Murphy’s Pub

It’s a bar. They have beer. The bartenders are cool. No pressure /​up sell. They have food if you’re hungry. Regulars and locals along with tourists from time to time. Prices are reasonable. Five stars for what it is… this is not a spot for gourmet food and over the top service.

Hi folks,
Went by Murphy’s pub today. I just had to stop by one of my old haunts. The pub does emulate the old world feel. Lots of beers, ales and stouts. Lots of warm patrons who love Santa.
Visit.

I came to Murphy’s Pub for the first time last weekend during SantaCon. This was my group’s second stop and I think by the time we arrived the Santa’s had spread out a little more. Even though the bar was still crowded, we made our way through and were served right away.
There is a side dining area with booths in addition to a patio area out back. We ordered garlic fries, mozzarella sticks and a quesadilla as appetizers — the prices were reasonable and all were served quickly. The garlic fries were my favorite choice!
I definitely enjoyed my time at Murphy’s and will definitely be back again if I am ever in the area.

Wow, Chicken Pot Pie. I’ve tried it twice and I loved it from the very first bite. Also been here for happy hour as well and it’s a pretty nice place to chill and relax with a couple of friends.
If you like chicken pot pie, you have to try it. It’s a bit pricey ($ 12.25) but considering it’s in Fidi and a bar, it’s worth it. The crust is flakey and the top is like a crumble. There are big piece of tender and juicy chicken. You can choose a side of soup or salad; I think the soup changes often.
I actually called and ordered ahead, the lady told me 20 – 25 minutes for it to be ready and we got there around 15 minutes, we had to wait another 30 minutes at the bar because they had a lot of customers. That was kind of inconvenient but the food was definitely worth it.

If your in the area and don’t mind the bar… the fish and chips are very good. A great find while walking today.

My friend and I just wanted a place to grab a drink on our way home and this place happened to be conveniently on the way. Despite the name, we didn’t find anything particularly «Irish» about the interior. It’s just a well-​worn and comfortable bar and the drink prices were right. I got a pint of decent IPA (Goose Island?) for $ 5, which is a good price, especially having just paid $ 9 for a pint at Sauce, yeesh. Anyhoo, it’s a smallish place but wasn’t too loud or crowded so my friend and I were able to easily find a seat and enjoy a nice conversation over a drink. Good to know they have snacks if you’re hungry, but we didn’t have any food so I can’t comment on that.
STEPH JUDGEMENT: Nondescript «Irish» pub that’ll do in a pinch.

Stopped by on Wednesday, October 7^th around 6:45pm for a round of drinks. We were nearby and someone suggested Murphy’s Pub, so we decided to check it out. When we walked in, there were no seats avail, but once we got our drinks (a Guinness & Stella Artois), a couple opened up at the bar, so we snagged them.
Pretty chill vibe. There weren’t that many people there. Just enough to fill the seats. They have a good amount of TVs showing whatever sporting event is on. This time, it was baseball: Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates.
Good bar to grab a round. I know they also serve food, but we didn’t try any as we were heading to another bar afterwards. Also, if you don’t see any seats in the bar area, go to the left of the bar and you’ll see another section. I never went in, but I spotted it when I left through the alley exit.

This bar is very hit or miss. Take your chances.

Muy buen lugar para tomar unos tragos con amigos, tiene un patio trasero que da al callejón, las hamburguesas son muy buenas!

A good pub with some solid happy hour deals. Also, the food and drink have only made me stronger and never made me sick. You’re welcome in advance!

Couldn’t get service from either bartender on a very slow afternoon. That plus the overwhelming bleach smell got me to leave without ever ordering anything.

This place is super divey, which isn’t a bad thing, but the wait staff could use an overhaul. I know you’re working at a bar, but maybe have a little pride in how you represent the bar. After walking in and being told to take a seat, maybe ten minutes went by before anyone came over. At which point, the waitress asked my friend what he would like and not once smiled nor asked me if I wanted anything. Therefore, I didn’t order anything. Lost profit for you guys.
Also, please don’t complain to guests about having to go home and deal with your landlord after not making very many tips that day. That will not make us tip you more.

Murphy’s Pub serves food! I have always thought it was just a bar, but there’s actually good food here.
== Food ==
Fish and chips. The fish is decent size and cooked really nicely. The outside is crispy while the inside is moist and soft.
Chips… are chips. They are good.
== Service ==
Came here a few times and the service has been great every time. The waitress is very welcoming and nice.
== Overall ==
Haven’t had any other food, but their fish and chips are good. It’s not the best out there, but it’s good.

