If a friend, a work function, or just plain bad judgment has ever led you to one of the dime-a-dozen Irish pubs that clog Midtown and Manhattan’s east side, you’ve likely endured an over saturation of frat boys and a sloppily-poured $9 Guinness. Beyond the sea of McSomethings, however, are some true Irish bars—the places where fresh and aging Hibernian transplants wet their whistles in pubs that have served their neighborhood regulars for decades. Here are some of the best across the five boroughs.
(Gothamist)
RAMBLING HOUSE: In Woodlawn Heights, a neighborhood so proud of its Celtic heritage that even the curry restaurant boasts an Irish flag, the Rambling House is the four leaf clover among the shamrock-smothered pubs on Katonah Avenue. If you’re famished, snuggle up by the fireplace or in one of the booths to enjoy superbly decent bar grub (shepherd’s pie, Guinness burgers). Most folks will be gathered around the rectangular bar where friendly bartenders (Hey Kevin and Dan!) serve cold ones from the extensive beer selection, including four different Irish brews on draft. Look over to the nearest stool where you’ll likely find a gentleman with a thick brogue willing to share a few stories about other regulars—mostly construction workers, police officers and firefighters—especially if you’re treating him to a Jameson ($5.50).
Rambling House is at 4292 Katonah Ave in Woodlawn Heights, Bronx (718-798-4510, ramblinghousenyc.com)
(Gothamist)
IRISH HAVEN: Let’s just get this out of the way: Yep, a scene in The Departed was shot in this hole-in-the-wall. Beyond that bit of trivia, this place is well known among dive aficionados as the still-standing, no-frills Sunset Park corner bar that has managed to start pouring for neighborhood regulars at 8 a.m. since 1964. Don't sleep on its jukebox either: As you pass the time shooting pool you might find yourself listening to Johnny Cash, Meatloaf, The Wolfe Tones, and Midnight City.
Irish Haven is located at 5721 Fourth Ave in Sunset Park, Brooklyn (718-439-9893)
(Gothamist)
PAT O'BRIEN'S PUB: A woman at this bar once told me, “I love this place because nobody tries to start shit, and there’s no cops.” That lady, a regular who befriended me the moment I sat down next to her, was right. This place feels like a welcome anomaly among its Bronx pub counterparts. Camp out with your brew in the corner to find a man (or two) spinning a yarn about the owner's legendary Super Bowl parties and back in the '70s when the bar was still called Kingsbridge Tavern.
Pat O’Brien’s Pub is located at 28 E Kingsbridge Rd in Bedford Park, Bronx (718-364-9492)
(Gothamist)
JIMMIE STEINY'S PUB: This Richmond County gem was first recommended to me by two Irish bartenders who attend Staten Island Yankees games for an excuse to walk over here afterwards. The low-key pub, just steps away from the court house and a short, steep, uphill jaunt from the ferry, keeps a steady stream of locals with its drink specials, including "Martini Madness" ($6 martinis on Mondays) and bartender Chris’s lemon drops (made with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, $6-$7). When a glass broke behind the bar on a recent evening, Chris didn’t miss a beat. “No worries, there was nothing in it—this wasn’t alcohol abuse!”
Jimmie Steiny’s Pub is located at 3 Hyatt St in Staten Island (718-442-9526, jimmiesteinys.com)
(courtesy The Leif Bar)
THE LEIF BAR: Irish owner with an authentic accent? Check. Guinness? You bet. Are there chatty locals who have lived in the neighborhood their whole lives? Yep, and they’re exceedingly pleasant company. When the weather gets nice take advantage of the backyard beer garden. Go on a Sunday afternoon and rain or shine you might be greeted by a couple of particularly adorable dogs, which, really, should be enough incentive for anybody.
The Leif Bar is at 6725 Fifth Ave in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn (718-680-0016, theleifbar.com)
(Gothamist)
AN BEAL BOCHT: “There’s nothing else quite like it in the neighborhood,” says Tony, the sweet, elderly owner, who moved to New York from Kildalkey, County Meath three decades ago. But he’s being modest, because there’s nothing else in New York City like it. Situated in Riverdale, the Bronx neighborhood that’s been an Irish enclave for over a hundred years, this spot is equal parts bar, restaurant, and local cultural center. An attached room converts into a 56-seat theater, the bar hosts musicians (jazz, rock, folk, traditional) several nights a week and proceeds from their St. Patrick’s Day celebration go to charity. Also, twenty years ago a certain Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan, had her christening party here, so you know it’s legit.
An Beal Bocht is located at 445 W 238th street in Riverdale, Bronx (718-884-7127, anbealbochtcafe.com)
(Gothamist)
LIFFY II: Long after Liffy’s in Riverdale closed, this sister bar, 30 blocks south of the original, still lives to give grizzled locals a place to swig bottles of beer and shoot pool, just as it has for the past 60-plus years. The aesthetics can best be described as Irish pub (shamrocks, framed pastels of castles and rolling landscapes) meets ‘80s lounge (red walls, couches), but it’s the kind of dive where a guy will drop off some cans of cat food for the neighborhood stray while the other patrons watch the evening news and weigh in about the election. Nobody here is rushing to get too personal, but the conversation flows as easy as the drinks.
Liffy II Bar is located at 5009 Broadway in Inwood, Manhattan.
(Gothamist)
STATION BAR: Think of this dive under the 7 train/LIIR station like the Mos Eisley Cantina Bar: Sure, it might appear to be a wretched hive of villainy, but most of those aliens (here, slurring Irish guys) wouldn’t pick a fight, unless you owed him money or maybe looked at him funny. Owner for the past six years, and bartender for seventeen, Edel Carr (also from Ireland) can often be found holding court among the regulars, which consist of all dudes of all dude ages and all dude sizes. Its location makes it a destination after Mets games among a certain crowd looking to celebrate/mourn by getting blind-drunk. On one such occasion I saw two guys somehow manage to simultaneously argue and sleep while sitting on bar stools. It’s a cherished memory.
Station Bar is located at 39-50 61st Street in Woodside, Queens (718-429-9464)
(Gothamist)
MAGUIRES: Among the large selection of Hibernian hang outs in Woodside, this place has a reputation for fostering a quick community, usually through the patrons encouraging the fresh blood to imbibe vast quantities of booze. That being said, the regulars won’t bother you if you keep to yourself. One of the pub’s usual suspects, Debra, warned, “Anyone who wants to get their ass kicked in pool should come here.” Sounds like a challenge.
Maguire's Public House is located at 54-20 Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside, Queens (718-429-9426, maguirespublichouse.com)
(courtesy Peter McManus Café)
PETER MCMANUS CAFÉ: Since the Chelsea watering hole first opened in 1936 (that’s three years after Prohibition ended) few things have changed: The dark wood bar, the wood payphone booths (they still work), stained glass cabinets, the bullet hole in the stained glass cabinet, and the McManus family owners all remain the same. While you might catch a few frat guys here, there’s still plenty of old-timers and working class Joes shooting the breeze. If the payphone starts ringing don’t pick up—it’s on the same telephone line as the bar.
Peter McManus Café is located at 152 Seventh Ave in Chelsea, Manhattan (212-929-6169, petermcmanuscafe.com)
Tolly Wright is a writer and editor in New York City. Follow her on Twitter @tollyw.
