MCBOB'S PUB & GRILL SERVES UP CLASSIC IRISH FOOD AND MORE
WHO:
Christine McRoberts, owner McBob’s Pub & Grill
WHAT:
Irish-themed pub and grill
WHERE:
4919 W. North Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53208
WHEN:
August 1986
Friendly doesn’t quite due McBob’s Pub and Grill justice. Whether you are a regular, occasional, or newbie patron, you are always greeted with a smile and hello. Customers sitting at the bar will turn and give you a smile and a nod to welcome you in. Softly lit, walls adorned with Celtic memorabilia, its cozy vibe can transport you to Ireland. A centrally located fireplace warms up patrons on Wisconsin’s coldest winter’s days, while a quaint patio out back welcomes customers when the weather grows mild.
The day after St. Patrick’s Day, I had the opportunity to sit down with the very energetic and delightful Christine McRoberts, owner of McBob’s Pub & Grill, an anchor in the neighborhood for 35 years. Because McBob’s celebrates the iconic festival with Irish music, award-winning corned beef and pints of Guinness beer McBob’s was hopping the night before with “everyday people from all walks of life,” says McRoberts, who grew up in the neighborhood.
“Our customers are everyday people from all walks of life.”
— Christine McRoberts
She knew the bar as Brett’s Bulldog until it her brother Robert McRoberts, and brother-in-law, Michael Wanta, took it over in August 1986. It was mainly known as a Sports Bar, but gradually they shifted to a Celtic theme to reflect their family’s Irish and Scottish heritages. In 1989 Christine and her now late husband Robert became more involved, and in 1999, they became the owners. On any given day the customers who come to McBob’s are from every part of the city and suburbs and even from around the country. They come for good service, camaraderie and fair prices.
One of the greatest joys for McRoberts is the neighborhood. She has seen it through its ups and downs and says that because she values the area, she stuck with it, doing her part to “change not only the reality but the perception.” Happy, satisfied customers and employees motivate her to keep going. That commitment to the Uptown Crossing neighborhood has taken McBob’s Celtic style from local engagements, including the local Boulevard Bash, which happens annually along Washington Boulevard, to city-wide festivals and charities.
As a result, McRoberts, who also owns Tusk Restaurant on 55th and North Avenue, regularly has a full to-do list. To check off boxes, she relies on her superpower of positive manipulation. “When I really need to get a number of things done, my power of persuasion can work wonders — especially if used sparingly,” she says.
As the lunch crowd began streaming in, Christine McRoberts excused herself to attend to the demand. It’s apparent she enjoys the Uptown Crossing neighborhood and is happy that McBob’s continues as a positive, stable fixture for all.
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