[Photographs: Lacey Muszynski]

Irish pubs seem to be a dime a dozen, but many don't serve food worthy of a second trip. Mulligan's Irish Pub and Grill in Franklin is an exception—the happy hour specials will bring you in, but the food will bring you back. (Of course, it doesn't hurt to plan a meal during happy hour.)

Besides the quality food, there's a number of other things that struck me. We arrived around 4:30 p.m. on a weekday, and almost every seat at the U-shaped bar was taken. It was definitely a crowd of local regulars; everyone was talking to each other, even across the bar. Service was also extremely friendly and courteous, including a manager making the rounds at the bar, shaking peoples' hands and catching up. It all added up to a lively, welcoming atmosphere.

Burgers were definitely tasty, but as per usual around here, suffered from overcooking. Luckily, they were also well seasoned, if not slightly over-seasoned, which is better than underseasoning if you ask me. There's only one burger on the regular menu—a build-your-own pub burger—but on their seasonal summer menu, they offer the McGinty burger topped with sliced corned beef, Swiss, and Thousand Island. While the simple pub burger was good, the McGinty burger was the clear winner.

Although I was initially dubious about the combination, the ground beef patty and the corned beef paired well together, most likely because there wasn't so much corned beef as to make the patty seem like an afterthought. The corned beef was super tender and lean with a bit of sharpness from the brine, and its moisture added much needed juice to the overcooked half-pound patty, which was ordered medium. The Thousand Island dressing was a little heavier on the ketchup than most burger dressings, but it was a nice creamy accompaniment to the corned beef.

The pub burger was ordered with grilled onions and Irish cheddar cheese (you get a choice between Irish cheddar or regular, presumably non-Irish cheddar). The thick slice of Irish cheddar was great; it melted better than most cheddars, and unlike other cheddars I had that got lost behind the beef flavor, this sharp cheddar stood out in every bite. The onions were sweet, but cut in such large pieces that they ended up sliding all over the place.

All burgers come on sturdy, well toasted buns, with fresh and vibrant lettuce, tomato, and pickles on the side. The beef itself reminded me of a backyard cookout, right down to the overcooking.

Fries were unremarkable, pre-seasoned frozen. I opted for some cole slaw, which our server remarked was homemade. Unfortunately, it was super bland and had almost no vinegar. Even though the fries were blah, I'd stick with them, or try a soup. I suspect any beer cheese soup offered is the same as the crock of beer cheese "dip" that we got as our appetizer—super cheesy with a hint of bitterness from the beer. With the fresh veggies and ever-popular pretzel bread, it made for a nice dip. You may also want to try the onion rings; I didn't order them, but regretted that decision when the table next to us got a huge basket that looked and smelled fantastic.

Once again, we have burgers that are good, but if they didn't suffer from overcooking, would probably be great. Factor in the neighborhood feel, ambiance, and service, and Mulligan's is a place I'd return to and recommend.

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.

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