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Barfly Jason Genegabus |
STAR-BULLETIN / 2001
Besides being a huge UH fan, Don Murphy, owner of Murphy's Bar and Grill, also holds a huge St. Patrick's Day party every year.
Downtown spot
for football
MURPHY'S BAR AND GRILL
Location: 2 Merchant St. (Corner of Nuuanu and Merchant)
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Mondays through Fridays, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturdays and 5 p.m. to midnight Sundays
Phone: 531-0422
FOOTBALL season is right around the corner, and this week's featured bar is no stranger to University of Hawaii fans and the beer drinker who needs a regular fix of Guinness.
Open since 1987, Murphy's Bar and Grill is probably the best-known of Downtown Honolulu's Irish pubs (owner Don Murphy is heavily involved with the UH football program and various other community organizations). But don't forget that there's more to the world than just Warrior games on Saturdays; the bar is a haven during the week for those who want to catch a game live on Monday or Thursday afternoons.
WHILE STOPPING in on a Monday around 4 p.m. might be an unrealistic luxury for some, those who can get away (or make up a good-enough excuse) will find this place quite a bit different than it is on the weekend -- there is actually room to sit down at Murphy's, and you're not forced to elbow your way through a crowd in order to use the restroom.
About a dozen barstools surround the bar itself here, which takes up about a third of the overall space. The rest of the place is basically a restaurant, but the bar's separate entrance on Merchant Street allows you to bypass that side if you like.
If you've never been in here before, take a minute and study the walls covered with Guinness posters and various athletic memorabilia (my favorite is the authentic seat from Wrigley Field bolted to the Diamond Head wall). Don't feel bad about staring -- it'll let the bartender know you're new, and they tend to go the distance in making people feel welcome. By the time I left on Monday afternoon, I knew the guy's name and he was shaking my hand like I was a regular there.
Sixteen -- count em, SIXTEEN -- taps service the bar at Murphy's, offering the typical mix of brews you'd expect at a pub like this. Grab a pint of Bud Light, Newcastle, Guinness or even a "Black and Tan" when you visit, or try one of the Kona Brewing Co. beers instead. They're all there!
In addition to having beer on tap, a dozen single-malt scotch bottles line each side of the back bar, the bottles inverted and ready to dispense a shot of liquid courage. Again, be sure to talk to the bartender if you're not sure what to get.
WATCHING THE GAME is pretty easy, with a pair of televisions nestled above rows of liquor bottles and the old-school cash register (the kind you'd see in coffee shops here about 20 years ago). Another pair of TVs are in opposite corners for the rest of the bar's customers to watch, and a big screen sits above the Merchant Street entrance.
And again, grabbing a beer at Murphy's is much more attractive (to me at least) during the week. Many of the folks who stop by are regulars, and it's a good bet you'll see Don himself among the customers. On the day I stopped by he even jumped behind the bar to help pour a few drinks when business surged around pau hana time.
As the first wave of aloha shirt army members streamed in just after 5 p.m., the Colts were putting the finishing touches on the Broncos, and I was feeling pretty content. Ashley Lelie had made an incredible touchdown catch, I got away from the newsroom for a few hours to grab some beers and I didn't feel out of place among some of the older regulars who were sitting around me. If you're able to do it, catching a football game live, preferably at a bar like Murphy's with a cold beer in hand, is the only way to go.
How much for a Bud Light?The Barfly drank $3.50 Bud Light drafts during his visit to Murphy's, but don't be discouraged from trying one of the other 15 beers that are available on tap. Domestic and imported bottles add to your choices, and don't forget about the hard liquor, either.
Get things to do?
If you're planning to visit during football season, a number of televisions make it possible to watch a game from anywhere in the bar. Two dart machines and a shuffleboard are also in the room, so there's something else to do during halftime.
What about the grinds?
While it's possible to grab lunch or dinner here, for the time being it's pretty difficult to get some food during the late afternoon. Without a cook on duty, the bartender could only offer fried stuff that he could prepare quickly. Didn't really matter to me, though; the fish and chips ($8.25) I ordered was pretty good and arrived just a few minutes after I ordered it.
And the help?
There was only one bartender on duty at Murphy's when I stopped by, but he did a great job making me feel welcome while covering an area I usually see two employees working. On weekends, expect more employees to be on duty; I've always had a pretty easy time ordering a drink, even when it gets crowded.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Barfly appears every Friday in Star-Bulletin Weekend.
E-mail Jason Genegabus at jason@starbulletin.com with suggestions of neighborhood bars to visit.
