Finley’s Irish Pub & Eatery

Finley’s Irish Pub & Eatery has anchored a spot on South Belcher Road in Largo since 2008, run as a family business by Mark A Ternes and his daughter Melissa Hewett. Nearly two decades in, it has become one of the longer running independent bars in this part of Pinellas County, built around a mix of traditional Irish cooking and American comfort food rather than a narrow theme bar concept that only leans on green decor and novelty drinks.

The kitchen turns out dishes like corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, and beer battered fish and chips alongside half pound burgers, reubens, and meatloaf, plus a signature mashup dish, the shepherd’s pie quesadilla, that captures the pub’s willingness to blend its Irish roots with more familiar American bar food. The bar side of the operation is just as serious as the kitchen, with 22 beers on draft and a full liquor bar that includes a selection of traditional Irish whiskeys, giving regulars real variety beyond the standard domestic taps found at most sports bars in the area.

Speaking of sports, Finley’s leans into that identity with 18 big screen televisions spread through a newly remodeled space, making it a natural stop for anyone who wants to watch a game with a full bar and a real kitchen behind it rather than settling for a bar menu of frozen appetizers. A daily happy hour runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., which is an unusually long window and makes the pub a viable stop for an early dinner and a drink well before the evening rush hits.

Hours stretch from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday, giving Finley’s a late night presence that many Largo restaurants do not attempt. The pub describes itself as a gathering spot for food, drinks, music, and atmosphere, and the combination of a family run ownership structure with a genuinely deep beer and whiskey list has helped it build a following that goes beyond a typical neighborhood tavern.

For visitors new to Largo, Finley’s is a solid anchor point on South Belcher Road for anyone who wants an Irish leaning menu, a serious beer list, and a sports bar atmosphere without leaving the city limits. Given the venue’s popularity during weekend evenings and major sporting events, arriving during the extended happy hour window or calling ahead for larger groups is worth considering before heading over.