Fado Irish Pub

What Fado Irish Pub does

Fado Irish Pub is a privately held, multi-location Irish pub and restaurant chain operating five physical locations across major US markets — Atlanta (Buckhead and Midtown), Columbus (Ohio), Chicago, and Philadelphia. Founded in 1996 by Irish entrepreneurs with the stated mission of bringing Dublin pub culture to the United States, the company operates under the "Fadó" brand (Gaelic for "long ago") with Kieran McGill listed as founder. The chain offers traditional Irish food (Fish & Chips, Shepherd's Pie, the signature Fado Irish Spice Bag), craft cocktails, an extensive whiskey selection, and live sports viewing as core programming, complemented by ancillary modules including private events (birthdays, rehearsal dinners, corporate gatherings, full pub buyouts), weekend Boozy Brunch, and location-specific Happy Hour promotions.

The company has no proprietary technology stack; its digital presence is powered by Popmenu (website, menu management, review system, FIP email/SMS marketing), with third-party platforms OpenTable and Explore Tock handling table reservations. No AI/ML capabilities, mobile apps, API platforms, or proprietary software products are evident. Headcount is reported at 251–500 employees across the five locations.

Revenue is generated through three streams: dine-in food and beverage sales at the five pub locations (transaction-fee model), private event hosting with customizable F&B packages (one-time license model), and online ordering for takeout (transaction-fee model). Pricing is unit-based with pay-as-you-go cadence across a mid-market price ladder ($6–$21 food, $6–$15 drinks, with happy hour at $6–$9). The customer base is entirely consumer-facing (walk-in diners and sports fans) with a secondary use-case segment for private event hosts. No funding rounds, M&A activity, or institutional ownership signals are disclosed; the company appears to operate as an independent multi-unit operator under its original founding group.

Name

Fado Irish Pub

Legal name

Fado Irish Pub

Website

https://fadoirishpub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Fado Irish Pub is a privately held multi-location Irish pub and restaurant chain operating five US locations (Atlanta-Buckhead, Atlanta-Midtown, Columbus, Chicago, Philadelphia) founded in 1996 by Irish entrepreneurs, serving traditional Irish food, cocktails, and live sports viewing to local consumers and private event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Pubs & Gastropubs (CRANACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA), Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD)

Keywords

• Irish pub dining
• Craft cocktails
• Sports bar viewing
• Private event hosting
• Weekend brunch service

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Core revenue from dine-in food and drink sales across 5 physical pub locations. Menu includes Irish fare, cocktails, beers, and comfort food items.
2. Private Event Hosting: Revenue from hosting private events including birthday celebrations, wedding rehearsal dinners, corporate gatherings, and full pub buyouts with customizable food and beverage packages.
3. Online Ordering: Takeout and delivery orders placed through the company's online ordering system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fadó Irish Pub operates five Irish pub and restaurant locations across the United States, serving traditional Irish comfort food (Fish & Chips, Shepherd's Pie, Irish Spice Bag, Fried Goat Cheese), craft cocktails, an extensive whiskey and beer selection, and live sports viewing in a neighborhood gathering environment. The company also hosts private events (birthday parties, wedding rehearsal dinners, corporate gatherings, full pub buyouts) and runs recurring promotions including weekday happy hour and weekend boozy brunch.

Product overview

Fado Irish Pub is a multi-location Irish pub chain offering a unified hospitality experience centered on traditional Irish food, expertly crafted cocktails, premium whiskey selections, and live sports viewing. The core product encompasses five restaurant locations in Atlanta (Buckhead and Midtown), Columbus, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Supporting modules include private event hosting with customizable packages for celebrations and corporate gatherings, weekend brunch service, and daily happy hour specials. The food program features signature dishes like the Fado Irish Spice Bag, Fried Goat Cheese, Shepherd's Pie, and their famous Fish & Chips, while the beverage program emphasizes craft cocktails such as the Signature Espresso Martini alongside an extensive whiskey collection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fadó Irish Pub & Restaurant (Dine-in Restaurant Service) Multi-location Irish pub and restaurant offering traditional Irish comfort food, craft cocktails, premium whiskey and beer, and live sports viewing across five U.S. locations. Targets individual diners, sports fans, and social groups seeking an authentic Irish pub experience.
• Private Events and Pub Buyouts

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PopmenucoreTechnology or IntegrationPopmenu provides the website platform, menu management, review system, and marketing tools powering Fado Irish Pub's digital presence. The FIP newsletter and review systems are powered by Popmenu.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Tír na nÓg Irish Pub: Multi-location US Irish pub concept (NYC and others) offering traditional Irish food, beer, and sports viewing in an urban pub atmosphere. Direct competitor for Irish-pub occasions in overlapping consumer segments.
• Ri Ra Irish Pub: Multi-location Irish pub concept in the US (with locations in cities like Las Vegas, Orlando, and Portland ME) offering comparable Irish food, craft beer, whiskey, and live-music pub atmosphere. Operates as a chain in similar urban markets to Fadó.
• Claddagh Irish Pub: Chain of Irish pubs across the Midwest (Indianapolis, Carmel, Westerville, Cleveland) with comparable Irish menu, beer selection, and full-bar concept. Closest geographic overlap with Fadó's Columbus, OH and Chicago locations.
• McGuire's Irish Pub: Multi-location Irish pub chain in the US (Destin/Pensacola FL) directly comparable to Fadó in concept, menu (Irish fare, draft beer, whiskey), and sports-viewing destination positioning. Appears in Fadó's own review ecosystem, signaling direct category overlap.
• The Whelan: Irish pub and bar in Atlanta, GA directly overlapping Fadó's home Atlanta market with comparable Irish pub experience, food, and bar atmosphere. Listed within Fadó's own review-giveaway winner history, confirming direct local competition.

Broad incumbents

• Buffalo Wild Wings: National sports-bar chain with hundreds of US locations; competes with Fadó for sports-viewing occasions, casual bar food, and beer occasions, but at vastly larger scale and a broader menu not anchored in Irish cuisine.
• TGI Fridays: Established full-service casual dining and bar chain competing for similar casual dinner and drink occasions in urban locations where Fadó operates, though with a broader American-casual menu rather than Irish specialty.
• Dave & Buster's: National eatertainment chain competing with Fadó's private-events and group-occasion business, particularly for birthday celebrations, corporate outings, and full-venue buyouts in major US metros.
• Twin Peaks Restaurant: Sports-bar chain competing for the same sports-viewing and casual beer-and-wings occasions Fadó targets, especially in Atlanta and other Southern markets where both operate.
• Yard House: Upscale casual sports-bar chain with an extensive draft beer lineup and American gastropub menu, overlapping Fadó on craft beer selection, sports viewing, and urban casual-dining occasions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fadoirishpub
• Facebookfacebook.com/fadoannapolis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fado Irish Pub