Proceed to Murphy's with caution! Â I have gone to Murphy's on and off for the past 20 years. Â The food was always supurb - used to be the best place in town ... not any longer in my opinion. Â I'll probably never go back, it was such a disappointment. Â Every dish had a problem. Â The service was lousy - waited for over an hour to get our food. Â One of our parties fish wasn't cooked right and didn't get his meal until after we were done with ours. Â The french fries were tossed into the main dish's sauce (not on the side) so they were soggy. Â The limes looked like they came out of someone's drink. Â No sour cream on potatoe, soup was cold, salad wasn't made per menu description. Â Wow! Â I couldn't believe it!. Â Over $100 for 4 people with no drinks. Â Makes one wonder what's going on in the kitchen.
Review Source:We had dinner here Wed night - great salmon dinner - done well on the grille. Â Hubby had the chicken teri salad and was happy with that too - loved the bread. Â But the plan was to order the seafood salad when we arrived - but the choice of seafood for the night was breaded catfish - yiikes - are they kidding me - that is not seafood and should have not been the choice - the waiter did not offer an alternative. Â The service was good otherwise but a bit disappointed in the beginning.
Review Source:Everything on the menu is perfect. Iv'e eaten here about 5 times and I never had anything short of outstanding. Sure its pricey, but your getting what you pay for. Top notch service, high quality fresh food. My family's favorites include: Prime rib, salmon, tilapia, steamers, mushrooms, great bread, and unbelievable soups.
Review Source:We heard that a couple of the chefs from Prescott Station had been hired away by Murphy's so a friend and I decided to stop in for lunch. We're pleased that we did.
This was my first time to Murphy's, and I was impressed with the atmosphere. It had an aged look without being dated, great service that wasn't obtrusive, and an excellent, concise menu. I had the BBQ combo platter, and the ribs were excellent. Chicken was slightly dry, but not bad overall. I really enjoyed their fries as well, and my friend said his bacon cheeseburger was fantastic. Prices are reasonable for lunch, so we'll have to return and try them for dinner soon.
Dinner is pricey, so we usually come for Happy Hour! My favorite is the Friday Seafood Bar with Happy Hour! They have oysters, mussels and shrimp at special deals! Be sure to bring cash though for the seafood bar as it is easier than having the amounts communicated to your server. Come early though, they run out of shrimp usually by 6!
Review Source:Very classic and historical building.  Was trying to find the Mexican restaurant Casa Alvarez but unfortunately they were closed on a Tuesday night.  I remembered passing an impressive building with the name Murphy's and the reference to all things Irish so  I thought we would give the "Irish pub" a go. Â
Murphy's has no Irish pub food whatsover and though the decor and references throughout the restaurant are towards an Irish pub theme, there is nothing Irish other than Whiskey, Scotch and Beer. Â Very odd.
Unfortunately, the prices are not representative of the quality of the food and service. Â I travel extensively and in my opinion this restaurant is way over priced for quality, portion, service and ambiance. Â
The dinner menu is somewhat limited, but that is not necessarily a bad thing as long as the kitchen can pull off the limited items offered. Â This kitchen did not. As far as prices, the most economical item was the Beef Stroganoff at $21.00 which is a bit pricey. Â
Myself and a  travel companion both had Ceasar salads and steaks, one a Porterhouse and the other a Top Sirloin.  They were both cooked to perfection, but the steak's were not choice or prime cuts, both were very tough and not representative of a 30 plus dollar piece of meat.  The Ceasar salads were made with fresh lettuce and visually appetizing, but had no flavor at all, the cheese and dressing were worse than bland.
The bake potato was reheated and extremely dry which indicated it was cooked days in advance and had dried out during the re-heat.
Lunch may be a better option, my review pertains only to dinner so perhaps Murphy's has potential earlier in the day.
We've been to Murphy's on every trip to Prescott in the last 8-9 yrs (so 7 times) and each time the food and service have been great. On our most recent trip (1/5/13) we did the Sautéed Shrimp, Filet, Prime Rib and Bread Pudding, all were cooked perfectly. Our waitress was very inter-active and made certain we had a great experience.  We'll be back.
