Catherine Rooney's has a corner/neighborhood bar feel to it. We stopped here for a few beer for my friends a couple weeks ago before going to a festival. We sat outside since the weather was amazing. the server came right over and took our drink order and then asked if we wanted food. I only ordered the pretzel bites (I know it's not real food lol) and they were served with a beer based dipping sauce which was decent. The beer selection could have been a bit more vast, but overall it wasn't bad. It's a good stop if you have things going on in Wilmington.
(3)
Ethan J.
CR wilmington, is reliable, always open. Take advantage of their specials, everything else is either over priced or not worth it. Id choose another place to go if I just want to relax with a drink. The food is blah. A couple times its been subpar. Popcorn chicken was literally the crunchy tidbits left after you fry actual pieces of chicken. The night scene was awesome when they had HMazz. Now its been just random DJs, playing top 20 songs, drawing the wrong people.
(2)
Randy M.
Worst bar I have ever been to. Stay away! Wouldn't let me in because I had a black t-shirt on. But 3 other people after me were let in with black t-shirts. Has the most racist and discriminating bouncers. I have been here many times in the past, but now I will never step foot in this establishment or any other related establishment again.
(1)
Karla F.
I'm a regular customer, must say this is my favorite bar in Delaware. Their Jameson wings are a must to try out ! Go to Wing Wednesday's You get a great deal! Their bartenders are always friendly ! Cassy would always prepared the best drinks and was always fun! All their staff are very friendly and there's always a great vibe when I go there.
(5)
Patty B.
Best happy hour ever - especially for a large group. I belong to a group that likes to have Friday night happy hours. The group has gotten so large that we get 30 to 40 people at our happy hours. Other restaurants won't give us a private room unless we agree to pay a minimum for pre-ordered food. Catherine Rooney's gives us a huge room, 2 servers, separate checks and we get Catherine Rooney's incredibly well-priced happy hour. It includes $3 rail drinks, $5 house wine, $2 draft beers and really delicious $5 food specials. The service is perfect.
(5)
Anthony N.
This is a place where my fellow residents and I go for Tuesday night. The food are not the best and they have the usual drafts. But it is cheap and the bartender is cool. He even made us a special glass saying "Tuesday Tradition". The place is ok overall and not the cleanest. They have $5 burgers special every Tuesday. If you are in the mood for cheap bar food and drinks, this is the place to be
(3)
Tyga J.
This was my first time here. I came by myself with my dog just for a beer and to enjoy the evening. I was impressed with the wait staff- they were all very friendly. I sat on the patio of course (dog) and they brought a water dish for her. I did not get any food so I can't make any solid food recommendations, but the Dublin dark and stormy was refreshing and delicious. My server, Al, was great and even took time to personalize my second round drink for me so it was exactly to my liking. I honestly came here just because tap house patio was full, but I was very pleased and will be back.
(4)
Danny B.
Wednesday is wing night for our family. Catherine Rooneys gave us no choice. This is when they have $.45 wings. Order your wings with Jameson sauce - it's just the right flavor. They are soo good. You have to order them in increments of 10 (a change from 5 that we noticed this week). Keep in mind this place has an extensive Irish menu, too. Sometimes we order the crab bisque - another favorite! Lastly, spend time noticing the walls and decor. You'll learn some Irish history or at very least, appreciate that the owners truly made this place more than just bar/pub establishment. Just remember: Rooneys Jameson wings are a must!
(5)
Kate F.
You can usually find me at Catherine Rooney's on Mondays for trivia/Quizzo --- the questions derive from a good variety of topics, vary in difficulty level, and attract enough teams to drum up some friendly competition. Mondays are usually $3 Corona and $10 personal pitchers of Miller night; though I tend to be more of a Cider girl and am content with their on-draft Magners. You would NOT find me at Rooney's for any other reason. The food is mediocre at best --- time and time again I've sample various appetizers, hoping to find THE ONE that brings me back for more, and every time I've been disappointed. The "1/2 price nacho night" on Mondays gets you a plate of gently warmed tortilla chips with large squares of pre-packaged American cheese melted over top and a few sprinkles of dried out chicken. The hummus plate gets you stale pita pieces and a pile of orange mush made edible only by adding copious amounts of feta cheese. The crab dip has a strange taste to it that is just barely reminiscent of seafood. I'll admit that when I was here for a special catered event once, the food was much better than the appetizers I had previously ordered in the bar. I suppose their genuine entrees are far more palatable, but at the end of the day, if I'm going to be the one paying for a nice entree, I'm probably going to choose to go else where.
