Just off I-95 in Newton, a watering hole that feels like rural Ireland

It’s no secret that the Boston area is home to countless Irish pubs, and there really is something for everyone out there.

in and around the city you can find old-school dive bars where pints and shots are the main draw, upscale restaurant-style pubs with inventive takes on Irish and various global cuisines, youth-oriented hotspots with nightlife including music and dancing, laid-back family-friendly places where the focus is on making everyone feel at home and traditional pubs of the type that you might find along a country road in the heart of the Emerald Isle.

There is one pub hidden away in the western suburbs of Boston that combines the best of the latter two categories. That’s helped make Dunn-Gaherin's Food and Spirits in Newton Upper Falls such a beloved spot for locals for many years now.

The city of Newton is basically a collection of villages that run the gamut from the quiet upper-class neighborhood of Waban to the bustling commercial hub of Newton Centre to the close-knit Italian-American community of Nonantum. Newton also has some old industrial areas within its city limits, including Newton Upper Falls, a well-preserved mill village along a particularly scenic section of the Charles River (walking trails lead to a gorge and waterfall here) that has some of the most interesting architecture in all of Newton.

Just east of the heart of the tiny downtown area of Newton Upper Falls is where you’ll find Dunn-Gaherin's, set among a mix of old and newer homes along a mostly residential street that eventually winds its way to Route 9.

The first thing you may notice about Dunn-Gaherin's is that the place looks exactly like some of the traditional Irish pubs found in Dublin and Galway, or, for that matter, the winding lanes well outside of those Irish cities. It is utterly charming, with its flower boxes in the windows, yellow side wall and outdoor string lights giving it a decidedly European feel.

The second thing you might notice is that the parking lot along the side wall is quite narrow, so much so that customers are required to back into the spaces, and during the warmer months last year, an outdoor patio was set up in the lot; it isn’t known if the setup will remain the same this year, but if it is, there is some street parking available and the patio makes up for the lack of parking, being a very nice spot when the weather is good. 

Dunn-Gaherin's is every bit as traditional looking inside as it is on the outside, with the kind of warm and welcoming feel that make Irish pubs so popular.

PHOTOS: Dunn-Gaherin's Food and Spirits in Newton Upper Falls

Its front has a small U-shaped bar with high-top tables nearby. Beyond the bar area is a mix of high-tops, low-tops, booths and bench seats. The back area perhaps feels most like the classic pubs of Ireland, with its low ceiling, sconces that emit warm light, wooden booths, string lights, Irish flags, Guinness flags, wooden beams and memorabilia on the walls. The middle of the place has an almost churchlike feel, with a soaring wooden ceiling and windows way up top and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. (Traditional Irish road signs only add to the pub’s aesthetic appeal.)

While some Irish pubs in and around Boston don’t offer a whole lot to eat, Dunn-Gaherin's puts as much focus on its food options as it does on its drink options. The menu is quite varied, with a mix of Irish fare, comfort food, pub grub and both classic American and New American food.

It may come as no surprise that the fish and chips is one of the most popular (and best) items and includes fresh haddock fillets, not overly greasy, that are served with fries and tartar sauce. Another beloved item here is one of the appetizers: the eggplant fries, which are topped with parmesan cheese and come with marinara sauce. Their mild and slightly meaty flavor may make you quickly forget about traditional fries.

Other apps that are worth looking at include some particularly meaty wings that can be ordered with an array of sauces, including buffalo, honey hot and garlic parmesan, and the basic chicken fingers are anything but basic, with a thick but non-greasy batter and are served with a pile of fries.

Several burgers are offered at Dunn-Gaherin's, including a delicious Irish burger with caramelized onions and Irish cheddar, while an overstuffed pastrami sandwich and an Irish grilled chicken sandwich (also with caramelized onions and Irish cheddar) top the handheld options.

One other entree in addition to the fish and chips needs to be pointed out, as the meatloaf is absolutely decadent – topped with a good amount of dark gravy, it can be served with mashed potatoes, which goes nicely with the gravy.

Being that Dunn-Gaherin's is an Irish pub, Guinness Stout is an obvious choice here (and they do a very good pour) as is a pint of Smithwick's or a bottle of Harp, but a number of great local and regional beers are served as well, including brews from Austin Street, Widowmaker, The Shed, Von Trapp, Mighty Squirrel, Wormtown, Allagash, Fiddlehead, Jack’s Abby, Lone Pine, Foundation, Mast Landing and Narragansett. The drinks menu also includes wine and cocktails, and Irish whiskeys are always an option, including a glass of the ever-popular Jameson.

Dunn-Gaherin's is the type of place where you might see young couples, retirees, groups of co-workers or families, solo diners at the bar, softball teams and construction workers to name a few, as the place is welcoming to all and has been so since opening back in the early 1990s. The fact that it is almost within sight of Route 128 makes it a pretty convenient stop for travelers, too, so if you’re looking to grab a bite to eat and a pint in a low-key Irish pub, this is one of the better options that you’ll find in the Greater Boston area.

Dunn-Gaherin's Food and Spirits, 344 Elliot Street, Newton, MA, 02464. dunngaherins.com