The mozzarella sticks were shameful! It was $8 for only five sticks that honestly weren't even that great. They tasted like the frozen mozzarella sticks from the store. The wait staff however was very kind and attentive. Cool atmosphere, but terrible music. Mixed feelings on this place. I would suggest researching different restaurants while visiting Salem. The village tavern was pretty rad.
Review Source:I've been here a few time in the past maybe 3 months... and i've had some really good times, but with that being said, the place itself is awful. Â This place fills up with the most creepy, and sketchy people i'v seen in all of salem. Â It usually takes about a half hour of standing at the bar to even get a drink. Â
The crowd kinda reminds me of the meathead crowd that hangs out at Tavern in the square, but on meth or something. Â Went here with a few female coworkers because they wanted to check out the big dance floor, and they all got molested by crackheads. Â
A good time can definitely be had here, but just watch out... especially if you are female. Â This place makes the anchor look like the Liberty hotel...
Food was alright. But after we had dinner, about 10pm, we had to leave our table so that the restaurant could be turned in to a dance area. Then after being in the bar for well over an hour the bouncer came up to me and requested that I remove my fishing cap, because of gang activity they've had in the bar. Now I'm almost 40 and a gangbanger I do not look like. This place is a waste of time, boring, and unless you want to be needlessly harassed to get up from your table, be blasted by some DJ, watch sloppy college kids convulse and grope, then be asked to remove your hat.. this is the place!!
Review Source:Murphy's is good in my book for a few reasons . On a Wednesday or Thursday evening it's awesome to have a couple drinks on the patio with friends, the outside seating basically earns the star rating for this place . It's also decent on the weekends for dancing but is notorious for being threateningly guido-esque which can be a pain for some ladies .
Last time I was here, was on a Sunday in the early afternoon, the bartender made me a custom drink out of a few different things I asked for off the menu . When he brought it over it wasn't exactly what I had in mind so he took it back and fixed it without complaint . The result was one of the best drinks i've ever had . we ordered about five more and called it a day .
also, when you're here at night, keep an eye out for ghosts ....
Murphy's is an interesting place regardless of what time you're there.
Early in the week, it's usually pretty cleared out. They have karaoke on Tuesdays, and  deals like 3 dollar cheeseburgers, dollar pizzas and wing night.
Gansette's are 2 bucks, but they used to be 1 dollar..
Usually a 5 dollar cover after 10 or something on Thurs-Sat.
Good for:
-getting sloppy
-sloppy dancing
-losing your belongings
-waiting in line for the bathroom
-running out of 2 dollar beers before you even get one
-creating regret
Bad for:
-getting sloppy
-sloppy dancing
-losing your belongings
-waiting in line for the bathroom
-running out of 2 dollar beers before you even get one
-creating regret
To be fair, I've never tried their food. So this review is really just based on the nightlife portion of Murphy's. My friends always want to come here for girls night out and I only go because I am overruled and I love my friends. Oh Murphy's why don't I like thee, let me count the ways
1) $5 - $10 cover charge (depending on the night). Are you f'ing serious? This is Salem - nobody even goes out until 11:00 and you close at 1:00.
2) Drinks are WAY overpriced and underpoured. I stick with beer (and shots) when I go, but even they are to pricey
3) If I wanted to hang at the Jersey shore I would go to the Jersey shore. The d'bags with the orange skin and fist pumping drive me crazy
4) Ignorant bouncers and slow bartenders
The music is ok, not great but sometimes they throw in a few good songs so it's not completely terrible. I really just go there to dance with my friends , and they have enough space so that we don't get claustrophobic. It's close and convenient, but I'm not a fan
Came here for night bar, as I was standing at the door, I took a picture of the $10 admission fee. The guy told me to delete it. SERIOUSLY?! There's a sign right there, shouldn't it already be public? I mean, don't you put it on your main website?
Ok. 1st drink 1st floor. Cape Codder: WEAK WEAK WEAK. Way too much cranberry, I mean I saw him pour the vodka in but is the vodka watered down? Had to return and ask him for more. He had a taste and agreed.
2nd time 2nd floor. Cape Codder: WEAK WEAK WEAK WEAK WEAK WEAK WEAK. This is getting ANNOYING! Even my friend who NEVER drinks alcohol, is anti-alcohol had a sip and said it tasted like straight up cranberry! Went back to the girl and asked for her, she was like "NO I am not going to give you more." I'm like are you serious?! Can you atleast have a taste? She like NO, everyone gets the same amount. At this point I was getting annoyed and asked for the manager, the guy pointed at her. Oh MARIA. WHAT A NICE MANAGER YOU ARE. THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS. GREAT SERVICE MARIA. GREAT SERVICE.
