Opened in January 2007 by brothers Marc and Conor Bereen, with Troy Maguire - who was well known from L'Gueuleton at the time but is now head chef in The South William's sister establishment Coppinger Row down the road - involved as a food consultant, The South William was always going to do something different. And, although Troy Maguire has long since moved on, it seems to be standing the test of time.
A retro style cocktail bar, with plastic seats, and worn leather couches lend the room a laid back kitsch feel, and friendly staff add to the relaxed atmosphere.
The food offering is deliberately restricted and kept to a theme - a short menu consists of six gourmet pies, which include traditional Irish staples such as bacon and cabbage or Guinness braised beef shin; the pies are good and come with a choice of side salads - but a bowl of mashed potato would be very welcome in addition.
The wine list is short too, with a good mix of old and new world at a fair cost, with some offered by the glass, and there is a good selection of imported beers, bottled and on tap.
In the evenings, the South William parks away its day time chill and removes the bar stools 'to facilitate the art of dancing' as the lounge bar transforms to a funky night club with its own DJ.
Seats 110. Open daily (normal bar hours Mon-Wed, to 2.30am Fri/Sat); food served 12-10pm daily (to 9pm Sat). Amex, MasterCard, Visa, Laser. Closed 25 Dec.
