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A trip to Ireland may just be a drive away; located in Ostrich Towne, Molly’s Irish Pub is giving Toledoans an authentic Emerald Isle experience.
The story of Molly’s doesn’t start in Toledo however, owner Molly McHugh’s family has an extensive history in Ireland.
A rich history
“My dad was from Ireland. He came over from Galway and we grew up very much immersed in the Irish culture,” McHugh said. “My dad listened to Irish music all the time; he co-hosted an Irish radio show. We tried to get back there as often as possible to visit family. I very much felt Irish my whole life.”
Back in Galway, the McHugh family owns two pubs: the Anglers Rest, which is a hotel and pub and up the road is T. McHugh’s Bar.
“[The Anglers Rest] was started by my great-grandfather [in 1905] and one of my distant cousins now runs the Anglers. About 100 feet down the road is T. McHugh’s [opened in 1897], which is just a pub. That’s run by one of my cousins today too. So, I guess it was in the blood a little bit,” McHugh said.
Vintage photos of the Anglers Rest and T. McHugh’s can be found in the Gypsy Rover, a pinnacle piece inside Molly’s.
The Gypsy Rover
When McHugh’s father passed away, she took over co-hosting the Echoes of Ireland radio show for a few years. It was during this time that she got the idea to start a mobile pub.
“During that time, I was always looking up things to talk about and I came across an article about a mobile pub that was in Canada. I couldn’t find any here in the United States. There are some now, but at the time I couldn’t find any,” McHugh said. “I just thought it was the best idea ever. Then COVID hit and I was working from home and not doing too much. So, I was like, ‘If I’m going to do this, this is the perfect time to try to figure out how to make a mobile pub work.’”
Named after one of the first Irish songs McHugh ever learned, the Gypsy Rover opened at 9,500 pounds and 13 1/2 feet tall.
“The goal of it was to be able to bring a true Irish experience; a genuine pub feel… I could bring this mobile pub, drop it off, pick it up and that was it,” McHugh said.
McHugh got the Gypsy Rover up and running in the summer of 2023. Within two to three months of hauling the mobile pub around, she realized that a brick-and-mortar place would be better suited to her vision.
“I started looking for spaces and I was targeting downtown. I knew it had to be a unique space in which the Gypsy Rover could fit inside. I found Ostrich Towne and I saw that there was this large garage door on the end unit,” McHugh said. “Coincidentally, the realtor on the space was a family friend. His parents were both from Ireland and his dad actually knew one of my uncles over in Ireland. So the first thing we did was back [the Gypsy Rover] in here, then from there, just kind of built around the rest of the pub.”
The Gypsy Rover was backed into the space in December 2023 and Molly’s opened in January 2025.
The vision comes to life
McHugh credits the feel of Molly’s to her travels to The Anglers, the family-owned hotel she stays at when visiting Ireland.
“When I was over there last [October] staying at The Anglers, I was taking so many notes. Anything from decorations to what they’re serving at the pub. I’m just trying to make this pub in Toledo as authentic as possible,” McHugh said.
When walking into Molly’s, visitors are greeted with signs showcasing Guinness, memorabilia from the McHugh family and even a family of sheep; all working together to transport you across the Atlantic.
“These were my dad’s handwritten playlists from the radio show, so I definitely wanted to bring a little bit of him into the pub. In the Gypsy Rover, a lot of the stuff that I have in here were presents that my parents got as wedding gifts. This was hanging up in my house growing up. It’s called níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin and that means there’s no fireplace like your own fireplace, so there’s no home like your own home,” McHugh said.
Grabbing a drink at Molly’s
Of course, an Irish pub would not be complete without a Guinness, but Molly’s has other authentic drinks that hit the spot.
“I would say the two most popular drinks are Guinness and the Irish coffee. Both very traditional to Ireland,” McHugh said.
Even though the recipe comes from Ireland, the Irish coffee uses ingredients right from Toledo.
“We do get compliments on the Irish coffee. It’s brown sugar, Jameson, whiskey, coffee and we use Actual Coffee that’s made locally here in Toledo. Then a homemade whipped cream on top. We can do it hot or iced in the summer,” McHugh said.
McHugh gets many of her menu items from traveling to her family’s pubs in Ireland.
“When I was there last October, I had a Bailey’s hot chocolate. So I did put Bailey’s hot chocolate on the menu for the winter months. They drink a lot of gin over there too, so trying to get into doing a pink gin that I have here,” McHugh said.
Now, Molly’s wouldn’t be an Irish pub without an authentic Guinness. To perfect the Guinness pour, McHugh went right to the source to be trained.
“I did go to the Guinness factory to learn how to pour properly because I figured I’m not going to serve Guinness unless it’s credible to serve. So the whole process takes about 120 seconds,” McHugh said. “You start by holding your glass at a 45-degree angle, pushing it forward till the glass is about 3/4 of the way full, or to the top of the harp. Then you let it settle; that’s where it takes time. After it settles, you push the handle backwards to top off the Guinness.”
“Splitting the G” is a popular Irish pub challenge where, on your first sip of Guinness, you get the liquid line to rest right in the middle of the Guinness label on the glass.
“We do a contest here; whoever gets the highest score for the week gets a $10 gift card. There’s an app that you can use that will actually give you a score, so that’s how we monitor and track the weekly winners. People really get into ‘splitting the G’ and take it very seriously,” McHugh said.
Takeaways from owning a pub
Before opening Molly’s Irish Pub, McHugh had never worked as a bartender, but she calls the entire experience “rewarding.”
“It still feels a little surreal, to be honest. I don’t think I ever fully imagined that I would be owning an Irish pub. I’ve met so many amazing people; we have regulars that come in; you actually get to know people and make connections with people within the community,” McHugh said.
With McHugh’s connections with her regulars and the country of Ireland, she has helped customers plan their own trips to the Emerald Isle.
“A lot of people who come into the pub like to travel to Ireland as well. So they’ll always ask for advice and where to go. I always tell them to go to Galway, because I think it’s the best place in Ireland. Three or four different groups have actually gone to The Anglers and some people even wore their Molly’s T-shirts,” McHugh said.
After her father’s passing, McHugh credits Molly’s for allowing her to still feel connected to her father and her Irish heritage.
“Just knowing that I’m able to carry on that legacy a little bit and the traditions here. Knowing that I’m doing something similar to some of my family members over there makes me feel more connected. I do get a sense of feeling at home in here too,” McHugh said.
For the location, hours and event calendar, go to https://mollysirishpubtoledo.com/
- When I travel, I like to eat: – I love to try the local foods of the destination, although I don’t like the black pudding in Ireland!
- Three words to describe your pub: cozy, warm, spirited
- A drink I could happily have every day is: a good iced coffee
- Words I live by: Life is exactly as it should be
- If you could drink wine with any person or character— fictional, real, living or past— who would it be, and why?: My dad. He passed away nearly nine years ago, but I’d love to sit down with him over a glass of wine, or in his case, a G&T (hence Ted’s G&T on the menu), show him the pub and get his advice. His memories of growing up in Ireland always remained so vivid, and he was a great storyteller. I believe he’s still watching over us, though and guiding from above.