(2)
Karisa D.
It was our first night in Wilmington and we had gotten to Delaware late because of traffic. My friend took us to Catherine Rooney's because she said the food an and service was good. It's an Irish pub and they serve typical pub food. The food was tasty, but our wait time for the food was not as good. Our server came and took our drink and food orders. This is what we ordered, Cobb Salad, Chicken and Dumplings Pot Pie, and Shepherd's Pie. Apparently, I made a mistake in ordering the Chicken and Dumplings Pot Pie because it took a very long time to make. We waited almost an hour for our food and we had ordered at 9:30pm. The waitress apologized and said the dish does take awhile and the manager comped our first round of drinks. While I appreciated the gesture, I wish they had told me the dish would take a long time to prepare. It was good and I ate everything, but had I known the dish would take awhile, I may have picked something else. My advice for folks coming to Catherine Rooney's and wanting to order the Chicken and Dumplings Pot Pie, ask first how long it will take. If you don't have the time, I would suggest ordering something else.
(2)
Andrea F.
Zero stars if I could. This place really sucks. They have an unrealistic dress code for a shitty, wannabe nightclub. It's WILMINGTON. FUCKING. DELAWARE. They act as if they are a nightclub in San Diego or New York. I don't get how they are still open. Crappy, dry food. Worse service. Terrible atmosphere. My boyfriend didn't get in for wearing a hat. He offered to leave the hat in the car and they still said no. Then, my friend was wearing a black V-neck to which they said, "No plain-black T's". Said friend pointed at someone over the fence and said, "He's wearing a black t-shirt." The bouncer replied, "He was in before 9PM." Get over yourselves.
(1)
John C.
Good beer and entertainment, but the food is dreadful. Right from Costco's and Sysco, it is awful. Hire a chef and serve fresh food please!
(2)
Adam G.
I ordered the crab dip for an appetizer and the weekly special entree of grilled chicken and vegetables. The crab dip was 95% cheese (Velveeta-esk) and 5% crab. The entree was not very good either. Particularly, the vegetables were super salty and polluted the rest of the mediocre meal.
(2)
Jay W.
Alerting you to a possible biased opinion, I have only been to Catherine Rooney's once, and it was on St. Patrick's Day. So I imagine that it is not always as bad as my experience, but I think it is worth noting. I am attempting to not base this review on the line to get in or the crowd, which is what I expected on a drinking holiday. Most important in my dislike of this place was the DJ. Awful. While he played pretty crowd pleasing top 40 dance songs, he would play approximately 10-15 seconds of a song and then switch to another. It was so bad that I thought it was going to give me a seizure. The bouncers did not want people standing around and kept yelling at people to move along (yes, I get that this is because of the crowd and I said I wasn't going to talk about the crowd). I guess my point is that I don't think the staff handled the expected large crowd well. We left pretty quickly. The only reason the review is not one star is the benefit of the doubt.
(2)
Kim R.
Love this quaint Irish Pub! The Crab Bisque is excellent!!! I remember the first time I visited this restaurant I was taken in by it's coziness. Perhaps the snow falling played a part in my first visit. The Jameson Wings are a real treat. The prices are within range and the service is good. I highly recommend ordering the Crab Bisque!!!
(4)
Katy T.
Love it here. Great place to watch the world cup at the moment. The hot ham and swish sandwich was awesome. The people are great. Sometimes it gets a little loud and crazy otherwise I would give it a 5.
(4)
Free B.
Arrived here to visit some relatives over the holidays. Was supposed to meet them for a drink here over the weekend. Walked to the outside door and was stopped by a gentleman. He asked if I had tennis shoes in the car. Confused, I said "no I don't bring tennis shoes with me." I'm from NC and I had on a regular pair of Justin type (non-steel) toe cowboy boots. When wearing pants, I wear these daily wherever I go. EVERYWHERE I GO. Have never in my life been questioned or asked about them. He proceeded to tell me I had to leave due to my boots. Confused again, I asked him why he had on boots. His reply was that he was working outside and that I may kick someone with my boots. Needless to say, my whole party and I left. I have no wish to ever step foot back in this place and all relatives in DE refuse to visit here now. Check my other reviews, I'm pretty generous and easy going on them. I could die happy if this place shut down tomorrow.
(1)
Joanna R.
