Posted on 05/18/2007 7:11:44 AM PDT by Cagey
DESTIN — Like the dollar bills hanging from the ceiling or the signature drink the Irish Wake, the craftily worded signs on the bathroom doors are part of the charm of McGuires’s Irish Pub.
It takes some careful attention to the fine print to end up in right bathroom, but it’s all in good fun, said General Manager Billy Martin.
“We’re not trying to be malicious,” Martin said. “It’s an Irish joke kind of thing.”
For those who haven’t seen them, the gist is the men’s room sign has large print that reads “Ladies” and smaller text clarifying they shouldn’t go in there because it’s the men’s room — vice-versa for the other bathroom.
But not everyone sees the humor, and the signs have been removed by order of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
The agency threatened McGuire’s with closure for a six-word violation — “Lack of signage properly designating bathrooms.”
The signs have been up for 10 years without a problem and for 30 years in the Pensacola restaurant, but a complaint filed last month forced them down in Destin.
“We’re not doing it because we want to, it’s what we’re required to do,” Martin said.
The signs are still up in Pensacola, but they might also have to come down, Martin said.
The complaint came from a father who said a college-age man walked in on his 15-year-old daughter.
The man said in his complaint that his daughter was embarrassed and left the restaurant crying.
“I personally cannot sit back and let this happen to other people’s children and wives any longer,” the complaint read.
The man lists his address as a condominium in Destin, but he was unable to be reached because the unit is rented out this week. Because he could not be reached for comment and the matter involves his 15-year-old child, the Daily News did not identify him.
Martin pointed out that if people choose the wrong door, there are clear signs on the inside wall directing patrons to the right restroom.
Faced with closure, there was no choice but to take the signs down.
But McGuire’s isn’t giving up. Petitions to bring the signs back now hang on the doors and other petitions circulate around the restaurant.
So far, there are more than 3,000 names, but Martin doesn’t know if it will change anything.
“This is just something we’re going to try and do,” he said. “Our hands our tied right now.”
I’ve seen this place before, but never gone there. Now that the nanny-state enforcers are giving them a hard time, I’ll have give the pub a visit when I’m in Destin in three weeks.
Looks exactly like the ones at the Dark Horse here in Boulder, CO.
Heck, I helped my own Mother into the wrong restroom in that Bar. She had a good laugh and sodid everyone else.
I've been there dozens of times. It's great, especially on St Paddy's day. Some of the best food and beer in the area.
Looks like the bathrooms at the Madison Beer Garden in Chico!
There is a local BBQ joint that has an even better gag.
The outsides of the doors are marked normally, but the inside of the mensroom door has a large glass pane that is painted in reverse letters “SEIDAL” (Ladies) so that on exiting, the unsuspecting gent thinks he has just used the ladies room. But the Ladies sign is not visible from the outside. Fooled me the first time.
The complaint came from a father who said a college-age man walked in on his 15-year-old daughter.
Well, if it’s anything like a typical Irish bar/pub, it serves great burgers and good Shephard’s Pie. I’ve been eating in them since I was 12.
This is my family’s favorite restaurant in Destin! And we were warned about the signs by our waitress the first time we visited, but it is fun to watch the people who weren’t! The food here, though, is wonderful, and so is the atmosphere. They have a fun tradition where patrons put their names and/or messages on dollar bills, and the bills are then stapled to walls, ceilings, or any other available surface. (My kids just ***have to*** put one up every time we go there). Its very family friendly, misleading bathroom signs not withstanding.
walked into the Womens’ restroom at an airport several years ago. I saw the janitor coming out and thought it was the Mens’ restroom and just walked in after he had gone down the asile toward the actual Mens’ room. I saw the “WET FLOOR” sign and noticed there were no urinals, just stalls. I did an about face and a very quick exit.
Now, I'm getting hungry and it's a perfect day for Shepherd's Pie.
Oh boy. Next thing we know, the Feds will be in claiming citizens are defacing US Currency.
“I once walked into the ladies room in an office complex because I wasn’t wearing my glasses.
It’s completely different world in there.”
........
When I did it... it was the re-paint into pink colors that was the dead giveaway....:^)
I'm glad to hear the food's good. I've always noticed that green bus they have in the parking lot, but just never went in. We go to the Marina Grill one night for our "nice meal," but have always just hit fast food or whatever's closest during the day. I'll see if they've put the signs back up when I go there.
That is thanks to the publik schkrools we have here. The wussification of our kids by high school teachers.
And these corrupt lawyers who sue over everything!
Mmm, they don’t have a problem with the unisex restrooms in clubs in Miami?
IIRC, that’s where the pic came from.
I love that...brilliantly stated.
As a Destin local, and a frequenter of McGuires, I hope you won’t mind if I appropriate that for my own use.
Have you tried Dewey Destin as the sun goes down? I recommend it...although it’s not a place where you’d don a tie.
No, I haven’t! I don’t think I’ve ever even noticed it, where is it? No ties, sounds like my kind of place! ;-) !
We also like “Another Broken Egg” for breakfast, and a couple of times we’ve taken a side trip all the way over to AL to have dinner at Lambert’s (or, as we call it, “throwed rolls”!). We are always up for trying a new place! Though unfortunately we probably won’t be down to Destin again until the fall.
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