Review Source:Dropped in on a Friday night with no reservations-place was packed. We were lucky to get seated however, and...in a booth. Everything was just perfect-the service by Jody, the meal, the drinks, the warm western ambiance. My husband and I both had the prime rib which came with choice of salad/soup and one other side. I appreciated being able to order the petite prime rib-there's also a standard and large size. The meal started with warm bread and the following choices came at that just right time. Our waitress, Jody, was very attentive but not overbearing. We had visited Murphy's once before, a couple of summers ago, and it was good then. We will definitely be back here-a don't miss restaurant!!
Review Source:Thanksgiving was absolutely wonderful from the greetings at the front door to the last morsel of food we had.  Everyone on the staff  we encountered was so very pleasant and made us feel warmly welcomed. The dinner with all the trimmings was out of this world, and (even had delicious apple pie dessert)  the price of $18 was incredibly reasonable.  Murphy's has been in the hospitality business for a long time and they sure know how to please their customers.
Review Source:I've eaten here 6 or 7 times over the last 20+ years. I've always had a fondness for the location because back when I was a little kid in 1967 this location was "Neil's Second Hand Store" and best place to shop in Prescott.
Anyway, as I waited for my meal last night I read some of the scathing 'going downhill' reviews on Yelp and got concerned. I should have learned by now not to read Yelp while waiting for dinner.
Well, our meal was truly outstanding. Excellent service, prime rib and fish were terrific. Â The fish was something Hawaiian I can't pronounce and my wife raved about it.
Clam chowder -- and I'm a snob on clam chowder -- worth going out of your way for. Â We were eating late, there were very few people still here, so maybe service was better on account of that. Â Waiter knew the wine list and made helpful recommendations.
Next time I'm in Prescott I'll be back. Â Again.
With the high price of the menu there comes expectation... those were not met, we had the worst dining experience for the $$$. Thin pork loins were dry/overcooked. Rotisserie chicken was also dry and appeared baked than roasted. Garnish was not seasoned and bland. Server unknowledgable on the oysters and not really motivated to inquire about the freshness. Ordered a Franziskaner wheat beer where the head collapsed almost immediately after pouring into glass indicating that grease or soap residue is present. Was given another glass but this time the glass lamp shade next to our table was cleaner than our "clean" glass. Luckily the manager comped one menu item for us but we could have cooked better food at home for 1/5 of the price.
Review Source:I eat here whenever I am in town. I like the atmosphere it's kind of turn of the century grandeur mixed with a kick of wild west. The food was excellent I had a steak and the service was great. This place is what it is the prices are fair and I eat here whenever I'm in "Prescott" I don't go to the place the locals call "Preskitt" they wright bad reviews of a tourist spot...
Review Source:Most everyone who visits Prescott eats at Murphy's at least once. It's been around for a long, long time, and their age is definetly showing. This place looks exactly the same as it did 15 years ago - a bit tired then, too. The history of the building is special and I like how they showcase some old photos of when it was a General Merchandise store way back in the old west days.
The one thing you can say about Murphy's is that it is consistently mediocre. The menu isn't overwhelming, which is good, but it certainly isn't spectacular - nor do they seem to have even one signature dish - well, maybe their Prime Rib is considered a signature dish. Other than that, basic rotisserie chicken, steak, served with baked potato or rice pilaf. Yawn. My husband had the clam chowder and said it was very good. My dinner salad was blah & uninteresting - but the champagne vinegrette was tasty (they will give you the recipe if you ask.)
If we just hadn't arrived in town and were starved, we would've gone somewhere else because we know Murphy's just isn't what it used to be in it's glory days. But this was our last visit unless we learn that they have made drastic changes to the quality of their menu.
I agree with the other reviewers on lunch vs dinner.
We cannot afford their dinner prices, but do stop in for the lunch special now and then. Our fave is the steak sandwich and the tortilla soup. No matter what we order, we always order the soup included.
The Reuben is ordinary, not worth repeating.
Service can be hit or miss, depending on who you get.
great ambiance, especially to bring visiting friends.
Where did Murphy's go?
starting with "curt and discourtiest and lathargic" hostess (and this was the best part of our experience) we were ushered to a table in nowhere and told "you will sit here"! Â Then after a 15 minute wait for "anyone" to acknowledge our presence we stopped a "server" who told us not my table don't know whose it is and let me check it out. Â We were then met with a server who was pleasant. Â That's when the fun really started. Â Our 5 meals arrived but there was a slight problem ......there were 6 of us. Â No one could find the missing meal (salmon) for our friend. Â The salmon arrived about 15 minutes later problem was the other 5 meals were ice cold. Â In delivering the meal our waitress then dumped a bowl of chives into the lap of our friend (he actually wanted the chives on his potato (close). Â
I can't say anything else because you will think I am lying. Â This is all so very true. Â Probably the worst dining experience any of us has ever had. Â Something is missing................where's MURPHY'S?
