Family Dining in Marin: Moylan's in Novato
Moylan's Brewery and Restaurant has the distinction of being Novato's first (and to my knowledge only) brewpub. Operated by the same people who run Marin Brewing Company in Larkspur, Moylan's offers pub grub fare with some traditional Irish favorites thrown in, and a nice selection of good house-brewed beers to go along with it. Couple that with a reasonably priced kids' menu, and it's no wonder this is a destination for north Marin families.
Located in a distinctive building across from the Rowland Plaza Cinemas, Moylan's is an ideal place to grab a bite before or after the movies. The main dining room is a cavernous affair that can get noisy when it's busy, but that's not a big issue when you've got kids in tow, right? There's a long bar overlooking the brewing area, with several TV screens showing various sports games.
The kids were given the usual coloring menus and crayons. An added twist is that they could turn in their coloring sheets after dinner in exchange for a prize from the basket by the front entrance.
The kids' menu featured the usual children's fare like a hot dog, burger, quesadilla, and chicken fingers. Regular menu offerings include a variety of salads, sandwiches, and burgers, pizzas from the wood-burning oven, and entrees that include Irish-inspired dishes like bangers and mash, fish and chips, Irish stew, and the Saturday special corned beef and cabbage (served all day this Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, by the way).
Beers are the real standout here, with a large number of offerings ranging from Irish style dry stout and red ale to IPA and an unfiltered wheat beer.
On our last visit here, I had a cobb salad, which was huge and very good. My husband enjoyed his black-and-blue burger with blue cheese, and my son opted for the reuben sandwich instead of any of the kids' menu stuff, which of course he couldn't finish. Portions are huge, quality is good, and service is really friendly and efficient.
Moylan's is definitely worth checking out if you're in Novato. It's located at 15 Rowland Way, right off 101. Moylan's is open daily from 11:30 am to midnight and 11:30 to 1 am on Friday nights. Visit them online at www.moylans.com or call them at (415) 897-0100.