So $10 for admission which I THINK IS EXPENSIVE for a bar, and walking in expecting a good time and some good drinks. OH NO, don't think this is the spot. Stay home, get your drink on and dance your night away at 'su casa' would be a zillion times more fun.
Hell no.. this place sucks.I went there with my wife on a sunday night just to have a couple of drinks and the place was mobbed with knuckleheads looking for a fight and their girlfriends were no better.People were disrespectful and the staff weren't any better.I live in NYC and you'll get better service at the worst bar in NY than at Murphy's..BIG thumbs down.
Review Source:Around 5:30 we headed to Salem for the Farmer's Market (not realizing the Haunted Happenings Opening Parade was going on) and much to our surprise all of the vendors except for one had already packed up for the evening. Â With our mostly empty grocery bags we started to make our way back to the car when we spotted Murphy's outdoor patio. Â Families and tourists were beginning to gather along the sides of Durby Street with their lawn chairs and cameras so when we saw the open patio tables at Murphy's we thought we had hit the paradeside jackpot. Â
We were quickly greeted and seated by a hostess/ server and put in our drink requests: ginger ale, hot apple cider and a Guinness.  While perusing the menu we noticed the Half Off Appetizers Thursday Special and settled for Buffalo Fingers, Mozzarella Sticks and my son ordered the fish and chips.  The crowd increasingly grew on the patio while we waited for our order though it never got to a claustrophobic point.  After a relatively brief wait, we were served and began to eat while watching the parade.  All meals were a thumbs up with healthy sized portions with the exception of the 5 cheese sticks which  were not very warm and did not string the way a fresh, hot one should when you bite into it and pull it away from your face- Boo.
After eating, the waitress did not push us to leave and asked if we wanted another round of drinks. Â It was a pretty pleasant experience and we'll definitely return for drink and to people watch on the patio.
This place looks fun on the outside but don't be fooled. They have this weird dress code...you can't wear a hat. Anything else goes, barely-there dresses to sneakers. Just no hats.
Also, my boyfriend had a bracelet on from another bar and the bouncer flipped out. He started yelling at him to take it off immediately because he was "trying to look like a VIP."
The music is terrible and all the employees I met were rude and bossy, making the bar seem pretentious even though its actually crappy and lame.
At the end of the night the bouncers assaulted the former patrons as they hung around OUTSIDE the facility on PUBLIC property waiting for rides or talking with friends. The employees were threatening to call the cops if they didn't leave the streets of Salem. It was the most bizarre experience. Avoid Murphy's at all costs.
Contrary to other reviews, I have always been able to get drinks without an issue, particularly up at the bar, even during the crowded college nights. Â I have no issue with the bar staff, always found them to be pretty great.
However, those college nights are the problem. Â Went there to meet some friends after rugby practice and they turned us away. Â My team gives them a lot of business, but my "athletic shorts" defied their dress code. Â And this is my issue with Murphy's - they market themselves as some sort of Irish dive, I guess....but one with VIP bottle service upstairs. Â It isn't glamorous, the music sucks all sorts of man-piece, everyone is there for the dollar drafts, so I don't get the false pretentiousness of the bar. Â O'Neills tried that for a long time and you can hear a pin drop there on a Thursday night now.
You're not a club. Â I repeat, you are not a club.
Also, agreed on the bouncer to bartender ratio. Â Seems ridiculous. Â they need to expand the size of their bar to handle how many people they sardine pack in there.
I am SOOOO Saddened by Murphy's. Â Spending a great deal of time in Salem when I was in college I would go to Roosevelt's all the time. Â We decided to check out Murphy's last night. Â Below are the issues:
1. My husband was charged $5.00 for a coke. Â In a small glass, filled with ice. Â It was cheaper to buy a beer than a coke. Way to promote drunk driving Murphy's! Â What happened to Designated Drivers? No, they should buy beer instead? Â Classic.
2. Fairly certain they did something to my friend's drink. Â She orderd a cape codder down stairs and we went upstairs to drink it. Â She only got a few sips in when she was complaining about the taste. (it tasted like soap) Â We got her a new one. Â It was already too late. Â She got a stomach issue, her face got flush and pale at the same time.
