St. Patrick's Day is all about drinking good beer, sporting your green, and being in good company, and what better place to do that than an Irish pub in New York City? However, not all of them are exactly authentic and may not give you the type of experience you're looking for. Before you run to the first bar with an Irish-sounding name in NYC, check out the following authentic Irish bars that will be happy to welcome you on March 17 and any other day of the year.
287 Third Ave., New York
The location originally started as a bar in 1895 and operated as a grocery store during the Prohibition era before once again becoming a full-scale bar in the '30s. After being purchased in 1964, it was named Molly Malone's after an Irish folk song, and the name was altered again in 1991 to the name it goes by today. In case you were curious, a shebeen is an illegal drinking establishment. They serve a good mix of American and Irish fare, including a buffalo burger, grilled cheese, chicken wings, shepherd's pie, fish and chips, and corned beef and cabbage. The locale is nothing showy -- it's just a great, authentic Irish bar that has sawdust on the floor, a friendly staff, and a welcoming environment.
15 E. Seventh St., New York
McSorley's was opened in 1854 by Irish immigrant John McSorley and was originally named The Old House at Home. Since then, it's made its mark as a popular Irish dive bar that only serves up two types of ales: light and dark. It's the oldest Irish pub in the city, and there's a reason: It has a special charm to it that's popular with customers. It's the type of relaxed place where you'll walk in by yourself or with one other person and end up meeting a bunch of other people. It's kind of hard not to -- the place is usually pretty packed.
PJ Horgan Tavern
4217 Queens Blvd., Sunnyside
This Sunnyside bar is the kind of place you go when you want to sit in a dark bar, have a good bowl of soup or a burger, chat with the bartender, and just hang out without dealing with the pretentious attitude that comes along with a lot of bars in NYC. Don't expect the bar to get too rowdy. It's typically a casual, somewhat quiet place that's fantastic for a good hangout session with good company.
237 Third Ave., New York
The doors to this pub were imported from Ireland, the bartenders are typically Celtic, and you'll find the cold beer flowing to a laid-back crowd. There are pool tables, games, and darts, all of which get the competitive juices flowing. Their happy hour is more like the entire day, lasting from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. every day. They have a good selection of beer ranging from Guinness to Woodpecker Cider, but they don't serve food, so if you want some, you're going to have to order out from one of their delivery menus.
34 Van Dyke St., Brooklyn
Located in Red Hook, Rocky Sullivan's is a dark Irish bar that has a booming friendly vibe despite it rarely being too crowded. On the menu, you'll find options such as beef and Guinness stew, bangers and mash, herb-crusted wild pollock, and the traditional burger. An Irish brunch is served every Sunday. They were one of the first businesses to reopen a few weeks after Hurricane Sandy, and when asked how they were holding up, they explained, "Sandy was a big blow to all of the residences and businesses in the neighborhood. The way the community has bonded together and supported each other has been key -- we are grateful to everyone, including our team and our regulars who assisted in the cleanup and helping us reopen fairly quickly."
519 Second Ave., New York
According to the site, " Paddy Reilly's Music Bar was opened in 1986 by Ireland's #1 balladeer Paddy Reilly." Every Thursday is Irish Music, Dance and Cultural Night starting at 10:30 p.m., and various Celtic bands play Friday and Saturday. They only have Guinness on tap and don't offer food, but they do serve up a friendly vibe and a relaxing atmosphere.
626 11th Ave., New York
This Hell's Kitchen establishment has been open since 1868 and is one of the oldest operating businesses in the city. It has a charm that's missing from a lot of other places and offers good service, as well as live Irish music. In addition to typical bar food, you'll also find shepherd's pie, Irish bangers and mash, and fish and chips. As if the history weren't rich enough, it's said that an Irish immigrant girl who died on the third floor haunts the place.
These certainly aren't the only authentic Irish pubs around New York City. What other spots can you recommend?
Lauren Romano fell in love with NYC at a young age and has since navigated her way through the stores, museums, clubs, restaurants, parks, markets, and everything else the city has to offer.