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CLUB SCENE:
GEORGE O'DEA'S PUB
1333 West Fayette St.
Syracuse, NY 13208
(315) 478-9398
(View Map)
by Christopher Sinatra
"What they were up to in those days were kept for the future. I'm not sure I know how legal it was...but anyway...ha ha ha."
So said the Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland, Bertie Ahern, on his visit to Syracuse in March 2005, as he gazed up at the inverted stoplight that has dangled like a beacon of hope and community since the 1920's, above Milton Avenue and Tompkins Street, the Tipporary Hill home to many of Irish descent. I heard much of the same Irish humor when I went to George O'Dea's Pub for their annual Christmas Party.
O'Dea's Pub is nestled snugly on the sloping corner of W. Fayette and Tompkins Rd. in a way, that reminds me of many a pub I visited in Kilkenny, Ireland last summer. O'Dea's location toward the outskirts of the Tipp Hill limit on the city's far Westside didn't stop me from feeling like I was in the heart of the Green Isle as soon as I walked through the door.
The similarities increased when I noticed the woodstove pointing towards the bar, which lent the space an intimate atmosphere. The frieze above the bar was lined with shamrocks, and among Christmas lights intertwining the fir branch garlands hung beer cans, which added to the pub a playful bit of character. Speaking of the words, "playful" and "character," I saw that next to the bar sat an upright piano, and before long, Piano Mike sat down on the bench to provide some classic entertainment. He began with "We Three Kings Of Orient Are." And piqued my interest even more when he segued into playing some rip-roaring boogie-woogie.
Another thing I smelled (besides the barley) was some great food from the somewhere close-by. Before I knew it, I was warmly welcomed by the pub's owner Jerry Roesch, fondly known as "Bonezy" by his many regular customers
and friends. After telling me to go help myself to food from the buffet table, he joined me at a booth to talk to me about his pub and told me that most of his clientele are hard-working folks from the neighborhood who like to get together after a long day to relax. Our conversation widened every minute or two by people coming to pay their respects to Bonezy, and holiday greetings were wished, hands shaken, and hugs given.
One of the first things I asked Jerry was how he acquired his nickname. He told me that he was once a "skinny basket-ball player." If I hadn't seen the weathered newspaper articles on display above the buffet I wouldn't have guessed; from an onlooker's perspective, it was me who deserved such a sobriquet. I told him that my grandfather used to call me "a long drink of water," so we had that in common. But Bonezy indeed has been a basketball coach in St. Patrick's CYO league since 1994, and besides the articles on basketball, there are others recognizing the part that Jerry has played in
neighborhood over the years, including the "opening of the can" when that famous Tipporary Hill intersection is marked with a shamrock every St. Patrick's Day.
Fridays are the busiest at O'Dea's, thanks to the Homemade Chowder and Fish Sandwiches and Dinners, which Bonezy told me are popular with many of his Catholic customers. I heard him promptly assure someone whose wife was ill and unable to be there that he would be glad to deliver the couples usual fish meal to their home nearby on the upcoming Friday, and knew that this was a man who genuinely cares about people, and isn't just in the business to make a buck; a heartening discovery in light of the fact that so many "eating-out" experiences begin with "how can I help you..?" and swiftly end with "have a nice day." whether it is eight o'clock in the morning or ten o'clock at night.
Some other good eats offered everyday at O'Dea's are their Soup O'Dae for only $1.75 a cup and $2.25 a bowl; Bonez Chili for $3.50 a bowl; and Chowder. The hot sandwiches, all served with a choice of a side, and either a 6" or 12" size, include the generously stacked George's Cheese-steak, the Drive-In Chicken on a Bun, and the Spicy Chicken Sub. Pizza is newly available, and the Introductory Special #1 gives you a large with one topping and twenty-four wings, along with a 2 liter. I was told that pizza delivery is also in the works. When you go to O'Dea's, you can ask Bonezy or anyone behind the bar about their Old Style Home cooked Family Meals.
Oh yeah! One other thing that I forgot to mention. On my way out of the bar, as I looked at the sign promoting the Christmas party, I couldn't help but think that if all of this hoopla is happening in celebration of Christmas, what will it be like in O'Dea's in a little under three months when another famous holiday is being celebrated?