The Irish pub Ballantyne needed has now arrived: ‘Have good food, have good drinks.’
Nora Mac’s, a traditional Irish pub and restaurant, opened quietly in late December in Ballantyne.
Nora Mac’s moved into the South Charlotte space that’s been many different iterations of restaurants over the years, from Woody’s Seafood Saloon to Blackthorne, a New American spot.
But co-owner Dominic Kennedy believes Nora Mac’s is here to stay.
He credits the welcoming space, a great staff and the bonafide Irish feel for its staying power.
“An Irish pub is supposed to be cozy and comfortable with nice dim lighting … it’s always about welcoming everyone,” Kennedy said, in a strong Irish accent. He wants families, kids, solo diners, and anyone and everyone to grab a seat and a pint at Nora Mac’s.
There’s a reason the Irish Gaelic phrase “Fáilte go dtí Nora Mac’s” — translated to welcome to Nora Mac’s — is painted above the bar. “Come in, enjoy yourself, have good food, have good drinks. That’s all we’re here to do,” he told CharlotteFive.
Ownership and origins
Kennedy is one of six Irish owners, including Audrey Burr, Ciaran Farrelly, Denis McDonagh, Lee McShane and Jordan Brookshire, who is the only non-Irish one of the lot and who also happens to be the chef.
These owners are expanding from Mary O’Neill’s, a beloved Irish Pub in Waxhaw. Nora Mac’s is a separate business, but the team all comes from Mary’s.
Ballantyne was missing an Irish bar, Kennedy explained. He and the co-owners wanted to create “somewhere we want to come and hang out.” The owners are a group of friends just as much as they are a group of owners.
Before they were at Mary’s, several of them actually met while playing on Charlotte’s Gaelic football team (note: not rugby). That’s where Kennedy, coming from a 1,000 person village outside Belfast, found his Irish community.
“I thought I wanted to go corporate” at Bank of America or Wells Fargo, Kennedy told CharlotteFive. He even got his masters in business here in Charlotte. “But then I worked at Mary O’Neill’s and said ‘I do not want to go corporate anymore.’”
Kennedy and his co-owners are doing what they love.
The authentic Irish feel
Nora Mac is actually the name of owner Denis McDonagh’s grandmother.
“It’s just so nice to have Irish grannies … it’s warm, it’s welcoming, it’s friendly,” Kennedy said.
At Nora Mac’s, you certainly get that warm, cozy grandma restaurant feel that Kennedy alludes to.
“My daughter was in here Sunday night, she was grabbing my hand, walking me around in circles taking me around the bar,” Kennedy said, referring to his 19 month old daughter. “She knows who’s boss.”
For Kennedy’s two children and the children of all of the other co-owners, “I think this’ll be a big part of their life growing up,” he said.
Despite it being family-friendly, Nora Mac’s still has that dim-lit pub feel, with sports games broadcasted on the TVs and a full bar with an old-school mahogany countertop.
Amongst it all, it is very authentically Irish, from the food menu to the decor.
Food and drink highlights:
Bangers and Mash.
Irish chicken curry.
Rueben rolls (an egg roll stuffed with corned beef and sauerkraut described as a “perfect wee snack for sharing”).
Corned beef and cabbage.
Shepherd’s Pie.
Pints of Guinness.
Irish bread, made with malted flour and comes with three butters: maple cinnamon, fresh herb and spicy mustard.
Ambiance highlights:
Authentic stained glass wall, with celtic imagery, separating the bar area from the restaurant area.
Dim lighting.
Old Irish street signs with Gaelic writing for the rooftop and outdoors. “They look like someone pulled the sign off the road, 50 or 60 years ago,” Kennedy said.
Vintage Guinness posters, Guinness cups, old Irish fire helmets, and vintage posters that Kennedy’s friends mailed in directly from Ireland.
Large, cavernous booths and “snugs”.
“Snugs are a big thing in Ireland,” Kennedy told CharlotteFive. “Historically, the women would sit in the snugs and the men would sit at the bar.” But at Nora Mac’s, these snugs — large, private booths that fit 10-12 people — are for everybody.
Nora Mac’s rooftop patio
Additionally, the open-air rooftop upstairs is a promising feature for this location come summertime, Kennedy explained. But for now, the live music every Friday and Saturday keeps the indoor area festive over the winter months.
Of course, St. Patrick’s Day is already on their minds. Expect a tent, live music, bagpipes, Irish dancers, and face painting for the kids. “The works,” Kennedy said.
Alongside the Bowl at Ballantyne, Nora Mac’s is ushering in a new era of Ballantyne — one that finally includes a bonafide, Irish-family-owned, friend-owned pub.
Nora Mac’s
Location: 11318 N Community House Rd #200, Charlotte, NC 28277
Instagram: @noramacsirishpub
This story was originally published January 9, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