I lived for 6 ½ years in Europe and so I feel like I have a pretty good idea what a good pub, a traditional Irish or British pub, should look like and feel like.
I recently moved to San Francisco from Arizona and so I’m on the lookout for good pubs here as well. Since I work in the financial district a couple streets over from two of the well-​known pubs in this area, I decided to check them out.
You can check out my review on Irish Bank to see what I thought of it, here we’ll just talk about Murphys Pub. I went twice to each place.
Décor-​Pretty good. I found it very similar to what you might find in a good downtown pub/​bar in Denver, Phoenix, or Portland. You know, brick, sports signs and memorabilia on the wall, a little neon, lots of bottles, dark wood tables and chairs. Not bad. It’s more vertically long, if that makes any sense. It goes straight back and has a «patio» area in the back which is in fact the alley behind the pub set up with some chairs and tables.
Food-​Good, traditional bar food. Nothing that would make you frown, and nothing that would make you alert the media and throw a ticker tape parade. I won’t go into details on the food (fish and chips, burger) because the review would basically be echoing hat I just wrote. It is good food, not spectacular, but not bad either.
Service: Here Murphys gets a bit of a bump. Although I made eye contact with two different servers and smiled on two different occasions with neither of them smiling back (made me wonder immediately if I had a big piece of leafy lettuce in my teeth or something), the bartender made up for this by relaxing the «$ 10 minimum for credit cards» rule and allowing me to get my cider with my card since I didn’t have cash. That was a cool move on his part that he didn’t have to do, and this is what the bartender at Irish bank around the corner didn’t seem to get: I will be back again and again, with cash, with plastic, all of the above, and I will spend a lot of money in this establishment because this one small gesture rubbed me the «right» way and sent me the message: «we want your business. We want you to be happy here». Kudos for that.
Location: Awesome. Can’t get much better.
Final analysis: I would probably come here if I was coming by myself to have a drink OR coming with one or two buddies for a couple drinks or to watch the game. I’d be more inclined to eat at Irish Bank around the corner, if only because of the more detailed menu and greater seating options. (See my review there) Murphys is the place you stand around and have a couple drinks on your way to somewhere else, or perhaps settle in for 30 mins to an hour and get a couple apps and drinks.
And since those are pretty much the scenarios MOST people go to Pubs, Murphys gets the nod here. I’ll go have dinner at Irish Bank, but my cold pints will come from Murphys.

Not bad ambiance there’s free wifi floating around from the city alleyway seating with cool murals

This place is terrible. The service is probably the worst I’ve ever encountered in San Francisco. The bartender yelled at me for my friend only tipping 15%. The server told us «you aren’t my table so take it up with someone else». Food is good (overpriced) but the service is god awful. Not just one person having a bad day; it’s the entire group
Great location and awesome beer selection but the service isn’t worth it.
Steer clear. Plenty of better places in the area.
** bartender just came over while we are drinking and called me out for my review on Unilocal.Classy!

«Yes, we have that channel, but no, we won’t put it on. We don’t play soccer games in here. Try a different neighborhood — like SOMA.»
Walked around the corner to the Irish Bank and Bar, had a delicious lunch, and watched the U.S. Men’s national team beat Germany 2 – 1. Don’t bother with this place.

