Even though it’s set away from either of the major entertainment meccas in Fort Lauderdale — Riverwalk or the beachfront Strip — Maguire’s Hill 16 has survived the ’90s by building a strong local following.
It recently changed hands, and the new management has preserved the hallmarks of what keeps Maguire’s parking lot on Andrews Avenue overflowing on weekends.
The setting is split into three main areas: a quiet bar at the back, a main dining lounge with a stage, and a back room, called the Back Yard, that has its own entertainment lineup on weekends.
Walls are brick or wood panel, adorned with large black-and-white framed photos of early 20th century scenes from the Emerald Isle, or photo portraits of Joyce, Wilde or Shaw. A framed newspaper front page from 1916 heralds a Sinn Fein uprising.
Perhaps fitting is that the most dominant wall decorations are the two large Guinness mirrors, although you can order 13 other drafts ($3.75), from the usual Murphy’s or Boddington to Razor’s Edge or Lite.
Food from the varied menu is available at the bar, where service was mixed. Food service stops by 10 p.m., an oddity for a place with live acts that start at 9 and go until 1 a.m. or later.
The bands have always been a major draw at Maguire’s, and that tradition continues. Weekday acts are as good as those on the weekend, when Beyond Redemption, a rock-based quintet, plays the main room. In the back, traditional Irish music is performed by Celt.
During the week, longtime locals Scott Avery and Peter White cover softer pop songs from Jim Croce or Don McLean over one-hour sets.
With challenges from newcomers, Maguire’s will need a later kitchen closing and better staff training to stay competitive.
Nightlife news
TONIGHT: Start by attending a 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. cocktail party at O’Hara’s, 722 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-524-2801. Then stick around for jazz artists Dr. Lonnie Smith, Danny Burger, Billy Ross and Juanita Dixon.
SATURDAY: Feel the heat of a Latin beat at Club Tropigala at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and Spa, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Featured performer is Willy Chirino. The $40 cover includes the Tropical Nights Show and dancing.
SUNDAY: Stop by Jester’s Bar and Grill, 801 NE 62nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale, between noon and 9 p.m. for a fund-raising event benefiting the 8-year-old son of bartender “Little Frankie,” who died in March.
TUESDAY: Mellow out with music during New Age Jazz Night with Steven Mikas 5 to 8 p.m. at Aventura Mall, 196th Street and Biscayne Boulevard.
WEDNESDAY: If you like jazz, you should love Cassandra Wilson in a tribute to the late Miles Davis presented by the Miami Light Project at 8 p.m. at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, 174 E. Flagler St., Miami. Tickets $20-$50. Call 305-576-4350.
THURSDAY: Put on your dancing shoes and check out Out of Sight Disco Night at World Mardi-Gras Nightclubs, the huge entertainment complex on the top floor of Northport Marketplace (above Planet Hollywood), 1850 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale.
Jeremy Lang is a free-lance writer based in Fort Lauderdale. Joan Brazer Durante, a free-lance writer based in Fort Lauderdale, writes the nightlife news portion of this column. Please fax news concerning local entertainment events and performers to 954-835-2347, e-mail or mail to Joan Brazer Durante, Entertainment Department, Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-2293.
MAGUIRE’S HILL 16
535 N. Andrews Ave.
Fort Lauderdale
954-764-4453
Music: Irish, pop, rock
Entertainment: 9 p.m. onward Wednesday-Sunday
Cover: no
Minimum: no
Valet parking: no; attended lots
Dress: casual to neat casual
