Going to an Irish pub for a St. Patrick's Day celebration is almost like going to see an old friend.  And you don't have to be a drinker to enjoy it, either.

The pubs will fill to overflowing from New Paltz to Indian Lake to Canandaigua and to Buffalo when the world shines green on St. Patrick's Day.  The food will be good and plentiful at these pubs, the beers and Irish whiskeys will flow steadily, and the music will be stomping and lively.  So what is not to like?  Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick's Day, and these 21 Irish pubs are among the best you can find.

We recognize that there are hundreds of pubs in  Upstate New York, some who just call themselves "Irish" even though they have no DNA of an Irish pub.  Others are green through and through and follow many of the old Irish traditions.

This list of Irish pubs covers all bases.  From small town pubs which fly the Irish flag year round (like McSweeney's in Indian Lake, deep in the Adirondakcs), to big city pubs like Coleman's, in the heart of the Irish heritage neighborhood of Syracuse, a pub which will attract thousands over the celebration weekend, they are all familiar and comfortable places to "get your green on" with family and friends this year.

You will notice one Irish pub is definitely not in the Upstate New York area.  It is pub #21.  It is on this list because  if you put everything you need to make a real, true Irish pub and blended them all together, yes, you would get this historic tavern.

Let us know what your favorite Irish pub is if it isn't on our list.

So, go, and enjoy, after all "the pipes. the pipes are calling you."

The Ultimate Guide to 32 Of the Best Upstate New York Irish Pubs

There is nothing quite like a visit to an Irish pub on St. Patrick's Day. Here are 32 of Upstate's "greenest" pubs!

There are all kinds of bars. Lounges, sports bars, dance club bars, etc. But there is something so warm and friendly, so old-timey, so "Cheers-like" about an Irish pub. Back in the day the denizens of these friendly places were usually blue collar working men and women who stopped at their neighborhood Irish bar to chat and visit after getting out of the local factory. On weekends the pub was crowded with happy people, our parents and grandparents, enjoying a sip, Bing Crosby on the jukebox, and a bowl of Irish stew.

Today, you are more than likely to find the demographics of an Irish pub a whole lot younger. And that is a good thing.

This gallery looks at 32 of the best Irish pubs in Upstate New York.

See you at one of them for St. Paddy's Day!

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

"Order Up!" 26 Of the Best Diners in New York State

From the tip of Long Island to the tip of Western New York, the Empire State has no shortage of excellent diners. Some have been around for a decade or so, and some have been around for five decades or so. Most are mom-and pop diners that have been in the family for a couple of generations. It is always fun to eat at a diner and we submit that these 26 are just too good to pass up. Stop in...the coffee pot is always ready! (Note: We had to include a diner in New York City, where more than 100 of these places in the 5 boroughs carry the name "diner" with them!)

Gallery Credit: Chuck D'Imperio

More From WDOS-WDLA-WCHN CNY News