Sunday, March 15, 2009
Quick, Wine, Beer & Spirits, Q&A, Atlanta

The Quick Q&A

Robert Adamo

Robert Adamo is the owner of Pub 71.
4058 Peachtree Road, Atlanta. 404-467-8271. www.pub71.com.

How does Pub 71 celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

Obviously, we’re an Irish pub [laughs]. We’ve been voted the best Irish pub in Atlanta for the last two years in a row by CityVoter.com. One of the things that we do best here is that on St. Pat’s, we don’t charge a cover. I think that will help a lot this year with the way things are with the economy.

In the last couple of years we’ve also become a destination for music, and we’re very selective about who we have play. We will have DJ Scott Magno and the Villains playing on St. Patrick’s Day. There will be great live music and entertainment all the way from Thursday, March 12, through St. Paddy’s Day. It will be crazy from open to close. 

You mentioned a DJ and other modern music. Does that conflict with the Irish theme at all?

It actually works out. People think that because it’s an Irish pub we’re always going to play Irish music. And we really don’t. We play a lot of modern rock ’n’ roll, a lot of covers and ’80s and ’90s music, because we sometimes get a younger crowd in the 25-35 range. So we create an environment where they can have a great time.

A lot of your customers say they love the authentic Irish feel.

Two of our bartenders, Gerry Nolan and Colm Brown, are from Ireland, and have been with us ever since we opened. It’s one of the things that keep customers coming back. Those two guys make it special. When you are being poured a fantastic Guinness, it makes you feel like you are in Ireland. The whole staff here is the best. They are like my family. And I think our customers see that when they come in.

For me, I’m having the time of my life and it shows. Seventy-five percent of our customer base are regulars. We know what they like to eat, and their favorite bartender or server will have their drink ready when they walk in the door. And right now, considering the current situation in our country, people can come in here and get a great burger and a Guinness and not go broke.

Another reason customers come back is that they see people of all ages, whether they’re 21 or 71, interacting and having a good time, and that is very much like the pubs in Ireland.

Any interesting stories about past St. Patrick’s Day celebrations?

Something we started, going back to our first St. Patrick’s Day, is that every year in February we have the Great Guinness toast, a countdown to St. Patrick’s Day. We pick one of our favorite customers to make the toast and we inaugurate them as our official mayor. They serve as our mayor for one year. We have a plaque that lists their name, picture and toast. They come in and we greet them “Mr. Mayor” and go out of our way to make them feel special because they are one of our best customers. They also get to participate in special activities related to Pub 71.

You’re a professionally trained chef who attended the Culinary Institute of America. Opening a pub seems like an unusual choice.

I’ve been cooking my entire life. I really wanted to do something that was high quality and not overstated. There are already so many great restaurants in Atlanta, and I said to myself, “Why not do something more simple?” The pub idea came to me as a result of all of the things I love. My favorites are music, sports and food. So why not create an environment where you could have the game on or have live music? And I’m a chef, so I wanted to make a great burger or a tastier fish that would wow the customer without that gigantic price tag.

One thing I’m very proud of here is that we keep things simple and the price is right, but it is of the highest quality. We don’t open any cans here. And with that we are able to keep it at a reasonable price for the customer.

On any given night, there is something for everyone. We do music and trivia, but on the weekends, we also do a fantastic brunch. We do Eggs Benedict that are beyond the traditional hollandaise sauce. Ours is with roasted red peppers. We make these chardonnay mushroom crepes. People say, “How did I get food like this in a pub?”

What’s your favorite thing about St. Patrick’s Day?

I think just the amount of fun. I don’t want to say it’s overwhelming, but it is really special. We’re already planning next year. It’s such a big event that we book four or five months in advance to get the best music. Even if you aren’t Irish, everyone is Irish on St. Paddy’s Day. Everyone wants to wear something green or wear some beads or drink some Guinness. People let their guard down and have fun.—Autumn Bond-Ross