Beef O Bradys, Fuquay Varina

In 1985, Jim Mellody had a simple dream: to create a neighborhood pub where friends, family, and nice-looking strangers could enjoy good food and sports. So, with his wife, Jeanette, he opened the first of the now-famous Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, filling the first Brandon, Florida, location with sports memorabilia and TVs. The menu—which has grown over the years as the franchise has birthed more than 200 outposts—celebrates American pub classics with an Irish twist, including an Irish blessing on every menu. The expansive menu can quell any number of cravings, with hearty dishes such as award-winning jumbo wings hand tossed in 12 signature sauces and pretzel roll Angus sliders with thick-cut bacon, all served with homestyle shakes or domestic drafts.