to the last out for all televised Twins games, you can get $0.50 wings and $3.00 Michelob Golden Light Taps. And that’s no April Fools joke, folks.

As usual, the Shamrock Shuttle will continue to bring our faithful Twins fans to and from all home games at Target Field. The first shuttle will leave approximately one hour before the start of the game. A second shuttle will leave shortly thereafter, and a third shuttle will run if needed. Shuttle rides are FREE with a minimum purchase and will make return trips back to the bar after the game.

For more information on upcoming events and to get the list of all home Twins games, head over to our Event Calendar!

Let’s play ball!

Celebrate Our Anniversary & St. Patrick’s Day!

admin — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:16:55 +0000

March is a big month here at O’Gara’s! Not only is it the time when we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but it is also the time when we celebrate our anniversary!

This year marks 72 years of our establishment on the cozy corner of Snelling and Selby in St. Paul. We love celebrating our Irish heritage and our family history, and we make it easy for you to share in our celebration! Join us for live music, your favorite food and, of course, plenty of beer during our 72nd Anniversary Week and St. Patrick’s Day Weekend events.

72nd Anniversary Week: 1940s Menu Prices

Tuesday, March 12 – Corned Beef & Cabbage $2.25
Available 11am-1pm and 5pm-7pm

Wednesday, March 13 – Steak $1.95
Available 11am-1pm and 5pm-7pm

Thursday, March 14 – Burger Basket $1.50
Available 11am-1pm

Friday, March 15 – Fish & Chips $1.95
Available 11am-1pm and 4pm-6pm

We will also have nickel beers and $0.75 Jameson drinks on special from 7pm-8pm Tuesday thru Thursday.

St. Paddy’s Day Weekend Events

Thursday, March 14
Join us in The Shanty for the Miss Shamrock 2013 Coronation Ceremony, starting at 6pm.

Saturday, March 16
Kick off the holiday weekend EARLY! Our bar opens at 8am and our kitchen opens at 10:30am. We will also be running the Shamrock Shuttle to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade at Noon in Downtown Saint Paul. The Shamrock Shuttle will continue running loops to the UST Arches on the hour from 8pm-Close. Live entertainment features:

Outdoor Tent – Gina Francis of Orange Whip, Todd Douglas, Michael Scheffler

Shamrock Room - Redneck Hippies, The Bill & Tom Show

The Shanty - DJ JMCLOVN

22nd Annual World’s Smallest Parade – 3:30-3:35pm

Sunday, March 17
Make O’Gara’s your St. Patrick’s Day Headquarters! Our bar opens at 10am and our kitchen opens at 10:30am (Note: we will not be serving our Sunday Breakfast menu). The Shamrock Shuttle will run loops to the UST Arches on the hour from 4pm-1opm. Live entertainment features:

Outdoor Tent - Todd Douglass, Will of Dazy Head Mazy, The Joe Carey Trio

Shamrock Room - Mark Starry Duo, The Bill & Tom Show

The Shanty - Fulton Productions

We’ll see you there!

Martin Zellar and the Hardways to perform and record LIVE in The Shanty March 1st

admin — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:04:22 +0000

Join us for an extraordinary evening with Martin Zellar and The Hardways. They will perform and record LIVE in The Shanty on Friday, March 1st. Doors open at 8pm. Live music from 9-11:30pm.

Ali Gray and Kenny McMahon will open the show from 9-9:30pm.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

Advance tickets can be purchased from the bar or on Martin Zellar’s website.

O’Gara’s Feeds The Troops

admin — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:42:54 +0000

Serving Our Troops

St. Paul Restaurateurs and Civic Leaders Serve Up Steak Dinners in War Zones

Dan and Kris O’Gara were on the founding team of Serving Our Troops in 2004. Since then, this dedicated team of St. Paul restaurateurs, civic leaders and corporate sponsors has lead eight volunteer-driven projects to serve over 55,000 steak dinners to soldiers and families around the world.

Dinner with the family – it’s a simple thing…

Serving Our Troops is dedicated to showing our Minnesota National Guard members and their families, as well other troops from across the nation, that we appreciate their brave service to our country. We show this appreciation by bringing them just a bit of Minnesota – both here at home and thousands of miles away – a delicious steak dinner with the family.

Dan O’Gara went to Kuwait this past February! View photos from his trip on Facebook.

For more information, visit ServingOurTroops.com

Red Bull After-Party Rages Into The Night

admin — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:42:54 +0000

Red Bull Crashed Ice came crashing into St. Paul January 12-14, 2012. We were excited to host the event organizers, international athletes, and all of their fans for the Official Red Bull Crashed Ice After-Party.

View our photo gallery from The Warming House After-Party on Flickr.

Celebrating 70 Years

admin — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:42:54 +0000

O’Gara’s Bar and Grill, synonymous with St. Paul and St. Patrick’s Day, has established a reputation for serving excellent food and drink at a fair price for the past seven decades. Founded in 1941, O’Gara’s is the oldest family owned operation of its kind in Saint Paul still at the original location.

For more information about family history click here.