McCloskey's Tavern

On the sixth day of Christmas blogging ... the suburbs offered me a friendly neighborhood bar. Every neighborhood should have one, right? McCloskey's has been serving Ardmore for seventy-five years. 75! The local presence at McCloskey's is unmistakable -- neighbors of all ages are here, all greeted like old friends (including us). There's something about a place like this that clearly keeps you coming back.

The food falls on the ambitious end of standard pub fare, with great stand-by's like wings to cheesesteak spring rolls, with some pasta dishes and specials thrown in for good measure. And an awesome, lengthy beer list, with plenty on tap for craft-beer lovers like me.

Of course, we focused on the appetizers. DCWB loves their mussels and even though they weren't on the menu as such (mussels marinara on pasta was the only thing listed), McCloskey's was happy to accommodate our request.
Accented with a lot of butter, they went down easily. The cheesesteak spring rolls were good, but I wanted more of a tomato sauce for them than the creamy chipotle sauce served. My favorite app was the quesadilla special - the avocado, shrimp, cheese and salsa made for a tasty combination. As it turns out, however, McCloskey's special is the beef stew, served in a bread bowl: Nothing says neighborhood bar like a beef stew. It was massive and great for splitting on a cold night. Don't get me started on the amazing peanut butter pie the owner was kind enough to give us. I wouldn't have chosen it after the stew, but it was pretty amazing with the right mix of chocolate and peanut butter.
When it comes to a place to grab a drink in Ardmore, McCloskey's offers the kind of atmosphere that feels like good conversation with old friends.
McCloskey's Tavern is located at 17 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore, Pa, http://www.mccloskeystavern.com/.