As I mentioned in my previous entry, I joined my husband last weekend up in Flagstaff, since he had to work a job up there and the hotel room was, therefore, free.
On Saturday night we went out on the town. We’re trying not to spend a whole lot of money, these days – I think everyone is feeling that way, lately. So our goal was to have as much fun and hit as many places as we could, for as little money as possible.
First we stopped at Altitudes and had a beer ($3.25 each – we like microbrews, domestic beer is cheaper), and we split the hummus plate with veggies and pita triangles ($6.99). We lounged there for a good hour, watching college football and conversing with the bartenders. Grand total spent (including a $5 tip): $19.84.
Growing up, the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day meant donning Irish knit sweaters, kid-sized scally caps with a shamrock applique and then piling into the family car to head to South Boston, my father’s ol’ neighborhood, for the annual parade. We would arrive hours before the festivities started and make our way to the Peterson’s or the Golden’s or to the Shea’s, whoever was getting started early. The smell of food was always overwhelming, crock pots filling whatever counter space was available, while the dulcet tones of the Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem, The Chieftains or The Dubliners filled the air.
Twenty-five plus years later these memories are still fresh in my mind – the parade was as much a part of our lives as a birthday or an anniversary. But, things change – people move, families change – and after a while we stopped going. Maybe someday I’ll go back with my new family so the kids can experience this celebration of their ancestry and how important the Irish are to South Boston. If you are so inclined, this year’s parade is Sunday, March 15 and starts at 1:00 p.m. at the Broadway MBTA (’T') stop and wraps up at Andrew Square. And contrary to what Darren wrote, New York’s parade is not actually the oldest – the first parade in the country was held in Boston in 1737. New York’s, however, has been held for more consecutive years, so I guess they got that going for them.
If you do find yourself in Boston for a spell, there’s really no shortage of places to stay or places to eat. I could start listing them out for you or even start naming some of my favorites, but we’d be here for days and you would never read anything I posted ever again, so I won’t do that to you or to me. But since we are near that holidays of holidays, St. Patrick’s Day, I will share with you some of my favorite Irish pubs in Boston and the surrounding environs. Now, I know a list like this is wholly subjective – there may be some pubs people agree with, there will be some pubs people will disagree with and there will be those who say, “Well, what about…?” and all I can say is, “Okay.” I’m sure there will be something on or off this list that even my own wife will ask what it was that I was thinking. With all those caveats, I give you my favorite Irish pubs in Boston and elsewhere.
The Black Rose (Roisin Dubh), Boston, MA
The Black Rose (Roisin Dubh), 160 State Street, Boston: From the pictures of Michael Collins, Eamonn deValera and other heroes of the Easter Rising hanging on the wall to the menu filled with such favorites as Shepherd’s Pie, Bangers and Mash and the old standby Fish and Chips, The Black Rose epitomizes the Irish pub experience in Boston. Located in the historic Faneuil Hall/Quincy Market area of Boston, The Black Rose offers up a diverse crowd of locals and tourists, all of whom are equally interested in a good time. In addition to properly poured pints (a proper pour takes 60-90 seconds and should never be rushed – this ain’t Bud you’re drinking), patrons are treated to live Irish music seven nights a week.
Mr. Dooley's, Boston, MA
Mr. Dooley’s, 77 Broad Street (Financial District), Boston: I’m partial to pubs in which I can actually carry on a conversation with whomever I’m sharing a pint with. Mr. Dooley’s is one of those pubs. Dooley’s is not like one of the “chain” Irish pubs that pop up in city after city. It has a comfortable, lived-in vibe common with the traditional pubs and patrons are often greeted by a bartender with a lilting brogue. The menu is filled with fish and chips and Irish sausages and bacon, but Mr. Dooley’s is also known for its authentic Irish breakfast – the cure for what ails ya. Friday through Sunday there is entertainment and patrons shouldn’t be surprised by an impromptu “Sessuin” – an informal gathering of musicians who come together to play some music, have a pint or two and socialize.
J.J. Foley's, Boston, MA
J.J. Foley’s, 117 East Berkeley Street, Boston: At one time, it was not for the faint of heart. This was always our “everything else is closing, will Jerry let us in?” late night bar. But, it’s been a while since I’ve been back here. I hear they recently renovated the location – new tin ceiling, newly shellacked wood paneling covering the walls – and are now offering a substantial pub menu. J.J’s, as it’s affectionately known, has been in opertion since 1909 and you can always count on the bartenders to be wearing white shirts and black ties, a nice throwback to a bygone era. And don’t be surprised by who you might run into while you’re there – I recall one night trading pints with a former mayor and his security detail.
Bad Abbot’s, 1546 Hancock Street, Quincy: Ah, my home away from home. Nine
Bad Abbot's, Quincy, MA
times out of 10, if we’re back in the Boston area for a weekend, a visit is not complete without a stop in at Abbot’s. I come here primarily for the Guinness as they have some of the smoothest and best poured pints around. My wife comes not only for the pints, but also for the curry chips (fries with a curry dipping sauce). The menu is filled with typical pub fare and patrons can enjoy live entertainment every weekend, as well as a traditional pub quiz during the week. Abbot’s also shows English Premier League games live as well as Scottish League, particularly when Celtic is playing. Spectators can enjoy a solid Irish breakfast during games. And for those fans of good hot fries and other fried foods, rumor has it that Abbot’s will be opening up a “chipper” soon.
