Oscar Wilde Irish Pub

I remember seeing Oscar Wilde Irish Pub on the San Diego Burger Week 2016 list. We didn't quite make it then (it was closed the night we were nearby) but dropped by a couple of months later. I had heard some positive things about their burgers plus it had been a while since we had Irish food!  

For parking, there's a shared lot with Hillcrest Brewing Company (HBC) as well as street parking available.

There was still some light left in the day so the patio was our seating of choice. We claimed a counter height table for ourselves but there were also standard height options as well. I do like having my feet swinging on some days though!

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon (8.95)

One of the regulars recommended the brussels sprouts so who were we to argue? Dennis prefers slightly saltier but I was down with the sweetness. Yet, I was drawn toward the accompaniment... bacon. The portions were plentiful and I kept stuffing my mouth with these chunky meatier pieces.

Shepherd's Pie (13.95) - Beef, onions, carrots & peas in gravy, mash potato, served with honey glazed carrots & peas

I heard there was a shepherd's pie in a pastry crust but unfortunately that particular oven was down for the day. Instead, we went standard with the ceramic bowl to satisfy our cravings. This shepherd's pie had a beautiful crust on the top and we seriously couldn't wait to dive in! Dennis doesn't like corned beef but this deviant stew meat totally worked with the broth and other ingredients! It stayed piping hot in that little bowl but definitely needs an appetizer or side to complement it. I swear I'm always craving more shephards pie when I finish one of these bowls!

Hangover Burger (11.95) - Ground beef patty, lettuce, tomato, fried egg, bacon and white cheddar

The next dish's sheer weight made up for any lack of calories of the previous. The burger was a huge half pounder that overtook one side of the plate. Of course, eggs and bacon made it into a very breakfast-like sandwich. The bread looked really smushed though and with the egg gushing, it soaked and broke down the bottom bun. The meat itself was well cooked but still juicy and seasoned. They didn't ask about wellness so it must be a standard cook time. The side of fries was additional filler food.

Service was a little on the slow side and the wait for food felt long. We noticed only one bartender/server plus whatever staff were hidden in the kitchen.

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At least during the downtime, I could play with the SLR camera. These glasses of water had now become... art. I loved the hanging lighting as a background. How exciting eh?

Overall Oscar Wilde has decent bar food. If we're around in the area, we may try out another burger or so. We noticed there was also a bar in the back of the patio as well as a back bar inside the business but they weren't staffed on this low key Friday. I'm curious as to when this place gets hopping.