Madra Rua building its reputation well past city limits

It's no secret that the Park Circle area in North Charleston has been undergoing a successful revitalization for a number of years now, including an influx of new businesses and new residents to patronize these establishments.

As a former Hanahan resident I can tell you I have made more trips to Park Circle recently than I ever did when I lived much closer to the area, as a number of bars and restaurants have become popular hangouts among my group of friends.

Perhaps the pioneer, and still arguably the best, of all the bar/restaurants that have sprung up in Park Circle is Madra Rua. The Irish pub has established a reputation that extends far beyond the city limits of North Charleston. It's reputation that is well deserved based on Madra Rua's food alone.

But while Madra Rua is a fine restaurant, it is as much a bar as an eatery, and some might argue it's better known for its bar scene.

Between a loyal happy-hour crowd and the eclectic mix on weekend days and nights, time spent at Madra Rua is a guaranteed good time. Atmosphere is something that simply cannot be bought, and the dark, deep oak, green-walled vibe at Madra Rua has delivered for my friends and me, every time, without fail.

Madra Rua offers 16 draught beers, including two locally brewed selections, available in 16-ounce and 20-ounce glasses. The house drink specialty is "layered draughts," which is a combination of different beers, and the Irish pub wraps up its mission to deliver in all-things-beer, with a selection of more than 20 domestic and imported bottles.

As for the food, my favorite place to get "meat pies" used to be the Bull & Finch, but since that franchise closed down, Madra Rua's "Shepard's Pie" is my new favorite dish of that type. While on each visit I never seem to get past the Shepard's Pie, I have never heard a single complaint about the rest of Madra Rua's menu, with particular praise for their steaks and, of course, the fish and chips seem to be a house favorite.

When Madra Rua opened its doors a few years back, like any new business, I'm sure they were hoping for the best.

As an outsider looking in, in terms of quality, reputation and most importantly popularity, it's hard to imagine how the owners could have done things any better.