Murphy's Twin Shamrocks, Quincy, MA
Murphy’s Twin Shamrocks, 425 Hancock Street, Quincy: One thing about Quincy, I think they have more Irish pubs and bars than Manhattan has Starbucks. Yeah, I know that’s impossible, but you get my point. The Murphy twins (get it? Twin Shamrocks) opened this neighborhood favorite in a former Chinese restaurant about 10 years ago. When it first opened it was dark and somewhat seedy, a perfectly fine mix, with great bartenders many of whom came over from the much lamented Tin Whistle. When I found myself back in the area a few months back, I was pleasantly surprised by the changes I encountered – it was much brighter, each booth had a small flat screen TV, new plasmas around the bar and on the walls – it had a more refined feel. The menu was still the same pub fare and the pints of Guinness were still refreshing. All in all, I’m never disappointed when I pop in for a pint.
For me to even write this post is asking for trouble. It might be safer to pick a fight with a 300 pound, 6 foot 4 Scot than to throw out my suggestions for the best Irish bars in New York. The list, of course, is subject to opinion and everyone has theirs. This is mine. And yes, I know that my list is Manhattan-centric. There are some great Irish bars in places like the Woodlawn and Riverdale sections of the Bronx, and in Woodside, Queens, and the Irish Riviera officially know as Breezy Point, but lovingly called Boozy Point. For all I know, there are probably some good Irish bars upstate too. But I know Manhattan best. It’s where I lived about a quarter of my life. It’s also where I’ve wandered the streets for many a St. Patrick’s Day.
If you’re planning to visit New York for St. Patrick’s Day, you’ll probably want to see the parade. New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the oldest, biggest and self-proclaimed best St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world. New Yorkers first held the parade on March 17, 1762, in honor of the patron saint of the Archdiocese of New York. In a city that holds a parade for just about anyone, it’s now the largest and most famous of New York’s parades. And it does that without allowing any floats, cars or commercial advertising—it’s 100% musicians, politicians, civil servants, club and society members, and other marchers on foot who are all Irish, or at least Irish for the day.
There’s a nearly endless number of restaurants in New York, of course, and accommodations for every taste and budget. (Or you could just sleep on the floor in Grand Central Terminal and wake up for a train in the morning. Not that I know anyone who’s done that.) But, if you’re going to New York for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the day isn’t complete without a stop in an Irish pub.
If you’re uneasy about what you might be walking into in an Irish bar on St. Patrick’s Day, don’t be. One of the things I most love about Irish bars and restaurants in Manhattan every March 17 is that entire families come after the parade to continue celebrating. Not all of them are like that, but you can find quite a few family-friendly establishments where moms, dads, grandparents and kids are all enjoying the day. Of course, if you want a loud, young, come-here-just-for-the-drink type of place, New York has that too.
Paddy Reilly’s, at 519 Second Avenue near East 29th Street, is one of the best bars in the City for live Irish music. Mildly famous bands like Black 47 got their start playing weekly here, when I’d crowd in with scores of other middle and upper-class twenty-somethings to sing along and shake our firsts for the Irish proletariat. The bar has a dark, dingy, needs-to-be-cleaned look, but one that makes the young Irish and Irish-wannabes feel right at home. What’s more—the only beer on tap is Guinness. Who could ask for anything more?
Speaking of dark and dingy, McSorley’s Old Ale House, at 15 East 7th Street, is the original dark and dingy Irish-American bar. Seriously. There’s probably dust in there that’s older than our great-grandparents. It’s been open since 1854 and has the reputation for being no-nonsense and stubborn in its ways. Women weren’t allowed in until 1970, and didn’t get a separate restroom until 1986. The bar also serves only two kinds of beer—light and dark—and you’re expected to buy two at a time. You want something else? Find yourself a bar with a menu. McSorely’s also has the reputation for being overcrowded with college kids, but how many bars can you go to that once welcomed Abraham Lincoln? It’s educational, really.
Molly’s Pub & Restaurant, at 287 Third Avenue near 22nd Street, is one of the more family-friendly establishments among the Irish bars of New York. It’s been called “the most authentic Irish bar in the City” and “New York’s finest Irish pub.” Like most other Irish bars, Molly’s is dark—but at Molly’s, dark isn’t dingy, but warm and cozy with even a log-burning fireplace to add to the charm. Molly’s also has a full menu and gets great reviews and high ratings for its food as well as its beer.
Originally on West 48th Street, the Pig n’ Whistle now has three midtown locations—Third Avenue, Second Avenue, and the most tourist-friendly of the three in Times Square at 165 West 47th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Unlike other Irish bars, the Pig n’ Whistle is large, bright and polished. It also has a full dinner and bar menu and gets some great reviews for its food. The Pig n’ Whistle still has a lot of Irish left in it though. By calling itself the “Best Irish Pub” in New York, for example, it just sounds like it’s askin’ for a fight.
Finally, there’s Dublin House at 225 West 79th Street near Broadway. Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home. Dublin House was my Irish bar. There were bars closer to my ‘hood near Columbia University, some that I went to too often and another (now closed) that was also an Irish pub, but Dublin House is the place that I always thought of as the local Irish bar. From the dark narrow room to the Guinness on tap to the authentic brogues on the bartenders, this was St. Patrick’s Day to me. I’m sure that I’d feel old now in an evening crowd of twenty-somethings, but I’d probably still feel young, late in the afternoons, sitting with the old regulars at the bar. That’s the beauty of an Irish bar—that there’s always a welcome, a fáilte, for everyone. With apologies to Robert Frost, an Irish bar is the place where, when you go there, they have to take you in.
Tuesday, March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day and this being the last Thursday Thirteen before the popular holiday we decided to share some of our favorite Irish Pubs- just in case your travels find you in a strange city and you feel the need for a pint. It happens.
The list isn’t in any particular order and includes the pub, its website, the city and what makes it special. Sláinte!
Speaking of dark and dingy, 
Molly’s Pub & Restaurant
Finally, there’s 
