It's not every day that you see people sporting Irish kilts in Miami.

But at Brickell Irish Pub, the knee-length garment -- worn by the staff -- is part of its authentic ambience.

The pub 1451 S. Miami Ave. promises to provide Irish food without breaking your bank account.

A favorite among locals, the eatery serves traditional fare such as fish and chips ($13.99), Celtic potato chips ($6.99), Irish stew ($15.99) and a Irish dip sandwich ($8.99).

But executive chef Alberto Cabera said the most time-honored dish is the shepherd's pie ($14.99).

`We do it the right way,'' he said. ``It's made with braised lamb, roasted garlic, homemade crust, mashed potato and melted cheddar cheese.'

Added Cabera: ``All of our food is made in-house, from scratch.''

Brickell Irish Pub, which opened in August, is the brainchild of VE Restaurant Group that owns several restaurants, including Segafredos that is in Brickell, Bal Harbour and Miami Beach. The group also has Spazio Nero and South Beach restaurants Oh! Mexico, and Cafe Nuvó.

VE Restaurant co-owner Alejandro Ferllen said the company wanted to open a casual place to eat and drink, similar to the Boston bar Cheers.

``Every big city needs an Irish pub,'' Ferllen said.

Indeed, Brickell Irish Pub has happy hour specials from 4 to7 p.m. daily. Late-night and half-portion menu items are also available.

The pub appeals to everyone.

In the daytime, you'll find the business crowd munching on menu items at half-portion prices. At night, sports fanatics can be seen cheering on their favorite teams that are shown on several big-screen TVs.

When Friday or Saturday rolls around, the place is hopping.

``There is always a line outside on the weekend,'' Ferllen said. ``People like to grab some drinks with friends and check out the live band.''

With more than 40 beers and seven types of whiskeys, most diners opt to try a drink with their meal.

The real daring ones might even order an Irish Car Bomb (ingredients include Guinness stout, Bailey's Irish cream and Jameson Irish whiskey.)

``Don't drink too many or you'll have a headache,'' joked Ferllen.

But despite the Irish fare, Cabera said patrons seem to love the pub's cheeseburger and Danny Boy's chicken wings.

``We had to have something out of the ordinary but also staple menu items familiar to Americans,'' he said. ``It's really a great balance of both.''

Rosa Weinchek of Miami Beach said her favorite is the McKrispy bread pudding ($5.99).

Just for fun, Cabera shared the secret ingredient.

``No one knows this, but it's made with Krispy Kreme doughnuts,'' he said.

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