After closure of longtime Mexican eatery, restaurant group bringing first Irish pub to this Columbus suburb

Just like that, another interesting, locally-owned spot is popping up in Downtown Delaware.

Several months after the grand opening of Open BTL, a wine club and tasting room that brought the city’s first rooftop bar, another first is headed to Delaware: The city’s first Irish pub.

According to co-owner John Cordas, the new restaurant, called Hallihan’s, is planning to open in June, although an opening date hasn’t been announced. It will be located at 12 W. William St., taking over the former home of longtime local eatery 12 West, which closed in 2020, and Lazy Dawg, which closed last year.

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“One of the things we do is look at Delaware and say, as Delaware is growing, ‘What’s missing?’ And we realized the city has no traditional Irish pubs,” Cordas said.

Hallihan’s (which uses the family crest of fellow co-owner Mike Barker in its logo) will feature an “elevated Irish menu” with offerings like sheppard’s pie, boxty (Irish potato pancakes) and its flagship dish of fish and chips. The eatery is also partnering with an Ohio baker to bring “incredible” giant soft pretzels to its menu.

Additionally, the second floor of Hallihan’s will function as a “sports lounge,” with a pair of 75-inch panel TVs.

“There’s nowhere to watch soccer and rugby and those other European sports [in Delaware], so that will be our main focus with the upstairs space,” he said.

You can read more here about Open BTL, the wine bar and rooftop patio Cordas recently brought to Delaware.

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