Shamrock Tavern Gets New Flavor With Bane Boys

Don’t come to the Shamrock Tavern and Bane Boys restaurant and bar expecting traditional pub fare.

After all, you won’t find chicken “lollipops,” beef brisket nachos and fresh-cut, seasoned (secret recipe) potato wedges at a typical neighborhood bar.

The new Shamrock Tavern and Bane Boys, at 11922 Madison Avenue, offers a completely new menu.

And it's got some style.

Marc Caterina and business partner Jeff Harris recently took over the kitchen at the Irish-themed restaurant and bar.

“This is bar food with an upscale twist,” said Caterina, who is 27 but knows his way around a kitchen. “Everything is handmade. There’s nothing frozen here.”

Caterina and Harris recently unveiled the new menu. The classic sign on the front of the building, changed only slightly, also reflects the new business model. 

Harris’s mother, Micki Martau, has owned the restaurant for 16 years. She and her husband and partner, Terry Martau, said it made sense to keep the business in the family.

They lease the kitchen space to Caterina and Harris.

“Mickey had standard bar food — burgers and fries,” said Terry Martau. “Marc’s a young guy, and he’s really talented. We put him in the kitchen and turned him loose. And the kid produces fabulous food.”

Harris and Caterina inserted a new style into the neighborhood staple, without taking away the character of the business. They pride themselves on the fresh aspect of the kitchen — they make the bread, sauces and recipes fresh, from scratch. 

“We don’t charge an arm and leg, because there’s really no overhead,” said Caterina. “And the portions don’t mimic a fine-dining concept.”

The menu is expected to change with the seasons.

Shamrock Tavern and Bane Boys kitchen is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Check out Every Bar in Lakewood's review of the Shamrock Tavern.