Photo by Brian Benefield

[This is the latest installment of “Cobb Cuisine, Culture and Community” by Brian Benefield]

Sometimes, you just want to hang out with friends at a local spot with character.  Not only in the style and substance of the one-hundred-plus-year-old building, but you may also encounter some entertaining characters while sitting at the bar as well.  As it’s known to locals, the Crack, Johnny MacCracken’s Celtic Firehouse Pub is a place we go a few times a month to meet up with cohorts who enjoy good beer, fun times, and often irreverently hilarious conversation.  It is housed in what was once Marietta’s first fire station on the square, which is evident by many of the artifacts located throughout the space and also the two large entrance doors that a horse-drawn carriage exited from over a century ago.  

We hang out on the Whiskey bar side because it can be a bit more low-key, and you can play the jukebox with an app on your phone to hear your favorite tunes without ever getting off the barstool.  They boast over 75 beers on tap, some of which are their own house brews—of course, offering many types of whiskey to choose from to satisfy everyone from the novice to the connoisseur palate. They offer custom-curated whiskey tastings conducted by the owner, paired with numerous food courses and some lively banter for less than fifty dollars per person. 

There are four separate bar areas as well as many nooks and crannies at The Crack, with comfy couches and vintage oversized chairs that beg you to stay a spell and encourage social interaction as opposed to staring at your phone. All the indoor bars have been non-smoking since the pandemic, which has increased patronage, according to the owner. The large outdoor area is always hopping in the evening, with live music on most weekend nights and a firepit on the chilly ones.  

The pub grub is not to be overlooked here, as it is well thought out, and the owner, Gary Leake, is always open to adding items that his guests would enjoy.  Fish and chips are always done right with a beer batter that isn’t too heavy and lets the fish flavor stand on its own.  The corned beef simply melts in your mouth, and the entree comes with cabbage, carrots, and garlic mashed taters to give you a good drinking base in your belly for the evening.  We also enjoy their wings and get the combo flavor of lemon pepper and hot sauce. You can thank me later.  They smoke all their meats in-house, and you can never go wrong with the Dublin Lawyer sammie, loaded up with smoked brisket (pastrami), swiss cheese, and tangy yellow mustard served on hearty rye bread that holds up to all that mouth-watering goodness.  

The staff at Maccracken’s exemplifies what you want in an adult-oriented pub experience. You can interact with the lovely Fagan at her nice setup in the back bar area, complete with its own jukebox, mood lighting, and her witty personality.  Matt is usually at the main bar and is a very funny guy who also performs stand-up comedy shows at various local theatres. Eric and Kohl are the two barkeeps we see most often and remind us of Sam and Woody from a famous sitcom about a bar where everybody knows your name. 

That’s what makes this place so great: You can have a discussion about various subjects with a high-caliber person behind the bar who can reciprocate the chat. I know of no place quite like Johhnie Maccracken’s in Cobb, and that is a good thing. If you want an authentic Irish pub experience with the feel of stepping inside an old firehouse filled with an eclectic mix of nostalgic artifacts, pop in for some good conversation, tasty food, and friendly camaraderie at The Crack.  

The pub is located at 15 Atlanta Street in Marietta.

https://www.johnniemaccrackens.com

Brian Benefield is an Atlanta native born in Dekalb County, who has lived in Cobb since 2003. He has worked in Hospitality, Marketing, Real Estate, and most recently Food Tourism. Married to Cecilie Benefield for 12 blissful years. They have a dog, Miss Pickles. Hobbies are mountain biking, running, gardening, and trying new recipes in the kitchen. Member of Les Marmitions cooking club since 2016, where we cook 5-course meals with local Atlanta chefs.