Probably the worst dining experience of my entire 52 year old life! Â Seriously - there's a HUGE problem with the management here, and the service was nothing short of appalling. Â They mess up orders left and right, then give the customer(s) "Attitude" for bringing it up, make no apologies, and treat you like YOU are the one with the problem. Â Perhaps this place was good at one time, but I can assure you that in April 2012 it has not only fallen from grace but landed flat on it's face in a pile o' poop. Â We will NEVER be back to this horrible place!
Oh yeah...I almost forgot; Â They're way overpriced, to make matters worse. Â At least $4 per entree over what they ought to charge for such mundane, mediocre fare...
The lunch specials are the only thing that are fairly priced and reliably tasty. Â They give you plenty of food and it is good. Â It's not usually very busy at lunch because it's a bit out of the way compared to downtown, so the service is generally very prompt and the food is hot and fresh, which is unusual for the area.
The dinners we've had have been overpriced, incorrect, and low-quality. Â The food does not accurately reflect what is described on the menu.
I agree with Saba who said the appetizer bread is an awkward affair because it is uncut and they give you no knife with which to do it yourself. Â You and your tablemates have to rip it apart (read: mangle) it by hand. Â The bread is served with cold, unspreadable butter pats, which annoys me to no end when a restaurant pulls that stunt.
Seriously, this is the wasabi chicken strips? And the oyster and shrimp bar is empty...done by 5:15 Happy Hour.  I ordered the soup and salad since the happy hour menu was so very sad. The waiter never brought bread...he doesn't act like he wants to be here or  he doesn't want me to be here...anyways, I'm disappointed...this experience has been been too similar to the last one here.
Review Source:We strolled in on a late Friday night.
There was no wait and we were seated right away.
The interior is lovely...dark woods-nice booths.
The menu is very small, and expensive.
I had the tilapia which was delicious-salad, bread and potato. All good.
Since we had never been to Prescott before, and it was late, we really didn't have the time to look for other places to eat.
There was nothing really fantastic that would make me go back, but good enough that if we wanted a nice steak we would.
My wife and I love this place, we go every time we go to Prescott. The prices are high, but the food is excellent. I tried a skillet steak with shrimp pico de gallo, it was awesome. My wife had the chicken and loved it. Great service. We usually try to sit in the booths in the bar. They have a large beer list and I love their Murphy's Lager on tap, very good. Only downside is their menu selection is very small.
We'll definitely be back again.
Was traveling from Vegas and decided to stop in Prescott for dinner, came upon this place and stopped to try it out. never been here before and it looked quite nice. It was very noisy and i would have liked to be seated away from all the huge party of 6-8 loud tables. I sat right in the middle and the noise was unbelievable. When you have a party of 2, please seat them in another (more quiet) area. we would appreciate that! Tye food was OK as well, the waiter was rushed and was breathing heavily every time he came to the table. I was way under dressed for this place as i was driving most of the day. it is a dressy place. Advise: keep couples in their own quieter area, keep the groups 4-6-8 or more in their own loud area. this would be nice. will i go back? YES! But if I'm seated by another loud group, i will ask for a more quiet area.
Review Source:This was my second visit to Murphy's and I have never had a problem here. Â Our group of 8 was accomodated well and there were no complaints when we requested seperate checks. Â
I had been daydreaming of prime rib that afternoon and that is what I ordered here. Â The standard cut medium rare with a baked potato and salad with blue cheese. Â The salad was fresh and not over dressed. The prime rib was tender and flavorful and the potato and steamed veggies were perfect. Yeah I was hungry but I am also rather picky when it comes to the quality of my protein choices. Â
My dining companions had the steak and or chicken cesar salads that they all enjoyed. A few others just went for some drinks and dessert. Â
We left stuffed and happy.
