Irish Pub In the Works for Fanwood

Fanwood may have a new restaurant that offers barbecue, burgers and more just in time for the Fourth of July.

Scotch Plains native and current Mountainside resident Sean Flannery, along with his business partner, Fanwoodian Brian Walter, are working to open Flannery's Irish Pub in the old Havana Express location at 200 South Avenue by early summer.

At this week's council meeting, the two men gave a preview of what's in the works for the pub, which they described as a casual, affordable food and drink place that will be ideal for families and locals.

"I'm a chef, and this is the funnest restaurant I've ever opened," Walter said. "It's two blocks from my house, very casual, the prices will definitely be reasonable. We're really excited about that. We want to this to be something to give back to the town." 

The business partners have been working to open a Fanwood restaurant ever since they bought the license to do so six years ago.  With Havana Express now closed, the two men plan to take advantage of the centrally located downtown space. At Tuesday night's council meeting, the council approved a place-to-place transfer of a liquor license for Flannery's.

"It's been a long road to get here, but it is a road that has been an exciting one, and this is a big moment for borough of Fanwood," Mayor Colleen Mahr said. "I think it's very important for the redevelopment process and also another example of a local individual who either currently lives in Fanwood or grew up here having stepped up and made a claim into Fanwood's future."

Walter showed off a number of conceptual photos of what their food will look like. Large club sandwiches, barbeque, burgers, oysters, fish and chips, salads and more are all slated for the menu. Walter said they also anticipate having a strong to-go business.

"We're not going to be lacking here," he said. "We'll know what you like to eat, what you like to drink, your kids' names. That's the dream."

Mahr called the new restaurant a step closer to putting a "fresher face on Fanwood."

"We want a more vibrant community with people downtown," she said. "The fact that we will have this Irish pub is a feather in our caps and a feather in yours."

Flannery and Walter said they anticipate Flannery's Irish Pub opening its doors by late June or early July.