Profile

This venue is closed.

Cathal O’Brien claims to have opened the first Irish pub in Iceland, but he wasn’t exactly carving out new ground when he put a dart board, plasma screen TVs, and an MP3 jukebox in this basement space on flip-flop row. 99 Below looks like a smaller, boxier version of any other neighborhood tavern (you’re unlikely to notice or care that the tables were made from Amish wood or that the bar was built by carpenters who, like the owners, are Irish) and true to form, you won’t find yourself hurting for a plate of fish and chips or a Guinness poured into a proper 20-ounce (as opposed to 16-ounce) glass. Still, a couple of unusual touches make this spot worth descending into: Grimbergen, a rarely encountered zesty abbey ale, is on tap; a 10-ounce strip steak and lobster ravioli are on the menu (and served until 2 a.m). The piece de resistance is the Irish nachos: Deep-fried potato skins smothered in Irish cheese, sauerkraut, and scallions. The potato famine is decidedly over. — Daniel Maurer