Tuesday night for half priced burgers along with specials on select cans were perfect for my best friend and me. We randomly took a road trip to Wilmington so the whole premise was to try out the local hangouts. Catherine Rooney's provided a chill atmosphere without having to compete with obnoxiously loud music or drunk young professionals. Plus, there's a fireplace! Anyway, we were quite happy with this cozy Irish pub that allowed us to catch up.
Nice Irish pub. The bartenders were very friendly. Brittany and Leslie. Lots of Irish beers. Ordered the short ribs. Unfortunately they were like shoe leather. For me a nice place to drink not eat. I really should have complained. That's my bad. I'll try the food again. Hopefully that was a one off. I'd score bar 4 stars the food brought it down.
(3)
Tatsu O.
Reasonably priced beer. It can be fun but is hit or miss. Food is mediocre.
(3)
Donna G.
My daughter and I were at this restaurant yesterday. We asked to sit outside and we were comfortable at first, even when it started to rain a bit. And then a waiter came out and started to collapse all of the umbrellas around us. She spent considerable time banging and aligning the umbrellas along the railing where we were eating. Why this needed to be done while we were eating, I am not sure. We had asked our waiter about some of the drinks and beers and she said she did not know anything about the drinks since she was "under 21". My daughter ordered an Arnold Rooney which came tasting like very weak iced tea; we actually thought the waiter had mistakenly ordered something else. Absolutely no alcohol in this drink which was billed as being made with fresh brewed tea for $8.00. When we inquired, our waiter said that it was made from a mix and we could pay extra for a shot; otherwise there was nothing she could do. The food was so-so, and the service was just horrible. Two lunches for a total of $60 with tip. We won't be back, sorry.
(1)
Joe S.
This place is hit or miss. It can be fun when it's not overcrowded. The music is good. They have three different rooms with different music. One typically involves karaoke, the other hip hip in a sports barish room and the other in an Irish pub like scene. It can also become: overcrowded, ghetto, hot, and sometimes filled with drunk near teen girls who they somehow let on stage to sing a Britney spears classic or the deadbeat whose dream has been to sing livin on a prayer to a small room full of wasted 20-somethings. The bouncers are typically mean- shouting at people all night, giving people a hard time at the entrance for what they are wearing (even though the bouncers typically sport timbs and tshirts themselves?), and shuffling the crowd from room to room.
(3)
Brianne S.
Nice atmosphere, great food and service. Only complaint is that it's noisy.
(4)
Jane M.
This is not restaurant food. I assume the expectation is that everyone is drowning what they chew in beer. Without alcohol it was hard to swallow. Three day old fruit and lettuce in a salad. Uninspired salmon and chicken throw on top. Really disappointing. For the price, truly amazing that the quality is so low.
(1)
Jay N.
A great little pub with a big Irish feel, or so it seems. I haven't been to Ireland yet. A cozy fireplace awaits diners along with dark paneled walls. The service was friendly and attentive on an early Saturday afternoon while the place seemed mildly busy. The bloody mary was good, though not the very best I've ever had, good nonetheless. The crab bisque was advertised in the menu as "...with loads of sweet crab" chunks, but was just the opposite. We fished the bowl for just one "large chunk of sweet crab" and came up empty spoonful. Still, it was good and warmed the tummy and complimented the enchanting company I had the good fortune to be there with. Salads were tasty and their "buffalo boneless chicken strips" have GOT to be the very best in Delaware. mmmmmmm. A great place for lunch, perhaps even for dinner. Not to be missed if you find yourself hungry in Trolley Square.
(3)
Rodge B.
Reasonably priced beers and decent entertainment. A pretty large place considering the dining areas, multiple bars, and CR Hooligans. We usually stick to the live band area and/or the Rooney's side which has a DJ who is actually pretty good. A good starting off point if you're heading to other bars in Trolley Square. Also, if you know the doorman's number, you can get into the Hummingbird to Mars area which is upstairs and might be too swanky for WIlmington.
(4)
Katie M.
