{"id":18031,"date":"2015-10-07T14:11:31","date_gmt":"2015-10-07T18:11:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2015\/10\/henrys-irish-tavern-in-ballston-spa-features-craft-beer-and-a-variety-of-comfort-foods.html"},"modified":"2015-10-07T14:11:31","modified_gmt":"2015-10-07T18:11:31","slug":"henrys-irish-tavern-in-ballston-spa-features-craft-beer-and-a-variety-of-comfort-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2015\/10\/henrys-irish-tavern-in-ballston-spa-features-craft-beer-and-a-variety-of-comfort-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"Henry’s Irish Tavern In Ballston Spa Features Craft Beer And A Variety Of ‘Comfort Foods’"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u00c2\u00a92015 Saratoga Photographer.com From left, Rick Mangino, chef, Dave Foster, manager, and Matt Hickey, owner, pose in Henry’s Irish Tavern, a bar\/restaurant at 19 Front St. in Ballston Spa\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
BY JILL NAGY<\/p>\n
Comfort foods and craft beers are featured \nat Henry’s Irish Tavern at 19 Front St. in \nBallston Spa, described by owner Matt Hickey \nas “a neighborhood tavern and restaurant.”<\/p>\n
The tavern has been open for six months \nand, according to Hickey, it has been packed \nevery night. It’s “a very very busy place,” he said.<\/p>\n
The eclectic menu includes a few Irish \ndishes, like shepherd’s pie and fish and chips, \nA recent special called hog wings was such a \nhit that it will become a regular menu item, \nhe said. Hog wings are pork shanks with a \nspicy sauce.<\/p>\n
There are a variety of fish and seafood \ndishes, steaks, and burgers on the dinner menu. \nFor a smaller dish to go with the craft beer, \nthe tavern offers poutine, nachos, garlic bread \nand flatbread pizzas. Poutine is a Quebecois \ndish consisting of French fries with gravy and \ncheese.<\/p>\n
Hickey felt that the time was right for an \nupscale bar in Ballston Spa. \n“It’s one of the few places to go in Ballston \nSpa right now,” he said.<\/p>\n
In addition to food and drink, Henry’s Irish \nTavern has live music three nights a week. \nThere is indoor seating at tables and at the \nbar and an outdoor patio that will stay open \nas long as the weather allows. They take reservations \nfor large parties: six or more people. \nCurrently, there are 25 employees.<\/p>\n
Hickey spent three months remodeling a \nbuilding that had been a plumbing shop and \nthen a hydroponics store. He put in a copper \nbar and a 14-foot stone fireplace. Previously, he \nrehabbed several other buildings in the village \nbut “I really liked this building,” he said.<\/p>\n
When no one else seemed to be interested \nin developing it into a restaurant and bar, he \ndecided to do it himself.<\/p>\n
Hickey is a novice in the restaurant business. \nAside from rehabbing buildings, he owns a \nmortgage company. He has been in that business \nfor almost 20 years and the company \nnow has about 50 employees. He grew up in \nBallston Spa and graduated from Ballston Spa \nHigh School.<\/p>\n
The tavern’s website is henrysirishtavern. \ncom. The telephone number is 573-8221.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a92015 Saratoga Photographer.com From left, Rick Mangino, chef, Dave Foster, manager, and Matt Hickey, owner, pose in Henry’s Irish Tavern, a bar\/restaurant at 19 Front St. in Ballston SpaBY JILL NAGY Comfort foods and craft beers are featured at…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[52,57,99,110],"class_list":["post-18031","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-new-businesses","tag-ballston-spa","tag-business-news","tag-nightlife","tag-restaurants"],"yoast_head":"\r\n
Henry's Irish Tavern In Ballston Spa Features Craft Beer And A Variety Of 'Comfort Foods' - Saratoga Business Journal<\/title>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\r\n