GULF SHORES — The wait is nearly over. Gulf Shores will soon have a neighborhood Irish pub with killer grub. The Galway Irish Public House will open to the public in the near future.

This restaurant concept has been a dream of Jonathan Langston for over 25 years, and on Friday, April 26, a select group of family and close friends were welcomed in with open arms for a soft opening. Langston greeted every guest with his signature bear hug and thanked each for their support in this dream. Those who heard through the local grapevine or wandered in over the weekend were also some of the first to get a taste.

Partners Susan Ellis,  Langston and Scott Keel, have put their experience and knowledge to use when curating the menu, cocktails and décor. The trio is responsible for the Best of Baldwin award-winning Bleus Burger as well. Ellis and Keel brought Langston onto the team to launch the brick-and-mortar restaurant after the success of the Bleus Burger Truck.

Langston first gave me the heads up on the new venture over a year ago, and thankfully I made it on the invite list for the soft opening. The turnout was fantastic. Galway was packed. After some sweet words from Langston and the blessing of the pub, the waitstaff took their first orders. Much to our surprise, the full menu was on offer as the team wanted to push everything to the limits.

My table included Orange Beach City Council members Annette Mitchell, Jerry Johnson and Johnson’s wife, Yolanda. The Johnsons ordered the Guinness mac and cheese and Irish brown bread to share with the table, and I ordered the pub pretzel, which was served with Guinness beer cheese and Jameson mustard for dipping. Johnson also ordered the pub pretzel. I also ordered the Irish ’75 off the specialty cocktails menu.

Galway's pub pretzel which was served with Guinness beer cheese and Jameson mustard for dipping.

Everyone at our table could not get over how delicious the Guinness mac and cheese tasted. The pasta was cooked perfectly, and the savory cheese sauce had a tiny hit of heat. The pretzel and accompanying sauces were a hit as well. The brown bread was also good.

Do not skip the Guinness mac and cheese.

The Irish ’75 cocktail was concocted of Drumshanbo Irish Gin, lemon, sparkling wine and lemon peel. It was light and refreshing. I could have enjoyed more than one.

The Irish ’75 cocktail is concocted of Drumshanbo Irish Gin, lemon, sparkling wine and lemon peel. It was light and refreshing.

After sharing our appetizers and catching up, the Johnsons left and Mitchell and I ordered our main courses. We both ordered from the Pub Classics section of the menu. Mitchell ordered the Reuben, which was piled with house-made corned beef brisket, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Jameson-Russian dressing on marbled rye. She gave the sandwich, which was served with chips, her seal of approval.

The Reuben which is piled with housemade corned beef brisket, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Jameson-Russian dressing on marbled rye.

For my main entrée, I ordered the Galway burger, a 7-ounce patty of chuck, brisket and short rib topped with smoked cheddar, Guinness beer cheese, charred onions and smoked bacon on a toasted potato roll. It was dressed with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. The burger was flavorful, juicy and messy. Anytime there is beer cheese on a burger, I am in, despite the need for copious napkins. My sandwich also arrived with what are referred to as chips, but they are not a potato chip or a French fry, rather a tasty hybrid of the two. They are tender in spots and crispy in others and shaped like petals.

Galway Burger, a 7-ounce patty of chuck, brisket and short rib topped with smoked cheddar, Guinness beer cheese, charred onions and smoked bacon on a …

The recommendation would be to come hungry because the portions on every plate of food were hearty. While walking around, I spoke with one female diner at the bar who ordered the 14-ounce cast iron seared certified Prime USDA ribeye. The steak was served with Galway colcannon, which is an Irish dish of mashed potatoes, cabbage and onions. She gave it rave reviews. It also includes a side Publican’s Caesar and Irish brown bread. It’s a lot of tasty food for $54.

Later in the evening, another diner I spoke with ordered the cast iron seared 8-ounce certified Angus beef tenderloin. She opted to order the mac and cheese as a side after my suggestion along with the Caesar salad and Irish brown bread. She said the steak was cooked to perfection and agreed about the mac and cheese and enjoyed the salad.

Galway Irish Public House’s menu features all the classics you would expect – fish and chips and shepherd’s pie – but with an elevated twist. After my five-hour stint of hanging out at a table, the bar and the cozy fireplace corner, I took my leave. When I left after 7 p.m., every bar stool was filled, people were sitting outside, and the tables were occupied. This is sure to be a regular hangout.