Raising the Bar of the Pub
One of the main dining rooms at Benny’s Pub.
Benny’s Pub Celebrates 18 years of music, food, and camaraderie that gives it a true Irish pub feel
By April Bartel
The Irish burger at Benny’s Pub is a half-pound burger layered with bacon and topped with a fried egg.
Strip malls are usually bastions of grocery and discount stores, maybe with a hair salon or laundromat thrown in. Occasionally, they are home to local restaurants putting their own spin on great food and community spirit. That’s the case with Benny’s Pub at 49 Eastern Boulevard North in Hagerstown.
The place has been an institution at the Centre at Antietam Creek since 2007. With its commitment to live music and hearty, homestyle food made from fresh ingredients, Benny’s epitomizes the pub atmosphere—it’s a community gathering place where music lovers, hungry folks, friends, and families come together for a welcoming and lively experience.
As Benny’s Pub celebrates its 18th anniversary this April, it’s the perfect time to explore what makes this establishment such an integral part of Hagerstown’s vibrant dining landscape.
Owner Bill Skomski’s journey from printer to successful pub owner started with a passion for home brewing. He channeled his love for craft beer into a thriving business when he took over a 57-seat watering hole called Hagerstown Bar and Grill, rechristening it Benny’s Pub. Even as a second career, Skomski didn’t rest on his laurels.
“In 2010, we expanded to 120 seats and in 2011, we went to 190,” he said. He got the license to open Antietam Brewery onsite in 2012, introducing its first products in 2013. “We’ve expanded probably a dozen times.”
The pub’s layout features four distinct areas. There are two dining rooms, a lively bar, and a gathering spot known as Rockin’ Billy’s Underground that is equipped with pool tables and dart boards. It’s a versatile venue for parties and special events like holidays, birthdays, or wedding parties. Skomski laughs, “We’ve even hosted divorce parties.”
A Maryland classic, fries covered in melted cheese and topped with crab meat.
Though the brewery is now an independent business at 140 Western Maryland Parkway, Benny’s continues to offer its craft brews, maintaining a strong connection to the beer culture that originally inspired Skomski’s vision.
Music is a big part of the Benny’s Pub experience. Talented local musicians entertain on Friday and Saturday nights, usually before a packed house. Its strong support of regional music makes it a go-to destination for both performing artists and audiences. Folks can call ahead for limited reservations on music nights, but most of the seating is first-come, first-served.
In-the-know regulars will start filtering in to grab a bite and a brew in the late afternoon, staking their claim on a spot. Shows start at 7 p.m. Thursday Karaoke nights allow patrons to take center stage, while special events, like St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, get the space jumping, too. There’s also a happy hour Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. featuring Budweiser products, providing the perfect opportunity to unwind.
Beyond music, Benny’s is celebrated for its homestyle menu, loaded with inventively named dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Skomski says he tested plenty of specials over the years.
“We tried to change the menu, adding some higher end food. It just didn’t work for my clientele,” he said. So, he reverted to the classics: ribs, shrimp, sandwiches, burgers, and wings. “We are not doing fancy stuff. It is pub food, tasty and kind of fun.”
Comfort food is a staple at Benny’s, with dishes like open-faced hot roast beef sandwiches that harken back to grandma’s cooking. The dish comes with a substantial portion of tender, slow-roasted beef and a side of crispy fries, both swimming in savory brown gravy. True to its roots, pub guests can start with the Mac Cheese Bites or the Cheesy Crab Pretzels, followed by a serving of homemade soup and a Buffalo Chicken Wrap or dig into a half-rack of zippy chipotle-rubbed ribs. The menu includes salads and build-your-own pizzas, too.
The kitchen proudly uses Holzinger’s Meat Market as a provider, ensuring fresh ground beef for every made-to-order burger. House favorites include the indulgent Chesapeake Burger, which pairs a succulent crab cake with a juicy beef patty, and the Fat Bastard sandwich, which is a sweet combination of sliced ham and lump crab meat. The popular Irish Burger is stacked with ribbons of bacon and a rich fried egg, served with a side of potato chips. Adults can pair it with an Irish Trash Can drink (gin, rum, Triple Sec, peach schnapps, Blue Curacao and an inverted can of Red Bull).
Rockin’ Billy’s Underground gives Benny’s a true pub feel with pool tables and dart boards.
Skomski is partial to Benny’s Reuben sandwich, but he loves the wings. Wednesdays are wing night. Every Tuesday, patrons can indulge in a surf-and-turf meal featuring fall-off-the-bone ribs and perfectly cooked shrimp. There are fish fry Fridays and lunch specials, too.
For St. Patrick’s Day there will be Irish classics, like the ubiquitous corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, and Benny’s version of Irish stew made with Antietam Brewery’s malty milk stout in place of Guinness. Dinner specials run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and are dine-in only.
Benny’s oven-roasted beef served as an open-face sandwich with fries smothered in gravy.
Family and community are big here, too. The place is named for Skomski’s son, Benny, who died of cancer at just 6 years old. His picture and a plaque grace the front dining room, a constant reminder of life’s fragile beauty. Skomski’s voice catches while talking about his boy.
“That is why I tell people to count their blessings. I tell people that we tend to be successful because we have an angel looking over us,” he said.
He’s also exceedingly proud of the pub’s tight-knit crew, many of whom have “been with me for a really long time.” In an industry known for high turnover, he counts a fistful of cooks, bartenders, and servers with 13-, 15-, and 18-year tenures. He’s especially grateful to Stacy Gatrell, his “partner in life,” who is now the events coordinator at Antietam Brewery.
“I am lucky,” he insists. “I am thankful for all their hard work and dedication to serving the business, the customers, and the community.”
At nearly two decades, it’s clear to see why the place remains a staple in Hagerstown. Whether you’re stopping in for a hearty meal, enjoying a craft beer, or singing along to your favorite song, Benny’s Pub raises the bar on hospitality.