Elite Bourbon Dinner in the Burbs @ Meehan’s Public House

When the owner said he wanted to create a place that would not be pretentious; I thought mission accomplished!
Loved Meehans; officially the best Irish restaurant in Atlanta. Excellent food & service, relaxed, feel-​good, fun setting with warm ambiance by far.
Chef’s recipes are classic yet creative & original.
Drinks are like the men… well let’s just say strong– couldn’t finish because I knew I’d have to wait a little longer before I got on the road. Southern Mule — twist on Russian Mule, is officially one of the best drinks ever. You have to at least try it!
I’d gone to nearby restaurants in the area but who knew this place was even there– tucked away in the very back of the parking lot. Thank you Unilocal for helping me discover this place!

This event hit the spot and ranks as one of my top 3 favorite Unilocal events thus far.
I’ve been to this Meehans before, and it’s a very cool pub! Kellie did an excellent job of getting a table where everybody sat in one general area and arranging for fun Unilocal swag to take away.
I absolutely loved the bourbon tasting, and three full drinks was over the top impressive! The Southern Mule (variation of the Moscow Mule) was a huge success alone. All the food was excellent from the appetizers to the main course to the dessert. The dessert bourbon martini, mixed with ice cream, completed the night well.
I’m fully impressed by this Unilocal event and hope for more tastings in the future! Thank you to Meehan’s & Kellie for this incredible experience!

Another really fun Unilocal event! I’m so glad I made the trek down to Sandy Springs for it. Though I’m not a bourbon fan, I still wanted to go and enjoy the dinner experience with my fellow Unilocalers. Got to sit near one of my favorites Ms. Kate M., who did a great little talk about what it means to be Elite and how to keep elite status. We had lots of Unilocal schwag on the tables, including gloves, Chapstick, pint glasses, and journals. I love the journal books!
We had a nice introduction with Phil, one of the managing partners of the restaurant and Jessica, one of the cocktail crafters for the evening. They were both very enthusiastic about their vision for the restaurant and how they wanted to stand out from others.
The drinks were plentiful starting with a southern mule, which features bourbon instead of vodka. It was served in a copper mug and though I did not try it, everyone was raving. The second drink was made with lavender, lemon, and thyme. I heard that was also quite delicious. The final drink was a sweet drink served in a martini-​type glass. I actually did try this one, and I could definitely taste that bourbon. I choose truly appreciate the generosity of this restaurant serving us all these great drinks.
The dinner started with some steak bruschetta, which had nice flavor and was a perfect lightweight appetizer. Next we were served some fried oysters, which were not overly fried the way I like it. The main course was airline chicken served with Rice with toasted almonds, blood orange sauce and it had some quince topping to it. The quince was light and sweet, so good! The chicken was moist and flavorful. I really enjoyed this course best.
The dessert was beautifully plated. It was a caramel bourbon sauce over vanilla ice cream served in a small bowl with a side of chocolate caramel sea salt apple slices with a beautifully designed pear flower drizzled with caramel sauce. Devine!
Kellie thanks for hosting such a fun event. Thanks to everyone at Meehans for the hospitality and great food. I look forward to going back and trying some other things.

This was my first OTP Kellie Elite Event, and what an awesome night it was!
Because of my crazy work hours during the week, I don’t get to attend as many Elite Events as I would like, and this was my first in several months. Right away I was super impressed by the private dining area, Unilocal swag dinner favors and clever seating arrangement that made for good dinner company!
First of all, the bourbon was flowing like wine! I snuck out of work early to make it, so being greeted by a chilled copper cup filled with one of my favorite drinks (with a twist) was just the best! The «Southern Mule» was incredibly tasty with bourbon and lime, and paired very well with the steak bruschetta.
The second pairing was just as tasty, and I thought the delicate fried oysters went well with the handcrafted tangy, orangey, lemony bourbon drink. By this point, I was starting to feel pretty good and not so concerned with remembering drink names!
The third course had the room oohing and ahhing when the servers brought out entire entrees of super tasty chicken and rice with the most heavenly blood orange glaze! It was super yummy and by far my favorite course of the night!
Dessert was a feast for the eyes as well as the lips. That ice cream, those chocolate apple slices… that apple tart!!! Oh my! I ate every bite and it was amazing!
It was so fun to meet new Elites after so long, and wonderful to finally meet Kellie in person! Thank you Meehan’s and Kellie for a fantastic evening!

