Paddy Coyne’s Serves Up Real Irish Grub & Gumption

Paddy Coyne’s Serves Up Real Irish Grub & Gumption

Beyond the legendary pot pies and Guinness at Paddy Coyne’s Bellevue are genuinely good folk who fry up delicious Irish fare and an energetic atmosphere where conversation flows like the drinks on tap. 

Former Microsoft financial consultant, Jenny Corry, turned co-owner and general manager of Paddy Coyne’s Irish Pub, does not shy away from stepping into the heat of the kitchen and working shoulder to shoulder with her employees. 

When customers are pouring in and orders start piling up, Jenny said she has no problem jumping in to run a load of dishes or pour drinks behind the bar. 

“We’re so fortunate to have a highly collaborative team,” Jenny said. “Between the kitchen and waitstaff, everyone has great synergy.” 

And with that symbiosis, from servers who pitch in as bartenders to an impressive longevity in staff retention, the positive culture at Paddy Coyne’s breeds an environment that attracts regulars, who Jenny said account for nearly 60% of clientele. With staff that can memorize drink orders and remember meaningful details about customers’ lives, Jenny isn’t surprised that her business has built a solid reputation as the friendly neighborhood watering hole. 

To establish a bona fide Irish joint, authenticity should lie at the heart of the operation, a notion Founder Pat Coyne put into practice when he established his namesake restaurant. He migrated from Galway, Ireland to Boston in 1984 and later moved to Seattle in 1992 where Paddy Coyne's realized his vision with a genuine Irish spirit and interior design crafted by fellow Irish immigrants in the Pacific Northwest.

As partners in business and in marriage, Jenny said her husband Dan Corry's Irish background has brought a wealth of inspiration for different dishes, like a signature Shepard's Pie, Bangers & Mash, and Savory Lamb Pot Pie.

Amid crunching numbers and managing daily operations, Jenny continuously searches for opportunities to innovate and retool recipes.

Her recipe engineering process starts in the comfort of her home kitchen, translating family recipes and culinary customs into a form her staff can reproduce while still preserving its integrity. 

"Each month, we try to launch a special to pilot a new recipe," Jenny said. "Right now, we're tinkering with a crab cake salad, a chopped salad with corned beef to follow the success of our Guinness chocolate cake, which quickly became a crowd-favorite."

After a bit of trial and error, the new additions are rolled out and primed for feedback, which Jenny said she can reliably count on from her regular crowd.

During her travels abroad, she collects recipes from Irish cookbooks and influence from good ole' fashioned taste testing as a customer. Her niece, Kate Naughton, often collaborates with Jenny by lending priceless culinary advice as a chef in Dublin.

"She actually gave me the Guinness chocolate cake recipe," Jenny explained. "We brought it home and tried it out on our special offers menu and it became an instant best-seller.”

Along with exceptional Irish and American favorites, Paddy Coyne’s offers an extensive whiskey collection, imported beers, local brews, and a “must experience” proper pint of Guinness.

Coupled with family insights straight from the source, Jason Williams, co-owner and bar manager, provides a depth of knowledge and leadership that ensures a top-tier experience for whiskey connesuiers and beer drinkers alike, especially with a finessed Guinness pour that boils down somehwere between sorcery and science.

Like with any industry, Jenny noted there are no shortcuts to earning customers. After a decade and counting in business, it would seem her strategy has mastered the fundamentals: delicious food, great company and service that goes above and beyond.

Hours and Public Health Notice: Paddy Coyne's will continue operating under Phase 3 guidelines at 50% dining capacity, maximum table occupancy of 10 people, and close at midnight.

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