Though Hugh McCauley gained his culinary training and experience in Paris and resorts across the United States, he chose to base his own restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, where his family has lived for three generations. After starting up Hugh's Catering in 1981, the ambitious chef went on to spearhead McSorley's Beach Pub, a popular local eatery.

At Stout Irish Pub, Hugh's latest culinary venture, the chef continues to put his Sorbonne training to good use, captaining a cooking staff that specializes in crafting hearty sandwiches, meat-and-potato entrees, and Irish classics such as fish 'n' chips and bangers and mash. This pub fare pairs with 20 draft beers and an extensive array of craft bottles served at tables and secluded booths as well as at a distinctive hand-hammered copper bar that stretches 55 feet across the dining room. Irish artwork speckles the cheery yellow and exposed brick walls, along with HDTVs, which captivate diners with sports games and subliminal messages transmitted by the FCC.