3. Bathrooms. Â OMG....seriously murphy's? Â No toilet paper. No functioning toilets. trash ALLL over the place. The smell was beyond bad.You painted up the problems. Â 15 years ago the plumbing was out dated. Â You never fixed it. Â You put new doors on the stalls, painted the wall and put decorative tile on the ceiling. Â
4. More bouncers than waitstaff. Â Actually, besides going right to the bartender there was no other way to get a drink.
5.NO food. they stop serving at 8. Â Isn't that against the law? Â If you serve drinks you have to serve food...oh right...they don't care about people driving drunk. They promote it.
I still LOVE the structure of the bar. Â I have many many many fond memories of being there. Â I just can not believe what they are doing.
If you like awful pub food and a wait staff that can't handle more than 4 tables, Murphy's is the place for you! They've got it all, folks. Uninspiring burgers that aren't worth the $1 they'll cost you on Tuesdays, wings that make KFC look good, and don't forget the wraps that are packed full of... lettuce!
Come on in, have a seat, and prepare to wait 15 minutes before you get to order. Be sure and ask for 2 or 3 drinks at a time, because you'll be lucky if you see your waitress again in the next hour! Oh, you want the food you ordered 45 minutes ago? It'll be right up, luke warm and fresh out of the microwave!
If you're looking to host a group upstairs on weekdays, when Murphy's is packed with at least 12 other people, they'll be happy to oblige with your own bartender on the 2nd floor. As long as you have 35 people coming, and signed documentation proving they'll be there!
So next time you're in Salem and you're looking for a good place for a few beers, or some bar food, go somewhere else. Because you won't find that here!
We went here over the summer. A++ they have great food, good prices, and the wait staff were attentive on a weekend evening while the place was somewhat busy! The bar is nothing short of gorgeous with brand new refinished wood and a lot of class, also has the game on their large tvs. It's within walking distance to all the "salem tourist spots" and the water!
Review Source:First off let me say this is an Irish in name only establishment. If you are looking for traditional Irish food, decor, hospitality and service, don't look here.
What self respecting "Irish" restaurant doesn't have gravy? Every one who is a fan of Irish cuisine knows that gravy is a staple of all meals. Before there was peas and carrots there was gravy and potatoes. And we all know about the Irish and potatoes.
The door to the outside patio is left open. So if you have the kind of blood mosquitoes go for than you will end up like me and end up eaten alive.
The waitress was a young, intellectually challenged, poorly trained, unable to multi-task, lacking the social skills to even introduce herself poor excuse for wait staff. When asked basic menu questions like do you know how the ribs are prepared? She grunted and shrugged her shoulders with that "Duuuuhhh" kind of look. Her attitude was not friendly. She behaved as if we were somehow annoying here by asking questions about the meals we were ordering.
The first out of the gate was the appetizer and was of course the potato skins. They were bland and made of the cheapest ingredients. You know that plastic cheese and fake bacon that my dog wouldn't eat.
Second they don't advertise that there house salad was a mixed greens salad. It was way to fancy for the existing menu. When we sent them back and asked for Caesar salads and because it took so long, the bar staff was bringing our House salads. When questioned the bartender said they don't have Caesars salads. Had we known we would have tried our luck with the soup.
Third last and finally we got the Teriyaki Steak tips and the Teriyaki Steak tips/Ribs combo. The tips were good quality meat but were bland. The French fries tasted like they were cooked with the same vat oil that fried fish items on the menu would be cooked with. The ribs were also of good quality meat but were dry and overcooked, with no extra barbecue or apple sauce available.
There are only two good things I can say about this restaurant:
1. My first Guinness was cold and in a clean Irish pint glass.
2. My second Guinness was cold and in a clean Irish pint glass.
I debated how many stars to give this place. It got bumped up one because they let you smoke on the patio if there arent any families around (shhh, dont tell on them).
I was excited to try the wings since I am looking for a good place to go for cheap wing night. this isnt the place. the wings i got here were bloody in the center, near the bone. yuck.
the tuna melt is decent, but honestly, i can make a better one at home.
service is hit or miss. ive had really bad waitresses and really good waiters.
i would never ever pay a cover to go here at night, i cant believe they even charge money. that is ridiculous to me.
I love to people watch and enjoy the great food on there outside patio. Â This place gives you that old pub feel like everyone there is family. Â Went back and saw they get pretty busy at night. Â Our bartender shannon was so friendly and told us all about there menu and specials. Â If your in salem you have to check this place out.
Review Source:I went to Murphy's for the first time on St. Patrick's day. We really just went for dinner yet we had to pay a cover to get in. The DJ wasn't even set up yet. We decided to eat outside despite it being chilly only because there were no tables inside (they must have moved them in anticipation for extreme dancing).
