Irish Pub ÉireLux

If you enjoy the British or Irish pub culture, it may be difficult for you to find a great place here in Luxembourg. During my studies in the UK, one of my favorite things was meeting up with friends at the local pub, having a pint of beer and playing a round of pool in a relaxed atmosphere. Luxembourgian "pub culture" is different, not that I want to take anything away from it, but it either tends to be a "Mini" (0,33 ml glass of beer) in your local, rustic "Café" (meaning pub in Luxembourgian) with the regulars or some aperitif cocktail on the terrasse of a fancy bar, to see and be seen of course. I may be exaggerating a bit but for a long time I was missing a great place to hang out and simply have a good beer.

Luckily, we found ÉireLux in Howald, just a couple of minutes south of Luxembourg City. Just up front, this is not your stereotypical old Irish pub, this place only opened up a couple of years back, but this is a place where people from many backgrounds come to hang out and enjoy a pint of beer. And you do get some great drinks here: from the obligatory Guinness to O'Haras and a large selection of beers from Brehon Brewhouse; ÉireLux also offers a large range of ciders and spirits, especially whiskey.

Besides being a pub, with English-speaking service, the location doubles as a bistro and shop, offering a range of Irish and UK products, from candy and chocolate, to spirits and beer as well as cereals and frozen goods. If you are missing some of your favorites from the islands check out the shop or get in touch with them, they might be able to help you out.

Opening times for the shop, bar and bistro vary, so it is best to follow them on Facebook or Instagram, where they regularly post updates on opening times. Usually, the bar is open every day and the Bistro is open for Lunch service Tuesday to Friday. There is also a dinner service Friday evenings and sometimes also on the weekend.

Pub food can have a bad rep, but one of the most pleasant surprises was that the food is pretty great here! The cook is actually Italian and besides him simply being a great cook and knowing his trade, he has found a great way to bring together Irish and Italian dishes on one menu. There are also a couple of vegetarian options on the menu (baked potato, vegetarian pasta of the day) and they also offer two daily Lunch specials. Check out the full menu here!

White fish in a beer batter, fried to perfection and served with mushy peas, tartar sauce and chunky fries (other sides available). This is one of the go-to dishes on the islands and beloved by many for a reason, and one of my personal favorites. If you are ever in Brussels, there is a great fish & chips shop in the city center, Bia Mara, I can really recommend. If you are in Luxembourg, make sure to stop by Éirelux to try this classic!

The traditional Luxembourgian "baked fish" you find at places like the Schueberfouer (the largest funfair in Luxembourg) is fried in a simple flour batter and left whole, head, tail, fish bones and all. It is a very tedious endeavor to get the meat out without any bones, so I much prefer the version from the islands, it also tastes much better.

Over time, I have noticed some fluctuations in consistency regarding the fish, or more specifically the batter. During Lunch service the fish has been just e bit better than during the Friday evening service. For whatever reason, at Lunch, the batter is perfectly crisp and even and the fish is nice and flaky.

When you go to an Italian restaurant and order one of the classics, such as spaghetti bolognese, you do expect to get an amazing plate of food, with a rich, meaty sauce. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. The sauce is generic and flavorless. Well, in case you are indeed looking for a great bolognese, look no further as you will find it here, an Irish pub!

This is hands down, one of the best homemade bolognese sauces I have had in a while and I really recommend you getting a portion to try it. You can really taste that the sauce is homemade. It is nice and meaty, with fresh carrots and celery and the pasta itself is always cooked al dente. It might look like a somewhat odd combination at first glance to have Italian food in an Irish pub, but who is going to complain when the food is this good, and at a great price.

One of the Lunch specials on my last visit was homemade ravioli with ricotta and spinach with tomato sauce. The raviolis were perfectly cooked, with the perfect amount of filling, not too much, not too little. The tomato sauce on its own was a hint too acidic, however in combination with the pasta, the flavours were on point and went well together. A simple dish, yet prepared and cooked with care.

Overall, I can really recommend their Lunch service. The Lunch specials are often quite creative and a bit out of the box for an Irish Pub. Besides the ravioli we have had chili con carne tacos with sour cream or beef stroganoff with rice. At lunch, the cook can really show off his skills and creativity. Or Thursdays, there is usually a Happy Hour at ÉireLux, with free finger food. Last time around, he served mini bacon rolls, mini sausages and nachos with cheese sauce and guacamole. Prepackages cheese sauce and guacamole are some of my pet peeves but to my surprise, both were made fresh and tasted great.

The ribs are one of Chris favorites. Served with a baked potato, sour cream, coleslaw and BBQ sauce, these ribs are on the fattier side. However, this is exactly what makes them so flavourful and juicy and these have been great each time we have had them. Having them marinate in cider gives them a unique favour. If you think about it...a whole rack of ribs, a big baked potato and coleslaw for 16 Euros, that's a steal! To all you meat/pork lovers out there, this might be the dish for you!

The burger, served with Irish bacon, Irish cheddar, tomatoes and relish was good but not exceptional. The beef patty was quite a bit smaller than the bun and though the meat had a nice flavour, I found myself wishing for more seasoning. Chris however liked it that way. However, we both agreed that the bacon was cooked nicely. The chunky fries that come with the burger are not bad, an above average convenience product. Not a bad plate of food but other dishes from their menu simply stand out more.

One of the biggest surprises was the homemade carrot cake. It doesn't look like much, but that was a good piece of cake with ever better frosting and a piece of meringue. With crispy edges on the outside, the cake was nice and moist on the inside and very well spiced. I really liked the cream cheese frosting on top, US/UK style frosting are not very common here in Luxembourg, so that was a great little find.

This may not be the coziest pub, but the people working there make it a great place to hang out, grab a beer and some great food. The couple who runs this place is so friendly, and they are genuinely nice people. Also, compliments to the cook and his kitchen team. I was a bit skeptical in the beginning, but they have proven themselves time and time again, and they are contributing a lot to this place quality wise. One thing they could consider doing is to post the Lunch special ahead of time on their social media to keep nosy people like me up to date.

Overall, if you are looking for a perfectly draft pint of Guinness, some nice people and some great food, you need to check out ÉireLux!