Located on trendy and sometimes pretentious Stephen Avenue, the James Joyce is neither trendy nor pretentious. This is a place with dark oak trimmings, stained-glass partitions and all the feel of a real Irish pub that moved into the city. The menu is a gratifying mix of true pub fare and new twists on old favourites. The best fish and chips in the city are found here, snuggled up to the lamb pistachio burger (roughly 13 bites of orgasm) on the menu. The James Joyce simply recognizes that no matter how pretty the glass or where you raise it—it’s still a pint of beer.