Top 5 Places to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in La Jolla

You don't need to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day (St. Patrick himself wasn't even Irish). Get in the green spirit by dining on some corned beef and cabbage, drinking green beer or sham-rocking the night away at one of Patch's top five picks.

• Hennessey's Tavern will be offering food and drink specials all day on March 17, from 8 a.m. to close. Dine on Irish treats like Sheppard's Pie and Irish Bread Pudding. Guinness, Coors and Blue Moon will be available on tap and shots of Irish whiskey including Jameson will be $5. 7811 Herschel Ave., La Jolla, 858-551-8772, henneseystavern.com.

• D.G. Wills will be hosting its 34th Annual St. Patrick's Day Open Reading of Irish Poetry and Prose on March 17 starting at 7 p.m. Members of the public are invited to read their favorite passages from James Joyce, William Butler Yeats, Oscar Fingal and more. 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858-456-1800, dgwillsbooks.com.  

• La Jolla Brew House: St. Paddy's Day arrives a day early at the La Jolla Brew House. Starting at 11 a.m. on March 16, the brewery will be offering traditional Irish food and drink specials all day long. Green beer and Irish whiskey is $3, Guinness is $4 and Black and Tans are $5. 7536 Fay Ave., La Jolla, 858-456-6279, lajollabrewhouse.com.

• Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church will be hosting a St. Patrick's Day Party on March 16 starting at 6 p.m. For $30 per person, wash down a traditional Irish meal, catered by Hennessey's Tavern, with a green beer, all while enjoying live Irish music and dancers. RSVP by March 13. 7725 Girard Ave., La Jolla, 858-454-2631, marystarlajolla.org

• St. Patrick's Lucky Leprechaun Swim: Alleviate the guilt of indulging yourself at night by going for an early morning swim. On March 17 from 9 a.m.-11 a.m., the La Jolla Swim Club will hold its annual St. Paddy's Day Swim beginning at the La Jolla Cove. The club will provide coffee and muffins for participants. lajollaswimclub.com