In this city of over-the-top entertainment and prices, a good rule for finding cheap but good food and drink is to find an Irish pub.

Cheap Eats hasn't tried them all, but of the half-dozen or so we've visited, McMullan's is the best.

You can't manufacture atmosphere, so no matter what casino-hotels on The Strip try, they can't match the true Irish hospitality, friendly service, and reasonable prices of neighborhood pubs.

McMullan's proves that.  The second you enter, you know you've found a pub worthy of the Irish flag.

Servers, although overworked, are unfailingly cheery.  It's clear the place has many regulars, because they give polite hugs to the servers, who address them all by first names.

And the food is as good as anything we've had in Dublin:  Lamb stew, beef stew with Guinness, corned beef, and our favorite, shepherd's pie, are all authentic, and served in generous, hearty portions.

Not only is the meat tender and lean, but we marvel at how McMullan's manages to keep all its vegetables -- red-skin potatoes, celery, carrots, onions -- so crisp without turning soggy in stews.

The place is as comfortable as your best friend's living room, with cozy corners, an old-fashioned parlor with antiques, and a long bar with plenty of stools for dining, not just drinking.

Best of all, the main pub is non-smoking.  There's a separate bar for gambling and smoking -- a wise choice by the management, who have been rewarded with a clientele of all ages, with plenty of adult families and couples mixed with the solo drinkers.

Prices are neighborly, meaning that once you've enjoyed a meal at McMullan's, you're bound to return because you weren't robbed the first time.

And you don't stay a stranger long at an Irish pub like this either.

McMullan's is a short bus or cab ride from The Strip, and easy to find -- it's next to The Orleans.

More info:  McMullan's Irish Pub, 4650 W. Tropicana; 702.247.7000; mcmullansirishpub.com.

St. Patrick's Day is a feast of beer, Irish food, and live entertainment all day at McMullan's.  Bagpipers start at noon and continue until 9 p.m., and live bands play from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. on indoor and outdoor stages.(McMullan's has patio seating.)