As far as bars go, I really like Catherine Rooney's. We tend to go there on a Wednesday or Thursday night for dinner and a couple of beers. I'm not sure about how it is on the weekends, but we like the laid back atmosphere. They have pool tables and dart boards (with real darts) in back, along with lots of TVs to watch sports. They also sometimes have a band, of which I really liked this one cover band that they had. I am not sure about the food, except the fish and chips. I usually tend to go for healthier food choices, but I tried the fish and chips the first time I went there. Their fish is fresh halibut, breaded and fried to perfection. The fries are the kind that have that extra batter that makes them a little crispier on the outside. Mmm! Ever since I ordered this dish, I have not been able to order anything else. Their portion size is pretty big, so I end up taking a full box home if I don't order the kid's meal fish and chips. My fiance really likes the crab cakes. He has tried the crab cake sandwich, the crab cake dinner, and the Crab Imperial. He raves about all of them. I do want to comment that I am a little disappointed by the beer choices. They do not have a really good pale ale. The bartender said that they usually do, but they haven't for the last couple months... So? But the staff are all really friendly and helpful people.
(4)
Jack F.
Ok spot, if you'd like to run into everyone that you went to high school with during a Friday or Saturday night. Skip the food here folks, its pretty bad. You're better off grabbing Tacquitos from the 7-11 after you've been drinking -- you'd end up more satisfied. The beers take forever to get, so make sure you order multiples. Don't order anything other than neat liquor, as it will take forever. A good spot to go for drinks during the week, and happy hours not bad. I tend to avoid weekends, however, as Trolley is the typical 17-21 year old crowd those days.
This place became a normal hangout when I lived in Wilmington. I went there with my buddy and we both moved away around the same time. We still talk about some of our nights in this place. I chuckle just thinking about it. Fun times.
(4)
Debapriya S.
Good Music and friendly staff.
(3)
Deborah R.
One of THE best places in Trolley Square! Lunched there on Black Friday & service was just great.I had the crab soup and it's just the best....ever! Other guests with me both had turkey clubs and they raved at how good they were.Service always great at CR's & the kitchen turns out consistent great meals-Sean the chef is a gem!Skip Kelly's or Scratch Magoos and head to a great meal at Catherine Rooney's.
(5)
Kaitlin L.
Solid choice for a reasonably priced dinner. Not a particularly inspiring drink menu, but good for a drink with dinner, and of course they do have Guinness. Their crab bisque is quite tasty. They also have pretty darn good weekly specials ($9.99 Caribbean themed food on Fridays, $10 half rack of ribs on Weds, etc). Past that, nothing exactly to write home about.
(3)
Alyce M.
Catherine Rooney's is my favorite bar in Trolley Square, even though I think their martinis all taste like cough syrup. The food is good here, it's pretty laid back, and I like all of the employees I've come across. Catherine Rooney's is generally a great place to meet friends in a low key environment.
(3)
Bobby B.
Great pub run by a great family. My favorite local watering hole with a nice menu. Give this place a try for a drink or some food. I'd stay away after 9pm on the weekends! More club-ish at that time.
(5)
Noreen R.
Charming pub, warm & friendly service, nice affordable brunch. Our waitress, Catherine, told us she had just started working there...she was lovely and did a great job!
(5)
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Address :Trolley Square,1616 Delaware Ave
Wilmington, DE, 19806
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : Yes Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Tue, Wed, Thu Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Lynda Z.
Catherine Rooney's has a corner/neighborhood bar feel to it. We stopped here for a few beer for my friends a couple weeks ago before going to a festival. We sat outside since the weather was amazing. the server came right over and took our drink order and then asked if we wanted food. I only ordered the pretzel bites (I know it's not real food lol) and they were served with a beer based dipping sauce which was decent. The beer selection could have been a bit more vast, but overall it wasn't bad. It's a good stop if you have things going on in Wilmington.
(3)Ethan J.
CR wilmington, is reliable, always open. Take advantage of their specials, everything else is either over priced or not worth it. Id choose another place to go if I just want to relax with a drink. The food is blah. A couple times its been subpar. Popcorn chicken was literally the crunchy tidbits left after you fry actual pieces of chicken. The night scene was awesome when they had HMazz. Now its been just random DJs, playing top 20 songs, drawing the wrong people.
(2)Randy M.
Worst bar I have ever been to. Stay away! Wouldn't let me in because I had a black t-shirt on. But 3 other people after me were let in with black t-shirts. Has the most racist and discriminating bouncers. I have been here many times in the past, but now I will never step foot in this establishment or any other related establishment again.
(1)Karla F.
I'm a regular customer, must say this is my favorite bar in Delaware. Their Jameson wings are a must to try out ! Go to Wing Wednesday's You get a great deal! Their bartenders are always friendly ! Cassy would always prepared the best drinks and was always fun! All their staff are very friendly and there's always a great vibe when I go there.
(5)Patty B.
