A new bar, O’Haras Irish Pub, quietly opened last week in the former home of Happy’s Irish Pub on Third Street in downtown Baton Rouge.
The name of the new bar was inspired by O’Hara’s Restaurant & Pub, a New York City bar just blocks away from where the twin towers once stood that has become a hub for first responders in the wake of 9/11.
Jeff Herman, whose past endeavors include Smokin Aces BBQ and Tiger Deaux-nuts, and Brian Ott, co-owner of The Basin Music Hall, are partners in the new venture.
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According to Herman, O’Haras will feel very familiar to former Happy’s patrons.
“Our motto is ‘Welcome Home,’” Herman says. “Happy’s was an institution for a long time, and we want to keep that tradition alive.”
Though many features of the old Happy’s have remained intact—plaques and tabletop graffiti included—some renovations were required. Notably, all of the bar’s draft lines have been gutted and replaced, and the permitting process to reconstruct an outdoor pergola is currently underway. A deep cleaning has also been carried out.
“When you walk in, you’ll feel like you’re in Happy’s, but you’ll feel like you’re in a restored version of Happy’s,” Herman says.
O’Haras will host outdoor food pop-ups on Sundays, and live music will soon return to its stage despite the fact that Happy’s was the subject of dozens of noise complaints prior to its closure. Herman says he and Ott have been in close communication with Mike Wampold, who owns the Watermark hotel next door, to ensure that hotel occupants will not be unduly disturbed.
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O’Haras is currently open Tuesday through Sunday from 3 p.m. until close, though the bar’s hours will be expanded as time goes on.
Happy’s closed its doors in late 2023. Owner Chad Hughes has expressed his intent to move across Third Street into the former home of Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant, but it is unclear if those plans are still in motion. Hughes was unable to be reached for comment before Daily Report‘s deadline.
This story originally appeared in a May 15 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.