A charming Irish pub fit for Boston (or Galway) out on Cape Cod

For New Englanders, it may seem like Irish pubs may be found in any part of the United States, but this isn’t exactly the case.

The Northeast has a rich Irish heritage with countless pubs found in Boston, New York City and many of the smaller cities and towns with high Irish-American populations. But outside of the region, other than in cities with deep Irish roots like Chicago, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, it may be a bit more difficult to find these warm and welcoming spots where you can get a plate of fish and chips and a pint of Guinness.

Locally, many of the traditional-feeling Irish pubs tend to be found in neighborhoods, reflecting days past in which close-knit residential areas had their local watering holes that people would frequent on a regular basis, but some of the better pubs don’t fit into this pattern. One such spot is a quiet dining and drinking place in a Cape Cod shopping center called Bobby Byrne’s that has been a popular spot for food and drink since the 1970s.

The original location of Bobby Byrne’s in Mashpee may be in a shopping center, but this isn’t just any shopping center. Mashpee Commons actually has the feel of a New England village, with quirky architecture, tree-shaded roadways and a laid-back feel not often found at such mixed-use developments.

The complex actually started out as a more typical retail development when it was the New Seabury Shopping Center, but since the changeover in the 1980s, the complex has become a model for other lifestyle centers and, really, a destination of sorts for visitors to the Cape.

Bobby Byrne’s fits into Mashpee Commons quite nicely, with an attractive shingled exterior that looks a bit more like a traditional Cape Cod cottage than a well-worn Irish pub. But take one step into its bar area and you’ll be transported into the kind of atmosphere that you might expect at a neighborhood Irish pub in Boston (or for that matter, Dublin or Galway).

The left side of Bobby Byrne’s (which is where you’ll find the pub area) is dominated by a dark wooden L-shaped bar that’s a perfect spot to eat a meal and drink a beer or whiskey. There is plenty of other seating, with both booths and tables found within the space (a rail with a few stools is also set up in the bar area). The right side of the space has a bright and airy dining room good for families and larger groups – its high ceiling and chandeliers give it a much different, almost upscale feel compared to the bar side.

PHOTOS: Comfort food and pub grub at Bobby Byrne's in Mashpee

The food at Bobby Byrne’s includes a mix of comfort food and pub grub, dishes with Irish and New England influences and, as you might expect, foods typically found on the Cape and the South Coast of Massachusetts – there’s a hearty Portuguese kale soup with linguica, chorizo, potatoes, cabbage and beans; crispy fried calamari with cherry peppers and a garlic-basil aioli; and a classic Cape Cod Reuben with fried cod on marble rye along with Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Thousand Island dressing.

Seafood lovers will want to consider the traditional New England clam chowder, the fish and chips – which consist of firm pieces of cod coated in a non-greasy batter – and the sweet-tasting local sea scallops, which can be ordered baked or fried.

Some of the comfort food options are excellent at Bobby Byrnes, such as a messy but delicious grilled black pastrami sandwich on a bulkie roll, a sweat-inducing buffalo fried chicken sandwich also on a bulkie, a large plate of mac and cheese which can be ordered with buffalo or BBQ chicken bites and a mushroom and Swiss burger with mushrooms piled high on top of a half-pound of beef.

Irish pubs tend to be places to go for a smooth-tasting Irish whiskey and/or a pint of stout, and you can certainly order Jameson and Guinness here, but plenty of other options await, as the bar has a number of bourbon and scotches from which to choose. For beer lovers, you will also find a handful of local and regional brews, including from Cape Cod, Hog Island, Mighty Squirrel, Wormtown, Progression and Finback. But the well-worn bar top and dim lights does seem just perfect for a perfectly poured pint of Guinness, which in a sense becomes part of the dark and moody atmosphere itself.

Mashpee is a small town and Mashpee Commons is a bit of a drive from the ocean, so places like Bobby Byrne’s sometimes get overlooked. Locals sure know about it, however, as do shoppers to this pleasant little development, as it’s a perfect place to make a stop while taking a break from going in and out of all the interesting stores.

It may not be on a street corner in a residential neighborhood, but once you find yourself inside this dining and drinking spot, there’s a good chance that you’ll quickly forget that as you soak up the charm of this wonderful place. [Ed note: Another location of Bobby Byrne’s can be found in Hyannis.]

Bobby Byrne's, 6 Central Square, Mashpee, MA, 02649. bobbybyrnes.com