Mackesey's Irish Pub (St. Patrick's Day Edition)

St. Patrick's Day is this weekend, so naturally my readers are looking for a great Irish pub to celebrate the holiday with a nice grilled cheese sandwich.  May I recommend Mackesey's Irish Pub?  In business for over 35 years, this is probably the last family-owned, authentic Wisconsin tavern left on State Street in Madison.

With that kind of history, you know what kind of sandwich to expect.  Sweet white bread, grilled to a golden hue, with melty, stringy cheddar inside.  This is the kind of grilled cheese sandwich my grandmother used to make.  Perfect.  You get your choice of cheese, and it comes with either chips or potato salad on the side, along with a pickle spear and a mini Milky Way.