Last week Tom and I had lunch at Sullys Irish Pub in Medina, Ohio. We met Karen at Thyme 2 the last time. Medina is a good meeting place because it is halfway between her house and ours. And it has a nice square to walk around and shops to check out. But we decided to try a new restaurant this time and I chose Sullys in honor of John and Jackie’s dog that recently died. His name was Sullivan and we called him Sully.
Sullys Irish Pub claims to offer an authentic Irish pub experience. Although Tom and I spent almost a week in Ireland last year, we didn’t spend much time in Irish pubs, so I can’t really judge that. Sullys has lots of wood, some televisions, and a few dart boards. There is also a long bar, tables, and booths. Downtown Medina wasn’t as crowded as last time we were there. Karen suggested it was crowded last time because of Christmas. Finding parking was definitely easier at the end of April.
Sullys was established in Medina in 2008 in a renovated machine shop just off the square. They advertise good food, welcoming conversation, and live music on Fridays and Saturdays. The menu had an appropriate mix of pub food – sandwiches, salads, and entrees. Angie was our waitress and she was very good. Karen ordered a Turkey Rachel on Sullys special marbled rye bread with their home-fried chips. Tom got a pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw. I ordered a County Clair Chicken Wrap with waffle fries that I shared with Tom. When I ordered, I asked that they not salt the fries and Angie said they never add salt to their food. Good to know.
The food came in a timely manner, but not too fast. We had plenty of time for some good conversation. When the food arrived, it was very good. All of the sandwiches were hot and the bread choices were all delicious. The portions were right-sized, so we didn’t feel like we were overeating. In fact, when Angie asked if we had saved room for dessert, we answered yes! Tom had spotted the peanut butter brownie and we decided we would all share one. It was served hot, with the peanut butter oozing out of the middle. The only thing that would have made it better was a scoop of ice cream on top.
After our delicious lunch, we walked around Medina Square. It was a beautiful day and a lot warmer than the last time we were in Medina. We went in several shops and peered in lots of windows. The only shop where we spent money was The Bookshelf, a used bookstore close to Sullys. The Bookshelf is a collection of used bookstores whose proceeds benefit the Project Learn literacy program of Medina County. There was an interesting selection of books at a good price. All the hardbacks were $5, trade paperbacks were $4, and smaller paperbacks were $3. They even had some puzzles. We all found several treasures we just had to have and enjoyed talking to the volunteer working in the store.
Tom and I have now been to Medina three times in the last year. We have enjoyed every visit very much. It feels like a small town and has a wonderful, bustling downtown with a beautiful square in the middle. We love exploring new places and having Karen along made it extra sweet. We look forward to trying another restaurant along the square – and maybe returning to The Bookshelf.