Had their "world famous" Reuben, which is basically cold cuts of pastrami heated with sauerkraut and toasted brown/rye bread. Â It filled us up, but this is nothing special or, to put it more accurately, you can't compare this with original, authentic Jewish deli Reubens like they serve on the East Coast. Â It was filling and just ok.
The petite salad was SO petite that my road partner complained about it.
I'd go back, but don't expect any big shakes here.
I did get one of their local Prescott beers (a Red-something), which was really good beer, tho. Â Worth having another when I return at least.
Great service from our lady server here.
Love Murphy's. Â Booked a reservation for nine to celebrate graduation. Â The service was fantastic. Â The food, exceptional. Â Our server recommended the spicy shrimp appetizer and said that the sauce was almost as good as the shrimp itself --- he was right. Â Five prime rib dishes cooked to perfection; seafood specials were very good. Â Drinks kept filled. Â Desserts all wonderful, as were the cappuccinos.
Our one vegetarian was treated to a special mushroom pasta dish with garlic bread. Â Staff was very accommodating. Â If we ever have the chance to be in Prescott again, we will surely return to Murphy's.
My husband and i were in town celebrating our Anniversary/ Valentine's Day and this place was recommended by friends. We were walking around Whiskey Row and decided to stop by and see if we should reservations for that night. We stopped in and talked with a gentleman that was in the front preparing the menus with their Valentine's specials, and they sounded wonderful so we made a reservation for 6pm that night.
Came in at about 5:45pm and was told that they had no record of my reservation...I explained that I even came in personally and saw the man write something down.....after waiting until about 6:15 I was asked if we would like a booth and we excepted. The booth was out in the main dining area, and not the private high back booths that I was looking forward to. I made a reservation to reserve a GOOD seat...anyway this was the first of bad things to come......
My husband found a hair in his seafood chowder & had to get other soup that was not as good, we should have just left right then...but decided to give them a chance to make up for it.
Ordered the catfish appetizer, it was crisp and delicious, but there is no way this was catfish, tasted exactly like cod, there is a big flavor difference.
10 seconds after the app came so did our entree.....this really really annoyed me.
We ordered the Filet Mignon served with King Crab and Bearnaise Sauce for two..the platter came with 2 filets and a pile of crab meat ( with lots if cartilage) and a small ramekin of the sauce...the sauce was so gross it ruined me....my steak was not cooked properly, so they microwaved it and returned it...just made it worse...potatoes were ice cold in certain spots....asparagus was cooked pretty good and the wine that was on special for $23 a bottle..The meal we had that included all but the app was $80..
Also let them know it was our Anniversary and nothing came of it...our neighboring table told the server it was  their Anniversary and they were offered a free chocolate cake.
At end of meal we received check with no discount at LEAST for the fact that we found a hair in the food and for serving the app and entree at the same time....had to ask for manager to come over who blamed it all on lack of communication between the staff and we were comped the $23 dollar bottle of wine....just didnt feel like they really cared at all.
Also, this is supposed to be an upscale joint, and it is beautiful inside...but the silverware, glasses, and dinnerware is a disgrace....no joke, they use what you see at Denny's and these types of joints...really threw off the ambiance, they really need to invest in some new stuff...please.
I would never return here and would not recommend this place due to the service, quality of food, and overall dining experience. There is a lot of great food in this area and this is not where its at.
Was just at Murphy's last night with the family and had a really good time. Â The location is great and the ambiance inside of the restaurant is very historic. Â
The server who took very good care of us was Graciela and she provided the most excellent service I have ever had. Â She made sure our drinks were full, and kept checking in on us frequently. Â My steak was not cooked all the way through, but she went back to the kitchen and didn't leave until we were all happy. Â
I really liked the menu, and the vast selection of food. Â I look forward to going back again soon with my family.
This place isn't intended for Vegans or Vegetarians, as it has truly a pescatarian/carnivore/omnivore type menu. Â I should say, however, that if you had dietary modifications/needs, they'd be very happy to work with you. Â All you have to do is ask your server.
Service was really quite good, and I found the oak-atmosphere of the restaurant very quaint, and true to the locale.  The  escargots were quite good, particularly after having some of the BEST escargots in NY and San Francisco, I think I'm qualified to judge.  I was so bummed to have missed out on their oysters, as they had run out of Oysters on the Half Shell.  Yes, I'm from the SF Bay Area, but it's always interesting to try Oysters when I'm a bit more "inland". Â
I'm looking forward to my next visit to Prescott (pronounced, "Preskitt"), if only to visit Murphy's again and update this rating. Â I'm confident that they have much more to offer than what I experienced for dinner this evening!