Saturday, June 6^th, 5:30pm. My first ever One-​Star Review. I hate writing negative things about a business. I take exactly no pleasure from sharing this experience. But, I will say this: If you’re a tourist, go find someplace better. Almost any place in this neck of the woods is better. If you’re a local, form your own opinions — I’ll just add my two cents.
About once a month, I have to work on a Saturday. Murphy’s is on my way home and is one of the first options for a beer and a little TV to unwind. I’ve probably been in about two dozen times (even pre-​dating Unilocaling). They have a reasonable selection of beers, and usually a good mix of locals and visitors. I’ve never had their food. Their beer is on the expensive side, but they have Little Sumpin’, which is my go-​to. But, I realize that it’s my own complacency that led to my return visits.
In my experience, the service has always been pretty luke-​warm. There is one bartender who seems friendly, but overall it’s never better than adequate. Today they were pretty busy, although, not exactly wall-​to-​wall. I grabbed my seat at the bar, and went about my normal routine of checking Unilocal,texts, e-​mail, scores, etc. Five minutes go by. Nothing. Ten. Nothing. By this time I’m realizing people there are quite a few empty seats at the bar, and that people who have arrived after me are getting served. Fifteen. Nothing. BTW — There are two bartenders and a manager, and only one seemed to be running around. None seem happy. I’m pretty sure bartender number two was serving a private party, although she definitely made drinks for others at the bar. Manager seems to be helping out, but is pretty ho hum. By now, I’m paying attention. 20 minutes. Nothing. Now manager is standing at the end of the bar taking in the scene and chatting. I don’t like giving negative feedback, but at 22 minutes (I know because of my check-​in), I just can’t let this one go.
I walked over to the Manager and made sure that was his role.
Me: I hate to give negative feedback, but I’ve been sitting at the bar for 22 minutes and haven’t been greeted.
MGR: Oh. What can I get for you?
Me: I think I’m just going to leave.
MGR: Sorry to hear that.
Indifference. I will tell you, the slightest bit of sincere acknowledgement would have been enough. Restaurants have bad days. People have bad days. If you’re a Manager in the Service Industry though, you better have high standards for Service. Someone waiting at the bar for 22 minutes without a hello, followed by a non-​apology is not that.
Things add up. Luke-​warm service at best. Over-​priced beer that usually comes a half-​inch low. Filthy bathrooms every time I’ve been there. Manager who’s service is poor setting the standards for service. I’ll let you judge whether to trust the freshness of the food, the sanitary conditions of the kitchen/​staff, and whether or not another service lapse may be in the mix. I won’t be back to find out. The place wasn’t all that great to begin with.
My Unilocal Check-​In said: «Work Saturday Over — Fun Saturday Getting Started». It was correct. Just 25 minutes too early. My advice is to keep on walking to Irish Times like I did after I left. It was busy, but I had an immediate hello, beer in less than three minutes and got to unwind to hockey while writing this review.

Want a good home style burger instead of the normal downtown fare like Super Duper or Bistro Burgers? This is the place. The fries were crispy but a bit too greasy (minus one star). But hey, you’re ordering a burger and fries, not salad and iced tea! It’s supposed to have some grease! Son use your napkin to wipe them down a bit.
Service was prompt and they didn’t hound me while I was waiting for my friends to arrive. They asked for my drink order and let me peck away on my phone in peace. Then when it came time to order and eat they came when we needed them and refilled drinks promptly. Good eats! I’ll be back!

My company sometimes has its Christmas luncheon here. Other than my company’s Christmas luncheon I’ve eaten here a couple of times for lunch. This is a no nonsense pub that doesn’t have an extensive menu, but the food here is excellent. In past I’ve had restaurant-​named items like Murphy’s Burger and Murphy’s Cheese Steak Sandwich. The burger and cheese steak are delicious because the beef is tender and moist. The fish and chips are fantastic because you get 3 pieces of fish and the THICK steak frites are crispy.
I came here to eat lunch yesterday. I didn’t want to have a heavy lunch as my friend and I were going to have dinner at Sauced BBQ & Spirits in Livermore that night. For lunch I only ordered two items: fried calamari and garlic fries. The calamari is delicious because of the drizzled lemon aioli. The calamari maintains its crispness because it’s not soaked in the lemon aioli. The garlic fries was amazing. Love the flavor of garlic fries but hate when fries become soggy? These garlic fries are not soggy at all. I think the reason is the steak frites. This type of fries hold up the garlic flavoring better than the thin cut fries because the thick cut fries don’t become soggy.
I was stuffed after these two items. I didn’t even have a beer. For these two items, even though they’re considered bar food, I only paid less than $ 20. For that price I had delicious, inexpensive, quality lunch.

I took my co-​worker to lunch today and was craving a quick burger. Our office is on Sutter and stockton, so we walked down Sutter towards Kearny to see what we can find. We saw Murphy’s and thought we’d give it a try.
You can definitely tell that this was a spot with a group of lunch regulars. Various folks walked in and were known by first name by the bartender. Servers asked them if they wanted their «usual.» This made me feel like Murphy’s has that homey feel with a nice familial touch.
The team was really nice to my co-​worker and I, and service was quick. I ordered the Murphy’s burger, medium, with fries. Unfortunately, the burger was just okay. A little on the dry side. The fries were unseasoned.
Overall, I appreciated the vibe of the place and the quick and genuinely nice team. I’d return and try something different from the menu next time.