The last "Irish pub" I visited was essentially just a regular bar and grill with a vaguely Irish-ish menu. After departing, the entire family said (paraphrasin

The last "Irish pub" I visited was essentially just a regular bar and grill with a vaguely Irish-ish menu. After departing, the entire family said (paraphrasing), "WTF was that? That was about as Irish as a mariachi playing a didgeridoo." They didn't even get a "you tried" sticker. Mostly, we don't care about authenticity in restaurants. We just want thematic consistency. And the theme for an "Irish pub" is fish and chips, Guinness stew, and marginally classier decor than the rathole bar down the street. We know, deep down, that Outback Steakhouse is really only Australia-themed, rather than authentically Australian. But you'd better not break character when you're running one, buddy. You have to keep those stupid boomerangs nailed up on the walls. And that's all the phenomenon is. It's a brand identity. It says "inexpensive, but not cheap", and it says "comfort food", and it says "automatic seasonal business every March".