Best happy hour ever - especially for a large group. I belong to a group that likes to have Friday night happy hours. The group has gotten so large that we get 30 to 40 people at our happy hours. Other restaurants won't give us a private room unless we agree to pay a minimum for pre-ordered food. Catherine Rooney's gives us a huge room, 2 servers, separate checks and we get Catherine Rooney's incredibly well-priced happy hour. It includes $3 rail drinks, $5 house wine, $2 draft beers and really delicious $5 food specials. The service is perfect.
(5)Anthony N.
This is a place where my fellow residents and I go for Tuesday night. The food are not the best and they have the usual drafts. But it is cheap and the bartender is cool. He even made us a special glass saying "Tuesday Tradition". The place is ok overall and not the cleanest. They have $5 burgers special every Tuesday. If you are in the mood for cheap bar food and drinks, this is the place to be
(3)Tyga J.
This was my first time here. I came by myself with my dog just for a beer and to enjoy the evening. I was impressed with the wait staff- they were all very friendly. I sat on the patio of course (dog) and they brought a water dish for her. I did not get any food so I can't make any solid food recommendations, but the Dublin dark and stormy was refreshing and delicious. My server, Al, was great and even took time to personalize my second round drink for me so it was exactly to my liking. I honestly came here just because tap house patio was full, but I was very pleased and will be back.
(4)Danny B.
Wednesday is wing night for our family. Catherine Rooneys gave us no choice. This is when they have $.45 wings. Order your wings with Jameson sauce - it's just the right flavor. They are soo good. You have to order them in increments of 10 (a change from 5 that we noticed this week). Keep in mind this place has an extensive Irish menu, too. Sometimes we order the crab bisque - another favorite! Lastly, spend time noticing the walls and decor. You'll learn some Irish history or at very least, appreciate that the owners truly made this place more than just bar/pub establishment. Just remember: Rooneys Jameson wings are a must!
(5)Kate F.
You can usually find me at Catherine Rooney's on Mondays for trivia/Quizzo --- the questions derive from a good variety of topics, vary in difficulty level, and attract enough teams to drum up some friendly competition. Mondays are usually $3 Corona and $10 personal pitchers of Miller night; though I tend to be more of a Cider girl and am content with their on-draft Magners. You would NOT find me at Rooney's for any other reason. The food is mediocre at best --- time and time again I've sample various appetizers, hoping to find THE ONE that brings me back for more, and every time I've been disappointed. The "1/2 price nacho night" on Mondays gets you a plate of gently warmed tortilla chips with large squares of pre-packaged American cheese melted over top and a few sprinkles of dried out chicken. The hummus plate gets you stale pita pieces and a pile of orange mush made edible only by adding copious amounts of feta cheese. The crab dip has a strange taste to it that is just barely reminiscent of seafood. I'll admit that when I was here for a special catered event once, the food was much better than the appetizers I had previously ordered in the bar. I suppose their genuine entrees are far more palatable, but at the end of the day, if I'm going to be the one paying for a nice entree, I'm probably going to choose to go else where.
(2)Karisa D.
It was our first night in Wilmington and we had gotten to Delaware late because of traffic. My friend took us to Catherine Rooney's because she said the food an and service was good. It's an Irish pub and they serve typical pub food. The food was tasty, but our wait time for the food was not as good. Our server came and took our drink and food orders. This is what we ordered, Cobb Salad, Chicken and Dumplings Pot Pie, and Shepherd's Pie. Apparently, I made a mistake in ordering the Chicken and Dumplings Pot Pie because it took a very long time to make. We waited almost an hour for our food and we had ordered at 9:30pm. The waitress apologized and said the dish does take awhile and the manager comped our first round of drinks. While I appreciated the gesture, I wish they had told me the dish would take a long time to prepare. It was good and I ate everything, but had I known the dish would take awhile, I may have picked something else. My advice for folks coming to Catherine Rooney's and wanting to order the Chicken and Dumplings Pot Pie, ask first how long it will take. If you don't have the time, I would suggest ordering something else.
(2)Andrea F.
Zero stars if I could. This place really sucks. They have an unrealistic dress code for a shitty, wannabe nightclub. It's WILMINGTON. FUCKING. DELAWARE. They act as if they are a nightclub in San Diego or New York. I don't get how they are still open. Crappy, dry food. Worse service. Terrible atmosphere. My boyfriend didn't get in for wearing a hat. He offered to leave the hat in the car and they still said no. Then, my friend was wearing a black V-neck to which they said, "No plain-black T's". Said friend pointed at someone over the fence and said, "He's wearing a black t-shirt." The bouncer replied, "He was in before 9PM." Get over yourselves.