Wow, where do I begin?! This event was quite memorable and hats off to Kellie M., the lovely team at Meehan’s and Ralph M. for taking photos for the event.
The Meehan’s in Sandy Springs has plenty of parking as it is located in a large shopping center and you can’t miss it. It was so nice that Kellie had set up the table so that we are seated with new Elites and unfamiliar faces which allowed me to make new connections and friends. I was definitely impressed from the start to finish. The cocktail crafter Jessica was super thorough and definitely served up some delicious bourbon cocktails that left me appreciating Bourbon just a bit more than I had before the event.
Also a nice bonus was to meet Phil, one of the managing partners for the restaurant group that includes Meehan’s. He was genuine and you can definitely tell he was super passionate about the business and the quality of his food and staff. It was also nice to see the chef come out and give us a brief description of what was being served tonight.
The bruschetta was on point. I probably ate one too many of those delicious appetizers but each bite was flavorful and went great with our first bourbon pairing. Loved the fried oysters. They were lightly fried and almost tasted baked. I typically don’t like fried foods unless it comes in the form of a potato (i.e. French fry) but was very happy with how it tasted well with our second bourbon pairing.
Our main entrée was my favorite. I loved the blood orange glaze/​sauce over the chicken and the perfectly cooked rice that accompanied it. Really a tasty dish that made me crave more! The chicken was cooked so well that each bite was tender and tasty. The dessert was really beautifully presented and loved each part of the trio. The caramel apple was my favorite and the caramel sauce that came with the ice cream was on point.
This was such a lovely event and I liked that some of us got a chance to share with the new Unilocal Elites on a variety of topics such as how to keep your shiny new Elite badge and etiquette.
Kudos again to Kellie M., the fantastic staff at Meehan’s and Ralph M. for being so welcoming and accommodating. What a wonderful way to enjoy bourbon and check out my newest favorite Irish pub. Can’t wait to return to check out the rest of the menu with friends!

