Brandon, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Irish
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 1/5
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Glossary of Restaurants on Wine, Dine, and Play :
Follow Wine, Dine, and Play:
O’brien’s Irish Pub has been a place my wife and I have come more times than we can count. Before I met her, I used to come here with my folks for years when I visited them. This is their Friday night hang out with the crowd, and it is always fun to get together. The wine and beer selection is very basic, but then this is a typical pub, you're not going to get the best selections. In the end who cares when it comes to places like this. You are there to have fun, relax, enjoy the atmosphere, and casual conversation with friends. Kendal Jackson wines are the best to expect as crappy as they are, but then you have to start somewhere, and the bottom is that place. The only way to downgrade lower is to have Yellowtail. Yuengling is a very popular beer in Florida served almost everywhere, and it is from the oldest brewery in America. If that is not to you're liking, try any of the other 40 beers they have on tap or the bottle, to include some very good local brews.
This visit consisted of light bites and mainly drinking. So the healthy option of the night would be a Greek salad which with the dressing does not make it very healthy, but with the other selections of the night that people were ordering, it would be. The salad had all your traditional items for a Greek with feta cheese, peperoncini, (which funny enough is spelled incorrectly on the menu with two “p’s”), tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and black olives.
 |
| Greek Salad |
Erase all the healthy goodness when you order items like the BBQ pork sandwich while others drink chocolate martini’s!! This new addition to the menu is slow cooked in house with an out of the house brand name BBQ sauce, with fried onions and a side of coleslaw with tater tots. It was really good flavor and a good addition to the menu.
 |
| BBQ Sandwich |
Other Noteworthy Irish + Pubs Articles & Restaurants:
Gilroy’s Bistro serving Irish cuisine at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Ireland (NOW 1837 BAR & BRASSERIE)
L’Ecrivain Seasonal Irish ingredients with full modern French gastronomic dining in Dublin, Ireland
Pubs
Regatta on Avon Bar, pub grub and New Zealand cuisine in Christchurch, New Zealand
Holman and Finch Public House Modern gastropub & whole animal cookery in Atlanta, Georgia
Jack’s London Grill Casual British cuisine and some Scottish favorites in St. Petersburg, Florida
Other Pictures:
 |
| A Birthday gift from my wife and I to my dad - inside joke!! |
Final notes, review basics, and observations:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsibly, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writers knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based by individual experience. They include: wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Over all from this experience, I give O’brein’s a 1 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were a very an average dining experience compared to most restaurants. The first review score was 0.5 of 5 stars, so they have improved from my last visit. This is always a fun hang out and a neighborhood gem no matter the score. Service is good as is the atmosphere, so I would continue to come until I read my parents age also.
Scores are detailed in the chart below
5 stars
|
An Extraordinary Experience
Worthy of a Michelin rating
|
94 - 100% (105% with full bonuses added)
|
4 Stars
|
An Outstanding Experience
(Top of its class)
|
87 - 93%
|
3 Stars
|
Exceeded All My Expectations
|
80 - 86%
|
2 Stars
|
Far Above the Average Experience
|
72 - 79%
|
1 Star
|
An Average Dining Experience
|
66 - 71%
|
0.5 Star
|
The Restaurant is a very Basic Experience
|
65 - 61%
|
0 Stars
|
ALERT: Poor, or Appalling Experience
(Do not waste your money or time)
|
60% or below
|
**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
|
Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
|
Ambiance
|
10
|
6
|
0
|
Food quality
|
10
|
6
|
0
|
Plate presentation
|
10
|
5
|
0
|
Customer service
|
10
|
7
|
0
|
Alcohol and other beverages
|
10
|
6
|
0
|
Total regular points awarded
|
50
|
30
|
0
|
Total percentage Before Bonus
|
0.6
|
||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0.02
|
||
Total percentage with bonus for final star rating
|
0.66
|
||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
|
0 - 5
|
1
|
Overall Star Rating:
|
1 of 5 Stars:
66% Rating with a 1 point “wow” bonus
An Average Dining Experience
|
Corkage fee’s:
|
This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
|
Restaurant style:
|
Casual dining
|
Cuisine style:
|
Irish
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Pescatarian, Vegetarian
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
|
Dress code:
|
Casual attires
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
|
Experiences:
|
Modern, Trendy, Lounge, Hot spot, Great bar, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Rustic, Hole-in-the-wall, I and a Neighborhood gem.
