The quality of a pub’s core dishes tells you everything you need to know about its intentions. A pub that takes its fish and chips seriously – using fresh fish, properly made batter, and well-fried chips – is a pub that cares about what it serves. McGarity’s Restaurant & Irish Pub in Eureka Springs takes this view seriously, and the result is what many diners consider the best fish and chips in Eureka Springs.
These are not afterthought dishes prepared to fill out a menu – they are the dishes around which the restaurant’s identity is built. The fish and chips follow a recipe that respects the traditional approach: fresh fish, light batter that crisps properly without becoming heavy, and chips cooked to the right texture. It is the kind of execution that requires care and consistency, and McGarity’s delivers both.
Shepherd’s Pie Worth Seeking Out
Among those searching for the best shepherd’s pie in Eureka Springs, McGarity’s is the consistent answer. The shepherd’s pie here reflects genuine Irish pub tradition – slow-cooked meat, properly seasoned, topped with mashed potato that has the right texture and depth of flavor. It is a dish that requires patience and technique, and it shows in the result.
Shepherd’s pie is one of those dishes that is easy to do adequately and difficult to do well. The difference between a version made with care and proper ingredients and one assembled without attention is immediately apparent. McGarity’s version falls firmly in the former category – a dish that satisfies at a level that justifies the visit on its own.
The Guinness Question
For serious pub visitors, the best Guinness in Eureka Springs is not a trivial question. Guinness poured without proper technique – the two-stage pour, the appropriate settling time, the correct glass and temperature – is a different drink from Guinness poured well. McGarity’s observes the protocol, which is why their Guinness tastes as it should.
The Guinness program is complemented by a broader beverage selection – beers, wines, and cocktails – that serves guests who are not Guinness drinkers while maintaining the pub character that makes the experience coherent. The beverage menu supports the food rather than competing with it.
