Two drinks: Molly Malone's

A pint of Guinness is a great way to start the evening at Molly Malone's Irish Pub in Covington. (Credit: Sam Greene | Metromix)

Like a lot of bar and grills in Covington, Molly Malone's offers daily deals and happy hour specials, but is also caters to sports fans, especially European football ones. The pub boasts being "Cincinnati's premier soccer bar," where customers can even join fantasy leagues.

The look: Malone's has a signature Irish bar appeal with Guinness mirrors hanging on the wall and European soccer flags on the ceiling. The dining room contains the hub, a horseshoe-shaped bar, a few booths, wooden tables and several bar stools. About 12 flat screens show a Reds game, but there's that one TV tuned to the news with the caption "Countdown to Crisis." Most of the people are unaware of the economic collapse, glued to the baseball game instead.

The crowd: My beau and I arrive at 9 p.m. on a balmy Friday night and despite the heat, the outdoor patio is almost full. On Fridays there's a lull between the end of happy hour (7 p.m.) until the next one (9 p.m.), but a couple of guys are stationed at the bar drinking Guinness and watching the game. A few minutes later, a group of kids who look like they're 18 come in, followed by a lively group who've obviously been steadily drinking, but they seem to know the bartenders and must be regulars, like a lot of people in the bar.

A two-person acoustic band sets up and performs a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." "It's too early to be playing this song," the beau complains. He's right. It's better suited for closing time when everyone is happily wasted and emotional, not at 9:30 p.m. The band then launches into Fuel's "Shimmer" and a Vertical Horizon song, so it's like 1998 again!

The drinks: Malone's is known for their perfect Guinness pour. Seriously, they've won awards and everything. From the looks of the Guinnesses people are drinking, there's only a half-inch of head in that glass. Boy, these guys are good. We know we should've tried the Guinness but we decided to pick a couple of things from the 28 beers they have on draft. They have local brews, IPAs, crafts - you name it. The beau orders a local beer, Rivertown Bock ($5). The caramel-colored drink goes down smooth. I sip on a Southern Tier 2xipa ($6) that's really hoppy and strong but not overpowering. Car Bombs are on special and a lot of people are subjecting themselves to them. We avoid the potential downward spiral and stick with pints. Killian's is only $2, so what's another beer? It's practically free.

The grub: Not only are drinks central to the pub experience, but so is their extensive menu of a little bit of everything. They have potato skins, sandwiches, pizza and of course authentic Irish food. The pizza sounds tempting, but on Thursdays all of them are half-priced and Irish food is what the belly demands. The beau orders bangers and mash ($10.99) with a heaping pile of potatoes and I get a half order of fish and chips because I'm watching my figure ($6.99, full order $10.99). Surprisingly, the half order comes with one, huge fish plank and a healthy amount of steak fries, but they skimp on the cole slaw. Avoiding the idea of Car Bombs and feeling the heaviness of the beer and food, we head back into the stickiness outside.

The verdict: If you're a social butterfly and like perfected Guinness, soccer, Irish food and whiskey, this is the place for you.