There wasn't much around Mulligan's on its stretch of South 27th in Franklin when it opened, save for a few seedy motels and Jim Dandy's, a restaurant across the street. Once you passed the adult store on Rawson, you knew you were getting close. But, in the decade since it opened, suburban sprawl has helped build up the area, with new businesses like medical centers, Woodman's and IKEA now nearby.
But, even with new restaurants around, Mulligan's remains a pit stop that can fulfill a multitude of needs. It's family-friendly with a couple of arcade games in the back, a bar area that's completely separate from the dining room and high dividers between booths, just in case someone's a little rowdy. It's also a very good hangout, with a large horseshoe-shaped bar, loads of high-top tables, good happy hour specials, plenty of TVs, as well as games like darts and that arcade-style golf game people are nostalgic for but I never see play.
The food, too, seems designed to satisfy everyone. It's pub and bar fare, with an emphasis on Irish-inspired dishes to stay true to its theme. But, unlike many pubs and restaurants with long menus, the food at Mulligan's is pretty consistently executed and enjoyable.
I have yet to find an appetizer as satisfying as the tavern fries ($8.95). Thick, soft, lightly fried rounds of potato are smothered in melted cheddar and jack cheeses, along with bacon, green onions and diced tomatoes. They are served alongside a small bowl—yes, bowl—of garlic-laden ranch dressing. This is one place where I become a ranch fiend, and you will too on these potatoes. All the other items on the long app menu are crowd pleasers: beer cheese dip ($9.95) served with fresh vegetables and pretzel bread, sliders ($8.95) in pulled pork or cheeseburger renditions and a Reuben quesadilla ($8.95) with corned beef, Swiss and kraut, served with thousand island for dipping.
You can get that same corned beef in a number of menu items, including a creamy Reuben soup ($2.95) topped with rye bread croutons and a classic Reuben sandwich ($9.95). This is a grilled Reuben, with an appropriate ratio of salty, lean corned beef to bread, instead of one of those piled-6-inches-high behemoths. A few slices on top of the McGinty burger ($11.95) make for a meatier meal if that's what you're looking for.
Burgers are overall well-seasoned and seared but suffer from overcooking. The Milwaukee burger ($11.95) aims to cover the dryness of the patty with cheddar cheese sauce, onion rings, fried cheese curds and bacon, and does an admirable job of distracting you. Fries on the side are boring, so opt for potato chips or soup instead.
Shepherd's pie ($12.95) is about as rib-sticking as you can get, since it's mostly mashed potatoes. The ground beef and vegetables on the bottom form a kind of homogeneous mass with the potatoes, so much so that it arrives on your plate in a big square slice. A healthy ladle of brown gravy on top is necessary lubricant. (If you feel you can eat 8 pounds of it in one sitting, enter their Shepherd's Pie Challenge.) Another comfort food option is the thick Irish lamb stew ($13.95) that is just as hearty but less stodgy.
There are some lighter things on the menu as well, like a chicken spinach melt ($9.95). Hot artichoke and spinach dip are spread on top of grilled chicken on sourdough, leaving me to wonder why the appetizer dip isn't used on sandwiches more. Entree salads are pretty standard, including a Southwest version ($10.95) and a crispy chicken cobb ($11.95).
Friday is a busy day at Mulligan's thanks to its popular fish fry. Haddock and walleye can be beer battered in light, golden crust ($11.95-$14.95), while lake perch and blue gill can only be breaded ($14.95). Skip the fries again and go for the potato pancakes, which have a uniformly crisp exterior all around. There's also a weekly Friday seafood special, which runs the gamut from shrimp scampi to pineapple glazed grouper with jerk carrots and plantains.
We all need go-to restaurants in our back pockets that will please lots of different people. Mulligan's is that sure bet on the South side, whether it’s for St. Patrick's Day (they go all out), a family lunch or bar trivia night with friends.
