By Charly SHELTON

Saturday was St. Patrick’s Day and that meant food, drink and music, all of which were found in abundance at Tam O’Shanter on Los Feliz. As one of LA’s oldest restaurants, the Scottish pub set in an English Tudor-style cottage is steeped in history, and one can feel the age as soon as the threshold is crossed. The old-fashioned pub, with dark wood panels and deeply recessed alcove seating, is the perfect setting for a traditional St. Pat’s celebration. The carving station served up mounds of corned beef and brisket, boiled cabbage and roasted potatoes to delighted celebrants throughout the day and into the evening. And, while the bar had all manner of spirits, on the most Irish day of the year Guinness and Irish whiskey reigned supreme.

Outside in the parking lot, a festival area was set up underneath a giant tent that served as the concert space. The house band, The Ploughboys, played into the evening and then Whiskey Sunday took over for the night shift. And, of course, there were two bar stations so nobody had to look too far for their next Guinness. For VIP ticket holders, the work-in-progress patio area was a private refuge to get a drink and take a break from the hundreds of people who descended on the festival and a chance to get a peek at the project. The patio will be completed later this month and will embody the spirit of the original patio, which was put in place in the 1930s, then demolished to create a driveway some 40 years later, while updating the space to be comfortable for modern diners.

I’ve been to every Irish pub in LA over the past few years and I can confidently say that this is the best St. Patrick’s Day party in LA. When it’s time to make plans for next year, I suggest Tam O’Shanter.

For more info on upcoming events, visit TamOShanter.com.

  Charly Shelton