If you've driven down Main Street in Hackensack in the last week or two, chances are you've seen Poitin Still, the new Irish-style pub in the former location of Waterloo Sue's. Large, centrally located and lacquered in an eye-catching yellow hue, the restaurant isn't easy to miss.

Owner-manager John Creegan hopes the same is true of the food.

"It's a traditional Irish pub," he said, "but with more continental food."

Despite the interior's overwhelming Irish vibe, Poitin Still's menu is more domestic. Sure, it serves shepherd's pie as well as favorite pairings such as corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, and fish and chips. But it also serves mozzarella sticks, stuffed mushrooms, chicken wings and the like. From there the menu takes an international flair, with pastas (fettuccine with jumbo shrimp, penne with vodka sauce), poultry (chicken Parmesan, chicken francaise), prime steaks (16-ounce Black Angus shell, 14-ounce filet mignon) and veal (picata, marsala).

What seems to hold down the restaurant's Irish claims -- beyond its name, which refers to a type of distillery used to make poitin, a potato-based alcohol -- is the décor. Much like its exterior, Poitin Still's interior doesn't rely on the dark, worn-in comforts of bleaker pubs. In place of stained wood and dim lights, the restaurant adopts a cheery take on Irish style with brightly painted walls, hand-painted murals and separate bar, lounge and dining areas.

The rectangular bar is behind an intricately carved door and is surrounded on all sides by a sea of stools. Behind the bar, accessible by way of a pair of equally impressive doors, is the restaurant's main dining area, filled with free-standing tables and bordered by wood- and stone-accented walls.

Next to the dining room is a lounge-like area with a bench seat around its perimeter and small tables and stools.

All told, there's room for 100 customers.

"It's a big space,'" said Creegan, who immigrated to the United States from County Leitrim, Ireland, almost 35 years ago. "We tried to make every corner of it comfortable."

Poitin Still is at 774 Main St., Hackensack; (201) 487-0660. Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily (bar is open until 2 a.m.).

If you know of a new restaurant that should be featured, e-mail pitcher@northjersey.com or call 201-646-4351.
Starters is a first look at recently opened restaurants. It is meant to be a descriptive glimpse, not a critical review.

If you've driven down Main Street in Hackensack in the last week or two, chances are you've seen Poitin Still, the new Irish-style pub in the former location of Waterloo Sue's. Large, centrally located and lacquered in an eye-catching yellow hue, the restaurant isn't easy to miss.

Owner-manager John Creegan hopes the same is true of the food.

"It's a traditional Irish pub," he said, "but with more continental food."

Despite the interior's overwhelming Irish vibe, Poitin Still's menu is more domestic. Sure, it serves shepherd's pie as well as favorite pairings such as corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash, and fish and chips. But it also serves mozzarella sticks, stuffed mushrooms, chicken wings and the like. From there the menu takes an international flair, with pastas (fettuccine with jumbo shrimp, penne with vodka sauce), poultry (chicken Parmesan, chicken francaise), prime steaks (16-ounce Black Angus shell, 14-ounce filet mignon) and veal (picata, marsala).

What seems to hold down the restaurant's Irish claims -- beyond its name, which refers to a type of distillery used to make poitin, a potato-based alcohol -- is the décor. Much like its exterior, Poitin Still's interior doesn't rely on the dark, worn-in comforts of bleaker pubs. In place of stained wood and dim lights, the restaurant adopts a cheery take on Irish style with brightly painted walls, hand-painted murals and separate bar, lounge and dining areas.

The rectangular bar is behind an intricately carved door and is surrounded on all sides by a sea of stools. Behind the bar, accessible by way of a pair of equally impressive doors, is the restaurant's main dining area, filled with free-standing tables and bordered by wood- and stone-accented walls.

Next to the dining room is a lounge-like area with a bench seat around its perimeter and small tables and stools.

All told, there's room for 100 customers.

"It's a big space,'" said Creegan, who immigrated to the United States from County Leitrim, Ireland, almost 35 years ago. "We tried to make every corner of it comfortable."

Poitin Still is at 774 Main St., Hackensack; (201) 487-0660. Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily (bar is open until 2 a.m.).

If you know of a new restaurant that should be featured, e-mail pitcher@northjersey.com or call 201-646-4351.

Reader Comments

Pat says: Very nice place. It's hard to believe that that was the old Waterloo Sue's. The one gripe I have is that more pub food is not featured on the dinner menu. I was hoping to get a nice burger or chicken sandwich but was disappointed to find out that they only served them on the lunch menu.

John Healy says: Been there a few times since it opened. The pub has a warm cozy atmosphere. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The food is excellent and cooked the way you like it. I asked them for well done ---its well done! This pub has been long ovedue in Hakensack and I will be a regular visitor from now on! Slainte