Food & Drink
There are lot of things to see and do while you explore the Peoria Irish Fest, and you’re bound to work up a strong appetite and a powerful thirst!
With food vendors strategically placed within a few steps from wherever you are, satisfying your cravings is always convenient. And if the nearby options don't quite hit the spot, keep walking! Our vendors offer a diverse range of delectable choices, ensuring there's something for everyone.
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Five fantastic pubs, scattered across the grounds, boast their distinct atmosphere and personality and are staffed by volunteers who take great pride in their work. Select from a mouth-watering variety of beers, ciders, spirits, and soft drinks at each location. Our bar team works throughout the year to bring pubs to life.
Don't miss the highly-anticipated Irish Whiskey tastings! Check the schedule for these classes, held in the Tasting Room on the third floor of the Gateway Building. Visit one of our pubs to learn how to secure a ticket for these popular events, and prepare for a unique and memorable tasting experience.
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Keep your eyes open for our Tart on a Cart! If you’re lucky, you may spot her riding around the grounds on a custom-built contraption, selling samples of whiskey and merchandise and providing entertainment for those who find her!
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Food and drink prices will be posted at each location and if you like our pubs, you’ll love our selection of commemorative T-shirts, available at the Merchandise Tent.
2025 Food Vendors
COMING SOON!
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Our Pubs!
Malanaphy’s Pub
Come in as a stranger and leave as a friend at Malanaphy’s Pub. Situated near the North Stage and Athletic Field, Malanaphy’s Pub is a beautifully hand-crafted, traditional style pub where our beer is cold, our whiskey is strong, and our smiles are genuine.
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When designing Malanaphy’s, our goal was to raise the expectation from “your average festival beer tent” to something uniquely special. Be sure to check out the authentic décor and bar made with love by our volunteers.
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We serve a variety of specialty drinks and hope to please every customer. Come in and enjoy great craic with old friends and new. We look forward to serving you!
O’Neill’s Pub
Ireland may have come to visit the Peoria Riverfront for a weekend, but O’Neill’s Pub is where the two meet for a beer!
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Thanks to a secret pipeline under the beer trailers, we are able to bring freshly brewed Guinness to you, directly from the brewery. We think you’ll find some of the best things from Ireland when you visit our humble corner of Peoria Irish Fest. We have created a very special atmosphere, featuring authentic Irish bands performing daily on our stage, along with delicious Irish stouts, ales, lagers, and ciders — served by some of the rowdiest and most colorful volunteers we could find!
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O’Neill’s is traditionally where our guests go to get the party started. Let our crew pour you a perfect pint and offer some lighthearted craic to pass the time.
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O’Neill’s Pub is the oldest of the five Peoria Irish Fest pubs. Stop by and share in our traditions, or maybe start some of your own.
Vince’s Whiskey Terrace
Opened for business in 2019, Vince’s Whiskey Terrace is the newest of our on-site pubs. Named in honor of long-time volunteer and past Society President Vince Coleman, this is where once can sip the finest spirits available at Peoria Irish Fest. Enjoy a wee dram of an old favorite, or order a flight and find something new to enjoy.
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Although Vince is no longer with us, we’re confident that we’ve created an atmosphere he would be proud to visit.
The Snug
Although one would have to search pretty hard to find an authentic snug in this modern day, prior to the 1960’s they were quite common.
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Social conventions at the time prohibited respectable women from being seen drinking inside a pub. Instead, in a small, screened-off room attached to the end of a bar, women — along with men of the cloth and possibly even a policeman — could enjoy a pint served through a small door to protect their privacy. Also in the snug, the matchmaker, usually a trusted old man, would discretely arrange marriages between the sons and daughters of local farmers and shopkeepers.
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Those days and traditions are now in the past — everyone is welcome in each of our pubs. The pub we call “The Snug” has evolved from a small and nearly hidden venue into the cornerstone of what we lovingly call “The Whiskey District” of Peoria Irish Fest. The Snug is a little larger than it once was, but it is still brimming with traditional entertainment and volunteers ready to slake your thirst with one of many satisfying drinks.
Haney’s Bar
Haney’s Bar served its first beer in 2016. The bar was named to honor three generations of the Haney family — as well as aunts, uncles and cousins — who have volunteered in many positions around Irish Fest as long as anyone can remember.
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The staff at Haney’s — located a stone’s throw from the Illinois River’s lush banks, Grafton Street, and several food vendors — is prepared to serve the largest entertainment and music stage on the grounds. This pub offers thirsty patrons a multitude of delicious domestic and imported beverage options!
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As you enjoy a pint, traditional Irish music will fill the air, as will the laughter concluding many a punch line to traditional Irish wit – Haney’s has plenty of both which will bring out a wee bit o’Blarney in just about everyone!