(1)John C.
Good beer and entertainment, but the food is dreadful. Right from Costco's and Sysco, it is awful. Hire a chef and serve fresh food please!
(2)Adam G.
I ordered the crab dip for an appetizer and the weekly special entree of grilled chicken and vegetables. The crab dip was 95% cheese (Velveeta-esk) and 5% crab. The entree was not very good either. Particularly, the vegetables were super salty and polluted the rest of the mediocre meal.
(2)Jay W.
Alerting you to a possible biased opinion, I have only been to Catherine Rooney's once, and it was on St. Patrick's Day. So I imagine that it is not always as bad as my experience, but I think it is worth noting. I am attempting to not base this review on the line to get in or the crowd, which is what I expected on a drinking holiday. Most important in my dislike of this place was the DJ. Awful. While he played pretty crowd pleasing top 40 dance songs, he would play approximately 10-15 seconds of a song and then switch to another. It was so bad that I thought it was going to give me a seizure. The bouncers did not want people standing around and kept yelling at people to move along (yes, I get that this is because of the crowd and I said I wasn't going to talk about the crowd). I guess my point is that I don't think the staff handled the expected large crowd well. We left pretty quickly. The only reason the review is not one star is the benefit of the doubt.
(2)Kim R.
Love this quaint Irish Pub! The Crab Bisque is excellent!!! I remember the first time I visited this restaurant I was taken in by it's coziness. Perhaps the snow falling played a part in my first visit. The Jameson Wings are a real treat. The prices are within range and the service is good. I highly recommend ordering the Crab Bisque!!!
(4)Katy T.
Love it here. Great place to watch the world cup at the moment. The hot ham and swish sandwich was awesome. The people are great. Sometimes it gets a little loud and crazy otherwise I would give it a 5.
(4)Free B.
Arrived here to visit some relatives over the holidays. Was supposed to meet them for a drink here over the weekend. Walked to the outside door and was stopped by a gentleman. He asked if I had tennis shoes in the car. Confused, I said "no I don't bring tennis shoes with me." I'm from NC and I had on a regular pair of Justin type (non-steel) toe cowboy boots. When wearing pants, I wear these daily wherever I go. EVERYWHERE I GO. Have never in my life been questioned or asked about them. He proceeded to tell me I had to leave due to my boots. Confused again, I asked him why he had on boots. His reply was that he was working outside and that I may kick someone with my boots. Needless to say, my whole party and I left. I have no wish to ever step foot back in this place and all relatives in DE refuse to visit here now. Check my other reviews, I'm pretty generous and easy going on them. I could die happy if this place shut down tomorrow.
(1)Joanna R.
Tuesday night for half priced burgers along with specials on select cans were perfect for my best friend and me. We randomly took a road trip to Wilmington so the whole premise was to try out the local hangouts. Catherine Rooney's provided a chill atmosphere without having to compete with obnoxiously loud music or drunk young professionals. Plus, there's a fireplace! Anyway, we were quite happy with this cozy Irish pub that allowed us to catch up.
(4)Stephanie L.
