Mullaney’s Harp and Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave. Strip District 412-642-6622 $7-$14

out of

Sit at a table in Mullaney’s Harp and Fiddle, and you’ll wish you were sitting at the bar. This lively Irish pub had a patronage of regulars when I visited last week, and they seemed to congregate where the fun was – around the bartender.

When I made reservations, the host reminded me that it was Ceili dance night at the bar. This wouldn’t be the place for a quiet dinner, he advised me. I figured that dancing often accompanies a bar atmosphere. In fact, Ceili is a partner dance originating from Gaelic culture.

In case you’re looking for a quiet dinner, Harp and Fiddle isn’t your place in general. “Quiet dinner” sounds like a date or a business meeting, and the only business you should conduct at Harp is social business.

The atmosphere is friendly and worn-in. The wood-paneled walls are decorated with Irish memorabilia, and old photos of the Strip District mix in to create a local feel. The pub fits its surrounding neighborhood well, appearing tough on the outside but just right on the inside.

I ordered the Bangers and Rashers with Mash, looking forward to some hearty pub grub. Bangers are sausage, and Rashers are what we know as Canadian Bacon. Together, they’re a killer combo. After hardly any wait, the food arrived, and I was greeted by a smaller portion than I’d expected for $14.

I got started right away and found the Mash was wholesome and balanced: a little salty, a little creamy.

The Bangers were delicious – it was the most natural-tasting sausage I’ve had for months. It’s too bad I only had three of them. The Rashers weren’t extraordinary, but they got the job done.

There are additional Irish specialties to choose from, including the Irish Stew and Shepherd’s pie. Both looked like they’d sit nicely with a Guinness.

My dining pal, on dietary restrictions, decided on the open-faced tuna sandwich. The mayonnaise, described on the menu as “Cajun,” wasn’t so hot, leaving the sandwich on the blander side.

However, there was more substance to this dish than to the Bangers and Rashers, since the tuna came with fries piled on the side.

While they were on the singed side, the fries were smothered in ketchup, so it was hard to tell. Overall, the sandwich option gives you more for your money.

We didn’t get to see the dancing that night because it started at 8 p.m., after we’d finished our meals. Aside from dancing, Harp also brings in live bands every weekend.

Be forewarned, the bar gets packed on those nights, and reservations stop at 8 p.m. It’s a better idea to get there early.

The bar recently held The Guinness Toast, an annual February toast started in Pittsburgh in 1993 and known as St. Practice Day, which had bar patrons backed into the dining area and a doorman charging a $5 cover.

With such a happening atmosphere, the food becomes secondary. In retrospect, I’d rather have gone on a weekend night with a few friends and sat at the bar.

It’s even common sense: The Harp and Fiddle is called a pub, and a pub’s camaraderie and energy are precisely what it offers patrons.