Every Day Is St. Paddy's Day at Buckley's Inn Between in Hampton Bays

In the heart of Hampton Bays, Buckley’s Inn Between is an Irish pub where like-minded folks seek refuge in a jovial, comfortable space. It’s a place where drinks are poured and plates are served harmoniously by a courteous crew, where barstools offer locals the opportunity for light conversation and tables welcome hungry families and out-of-towners.

Mark Shortall opened Buckley’s Inn Between in 2003. After moving to the states from Dublin in 1990, he worked in several Manhattan bars and moved out east in 1995, where he joined the team at the Sullivan Brothers at The Publick House in Bowden Square.

Buckley’s chef, Paul Fitzpatrick, is CIA (Culinary Institute of America) trained, and became a partner in 2010. He now commands the kitchen, mastering Irish staples such as shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, beer-battered fish and chips, and of course corned beef and cabbage.

Shortall says the chicken pot pie is a customer favorite, along with their innovative Irish-themed spring roll complete with corned beef, cabbage, and mashed potatoes immersed in a pastry filo dough. Out of the long list of burgers – each bearing the Irish name of someone they know such as Fintan (with blue cheese dressing), Seamus (with lettuce, tomato, raw onion) and Finnegan (just straight up cheeseburger) – by far the most popular is the Conor burger, with sauteed onions, mushrooms, cheddar and bacon.

The sandwich menu serves up some standards like a hot pastrami, an old-fashioned Reuben, and piled-high corned beef – all true handhelds you’ve got to commit to your grip after the first bite. There’s a good chance your dining partner will have to give your mouth a quick dab midway through.

One dish might stop you in your tracks – under “Traditional Irish Dishes” you’ll come across Chicken Curry. How does curry, a robust Indian spice, fit into the Irish mix you wonder? You’d probably be surprised to find out it’s not that strange after all. A little history lesson here – both Ireland and India were colonized by England, both flags have the same colors, the two countries had embarked on a tea-and-spice trade in 1930s, and so on. The cultural lines cut deeper than that but in a nutshell, there’s been an infusion of Indian inspiration in Irish cooking for over two centuries.

Buckley’s lauded happy hour features beer and wine specials as well as noshies like corn fritters yum, crispy fried mushrooms and their proprietary baked clams en casserole. Nightly specials can include dishes such as surf and turf, salmon and a broiled seafood platter. You may also want to attempt earning a membership in their famed Guinness 100-Pint Club. The criteria are simple: consume 100 pints of Guinness (no time limit) and you’ll be honored with a nice shiny plaque on their wall.

On another note, some Irish eyes will be shedding tears come St. Paddy’s Day this year. The Hampton Bays St Patrick’s Day Parade – which normally attracts thousands of spectators and features a ton of entertainment including pipe bands, school marching bands, floats and more – is postponed until 2025. The St Patrick’s Day Parade committee says they are “already planning to be back bigger and better next year with a tentative date of Saturday March 22, 2025.”

Shortall, who is a committee member, admits they need to break for a restart. They lost a lot of volunteers over the years and they need the time to refocus and regroup.

For Buckley’s however, the show must go on. They are holding their annual Grand Marshal Monday on Saturday, March 23 for The HB Grand Marshal “Unsung Heros Scholarship.” The scholarship was created for graduating high school seniors who fall under the radar and are deserving of both the financial award and the honor. It’s not something these students apply for – they are covertly recognized and surprised with the scholarship on Awards Night.

The celebration will feature complimentary passing hors d’ouvres, live music with the McAuleys, a DJ, and a visit from the Pipers. Since 2017, the Grand Marshals have awarded almost $20,000 in scholarships to 40 students.  This year’s event will raise money for the Baymen Class of 2024.

On St. Paddy’s Day itself, you can expect the usual Gaelic gaiety at Buckley’s. They have a DJ on Saturday night playing all Irish old and new, and traditional Irish dishes will be served all day long, as they always are.

Though March 17 marks the calendar for this Irish holiday, “every day is St. Paddy’s” at Buckley’s Inn Between in Hampton Bays.

Buckleys Inn Between is located at 139 West Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays. It can be reached at 631-728-7197 or buckleysinnbetween.com