Oh, the potential...
We were looking for an Irish pub atmosphere and stumbled across Maguire's at Queen and Hansen. Tucked away in a strip plaza, Maguire's is barely visible from the street. The only way we 'stumbled upon' it was because it happened to show up in iMaps.
Dark and mysterious, we questioned our selection, but nevertheless decided to get out of the car and give it a shot.
Well, first off, since it is so damn dark we couldn't even figure out where the entrance was. After pulling on locked doors like a couple of losers, we walked in what we thought was a staff entrance, only to be relieved to find it was the main entrance.
It wasn't any more lit inside. Was this place even open?
The few sitting at the bar seemed to indicate it was. Since we were already inside, we decided to stick to our decision and give this place a shot.
After looking at an extensive menu, we placed our order and waited for our beer.
Oh hey, a live band is setting up!
Who knew there was even a live band playing here tonight? Not us. That's because there is zero promotion on the outside of the venue.
We waited a bit for our food (I guess that's because they needed time for the burgers to defrost), beer was cheap and good. Likely would never order food at this place again though. We even overheard someone laughing with another patron that they only come to Maguire's to drink because even they don't want to die young (this was from a man of about 60). So obviously this place isn't known for its food, which is too bad.
It definitely has that pub feel, even if the bar is incredibly cluttered and outdated.
This place has incredible potential. If they cut their menu in half and only focused on making quality Irish pub food, this place could actually be a good go-to spot (get rid of those damn burgers Maguires, they're crap).
Our favourite part of the night was the live band, they were fun and kept the place lively.
If they had any kind of visible sign from the road that they had live music, I'm sure this place would get many more patrons.
If they built a website with their menu and weekly events, that would also be a step in the right direction.
However, I'd likely pass up on this place in the future, unless I saw a massive sign out front that said NEW MENU, RECENTLY RENOVATED BAR. If I wanted cheap drinks and a pub atmosphere in that area, I'd go to the Firkin a block away from Maguire's. Much more clean and I don't feel like I'm drinking in the dark.
Here's our Exploring Brampton summary:
Food: 2/10 based on burgers
Good for dates?: No
Good for kids?: No
Good for seniors?: No
Who's there?: Old drunkards who need cheap booze
Staff?: Young and friendly, but pay little attention to patrons
Atmosphere: Relaxed but grungy
Decor: 3/10 needs major facelift, additional lighting and updated bartop + bottle display
Best part?: Live band
Would we go there again?: Likely not, unless changes made
Located at: 284 Queen St E, Brampton, ON L6V 1C2
Phone: (905) 487-2337
Hours of Operation: 11AM - 2AM Daily
Website: None
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