This was my first Unilocal Elite event and it rocked my world left and right and all the way around! I knew it was a «bourbon dinner» but I actually thought it was one of those I can just order whatever I want to drink kind of thing. I don’t drink… haha…thank God the other awesome Unilocalers didn’t hate me for showing up because I wanted to check out an Elite event.
In regards to the drinks, it seemed like the consensus from my side of the table was they really liked the «Southern Mule.» Did I spell that right? I know names of drinks like I know names of Star Wars characters…
Now let’s talk about the food haha, yay, my favorite part of writing.
The first course was a steak bruschetta, it was flavorful and just a perfect sized bite. The bread was crunchy but not hard to chew and the all the textures just blended really well. Up next were the fried oysters, I couldn’t believe how much I liked them! I’m not a fan of oysters lol, they tend to have either this mushy texture and/​or I can taste the ocean with each bite. But when I tried these oysters, they weren’t mushy or overly salty, I just couldn’t stop eating them.
As the entrees hit the table, I was thinking to myself, «Oh man I wonder how much damage this is tonight! I don’t care how much I have to spend, this is so worth it.» I must have said something out loud because someone told me, «It’s free.» In hindsight, I actually think several people told me that everything was free but my brain just didn’t register it until I saw this magnificent plate of chicken in front of me. Seriously, I think time stopped and I sang a little song for the chicken in my mind. Apparently it was called «Airline Chicken» and it was made with roasted almonds, (jasmine?) rice, blood orange sauce and topped with quince. Yeah… I’m totally pretending I know what «quince» is… The blood orange sauce intrigued me because I had seen it on Chopped on Food Network but never tasted it. It tasted so good! It was sweet but not overpowering and paired with the perfectly cooked chicken, it was like a flavor bomb going off in my mouth. I’m a pretty picky eater and rice usually doesn’t do so well for my stomach but I cleaned that plate. If I wasn’t at table with a bunch of strangers, I probably would’ve picked up the plate and licked it! Me eating rice that doesn’t make me sick? It never happens! But somehow Meehan’s made it possible. As if the party in my mouth wasn’t enough, the dessert came and once again, I heard music in my mind. It was so good looking that I felt it’d be a sin to eat it. There was this rose looking thing, which I figured out was made of pear and on the side was a bowl of vanilla ice cream with a bourbon sauce. I was adventurous and had a whole three bites of the bourbon sauce XD If I could hum the word «YUMMMMM» I would. But I usually don’t show my weird side till I have met people at least three times. All in all, the food was awesome and I really didn’t expect it for a bar. I am making it a mission to go back to finish the entire menu.
As far as location goes… uh…Sandy Springs? Ha. I’ve been to Georgia for two months now and I still don’t know all the areas. What I do know is that my GPS tried to tell me that Meehan’s was next to Kroger’s but it’s actually the opposite side. It’s more of a hidden gem in the corner of the shopping plaza. From the outside it looked like a cabin and once you walk in it’s has this cozy and welcoming feeling that you just know one drink/​one plate of food is not enough. A super cool bonus is that Meehan’s has a bunch of quote signs hanging around. It’s like one of those viral posts you see on social media and you just want to press like or share. I walked into the bathroom and stumbled upon a few cool ones so I actually went into the stall just to see if there was more… and there was! I took a few photos haha, not even ashamed about it. The woman at Meehan’s (I don’t know her name… really pretty, red shoulder-​length hair, really kind eyes, fantastic service) told me that the signs were actually made by a customer that’s a regular at Meehan’s. I think I should make it another mission to go to Meehan’s enough to meet this «regular,» I want some signs too! This is why I don’t drink lol, I’m crazy enough without the drinks.
Last but not least, huge shout out to Kellie, she’s amazing! One of the Unilocalers was allergic to dairy and Kellie made sure that the food was adjusted accordingly. It was my first Elite event but Kellie made me feel right at home. I was a little bit scared because for the last few months of my life, I’ve been confined to me, myself and my mind so I didn’t really know how to interact with people but the other Unilocalers were really awesome and I’m grateful that I was invited to the event.
I can’t wait till the next event, and I hope to learn more about Unilocal as I go!

Drinks: We had 4 drinks and my favorites were the Southern Mule & dessert bourbon purée. Don’t the fancy accent and martini glass fool you though the purée was by far the strongest and many of my peers tapped out before finishing … but I’m not a quitter which why I’m telling you to check it out :)
Appetizers: Steak bruschetta & fried oysters. The prior was served on those fancy little toasted bread slices — I’m a guy so don’t judge my lack of culinary wordplay — and the latter was in a bowl w/​mixed greens & diced veggies. Steak bruschetta seemed like something you’d find in a wine bar instead of a pub but our hosts explained such plating & menu choices demonstrate the chef’s creative freedom to try bold new flavors… To go where no Pub has gone before … And in today’s hipster society it is much appreciated! As for the oysters, I can’t get enough seafood so that was easy ⁵⁄₅. Twas tasty, crispy, well-​seasoned, and paired nicely with the fresh veggies.
Entrée: Didn’t think chicken & rice could be done outside of Asian & Latin cuisine. Somehow they got this non-​flying piece of poultry lightly seared with every bit of juice intact (maybe baked & braised?). In any case it was good & its complementing sauce just made it that much better.
Dessert: ice cream, chocolate apples & & pastries pear (or maybe it was also apple?) was again one of those fancy dishes expected to be seen in an episode of Sex & the City. And yet here we are in an ATLien suburb toasting glasses of bourbon talking about college football, Falcons & Hawks.

