Jameson's Brings Irish Fare Back to Former O'Callaghan's Site

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, Jameson's Irish Pub & Grill is open for business.

Located in the Green Oak Village Place shopping center in Green Oak Township, the restaurant opened Friday at the site of the former Sean O'Callaghan's.

Restaurant veterans Tony Kasab and Jim Harvey, who own the popular Woody's Diner in downtown Royal Oak, have big plans for Thursday.

From noon to midnight in the dining room, they'll serve up corned beef and cabbage, along with hourly drink specials, as NCAA March Madness serves as entertainment. The party may get a little wilder in a huge heated Red Bull tent outside the pub, with radio stations broadcasting live, deejays and bands from noon to midnight, and live band karaoke starting at 9 p.m.

It took Kasab and Harvey about three months and some minor remodeling to transform the restaurant into Jameson's. Physical changes included knocking out a wall to join the bar and dining room, buying 22 plasma TVs, and installing stained glass etched with the new restaurant's name. Jameson's also plans to expand the outdoor deck to more than twice its current size.

The biggest improvement is the menu, according to Kasab, which he speculates was the former restaurant's downfall.

"The key is the food, and that's one problem we don't have," Kasab said.

Jameson's offerings are diverse, and include traditional bar food like potato skins and mozzarella sticks ($7-$11), entree salads ($10), oven baked sandwiches ($7) and pizza. Entrees ($9-$17) features signature dishes from Woody's, including slow roased baby back ribs and New Orleans pasta.

Irish dishes — Chicken Pot Pie, Homemade Shepherd's Pie and Irish Stew — are offered all the time.

Ongoing, Kasab said after dinner the restaurant will transition into a club with a dance floor on Fridays and Saturdays. The outdoor deck will be site of live music several nights a week, ranging from raggae and R&B to country and rock, although Kasab expects the crowd to skew older than the college-age demographic that have packed Woody's for years.

According to Kasab, live band karaoke has proved popular at the Royal Oak bar and will be hosted every Thursday at Jameson's from about 9 p.m. to close.

"It's definitely different than regular karaoke. You don't sound as bad," Kasab said.

Jameson's is also serving up all kinds of special pricing to get customers in the door. On Tuesdays, children eat free; on Wednesdays, beers are $1. Every day at lunch "you pick two for $6," from a full size sandwich, fries, soup or salad.

It was important to open before St. Patrick's Day, said manager Danielle Noonan of Whitmore Lake.

"We're an Irish bar. If we can get people in the door on St. Patrick's Day they'll try the food and come back," Noonan said.