The Blackthorn Restaurant & Irish Pub didn't need any gimmicks on opening weekend in September.
The crush of patrons lining up at the bar had been waiting for months, since construction began at the former Bennigan's site on Route 46 East.
The Gillespie family, who owns the Blackthorn, knew the township longed for a true Irish pub. And three months after opening, it's obvious they were right.
"The community has embraced us,'' said Eugene Gillespie Sr., who runs the pub with his wife, Rosemary, and son, Eugene Jr.
The Parsippany Blackthorn is modeled after the Gillespie's Kenilworth pub, also called the Blackthorn. But that doesn't make it any less authentic, according to Eugene Sr, who's from Rathball, a small village in Ireland's Ballina, County Mayo.
"Sometimes, believe it or not, someone will come in here and ask me if Blackthorn is a chain [restaurant]. I respond, 'Sure, two links—myself and my wife,'' he joked.
At Blackthorn, you can enjoy Shepherd's Pie, chicken pot pie and bellmuller bangers and mashed potatoes, along with the Gaelic atmosphere.
The pubs' namesake is framed on the wall: Nine dark thorns, fresh from being plucked from a blackthorn tree in Ireland.
Eugene Gillespie Sr. emigrated to America in 1972, and in the process owned a few eateries in New York and New Jersey. He and his brother, Matty, opened The Waterfall Tavern in New York City. In the 1980s, they purchased 12 Pins in NYC.
In 1991, they bought Rosie's Steakhouse & Pub in Bergen County. Later, they bought The Porter House in Pearl River, N.Y. But the Gillespies sold both of these eateries and opened their initial Blackthorn in Kenilworth.
"Eugene is responsible for the construction [of the Parsippany facility], and my husband did the layout,'' Rosemary said.
"This took a long time to build,'' Eugene Jr. added. "We cut no corners.''
He grew up in the restaurant business. When he was younger, he bussed tables, peeled potatoes and performed other jobs. Later, he attended Bryant College In Rhode Island, where he majored in business management.
If there is one constant to Blackthorn in addition to the humor and Irish atmosphere, it's hearty food and friendly service. In addition to Irish favorites like corned beef and cabbage and fish and chips, there are chicken, lamb, steak, and even pasta dishes.
Yes, you can have an Italian entrée at Blackthorn. Separate restaurant and pub menus are available. Pair your meal with your favorite wine, beer or Irish whiskey, and it's easy to be green.
http://parsippany.patch.com/articles/blackthorn-a-pint-of-old-ireland-on-route-46
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