|
Payments:
|
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
|
Parking:
|
Private lot
|
Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
Noise level:
|
Medium to Loud
|
Smoking:
|
Nonsmoking restaurant, with a smoking patio
|
Patio or terrace:
|
Yes
|
A few Brandon restaurants and articles on Wine, Dine, and Play:
|
Stylish chophouse chain with surf ’n’ turf
|
Casual Greek and Mediterranean Dining
|
Low Key Locale for German Grub
|
|
Laid Back Floribbean Pub Chain
|
Casual curries of North & South with Buffet
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine, Dine, and Play Article Glossary”
Other Florida favorites:
|
St. Petersburg
Rustic New American Fare
A top 100 on Wine, Dine, and Play
|
New Smyrna Beach
Old-world classic Italian & Mediterranean
|
Gulfport
Old School Rustic Tuscan
|
|
Tampa
Native American Cuisine w/Barbacoa Grilling
|
Ruskin
German Bites in Bavarian-style Tavern
|
Sanibel Island
Waterfront upscale new American cuisine
|
|
Orlando
Upscale Pan Asian Fare w/sushi
|
St. Pete Beach
Rooftop Artisan Fusion Bistro
|
Key West
Landmark bar since 1851, where Jimmy Buffet got his start
|
|
Brandon
Casual curries of North & South with Buffet
|
Sarasota
Authentic & Traditional Peruvian Cuisine
|
St. Augustine
Locally Sourced Café for Southern Grub
|
|
Clearwater
Italian-inspired seafood at the Opal Sands Resort
|
Vero Beach
upscale locally sourced seafood eatery with ocean views
|
Indian Shores
Fine-dining waterfront spot for grilled fish and steaks
|
Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥¥
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
Alcohol prices:
$ USD
O’brein’s Irish Pub:
701 W Lumsden Rd
Brandon, Florida
33511
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
|
|
Maître d or host:
|
+1 813 661 9688
|
Webpage contact:
|
|
Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Daily: Mon-Sun
11:00 am - 3:00 am
|
Social Media
&
Accolades:
|
|
****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list on who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine, Dine, and Play best of list is based on my rating numbers of 4 or 5 stars, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, and fine dining spots including Michelin spots. To visit my full list of the best, follow this link:
A few to tease you with…
|
Haute French Cuisine
Paris, France
|
Elegant Modern Australian with Molecular Gastronomic dining
Melbourne, Australia
|
Haute Gastronomique French restaurant & bistro
Bordeaux, France
|
|
High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
|
Acclaimed high-concept inspired Farm to Table tavern
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
|
Impeccably prepared French fine dining
Dublin, Ireland
|
Contemporary, African-French Tasting Journey
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
French-American Fine Dining
Yountville, Napa, California, USA
|
So many great wines in this world, here are a few boutiques, cult wines, and favorites:
|
20+ Blue Ridge Handcrafted Wines
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
|
Big, Bold, Cult Cabernets
Oakville, California, USA
|
|
A Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
Cussac-Fort-Médoc, Bordeaux, France
|
Agincourt, Waterloo, Salamanca
Yarra Valley, Australia
|
|
World Class Oregon Pinot Noir
Willamette, Oregon
|
Not Kehlsteinhaus, Exceptional Shiraz
Constantia, South Africa
|
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Glorified Cook (Exec Chef)
Father, Husband, Wine Drinker,
Restaurant nut, History, and
Star Trek lover
I am based in Florida, and have worked in the food industry for over twenty years, from restaurants, catering, and contracting in Afghanistan, Iraq, + Antarctica. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in 2012. Since then over 375 articles have been written, including some San Pellegrino, Michelin, and Elite Travelers Guide top picks. Other articles include recipes, a Grand Food Dictionary, ethnic cuisines, tasting tours, exotic locations, and wine from vineyards in the old and new world alike.
Who is John Galt?
Other articles of interest on Wine, Dine, and Play:
The Complete A to Z Food and Beverage Grand Dictionary If you're looking for it, then you found it
Afghan Cuisine + Markets Recipes, culture, history - A culinary tour of Afghanistan during the war
Burj Khalifa Tower Take a tour of the tallest building in the world, Dubai, UAE
Converting a recipe card from Imperial to Metric Cooking Conversions made easy
Bordeaux - A Sip and Taste Wine tours and restaurants in Bordeaux, France
Fugitives Drift Lodge and Zulu Battlefields African Cuisine Buffet, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa
Clearwater Beach Taste Fest 2017 music, food, and wine near Pier 60, Clearwater Beach, Florida
Gourmet Wine Tours of South Africa A wine and food tour of Stellenbosch, South Africa
(Articles coming soon)
Petra, Jordan
A Taste of Dubai
FOB Shank - Cooking with Incoming
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
TTFN