I've been to this place a few times - but something in me (perhaps my full belly) drew me to finally review it. It's a bar that sells food, essentially, which is fine and nice. Maybe it's a restaurant that has a full bar? Who knows. Who cares is more appropriate. I live down the street, so it's walking distance, and can always be counted on to provide the bar atmosphere that I've missed from living in LA (Don't tell Mr. V. that part). One of the better things about this place though is who I don't feel that it competes with Logan House or Scratch's. And so it began with AA, at 5:01pm on a Tuesday, saying by the elevators where I work "Rooney's. Half price burgers." And then a follow up text at 6:05pm "Burgers!!!!!!!" And so we met at 7:03pm, and beers and burgers commenced. I and Mr. V ordered a watermelon beer a piece (yessssssss), and AA ordered his norm. It was a nice night, so we sat outside and the men sweated a little, but as the sun drifted behind the building, it cooled considerably. It was where we stayed all night, and we had a terrific waitress (except at one point, Sprite became a problem) who happily brought mini-pitchers at one point. Burgers! So turkey burgers are apparently, hands-down, legit burgers. They come highly recommended and forced and pushed and if you don't order one you're a bad guy. I didn't want to be a bad guy, so I ordered one. Almost two. But one. Mr. V ordered a beef burger and AA ordered a....yes, a turkey burger. Mine was...I'm actually looking for the words to describe it. Yum comes to mind. Devoured is another. Closeyoureyesandtakeabitegoodness is another. Is that a word? Well, it is now. I added bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and my cheese as "premium" blue cheese crumbles. Who doesn't like crumbles? Okay, back to the burger. Burger Tuesdays is something I will happily attend again. Mr. V's burger was beef (as mentioned), swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and sautéed onions. He "liked his burger." He doesn't quite feel the same way about his as AA and I did. As he adamantly states two days later, he wouldn't order it at full price. Although I didn't get too much a chance to discuss in full AA's burger, the fact that I got a message the next day that the other half was AWESOME later in the night, I can safely assume that if I said "Burgers!!!!!" to him at 5:01pm on a Tuesday, he would comply. Oh, and by the way, this place is headquarters for drinking, parties, bar fun, birthdays, happiness. We were joined by five others who ordered/stole/borrowed food. I know I'm just talking about the food, but I love the companionship atmosphere too - the bartenders are very nice, skilled, and funny. I almost wanted to say "wicked funny". But it's nice to know that their food is really good too. Go. Not that you haven't already. If you're visiting for a corporate conference (which I wouldn't doubt), GO. Worth your time.
(4)Eli S.
Nice Irish pub. The bartenders were very friendly. Brittany and Leslie. Lots of Irish beers. Ordered the short ribs. Unfortunately they were like shoe leather. For me a nice place to drink not eat. I really should have complained. That's my bad. I'll try the food again. Hopefully that was a one off. I'd score bar 4 stars the food brought it down.
(3)Tatsu O.
Reasonably priced beer. It can be fun but is hit or miss. Food is mediocre.
(3)Donna G.
My daughter and I were at this restaurant yesterday. We asked to sit outside and we were comfortable at first, even when it started to rain a bit. And then a waiter came out and started to collapse all of the umbrellas around us. She spent considerable time banging and aligning the umbrellas along the railing where we were eating. Why this needed to be done while we were eating, I am not sure. We had asked our waiter about some of the drinks and beers and she said she did not know anything about the drinks since she was "under 21". My daughter ordered an Arnold Rooney which came tasting like very weak iced tea; we actually thought the waiter had mistakenly ordered something else. Absolutely no alcohol in this drink which was billed as being made with fresh brewed tea for $8.00. When we inquired, our waiter said that it was made from a mix and we could pay extra for a shot; otherwise there was nothing she could do. The food was so-so, and the service was just horrible. Two lunches for a total of $60 with tip. We won't be back, sorry.
(1)Joe S.
This place is hit or miss. It can be fun when it's not overcrowded. The music is good. They have three different rooms with different music. One typically involves karaoke, the other hip hip in a sports barish room and the other in an Irish pub like scene. It can also become: overcrowded, ghetto, hot, and sometimes filled with drunk near teen girls who they somehow let on stage to sing a Britney spears classic or the deadbeat whose dream has been to sing livin on a prayer to a small room full of wasted 20-somethings. The bouncers are typically mean- shouting at people all night, giving people a hard time at the entrance for what they are wearing (even though the bouncers typically sport timbs and tshirts themselves?), and shuffling the crowd from room to room.
(3)Brianne S.
Nice atmosphere, great food and service. Only complaint is that it's noisy.
(4)Jane M.
This is not restaurant food. I assume the expectation is that everyone is drowning what they chew in beer. Without alcohol it was hard to swallow. Three day old fruit and lettuce in a salad. Uninspired salmon and chicken throw on top. Really disappointing. For the price, truly amazing that the quality is so low.
(1)Jay N.
A great little pub with a big Irish feel, or so it seems. I haven't been to Ireland yet. A cozy fireplace awaits diners along with dark paneled walls. The service was friendly and attentive on an early Saturday afternoon while the place seemed mildly busy. The bloody mary was good, though not the very best I've ever had, good nonetheless. The crab bisque was advertised in the menu as "...with loads of sweet crab" chunks, but was just the opposite. We fished the bowl for just one "large chunk of sweet crab" and came up empty spoonful. Still, it was good and warmed the tummy and complimented the enchanting company I had the good fortune to be there with. Salads were tasty and their "buffalo boneless chicken strips" have GOT to be the very best in Delaware. mmmmmmm. A great place for lunch, perhaps even for dinner. Not to be missed if you find yourself hungry in Trolley Square.
