Pikey's Pub

You could stand on a corner and look around until a restaurant sign draws you in. But we've got a better idea. Each week, Agoura Hills Patch picks a great restaurant either in town or nearby that is worth checking out.

Here is this week's choice:

Overview: Need a new place to watch a baseball game? Pikey's Pub is the perfect spot. With giant screens placed around the restaurant, delicious food, and great drink specials, this is a good place to just come and relax. Plus it is family-friendly, with a full children's menu. You can choose to sit at the bar on high table tops, in booths or at tables. There is also a small outside section. If you want to watch a game, make sure to get there early—the place fills up quickly. This is a great establishment for a casual dinner, a quick bite after a Little League game or even a wild and crazy night filled with Irish Car Bombs. They have karaoke on Wednesday nights, beer pong on Thursdays and random trivia games with prizes throughout the weekend.

Drinks: Pikey's daily happy hour extends to Saturdays and Sundays, with drink specials served from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 2 p.m. to closing on Sundays. More than 15 beers are available on draught, such as Boddington's, Stella Artois, Bass Ale and Guinness Stout. They even have their own "Pikey's" Blonde, which is my personal favorite. They also carry numerous selections of bottled beer. If you are an Irish whiskey fan, look no further. There are 15 different types, ranging from $7 to $25. Pikey's offers specialty drinks including the Dream Cicle ($9) with Stoli vanilla, Grand Marnier, orange juice and cream, and the Irish Apple-Tini ($9) with Jameson. There's nothing like a good Irish coffee ($8) with fresh whipped cream. Something unique to Pikey's is its "Tour de Guinness," pairing Guinness with other beers. Mix Guinness and Stella for the 50/50, or Wyders Pear Cider and Guinness for the Black Velvet. They have 14 different combinations.

Appetizers: Nothing like going to watch a game with some great bar food. I love their Skins ($7) filled with cheese and bacon. Their "Guinness Battered" Onion Rings ($6) are a must-try. Enjoy a batch of wings by the dozen ($12) or half-dozen ($8) with a choice of roasted garlic parmesan, sweet and sour, mild, whiskey barbecue, Jameson sauce, or their famous supreme sauce. The sliders ($9) are another fun option with ground angus, chicken, reuben (or all three) as your choice. Keep it simple with a Basket O Irish Chips ($4), which are delicious, or the Irish Nachos ($10). For the best deal, I recommend the Pikey's Platter ($20), a combination of wings, calamari, onion rings, potato skins and sliders. It's also a great way to try a little bit of everything.

Irish fare: What's a pub without classic Irish staples? Feast on the homemade shepherd's pie ($12) filled with ground sirloin, vegetables and topped with mashed potatoes. Or bangers & mash ($14), also known as sausage, or corned beef and cabbage ($15). This is one place that serves St. Patrick's Day grub year-round. Drink a cold brew and dine on fish & chips ($12) with a homemade tartar sauce. The Irish beef stew ($14) comes with beef chunks, vegetables and red potatoes in a Guinness gravy.

Entrees: For the lighter side, enjoy one of Pikey's fresh salads. Their Irish Cobb Salad ($12), with grilled chicken, bacon, blue cheese and more, is my favorite. The popular Audrey Ahi Salad ($13) has Asian pears, candied walnuts and an Asian dressing. They also have a spinach leaf salad ($10), Caesar salad ($6) and chopped salad ($10). Another favorite of mine is the BBQ Bacon Burger ($13) with onion rings. Make sure to try their Shepherd's Sloppy Joe ($10) made with their famous sirloin. Some other menu hits include the Reuben sandwich ($10), Banger Sandwich ($8) with peppers and sauerkraut, and the chicken club ($9). Pikey's offer a variety of pizzas, including the Meat Lovers ($12) with beef, pepperoni and banger Irish sausage. Try the Pesto Pizza ($11) or the Veggie Lovers ($10). Though this isn't an Italian restaurant, I love the Jumbo Three Cheese Ravioli ($12) with homemade Grey Goose vodka sauce. They also have the Pikey's Penne ($13) with sausage, onions and peppers in a pinot noir marinara sauce.

Sides: Start your meal with a cup of their New England clam chowder ($6) served in a fresh bread bowl. There's also a fresh soup of the day.

Dessert: Make sure to save some room dessert. The Milky Way Bundt Cake ($7) with cream cheese frosting is simply out of this world. The homemade apple tart ($7) is filled with cinnamon, brown sugar and served a la mode. A classic is their bread pudding ($7) laced with raisins and Jameson whiskey. Keep it simple with an ice cream, milk shake or root beer float ($5).