The Field Irish Pub

In Dania, hidden behind a tree, is a portal to rural Irish life – at least the way I've always imagined it. It's Tuesday afternoon, and that's a good enough reason to celebrate. It's also reason enough to drink, so the entire town has poured into this quaint public house. Surely, it's this burg's only authentic pub. It wasn't until after ordering a pint of Smithwick's (note pronunciation: Smith-icks) that I came to realize, Dude, this is Dania Beach, not Donegal County. Well, it's not Liverpool either, but you wouldn't know it by the two fellas playing Beatles tunes and looking quite dashing in their black-suit-and-skinny-black-tie combos. Joe Dougherty and Padraic Keane deal in beat rock. Miles of wood — on the walls, on the floor, in beams across a plastered ceiling low enough to touch — and a dim interior are the backdrop to these distinctly foreign, distinctly joyful melodies. Cheerful banter is encouraged, and it carries voices just over the range of the bass guitar. Tiffany-style lamps give off a muted amber light that lets you see enough not to spill your beer. The food smells fatty and delicious. Bypass the bar and head over to the high-tops, which are old-timey barrels — and really cool sitting accommodations. Cutesy trinkets (vintage books, picture frames, pots, even a vintage piano) leave no wall or corner bare. George Orr puts on the Hot Rod Show every Wednesday. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, Celtic Bridge, a five-piece Celtic and Irish band, plays traditional ballads, jigs, and reels. But the Irish aren't just known for eerily joyful, drunk-dancing music. Even in Dania, the Irish have a penchant for brewing the stuff that gets you in a drunk-dancing mood, so be sure to check out the Field's sweet selection of Irish whiskeys, Irish beers on tap, and Irish coffee.