What sets this Irish pub apart from the local Bennigan’s is aside from its top-notch food and drink: its authentic interior and unique decor were shipped from Ireland and entirely reconstructed in Bergen County. The Porter House is a cornucopia of antiques and relics, taking patrons back to another time and place. If you’re in the mood for an authentic Irish pub and countryside atmosphere, it doesn’t get any more real than the Porter House.
Walk into the Porter House and it’s as if you’re literally passing through time. A combination of Georgian and rustic Irish countryside decor conveys a warmth that is simply sublime.
Resplendent hard woods are everywhere: mahogany floors, aged oak ceiling beams and intricate crown moldings create a cozy cocoon, while multiple fireplaces with rambling stone hearths and masculine wood mantles adorn the bar area and dining nooks. Old photographs and signs cover the walls. What looks 100 years old actually is, and if it looks 200 years old, it might even be 300. Artifacts are everywhere and can be examined by sight and touch.
The man behind the Porter House, restaurateur Fintan Seeley, intended it this way. Seeley’s enthusiasm for all things authentic and Irish, together with extensive restaurant background, led him to create the Porter House from the ground up. Every bolt, brick and plank visible to the eye was once something, somewhere else, a long time ago.
But behind the facade of old-world Ireland is a thoroughly modern restaurant and bar featuring computer-enhanced solar activated lighting and climate controls, advanced bar tap refrigeration and state-of-the-art kitchen facilities. The Porter House may look and feel old, but it’s a very comfortable place to eat and enjoy a good drink.
The Porter House Collection
Every part, fixture and component of the Porter House was hand picked by Seeley himself. Scouring the Irish countryside and auction houses, Seely bought authentic antiques and collectibles anywhere he could find them. And his tremendous efforts do not go unnoticed.
Overhead beams are 700 year old wood artifacts from an old Catholic church in West Kerry, Ireland, which was destroyed in 1847. Wood floorings in main traffic areas of the Porter House are made of red Oregon pine, once the floors of an old Belfast linen mill circa the 1880s. Some of the stone floorings are also from a Belfast linen mill, but are roughly 200 years old. Door handles, lattice rail workings and wrought fixtures were all hand-forged by a single 78-year-old blacksmith in Donegal, Ireland. Construction (or collection) of the Porter House took about 18 months to complete.
A small area adjacent to the main bar is called “the Chemist” and Seeley explains its contents were once Ireland’s first 24-hour pharmacy. Its original proprietor, a widower, kept his doors unlocked and people in need of medicines simply walked in for treatment. Circa 1849 and located in Schul, West Cork County, Ireland, the Chemist’s old glass cabinets and dressers still contain beakers, jars and bottles of remedies. The Chemist was bought “lock, stock and barrel” through a private estate in Ireland, and is a marvel in antiquity.
The elegant dining room dubbed the “Oak Room” is true to its Georgian style. Perhaps its crown jewel is the fireplace mantle dating back to the early 1700s, crafted of Irish oak and mahogany, which came from an old estate house in Ballynahinch, Ireland.
Come St. Patrick’s Day, the Porter House just may prove to be a favorite place to celebrate. Typically live music and special festivities are provided the entire week. Traditional Irish music acts in the past have included Davy Spillane, who is reputed as the world’s best Uilleann Pipes player.
The Food
The food is far from your typical Irish-themed pub fare. Actually, the Porter House is a very fine dining establishment for lunch and dinner. The dinner menu is balanced with something for every taste. The flavors are eclectic-American with an emphasis on steaks and Irish specialties.
The Porter House also offers an “Irish Breakfast”, complete bar menu, and lunch menu with assorted hot plates, sandwiches and wraps.
On Friday and Saturday nights the traditional “Oak Room” dining room transforms into the “Leopard Lounge” nightclub. Sunday brings a hearty and expansive brunch served smorgasbord style. Sports buffs will like the traditional “Irish Session” Sunday evenings complete with sports television and live music. Private parties and luncheons can be catered to spec. Corporate types will love the presentation room and facility.
The Porter House clearly has a lot to offer. More than just a restaurant, it’s a fine dining experience, complemented by a truly unique atmosphere and authentic Irish pub. Like its furnishings, the Porter House delivers classic tastes with genuine Irish hospitality.
By Randall L. Kress for BC, The Magazine, March/April 2003