Arts&Entertainment
Mickey’s Irish Pub brings authentic taste to 0 Street
This is the sixth in a series of twelve stories exploring the his
tory of the O Street bars. The strip - which begins at 14 th and O
streets and runs down to Ninth and O streets - has served as a
major gathering place for Universirty ofNebraska-Lincoln stu
dents for the past 70 years.
By Jason Hardy and Emily Pyeatt
Staff writers
If grinning red-headed little people are your cup of tea - or your
mug of beer, as it were - Mickey’s Irish Pub is probably a good place
to rest your shamrocks.
The pub, at 1409 O St, pronounces its lineage to patrons before
they even walk through the door. -
Outside hangs a wooden sign adorned with a grinning, redhead
ed leprechaun. Above that hangs a placard embellished with a tradi
tional Irish verse.
What employees hope customers are looking for - and are trying
to make sure they find - is! an authentic Irish brewpub.
Mickey’s is “just like an Irish pub in Ireland,” said Patrick
Webster, the bar’s general manager. “It has the best atmosphere in
Lincoln.”
Although the pub only opened in September, its atmosphere was
established immediately.
“The owner himself is Irish and he wanted a traditional dark pub
with a lot of atmosphere,” Webster said. “It took a lot of remodeling.”
After only a few minutes in Mickey’s, it becomes obvious a lot
of work was put into the space. The walls are packed with antique
and traditional artifacts that provide an authentic appeal. Pictures of
JFK and newspaper clippings about his assassination are abundant,
but not to be overlooked are the antique beer signs and a movie
poster for Disney’s 1959 classic “Darby O’Gill and the Little
People.”
Because of the bar’s size, establishing this ambiance is quite a
feat There are two full bars, one on the ground level and one on the
second floor, and each level features wood floors, exposed brick
walls and numerous antique metal fixtures. The bar even has a cor
ner with church-style stained glass windows, which add to the feeL
One mushroom-shaped light illuminates the entrance and stays
turned on at all times - for good luck, of course.
“Itls a great social pub filled with different clientele. We want to
attract everyone - young and old,” said Mickey’s owner Steve
McFadden.
The history of the building in which Mickey’s is located is long
and rich.
In the 1800s, the building was a bank - but not just any bank -
one that was robbed by famed cowboy and criminal Billy the Kid.
Billy’s escape route still exists in die bar today, Webster said.
“There was a tunnel (we) found that came into the west side of
the bank where Sandy’s bar is today,” he said.
aesthetic qualities of Mickey s were definitely a big attraction.
“I’ve been to Irish bars in Vienna, Boston and Amsterdam and
this racks right up there,” Brenda said, with her husband interject
ing, “She’s not even hammered yet.”
The couple eagerly took advantage of Mickey’s free hot dogs,
peanuts and popcorn, which are always offered, and commented on
the pub’s charming character and the congeniality of its wait staff.
The bank s original vaults
still can be seen on Mickey’s
second floor. The only remnant
pf (me is an iron gate that used to
protect its bounty, but the other
is completely intact, and it hous
es afoosball table.
After the bank closed, the
buildingit 1409 O St., remained
vacant until it was converted
'into Captain Morgan’s Bar,
which was located upstairs.
” Lincoln s really accepted us.
They like the atmosphere that
were creating here."
Patrick Webster
Mickey’s Irish Pub general manager
j
weusicx !>aiu me xuea ui
always having free snacks
seemed like a pretty obvious
one.
“It’s really unique around
here,” he said “But why go out
when you can have some food
right here?”
As an added bonus patrons
can throw peanut shells on the
floor, something that has defi
nitely been lacking from the
After little success, the bar closed a little more than three years ago
and again, the building went vacant
And it stayed that way until McFadden conceived an idea to
bring an Irish-style pub to Lincoln earlier this year.
He first looked at prospective locations in Omaha, but changed
his mind after being drawn to the building on O Street.
“The building was suitable for what I had in mind,” McFadden
said. “The pillars out front and the design of the building itself gives
it character that is similar to many pubs in Ireland.”
Webster said that thus far, the proprietors intentions have paid
off.
“Lincoln’s really accepted us,” he said. “They like the atmos
phere that we’re creating here.”
Along with the homey feel of the bark more traditional attribut
es, Mickey’s also boasts a garage door at the front, something unique
to all die other bars on O street During nice weather, the doors can
be opened so patrons can view die street and feel the fresh air
Instead of being boxed in behind closed doors and dark win
dows, the open bar provides a European way of enjoying a drink.
Webster said it was in part this combination of old and new elements
that seemed to attract Lincoln residents into the pub.
Even early on a Thursday afternoon, the bar attracted a number
of patrons.
Tom and Brenda Strand, a couple from Grand Island, said the
Lincoln bar scene.
Mickey’s also has a number of drink specials to compliment the
peanuts. Tuesday’s is one domestic bottle for 25 cents after buying
one, Wednesdays attract crowds with live local music and “Thirsty”
Thursdays feature the infamous slogan complete with $3.50 pitchers
and free pizza.
Mickey’s also offers hourly specials, such as the “Kamikaze for
a buck” hour and on Fridays the stage features live Irish music
played by the Paddywackers. Mickey’s has about 30 beers on tap,
and is also the only bar in Lincoln which serves the Austrian Red
Bull, a vodka-based mixed drink which Webster described as “high
energy.”
Mickey’s music selections add to the atmosphere, yet manage
not to dominate the pub
“In Ireland right now, disco music is really popular in the pub
scene,” McFadden said
Deciding not to stick too closely to the disco vibe, Mickey’s
instead opts for a more modern mix such as a little Beastie Boys
thrown in with traditional Irish music.
Because the bar is so new to O Street, it doesn’t have a particular
“crowd” of people - which may be its greatest attribute, as it works
to compliment the bar^ character.
“The ambiance here is great,” Webster said “We believe in the
people here.”