1,000,000 One Dollar Bills Cover The Ceiling Of This Famous Florida Pub

Walk into McGuire's Irish Pub in Pensacola, Florida, and naturally, you might expect to see some green in the decor. Here, the walls and ceilings are coated with green, but not with paint. What makes the decor of this traditional Irish pub unique is the million or more $1 bills that flutter around. Many have been signed by a visitor, turning the everyday currency into a sprawling work of customer art.

The pub's tradition began with a single dollar in 1977, the year the first location of McGuire's opened in a shopping center. One of the original waitresses, who was the owner's wife, pinned her very first dollar tip to the wall for good luck. Employees, regular customers, and tourists soon picked up on the idea, and now everyone who puts up a dollar signs their name or leaves a message or doodle.

It's difficult to pinpoint how many dollar bills are actually pinned up. Part of the difficulty may lie in the existence of multiple locations. McGuire's website puts the figure at over 1 million for its Pensacola establishment. However, a 2024 Facebook post by the pub's location in Destin, Florida, states that there are over 2 million individual dollars without specifying whether that number applies to all of the brand's bars. Although the business doesn't take the bills down, it hires an accountant to count them for tax purposes — so only McGuire's and its tally-takers know the exact number. With so much money in reach and plenty of alcohol flowing, there's been drama with theft. Patrons have tried to pocket the money to spend elsewhere, and a former employee even attempted to nick $5,000.

There are now three locations of the bustling Florida pub. They're in the cities of Destin, Pensacola, and Panama City Beach. The original location is in Pensacola. Both it and the one in Destin have the dollar bill tradition. The newest pub in Panama City Beach opened in 2025, so the bill collection is still growing. Want to make your mark? Leave a signed dollar. You might not walk away empty-handed either, as McGuire's has been known to give tippers a card for being a certified "Irishman."

Beyond the money decor spectacle, McGuire's is a full Irish pub experience. You can, and should, order a perfectly poured Guinness beer from the tap. McGuire's is actually also a brewery, so they offer the beer they brew, including underrated Irish beers, like reds and Irish pale ales. There's also cocktails, and must-try options like the Irish Wake, a mysteriously green cocktail, and a boozy Irish coffee with whipped cream.

Some Irish pub food is better than others, but don't worry — there is a pretty extensive menu McGuire's. For more traditional pub eats, there's beer chips, potato skins, crispy calamari, and boxtys. If you happen to be one of the many college students visiting the pub — and are on an extremely tight budget — go for the $0.18 bean soup. Those who don't need to stress about the bill might enjoy the selection of filet mignon, steaks, pork chops, loaded burgers, and pasta dishes, plus hearty Irish dishes like corned beef and cabbage and shepherd's pie.