Have you ever wanted to step inside of a dive bar and leave not knowing what time it was? Or, maybe you want to step into an episode of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” just to experience the authentic bar ambiance of Paddy’s Pub? Thankfully, it’s also sunny in Crowley’s.

An Irish-Croatian bar with current locations in Eastlake and Kirtland, Crowley’s is your quintessential neighborhood dive bar serving up fresh smash burgers and pints every day of the week. Owned by partners Brendan Kearney, David Bartulovic, and brothers McPat and Seamus Coyne, the four friends founded Crowley’s unconventionally.

“We’re all social media nerds, so we were on there trying to look for the next trend,” says Seamus Coyne. “We knew smash burgers were up and coming and a big thing, and we loved the idea of it– the simpleness.”

At the time, the four of them were involved in Fungry, a Willoughby food truck serving all-day hangover cures. One day, the boys brought in a bunch of burgers and buns, and they instantly fell in love with their first attempt at making smash burgers. From there, the process of building Crowley’s began.

“Three out of four of the partners are Irish, and I’m Croatian. So, we were trying to tie in both cultures and we found this guy named Thomas Crowley. He was Irish-born and loved Croatia. He fought for Croatia during the war in the 90’s.” says David Bartulovic.

Thomas Crowley, otherwise known by his Croatian name Tomislav Kraulić, is the bar's figurehead. He represents the importance of fighting for who and what you believe in. With a bar as his namesake, the owners uphold Crowley’s beliefs and commit much of their efforts to giving back to their communities.

“Our goal was to be a dive bar, first and foremost, where people wanted to be regulars. I think we’ve done a really good job at embracing the communities we’re in, and they embrace us back,” says Brendan Kearney. “We’re involved with the schools, the miracle league… We just try to do a lot with what we can to enrich the people around us.”

^{Burgers and beer, what more could you need? Crowley's famous smashburgers pairs deliciously with whatever hops you're putting back.}

Stopping in to have a beer at your local bar has never been more fulfilling. The Crowley’s quartet doesn’t shy away from putting their time and commitments right back into the communities they’re situated in, whether that means sponsoring high school football or providing team dinners. In fact, if you’ve got the itch to play the lotto, proceeds from the pull-tab machines go right into the local booster programs.

“We want to be that neighborhood bar more than anything. We don’t want to be too fancy or think too seriously on it; just sell really good food and put a good atmosphere out,” says Kearney.

By allowing the space to evolve naturally, Crowley’s has become a staple for many people. When you step into one of their locations, you’ll hear a soccer game blaring, smell the greasy burgers, and see the same people over and over. If you haven’t had the pleasure of these olfactory experiences, you’ve got to stop in and have a bite. 

“We always tell people: before you try anything else, try our classic smash burgers. Two patties, lettuce, special sauce, onions, government cheese– it’s like American cheese, but we call it government– and a potato roll,” says Seamus Coyne.

Don’t be fooled by the classic bar-scape— the made-to-order burgers are stacked with some of the most high-quality ingredients you’ll find in a place with walls covered in jokes and profanities. In the back, Chef Brian slings up some of the most classic yet flavorful smash burgers you’ll ever have the pleasure of chowing down on. Make sure to try it just the way it comes first before you even think about putting ketchup on it!

“We were voted the best burger in Cleveland within the first eight months that we were open,” says Kearney.

That’s no small feat for a no-frills dive bar. As a result of their dedication to the craft and the loyalty of their customer base, Crowley’s looks forward to opening two more locations within the year. By the end of February, you can expect one to pop up in Painesville and a John Carroll location to follow.

Don’t see a Crowley’s near you? For those in Mentor, watch for Kearney’s Public House, another of their concepts that will launch later this year by the same ownership. Just like the existing concepts, these new spots will hold the same values of being that classic bar that helps the community and serves as a place to fight (and get) all of your hangovers.

 

 

 

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Visit a Crowley's Near You!

35647 Vine St, Eastlake 

9378 Chillicothe Rd, Kirtland

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