The latest fantastic get-​together brought to us by outstanding Atlanta OTP Community Manager Kellie M. turned out to be one of my all-​time favorite Unilocal events! I have been to Meehan’s once before, but the experience I had at this event was as good as it gets and I am so very glad to have been given the chance to go.
My night got off to a great start when I ran into Kwame O. in the parking lot. Seeing old friends is always part of the fun at Unilocal Elite events. Another part of the fun? Making new friends! To that end, it was great fun getting to chat with quite a few new faces.
Ever the perfect hostess, Kellie made sure to introduce the new faces. She also had some of the experienced Elites give a few pointers on the importance of RSVPing, letting her know if your plans change, tipping, and doing your part to help grow the Unilocal community. She also hooked us up with some terrific swag. I was thrilled to get another beer glass and some new Unilocal Life fingerless gloves, but the journal was my favorite. I’ve been wanting one of these bad boys for a while!
Okay, now onto the food and drink! Thank you, Meehan’s, for an absolutely delectable evening. It kicked off with a Southern Mule. Think Moscow Mule, but with lime instead of cucumber. Served in the ubiquitous copper cup, the drink was light and refreshing, but it packed a serious punch. It went well with the bruschetta. I did like this dish, but as others have noted, the «flat iron steak» tasted like a deli slice of roast beef. I wasn’t blown away and honestly would have preferred mozzarella, but that doesn’t really fit the Irish pub theme. I wasn’t blown away by the oysters, either, though I liked the jalapeños they were served with (hey, that’s not Irish!)
I did really enjoy the chicken dish, though it was a little dry in places, and the nameless bourbon cocktail we received with dinner. Whatever misgivings I had about the food were absolutely handled with dessert (not a weak bite on that plate, which has been documented by everyone here) and the final drink, a vanilla ice cream, strawberry, and bourbon journey to paradise!

I haven’t gone to a Unilocal event in moooonths. Of course the entire community is growing, and that makes it harder to get into events, among other things. But I think this one was a great way to jump back into the community. I’ve been to Meehan’s for a previous Unilocal event, and that time we were outside on the upstairs patio. This time, it was a much more intimate experience: we sat family-​style at a table inside. The atmosphere here is very casual, very psudo British pub. It’s on the dimmer side, but boisterous with the other patrons happily noshing and drinking away.
We were treated to 3 drinks and 3 small bites, plus dessert. We started off with a bruschetta. Kind of atypical from the kinds I’ve previously experienced, in that there was steak on it. It tasted more akin to a slice of Boar’s Head beef, if you ask me, but I’m a huge lover of Boar’s Head meats and cheese anyways, so I was okay with it. Then we went on to some kind of fried seafood (was it clams? I’m listing these off from memory), which came on top of a bed of… shaved lettuce, with slices of tomato and jalapenos. It was interesting because I don’t typically like clams, but since all I tasted was fried goodness with a spicy dose of jalapeño, it was pretty good. After that, they gave us some roasted chicken on a bed of basmati rice. Topped with basil, I believe. I’m used to super juicy chicken that I make on my own, so it came off a bit dry to me, but still just fine otherwise. They let me take half of that home, because at this point my tiny tummy was almost done. The dessert, though, was my favorite. It was delishhh. A beautiful apple rosette, lightly baked and sweetened, with two apple slices dipped partially in chocolate, and some vanilla ice cream. My favorite thing of the night, hands down.
As for the bourbon… Man, can they pour a drink. Every one of those drinks was strong. And no, I’m not a newb to the drinking game. I drink an occasional glass or two of whiskey from time to time, straight. They let us sample a nice variety of three different bourbon-​infused drinks, and though someone people couldn’t tell the difference between the first and second drinks, I definitely could.
But what made this entire experience a 5 star review? The people! Since there were so many fresh Elite Unilocalers invited to this event, I met several people I’d never met before. We had good conversations, some laughs, and I felt that they were great additions to the Unilocal team. I look forward to going to more Unilocal events with them.