(3)Rodge B.
Reasonably priced beers and decent entertainment. A pretty large place considering the dining areas, multiple bars, and CR Hooligans. We usually stick to the live band area and/or the Rooney's side which has a DJ who is actually pretty good. A good starting off point if you're heading to other bars in Trolley Square. Also, if you know the doorman's number, you can get into the Hummingbird to Mars area which is upstairs and might be too swanky for WIlmington.
(4)Katie M.
As far as bars go, I really like Catherine Rooney's. We tend to go there on a Wednesday or Thursday night for dinner and a couple of beers. I'm not sure about how it is on the weekends, but we like the laid back atmosphere. They have pool tables and dart boards (with real darts) in back, along with lots of TVs to watch sports. They also sometimes have a band, of which I really liked this one cover band that they had. I am not sure about the food, except the fish and chips. I usually tend to go for healthier food choices, but I tried the fish and chips the first time I went there. Their fish is fresh halibut, breaded and fried to perfection. The fries are the kind that have that extra batter that makes them a little crispier on the outside. Mmm! Ever since I ordered this dish, I have not been able to order anything else. Their portion size is pretty big, so I end up taking a full box home if I don't order the kid's meal fish and chips. My fiance really likes the crab cakes. He has tried the crab cake sandwich, the crab cake dinner, and the Crab Imperial. He raves about all of them. I do want to comment that I am a little disappointed by the beer choices. They do not have a really good pale ale. The bartender said that they usually do, but they haven't for the last couple months... So? But the staff are all really friendly and helpful people.
(4)Jack F.
Ok spot, if you'd like to run into everyone that you went to high school with during a Friday or Saturday night. Skip the food here folks, its pretty bad. You're better off grabbing Tacquitos from the 7-11 after you've been drinking -- you'd end up more satisfied. The beers take forever to get, so make sure you order multiples. Don't order anything other than neat liquor, as it will take forever. A good spot to go for drinks during the week, and happy hours not bad. I tend to avoid weekends, however, as Trolley is the typical 17-21 year old crowd those days.
(3)Doug F.
Catherine Rooney's is my favorite Irish pub in the area. While I don't think one can claim that selections on the menu are particularly Irish (e.g., there's nothing particularly Celtic about the "Celtic Cheeseburger" - it's just a cheeseburger as far as I can tell), Catherine Rooney's does serve up a good selection of reasonably priced pub fare. The specials, which are publicized on Catherine Rooney's website, are well worth checking out. For example, burgers are half-priced on Saturdays and Mondays. The interior has a warm feel to it with plenty of wood paneling and Irish décor. There's nothing cookie-cutter about this place; you don't feel like you're in Bennigan's. All in all Catherine Rooney's is a great choice for a casual meal in Wilmington. It's always on my short list of places to take visitors from out of town.
(4)Donnie D.
This place became a normal hangout when I lived in Wilmington. I went there with my buddy and we both moved away around the same time. We still talk about some of our nights in this place. I chuckle just thinking about it. Fun times.
(4)Debapriya S.
Good Music and friendly staff.
(3)Deborah R.
One of THE best places in Trolley Square! Lunched there on Black Friday & service was just great.I had the crab soup and it's just the best....ever! Other guests with me both had turkey clubs and they raved at how good they were.Service always great at CR's & the kitchen turns out consistent great meals-Sean the chef is a gem!Skip Kelly's or Scratch Magoos and head to a great meal at Catherine Rooney's.
(5)Kaitlin L.
Solid choice for a reasonably priced dinner. Not a particularly inspiring drink menu, but good for a drink with dinner, and of course they do have Guinness. Their crab bisque is quite tasty. They also have pretty darn good weekly specials ($9.99 Caribbean themed food on Fridays, $10 half rack of ribs on Weds, etc). Past that, nothing exactly to write home about.
(3)Alyce M.
Catherine Rooney's is my favorite bar in Trolley Square, even though I think their martinis all taste like cough syrup. The food is good here, it's pretty laid back, and I like all of the employees I've come across. Catherine Rooney's is generally a great place to meet friends in a low key environment.
(3)Bobby B.
Great pub run by a great family. My favorite local watering hole with a nice menu. Give this place a try for a drink or some food. I'd stay away after 9pm on the weekends! More club-ish at that time.
(5)Noreen R.
Charming pub, warm & friendly service, nice affordable brunch. Our waitress, Catherine, told us she had just started working there...she was lovely and did a great job!
(5)