Johnny's Irish Pub

Johnny's Irish Pub is a neighborhood pub on Culver Road in Rochester, NY, that first opened its doors on November 1, 1997. It holds the distinction of being the area's first smoke-free bar — a full seven years before New York State law required all bars to go smoke-free. Since then, Johnny's has grown into a staple of the Culver Road corridor, combining a steady craft beer rotation with a packed live entertainment calendar and a visible commitment to Irish culture.

The pub features 22 taps that include a mix of local, regional, and national craft beers, with three of those lines dedicated to Guinness. A weekly "Local Beer Tuesday" highlights Rochester-area breweries, while "Irish Wednesdays" offer discounted pours of Guinness and Irish whiskey. The food menu leans toward traditional pub fare; during St. Patrick's Day weekend the kitchen prepares several hundred pounds of fresh corned beef and cabbage alongside other Irish dishes.

Entertainment runs nearly every night of the week across two stages:

• Monday open mic nights starting at 7:00 PM
• Live bands Tuesday through Saturday, typically beginning at 8:00 or 8:30 PM
• Thursday trivia at 7:00 PM
• A traditional Irish music session on the last Sunday of each month at 5:00 PM, preceded by a learner session starting at 3:00 PM

All live music is offered with no cover charge.

Johnny's is known for its two-stage live music setup and a long-running traditional Irish session that draws intermediate and advanced players from across the Rochester area. The venue — with a capacity of roughly 100 — hosts a range of genres including acoustic, blues, Celtic, folk, jazz, and singer-songwriter acts. Local bluegrass group String Theory got their start performing at Johnny's. The pub's Irish identity is visible throughout, from the shamrock on the front door and "This Way for a Guinness" signage to a certificate of merit from the Ancient Order of Hibernians displayed inside.

Johnny's Irish Pub sits at 1382 Culver Road in Rochester's 14609 zip code, near the Merchants Road intersection in the Culver Road corridor. The stretch of Culver Road around Johnny's is home to several other bars and restaurants, making it a walkable destination for an evening out. The pub is open weekday afternoons through late evening, with Friday and Sunday hours starting at 3:00 PM. Street parking is available along Culver Road.