The Nest, a new pub by Eddie Woods and partner Andrew Breslin, an investor in several New York-based restaurants as well as the Smith & Wollensky chain of high-end steakhouses, is now open on State Street.

As proprietor of the Tinker’s Nest in Warren from 1994-2000, Woods is no stranger to the East Bay. After closing the Tinker’s Nest, he returned to Ireland and operated an establishment there for two decades before returning to the area in 2020. “I came back to work with Aidan, my best friend and mentor,” he said of local businessman Aidan Graham, who passed away Wednesday, March 8.

Woods did just that, serving as Aidan’s manager, even after Graham sold his namesake pub a couple of years ago. Woods said that the intent is not to compete with that establishment, a block away on the corner of Thames and John Streets. “I’m looking to create a Bristol atmosphere,” he said. “I have more friends here than I do in Ireland.”

Through personal loss, and licensing loose ends that delayed the planned opening from March 2 to March 9, perilously close to St. Patrick’s Day, Woods remained steadfast. “These things happen,” he said of the opening delay. “It’s to be expected.”

If the scene at the Nest on Monday, which featured a lively happy hour crowd followed by a small but enthusiastic inaugural game of team trivia, is any indication, Woods’s new venture has already begun to hit its stride.

With a cozy atmosphere, a nice variety of beers on tap, and a menu that features classics like the all-day Irish Breakfast, re-conceived classics like The Tinker, essentially a reuben flatbread, and some lighter offerings including a beet salad and a Brussels sprouts starter, there are choices for all kinds of appetites. Expect trivia to become a regular Monday night staple, with great prizes, and more events and specials to come.

Like any good pub, it’s the people who make it, and The Nest, with Woods as its familiar, friendly face, looks like a win for Bristol.