A plane ticket to Ireland is prohibitively expensive, and the flight attendant won’t let you drink, sing, or knit her dog an Aran sweater. Fast-forward to the fun part of visiting Ireland with today's Groupon: for $8, you get $16 worth of Irish fare, barbecue, and pints at O’Doherty’s Irish Pub in Spokane Valley.

While seemingly unorthodox, the melding of authentic Irish fare and Southern-style smoked barbecue creates a mouthwatering mix as tempting as the pub’s black and tans. Sink teeth into authentically appointed slow-cooked corned beef and cabbage served with irish stew, a dinner salad, and house-made horseradish sauce for dipping ($13.95). Freshly caught and covered in a Guinness beer batter, the fish and chips pairs deep-fried Alaskan white fish with steak fries and a house-made tartar sauce ($14.95 for two fillets). The smoked barbecue pulled pork spends more than 10 hours in an apple-wood burning barbecue pit before it’s partnered plateside with barbecue sauce, green salad, baked beans, and cornbread ($14.95 for a platter). Choose from an array of salads and sandwiches, including the ultimate chicken, a grilled chicken breast buried beneath smoked bacon, mushrooms, and swiss cheese ($10.95). O'Doherty's also serves a hearty breakfast Saturday and Sunday, with favorites like corned beef hash and eggs and "smoked pit" ham and eggs benedict on the menu.

Bartenders pour pints of Guinness, Harp, and Smithwicks ($4+) for drinking diners while also serving a vast selection of top-shelf scotch (prices vary). With al fresco dining when seasonally appropriate and a warm, inviting dining room when it’s not, O’Doherty’s creates a welcoming Celtic atmosphere perfect for pairing Irish pints with Irish fare.

While not included in the Groupon, O'Doherty's also offers a flexible catering menu for groups of 20 to 800 people.

Reviews

Seven Yelpers give O'Doherty's Irish Pub a 4.5-star average, and 83% of Urbanspooners like it:

• I know good food and it is here. The service was outstanding; the staff was quick and friendly. – Shane D., Yelp, 9/6/10
• I go here for lunch a couple times a month. They make a killer Rueben and their pulled pork sandwich is to die for. – Foodie, Urbanspoon