FULLERTON, Calif. — Downtown Fullerton is getting two shots of Irish as new pubs will throw open their doors July 1.

The new restaurants, Mickey’s Irish Pub and the High Horse Saloon, come from noted creators, Mario Marovic and Andrew Gabriel, who already own the spaces.

What You Need To Know

  • Two new Irish pubs will open July 1 in downtown Fullerton

  • The High Horse Saloon and Mickey's Irish Pub come from operators of watering holes known for food like the Wild Goose Tavern

  • Mickey's Irish Pub will seat about 150 in 3,000 square feet and have a more traditional Irish pub menu

  • The High Horse Saloon will be larger at 5,000 square feet and have a kids' menu

Operators of noted Newport Beach destinations like the Wild Goose Tavern and Irish pubs like Muldoon’s and Malarky’s, the restaurant group is making its way into Fullerton’s downtown. Marovic said they want to capitalize on the growth they’ve seen in the city over the years.

Market conditions also cleared the way. The pandemic shuttered restaurants and bars, ending dreams for some and opening new opportunities for others. 

“We tried to lease it out during COVID, but no one was really interested because it was a really volatile time,” said Marovic. “So we said, 'Well, why don’t we do it?'”

Sixteen months later, after contractor delays and up-charges in materials, renovations for both eateries are closing in on completion.

The High Horse Saloon, about 5,000 square feet, is the more family-friendly of the two new restaurants, burnishing the existing steel, wood and stone elements of the building into focal points of the dining experience.

“The level of detail we put into it is unparalleled in all Orange County,” Marovic said. “It’s just phenomenal. When you walk in there, you really feel like you’re transported back to the 1800s.” 

The restaurants are informed by what Marovic said has been a steady change in the restaurant industry since the 1990s.

”The industry has changed a lot in the last 20 years. You used to go to a restaurant to eat, then go to a bar to drink,” he said. “When you think of bar food back in the day, you thought of chicken wings and burgers.”

These restaurants will be both, with an emphasis on eating at the High Horse Saloon and an emphasis on drinking at Mickey’s. But both will offer ample food and drink programs, something Marovic said has become a necessity for most restaurants. 

The High Horse Saloon will have a rotisserie of the day, steak, seafood and salads; a something-for-everybody kind of menu, complete with options for kids. Mickey’s will resemble a more European style pub, and at 3,000 square feet will offer a more intimate experience and a traditional Irish pub menu complete with shepherd’s pie. 

Mickey’s is located at 100 N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, and the High Horse Saloon is located at 102 N. Harbor Blvd, Fullerton.