Hooray, my first OTP Elite event back after a long hiatus was great! Yay, Kellie, now I know why everyone has been raving about you since you became CM!
I’ve been to Meehan’s before for a few other events, and I was happy to return for this Elite event. It’s convenient, has good food, and the customer service is great, too!
We were seated at a long table in the front room complete with our Unilocal swag: a journal, gloves, pint glass and button. I’m so happy I got the journal — definitely looking forward to using it in the future!
I enjoyed getting to know my fellow Unilocalers while we drank bourbon drinks, specially crafted for us by the manager. We started off with a Southern Mule; basically a Moscow Mule with Bulleit instead of vodka. This, along with the other drinks, are seriously the first bourbon drinks I’ve ever liked! My husband LOVES bourbon, and always wants me to try his drinks. I guess it’s what he orders, because I always think they’re gross. In contrast, I drank 1.5 Mule’s last night (another Unilocaler doesn’t drink, so a few of us split his), and at least half of the other two drinks. Kudos, Meehan’s!
We started with bruschetta with hanger steak on a rosemary cracker that was to die for! I’d come back and eat those with those Southern Mules any day!
Then we had some fried oysters. I tried a few, just to say I tried them. They weren’t my favorite because I’m not a fan of oysters to begin with, even if they’re fried in a really tasty breading. A few of mine were so salty it tasted like the ocean in my mouth… Not good!
Next we had airline chicken over rice with a blood orange glaze. OMG, so good! This was my favorite second to the bruchetta we started with. It definitely filled the gap the oysters left in my dining experience.
We finished off with apple rosettes (that looked super cute) and apples with a chocolate shell (I guess? Not sure how to describe it). The rosettes were pretty good, but I was expecting them to be warm instead of room temp. My favorite were the chocolate apples. I think it had a bourbon glaze, too, which I also liked.
Amidst the food, we had a second bourbon drink with fresh herbs from their garden: lavender, rosemary (I think), and a few others. I thought it was great, especially with the improvising! Those tend to be some of the most memorable drinks, for me.
The last drink we had was a blood orange-​infused drink that had vanilla ice cream in it. Mine was without ice cream, and still really good! Everyone who had the ice cream said it tasted like sherbet.
Finally, I have to give HUGE props to Kellie and the staff for being so accommodating to my dairy intolerance. They made sure everything they brought me was dairy-​free, but still presented well and on time with everyone else’s food.
My only complaint: the bench was uncomfortable to sit on for two straight hours. Lack of lumbar support and a hard wooden surface without cushions wasn’t exactly the most comfortable scenario. However, if this is the only complaint Kellie gets, I’d say it’s a successful event!
Looking forward to the next one and getting to know more OTP Unilocalers!

Wow! I am so thankful I got the chance to check out this awesome event with Kellie and the OTP crew! I love bourbon so as soon as I heard this was going to be a bourbon pairing dinner, I knew I had to be there.
I had never been to Meehan’s Public House before, but their Sandy Springs location is only about 15 minutes away from where I live which was super convenient. Upon arriving Kellie and Ralph were happy to welcome me and show me to my seat. Having assigned seating has been really fun the past few events since it gives me a chance to catch up with veteran Unilocaler friends and meet some of the newbies to the squad! The place settings were adorable with Unilocal schwag — pint glasses, chapstick, journals, pins, and gloves!
Once we had all settled in, we had the opportunity to hear from Jessica (our cocktail crafter of the evening) and Phil (one of the managing partners). Both were truly appreciative of us being there and were happy to talk about their passion for the restaurant industry, what Meehan’s was all about, and what their goals going into 2016 were. They’re constantly elevating their menus and bringing new twists and elegant creations to their patrons in a welcoming and casual atmosphere. It’s the best of both worlds!
And when it came to the food, it certainly wasn’t what I was expecting (but in a good way!). For an Irish pub, they’re really going above and beyond in what they’re presenting without losing their homestyle atmosphere and experience. Our group started with the steak bruschetta and it was really light and well-​seasoned. The steak was sliced incredibly thin and the fresh tomatoes and herbs on top knocked it out of the park. Next up were the fried oysters. Perfectly poppable and great for sharing, these all flew off their plates! They had great texture and a fresh flavor while being lightly dredged in cornmeal so they didn’t get greasy or cakey. For our entrees, each Unilocaler was served Meehan’s version of airline chicken with toasted up almonds, rice, blood orange sauce, and a yummy quince topping. Every single plate was clean on our end of the table. The portions were well done and satisfying, leaving you just enough room for dessert which was my favorite dish of the night! Wonderfully plated, we snacked on apples with chocolate and sea salt caramel, a beautifully sculpted pear flower, and a side of caramel bourbon vanilla ice cream. It hit the spot!
Not to be outdone, the drinks were able to hold their own too. Starting with the appetizer courses we were served a «Southern Mule» which takes all the best parts of a Moscow Mule and uses bourbon instead of vodka or gin. I loved it! A little spicy, a little zingy, it was a great fusion that was perfect for a cold winter night. The copper mug it was served in really added the authentic touch. Next up with our entrees we had a drink that Jessica created especially for us (that didn’t even have a name yet!). It featured lavender, lemon, and thyme and was very smooth. I can see it being a great addition to front porch sips and tailgate parties for sure. Finally we finished with a dessert boubon drink that was pretty powerful. It mixed sweetness with the spicy and looked like a red velvet cupcake in a glass. After all the amazing food and drinks I was a little overloaded otherwise I may have liked it better.
Huge thank yous go out to Kellie, Ralph, Phil, Jessica, and the amazing staff at Meehan’s for welcoming us and providing a fantastic meal. The owners also are a part of Food 101 & Cibo E Beve (one of my favorite restaurants) so I was excited to hear about all of the upcoming fun events to be on the lookout for. Looking forward to exploring more of what their menu has to offer soon!

