[Photographs: Lacey Muszynski]

When I walked into Brocach Irish Pub, I was really excited. The atmosphere was even better than I expected. It was quaint with lots of dark wood, chandeliers, woven tapestries, Celtic-style fonts, and gratuitous use of the word "slainte." Open mic night promised live music, and there was a group of about 10 musicians all sitting at a long table. I didn't know you could jam Celtic music, but they certainly were.

It definitely did not feel like walking into a badger den—that's what "brocach" means in Gaelic—but I'm not sure that even a badger would enjoy the burgers we were served. I can't speak for the more Irish selections on the menu (though I have read generally good reviews of the non-burger food), but having a pint at the bar would be a much better idea than sitting down for a burger.

The mushroom Swiss burger promised to be topped with a grilled portobello cap, double smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, grilled red onions, and Guinness Stout sauce, all on a pretzel roll. At first glance, it looked pretty good. The mushroom cap was sliced, not whole as I had expected it to be, but there was plenty of it. The cheese was a little meager, but the bacon was generous. Upon taking a bite, however, it was clear that the meat, ordered medium, was somewhat overcooked and extremely dry and chewy. All the burgers are grilled half-pound Angus beef patties, but this one was shriveled and sad.

The mushrooms themselves were heavy on garlic and salt and would have been great on a better burger. The Guinness Stout sauce could have added some moisture to the burger, but I couldn't identify whether it was even on the burger or not. The bacon was a little limp, but very smokey and overall mediocre. To top it off, the usually tasty pretzel bun had been toasted too long, adding a bitter burnt taste to the whole thing.

The Kilkenny burger wasn't any better. It had more moisture from toppings, but the patty had been cooked to oblivion. Instead of a nice brown, savory crust, the meat, especially around the edges, was almost burnt. The toppings included a soft cooked egg, red pepper cream cheese, bacon, and onion rings. The egg was perfectly soft cooked, and the runny yolk was a welcome addition. The red pepper cream cheese, however, didn't have much flavor. Cream cheese is an interesting addition to burgers, but nothing could bring the lifeless beef patty back from the dead. The onion rings were very greasy and the entire onion came out of the batter when you took a bite. Overall, it was worse than the mushroom Swiss burger.

One redeeming thing about the meal was the fries. They were cooked perfectly crisp and crunchy on the outside and were thick enough that the inside remained fluffy and light. They never got soggy on the plate and while only seasoned with salt, were very flavorful.

The burgers had potential, but the beef was so dry that even some good toppings couldn't save the day. I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Brocach for the warm and lively atmosphere, but I will likely be sitting at the bar with a drink or some fish and chips and not at a table with a burger.

About the author: Lacey Muszynski is an editor, freelance writer and restaurant reviewer from Milwaukee, WI. When she's not burgerblogging on AHT, she might be updating her food blog, making fun of the Food Network, or wondering what her art degree has to do with all of this. Her idols growing up included Martin Yan, Chairman Kaga, and whoever was on Great Chefs, Great Cities that day.