We were having our adult christmas trip to Prescott. We had been drinking all day and needed a little food. There were 10 of us.
We walk in to Murphys and ask " Can we have a table for ten? We are a little buzzed and need some food" The guy said " Can't you go somewhere else" LOL That was awesome!
So the parade us through the place and out the side door. I was like WTF man that is messed up. I had not realized there was a special room just for us. LOL
We had a nice cozy private room with our own restroom and a private entrance to the kitchen. It was great.
The food was good, one of the best breads I have ever had. (i was drunk) The steak was good. The oysters were slimy. The rice was dry and the potato was good.
I never actually saw the prices or the final bill but I have a feeling it was $$.
My boyfriend and I were in town from Phoenix and wanted a steak and potatoes kind of dinner! Besides being a historical building and located minutes from the downtown main street, Murphy's was great! We started out the meal with escargot and it was delightful, it melted in my mouth! Then I ordered the pork chop and it came with fresh green beans and real mash red potatoes! On this Friday night it was especially busy with people dining, but there was no wait to be seated and our server was top notch! :)
Review Source:Located at the corner of Willis and Cortez Street, Murphy's Restaurant is located just north of Prescott's "Town Square."
Upon entering the establishment, expect a friendly "Prescottonian" greeting from a host. Â A wait for seating is rarely encountered. Â In fact, I cannot recall a specific occasion of being required to wait - as seating is abundant.
After being seated, expect a glass of water and bread. Â Favorite appetizers from this restaurant include the catfish strips and escargot. Â I also recommend the tortilla soup, as it is one of the better tortilla soups that I have tasted.
For the main entrée, I recommend anything seafood.  Daily specials are usually preferable to the usual menu items (regardless of seafood or not).  If you visit on a day when a seafood item is on the daily special, then I guarantee you - it will be good (as long as it is not fried)!
If you are in the mood for meat, I recommend the tenderloin filet. Â The baby back ribs are secondary (traditional BBQ is much better than the Jamaican BBQ sauce).
The ambience is dimly lighted. Â Old portraits decorate the walls. Â Booths are available.
Prices are moderately expensive, with appetizers ranging from approximately $10 to $15, while main entrees range from about $20 to $35.
If you are visiting Prescott and are staying for enough time for only one meal, then make it Murphy's. Â You will not be disappointed!
Additional Notes:
- If you happen to visit Murphy's on a Friday, there is a fresh seafood bar available from about 4 or 5 PM (not sure exactly what time, so call them directly). Â The availability is limited. Â However, the fresh seafood bar has oysters, steamers, and mussels at a very reasonable price (cash only at the seafood bar).
- Brunch is offered on Sundays. Â Nothing special; just above average.
Unusally average. Â Bland menu and even blander food. Â The mashed potatoes came out cold, the salmon tasted like something from Costco and the wine glass was dirty (got another but terrible quality control). Â Their fries suck too. Â Dissapointed, it looks nice and the warm bread was good. Â Very uninspiring, will not return or recommend. Â Wasted $50. Â Later to Murphy's. Â Chef Ramsay would consider the food a Kitchen Nightmare in need of severe help.
Review Source:Murphy's was not okay.
Crab cakes came in two, and were overpriced as the crab meat seemed to have been pulled out of a can. Hey, I could have made this myself.
Tried the escargot...and this was a definite no-no. Will never have this measly rendition of escargot again. When I want snails, I want them in their purest form. Not incarcerated in a little dish, ripped from their shells, and soaking in insipid oil.
Also, service isn't much to write about. Our waitress kept slamming glasses on the table whenever we asked for water refills. Okay...
So, in sum, food and service that were not okay equated to a bad day for me.
This restaurant represents home for me.
Murphy's has gone uphill and downhill over the years, and the last two times I ate there (last night and Christmas Eve day) have shown off the best aspects of this restaurant. John, the chef, rocks - I used to work with him at his former place of employment - and he's improved the food menu quite a bit. The wine menu needs a bit of help, but it features reliable favorites. Overall, Murphy's seldom disappoints, except vegetarians. They'll customize any dish for you, but they don't offer any delicious veggie entrees as they should.