llen's is like Alice's Restaurant, but with an Eire-heavy menu (did you know that potatoes originated in Peru?) and Uilleann pipes instead of hippies and cinematic offspring (okay, it's nothing like Alice's). An atypical Irish pub (though still snake free), Allen's boasts a casual and subtly refined tablecloth air, instead of the usual shamrock proliferation and pictures of Joyce. On the airy back patio you can keep company with the much-loved willow tree (get its mind off 700 years of English oppression and it will stop weeping). Live music and reliably inspired fare have made Allen's a beloved neighbourhood destination. -S.T.