McKenna's Irish Pub, on Brown Street in my Fairmount neighborhood, was one of those places for me. There was no reason to avoid it, but no real reason to go, either. Until I read that there was a $20 all-you-can-eat crab and clam dinner on Friday nights.

As it turns out, I stumbled in at just the right time. About two months ago, Chef Siobhan

Allgood stopped by to have a bite to eat with her husband. The bar had been without someone to run the kitchen for a while, so no food. Allgood and her husband went a couple of blocks over to Brigid's for a meal.

By the time dinner was over, she had a plan. She approached McKenna's owner, Michael Hoffner Jr., to run the kitchen as a separate concession. It would feature standard fare, plus her specialty - dishes from Baja, Mexico, where she spent time setting up a kitchen for a yoga retreat.

If you only go to McKenna's for the Baja Fish Tacos ($8), it's worth the trip. Allgood makes them the traditional Baja way, by battering the fillets just before they go into the fryer. These go on a soft flour tortilla and get topped with thinly shredded green cabbage and a dollop of chipotle sour-cream mayo. There are three on a plate but, trust me, you don't want to share. These are good!

When I raved about them one visit, Allgood ran back to the kitchen to get a copy of her favorite cookbook, "Baja! Cooking on the Edge" by Deborah Schneider. Allgood says that everyone who cooks should have a copy of this book.

I don't doubt her enthusiasm. I suspect that the Chick-Kabobs ($8), which are grilled and served on Asian slaw with a siracha dressing and served with a blueberry chipotle dipping sauce, were inspired by "Baja!"

Pub food has to include big overstuffed sandwiches, and none fit the bill better than the Braised Short Rib sandwich ($9). This was melt-in-your-mouth meat that could only get that sweet and tender from long, slow braising. The accompanying horseradish mayo added a little zing in contrast to the sweetness of the ribs. The kaiser roll did its job of sopping up the au jus.

The all-you-can-eat crabs and steamed clams ($20) were a delicious value. Allgood sources the crabs herself, and even though these were medium size, they were plenty meaty and nicely seasoned.

Even better were the steamed clams. The broth was redolent with fresh dill and parsley, and was great for dipping with the accompanying bread. This will be on the menu for a few more weeks, until crab season is over.

The Honey Fried Chicken ($9.50) was served on a bed of mixed greens, which at least means that you get your fresh vegetable to assuage fried-food guilt a little. This was best eaten hot out of the kitchen for maximum crunch. The portion size includes four pieces, and the leftover I took home turned a little soggy.

Also soggy were the French fries. Sad to say, the fries really need attention, or they should be dropped from the menu. Oddly, the few sweet-potato fries that were tossed with the Rustic Pub Fries were nicely crisped - which is hard to do with sweet potatoes. Yet, the white-potato fries were flabby and greasy.

Definitely go hungry for Sunday brunch. The chef's special biscuits and gravy, which would be a meal on its own, comes with two eggs and bacon or sausage ($7). The homemade biscuits are incredibly light, and the home-style Irish gravy pairs well with them. The platter also comes with potatoes, which was completely unnecessary, particularly since mine arrived burned. With all this food, though, I certainly didn't miss them.

Sadly, the Irish soda bread was sold out, but I'm told that's a testament to how many people order it.

McKenna's is no gastropub. There are some tasty finds on the menu, but don't go looking for microbrew beers. Yuengling on draft and bottled Corona is about as exotic as you'll get. A $5 shot of Grey Goose on ice is a nice price, though.

Service? Let's just say you won't be rushed.

The focal point of the decor is a rather odd mural of an Irish band that is drawn in the exaggerated style of Thomas Nast's Tammany Hall political cartoons. A couple of drinks, though, and it takes on its own certain charm, although the layer of cigarette smoke on the walls and the lack of dining tables is a definite drawback.

Allgood is working on her fall menu. She's also applied for an outdoor sidewalk-dining permit. Eagles season will usher in some food and beverage specials. Fish tacos and tamales are $2 each during happy hour, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. While the tamale was a little dry, this is another Baja specialty of the chef's and shows promise.

It will be interesting to see what new things she cooks up. I suspect it will be worth stopping by regularly. *