From time to time, I get to use this space to highlight local places that are doing things well. Given how small the Coachella Valley beer scene is, these opportunities are a bit rare—but this month, I’m happy to shout-out a place I’ve been enjoying since it opened. I’ve talked about it with people I know, but haven’t mentioned it here yet, for some reason: O’Caine’s Irish Pub in Rancho Mirage.
I was there shortly after O’Caine’s opened in March 2019. It was on my drive home from work at the time, and my co-workers were there ahead of me while I closed up the taproom. I only had time for one pint of Guinness, but I immediately noticed the beer taps were entirely Irish.
O’Caine’s had Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale (I hadn’t had it in decades at that point, and O’Caine’s reminded me how much I love it), Guinness Stout and Blonde, Murphy’s Irish Stout, Smithwick’s Irish Ale, Harp, O’Hara’s Irish Red, and Magners Cider. I was flabbergasted—in the best possible way—that there was no Bud Light, and no Coors Light, and no other mass-produced-light-lager-you’ve-suffered-through on tap. I knew I would have to come back for pints after work whenever I could.
“My family opened the pub on March 15, 2019,” says Mark Pierce, who was kind enough to answer some of my questions. “Our mindset when opening the pub was to bring a piece of Ireland to the valley. We grew up in pubs like ours back on the East Coast. We wanted the community to be able to enjoy true pub culture: good food, drink and music.”
Pierce loves all things Irish due to his heritage—County Kerry on his father’s side, Derry in Ulster on his mother’s.
“Anyone who’s ever been there will tell you it’s easy to fall in love with the Old Sod,” Pierce says. “It’s chock-full of history and culture.”
His family’s background informed what he wanted on tap. He faced pressure from beer distributors to change his mind—a pressure Mark has steadfastly resisted.
“There has been pressure since day one. No one understood my vision of having an all-Irish tap lineup,” he says. “Guinness and Harp were no-brainers; they understood that. After those two, I was getting hit up with all kinds of suggestions: ‘This is what sells here; this is what sells there,’ was what I kept hearing. My answer was always, ‘Well, let me tell you what will sell here!’”
“There has been pressure since day one. No one understood my vision of having an all-Irish tap lineup.”
Mark Pierce, co-owner of o’caine’s Irish Pub
His vision for O’Caine’s taps did change a bit due to availability. Melissa, the bartender, told me of the extreme amount of Kilkenny Irish Cream Ale they would need to order just to keep it on tap—something like 20 kegs a month, an impossible amount without help from another bar in the desert. They have also added O’Hara’s Stout, Old Speckled Hen and Lagunitas IPA to fill out the remaining taps. Trust me: You want to try both O’Hara’s beers on tap. The red and the stout are equally gorgeous; frankly, the stout blows Guinness and Murphy’s away for flavor. And if you’re still missing the Kilkenny like I do, they have nitrogenated cans of Wexford Cream Ale, which is no slouch by any means.
The COVID lockdown hit them as hard as anyone else, of course.
“The lockdown had us on the ropes, like a boxer,” Pierce says, “but it never entered our mindset to give up. It’s hard for us to feel sorry for ourselves, when every small business was affected by it. While the lack of customers bringing revenue in was troubling, we were at the same time still paying our full rent, insurance, utilities, etc.”
Not to disrespect Pierce and co.’s hard work and determination, but the history of cool things in the Coachella Valley going away, combined with the severity of the pandemic, had me assuming O’Caine’s would not be there when we got to the other side. I was incredibly pleased to be wrong.
O’Caine’s excels beyond the beer selection. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming; there is often live music. The Irish whiskey section is incredible, the likes of which I haven’t seen in the valley ever, and the food I’ve had has been excellent, including a truly awesome Reuben sandwich made with Irish-style corned beef. (It is my favorite Reuben locally, and I’ve been a lover of the sandwich my whole life.)
As for the future of O’Caine’s?
“I hope it’s a bright one!” Pierce says. “The area is starting to build up, and more and more people are finding us for the first time. We’re a proud Irish-American-run establishment. We’ve had some growing pains, but think the product we have now is as close to the best that it’ll get. We love Rancho Mirage and the whole Coachella Valley, and hope we’re contributing in our own small way to making it that much better. A true public house is meant to bring the community together, and we think that’s the most important outcome of our existence.”
If these words find your eyes, I hope to see you at the bar someday. As the Irish say, Sláinte!
A favorite spot of ours in the Coachella Valley for great food, toe tapping, hand clapping music and a wonderful atmosphere! We’re delighted O’Caine’s survived Covid and is thriving. Just spent the afternoon there today with my husband and 3 of our friends and had a wonderful time, as always!
I usually visit O’Caines every time I get home to visit family. It is pretty much right across the street. This visit I was a bit disappointed with the presentation of a Guinness that I ordered. It was poured and presented without meeting any of the standards one one expect in an Irish pub. Pretty much served in the time it takes to pour a normal domestic pint. I let it sit there for a few minutes until the bartender noticed that this was not proper pour. I switched to a Coors light bottle for my next beer. Atmosphere is great, the decor is fantastic. I will try to food next visit.