Kellie’s events are always fantastic and this one was no different. I’m a bourbon girl so this was perfect for me.
I think I’ve said this before but I love that the past few events have only been for elites and assigned seating. It forces you to talk to other people you may not know. Also, newer elites get to have the tenured elites nearby if they want to ask them anything. Kellie really does a wonderful job of assigning seats as well as rotating who gets into events. She tries to give everyone a chance to get into one especially the new elites or the elites that haven’t been to an event in awhile.
Now for the food and drinks: the southern mule drink was my favorite! Bourbon and lime makes for a happy Wynter. I didn’t care for the other two drinks but I was beyond happy with my southern mule.
All of the food was tasty. There wasn’t one dish I didn’t like. I can’t even pick a favorite. The steak bruschetta was so flavorful so I ate two of those. I ate quite a bit of the fried oysters which I did not think I would like but I did. I agree with Tiff that it needed a sauce but I love sauce so I think everything needs sauce and lots of it. The chicken with rice was also very flavorful and moist. That dessert… it was perfection. I’m normally not a huge dessert person because I can’t eat a lot of sweets but I ate the entire dessert. It wasn’t too sweet so it made me want to keep eating more and more. I probably would have eaten an entire chocolate covered apple if they would have brought me more. Those two slices were the best.
It was an outstanding event and I think Kellie is fabulous.

Holy. Bourbon.
I had no idea what to expect from this event, and I’ll have to say, it was definitely a tipsy doozy.
It was great getting to meet some newbies and talking to some Elite veterans. There was a nice mix (thanks to the lovely planning from the lovely Kellie) of mostly ladies but a few guys to add some testosterone to the table. Although bourbon does enough of that for me.
I FINALLY GOT A Unilocal JOURNAL! YES! They have always been prizes at events that I’ve been to (which I obviously never won the games/​contests for). So thanks for the schwag, Kellie!
So many delicious dishes and so much booze. I got started with the Southern Mule on an empty stomach, and let’s just say, the appetizers passed in a blur. I’m not a bourbon drinker, at all (yeah yeah, I know… «What am I doing here?»). That being said, I still enjoyed the bourbon cocktails. Not a fan of ginger beer, but it just worked. And the more I drank, the better it got…
The hangar steak bruschetta was an awesome twist on the classic appetizer. The fried oysters were seasoned beautifully but could have used a dipping sauce of some sort. They kept falling apart real easily, maybe because of the breading. The chicken and rice entrée was simple, but that blood orange sauce was beautiful. Didn’t expect that tartness to go so well with the chicken. But I guess that’s where Chinese takeout came from. Orange chicken, anyone?
The highlight of the night? That apple dessert. Holy. Bourbon. Apples. The apple pastry was deliciously complemented by the bourbon caramel sauce over the simple vanilla ice cream. My favorite were those chocolate covered caramel apples. My god, what a dessert.
What another great event, Kellie! Thanks to the veteran elites who provided good insight into Elite only events. Always a great reminder to tip [your server] more and tip [yelp pages] more!