McGettigan's @ Madinat Jumeirah.

Our impression of McGettigan's has been clouded with the idea that is is the watering hole for tourists and upper scale Dubai residents. Positioned in the mind as a pub one would not expect the food to be one of the stronger suites of this Irish offering. Indeed the setting of McGettigan's along the canal of Madinat Jumeirah creates a unique ambience that alone is a footfall driver. A very friendly staff, and the vibe of a happening place standout. 

The welcome was warm and friendly, and our request to be seated outside was quickly complied with after a short time inside. There is no doubt this Irish offering stands out with the quick service and the friendly staff. The drinks menu while not exhaustive is well thought out even catering to the one non-drinker in our midst. The food menu while not wide in selections certainly gave the impression this was more than pub grub on offer. 

The Spinach Tagliatelle was perfectly cooked and a ideal choice for a vegetarian. The fish and chips could have done with a few more chips, but the fish itself was well balanced between the amount of batter and the fish itself. The McG Signature burger was a delight and perhaps would win the award for the best tasting burger in Dubai. The quality of the food was excellent and indeed a surprise as one does not expect pub food to achieve the standards that McG does. Well done to the chef and his team.

The evening was all the more memorable with the General Manager, Reggie Ferris dropping in at our table. The Irish charm and humour stood out and he was a treasure of interesting stories. (we told him he must write a book one day). The highlight was him presenting a pint of Guinness with the image of two of us on the froth! 

We have always believed that restaurants are not only in the food business, they are essentially in the people business. Many establishments may have excellent food but the people who run them just lack that extra zap to make the place buzz. This not the case with McGettigan's. From the GM down everyone was very friendly and you felt they were people driven more than anything else. 

Pros:

• Friendly and welcoming.
• Location.
• Excellent food.
• Good drinks menu.
•  Top class entertainment. 

Cons.

• Would like to see the food menu expanded a little bit. 

Over all impressions:

This is a must visit location of Dubai and an experience that will be well remembered. Even if one was to nit pick one cannot find anything to fault them with. Certainly a destination that will be visited again....soon.