Bynres Irish Pub is located at 16 Station Street in Brunswick, Maine (there is also another Location in Bath, ME). My GPS didn't actually recognize the street so if you happen to have the same mentally retarded GPS, then just follow the signs to the train station which is off from Maine Street and that's were you can find Bynres.
The wife and I arrived at about 6:30 on a Monday night and there were only about 4 couples and some folks at the bar. This concerned me, usually at this time of night a place should be packed full and also being located 2 minutes from a local college I would expect it to be busier. However the place was very clean and we were waited on within a few minutes of seating ourselves. Bynres is decorated with an obvious Irish and local sports teams theme and its fun to sit back and take a look at the memorabilia on the walls while chugging your beer.
We started our meal with a creation called Cashelmole from the appetizer menu. Half Guacamole, Half Salsa and Laced with huge hunks of Cashel Bleu Cheese, this was served with perfectly crispy toasted Pita Bread wedges. The dip started with the flavor of a creamy cool avocado and cheese but finishes with a fiery hotness that hits you in the back of the throat. It is great, and we finished the entire bowl. It is also offered on almost all the sandwiches for a small added charge.
As we finished our appetizer the meal arrived right on time. Simone had ordered the Americanized Shepherds Pie. I ordered a Karls Irish Pastrami Burger, one of the house specialties. The restaurant gives the option of also upgrading your sandwich with a pretzel bun so I went ahead and did that also.
My burger was excellent. Cooked perfectly medium well, it was juicy yet still dead. The burger sat on top of a bed of cool Cole slaw and was topped with a generous portion of flavorful grilled pastrami and melted Swiss which was then drizzled with Thousand Island Dressing. Half Reuben, half burger and completely good.
Simones Shepherds Pie was unfortunately a disappointment. The menu says ground beef and pork simmered in Guinness Onion Gravy which sounds excellent but we both found this to be very bland. The gravy tasted like water and the mashed potatoes that topped of the pie also tasted like they had been blended in the same water. After adding lots of salt and pepper the dish was a bit better but still sub par for an Irish Pub that should specialize in dishes such as this. So overall, regarding the food I will refer to the timeless recording artist Meatloaf (which is also one of my favorite foods), "Don't be sad cause two out of three ain't bad". Two very good dishes, one below average equals out to 3.5 stars for me. We will probably be back but not for the Shepard's Pie.
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