I ordered a not-that-great corned beef sandwich. My fiancé ordered steak tips which he said were okay. We wanted to stay to see what would come about of the Paddy's day shenans but the DJ started and yet people still clung to the walls like a middle school dance. Needless to say we left, went to Ben & Jerry's down the street and finished our celebrations elsewhere.
Murphy's is the chosen location where I attend a monthly event there after driving out to Salem from the city. So far I've only been there once but I can already say that I'm a big fan of the establishment.
Street parking is extremely easy and this place is pretty big! It accommodated about 30 of us for a few hours and we even had our very own bartender for the entire night. The food menu covers everything from steak and cheese subs to salads and burgers. We settled for their $2.50 cheeseburger with fries! They didn't even skimp on the quality; it was delicious and the single best value I've seen ever!
The beers on tap are good as well and their bathrooms are clean. The service is efficient and spot on. What more could you want?
Sometimes, you want a 'Gansett.
Usually, you want anything but a 'Gansett, but sometimes you have the desire to drink something light and refreshing that only a mass produced American Lager can provide.
It's times like that when you'll go to Murphy's. Why? Because they offer several of these mass produced American Lagers and offer them cheaply. They pair them with equally cheap food and you're suddenly having a warm meal and a beer for not much more than you'd spend at KFC, Burger King or their many brothers and sisters in fast food world.
Is this place amazing? Hell no!
Is it awful? Hell no!
It's somewhere between heaven and hell, and that's A-OK with me.
Saturday night. Place was packed with guys sporting new f-ing haircuts and girls with obvious dye jobs and too much eyeliner. Bouncers were too serious, half of the group paid cover, half didn't. But the gin and tonics were strong, the reggaeton was loud and enticing, the lights were swirling and the hoochies were out in full force on the dance floor. It was fun. Then the clock struck 12:30, the lights went up, WTF, and Cinderella's carriage turned into a pumpkin.
Seriously? 12:30?? I always thought 2 was pretty early, but 12:30 is totes ridic.
dinnerwise, murphy's is excellent. for fairly average prices (either comparable or perhaps a dollar more than most places in the area), you get delicious, high quality dinners. the steak tips are fantastic. the flavor is great and, although they were cooked slightly more than i'd asked, they were ridiculously tender, sometimes not requiring a knife for cutting.
the same goes for the burgers... so damn tasty, but probably cooked slightly more than to your liking. it almost didn't matter, though, due to the quality of the meat, the toppings, and the flavors.
in terms of beers, they have a decent selection. the dollar draft is narraganset, but i'm pretty sure they raised the price to $2. also, there were at least two separate occasions where i went in on a friday night and they were "all out" of the dollar drafts. i shouldn't be a jerk and use quotation marks. i know that happened to a friend of mine, too. i do know that, on recent thursday evening, i generously bought a four-person round for $4.
sitting outside is the balls. so awesome.
in terms of nighttime... lots of clubwear with a sprinkling of ed hardy. no real tools noticed, except maybe the girl with a skirt so short we (and by "we" i mean "the entire bar") saw the curves of her cheeks poking out from underneath.
I went here last night with my husband and his parents. We got seats outside. They have a great outdoor deck area and the inside is nice! I love what they did with the renovations. It seems bright with the hardwood floors. The bathrooms were clean as well. I didn't make it upstairs to see if they renovated that portion at all.
The food was good- portions were just right and filling. The server was very friendly and polite and attentive. Overall a great experience and if they keep it up, I think this will actually last at this location. its the third place to occupy this space since I have lived here so I guess it is true- third time is a charm.
Absolutely loved this place. Kerri B. is right, dollar drafts... you can't beat it! What is this, Pittsburgh?!
I'm a pizza and beer connoisseur, and this place passes the J-test with flying colors!
Plenty of beers on tap, good selection. I'm used to a wide variety at my local pub in Boston, and this bar has a few that I'm not used to, definitely awesome.
I got a pizza, it was top-notch. Like, really really good. Nice toppings, tasty cheese, fluffy but not-too-thick crust, sauce was just right.
Nice atmosphere, love the hardwood everywhere.
Nice staff, polite, personable, and smiled a lot. Total win.
Murphy's is newly opened in downtown Salem, replacing Spririts at 300 Derby Street. When I visited, the bottom floor was in the last stages of being finished -- the hardwood floors were freshly lacquered (I could smell it) and the bathrooms looked great.
-Drinks-
Murphy's has a full bar upstairs, but I tend to stick with beer. The bar has a nice selection on tap and features friendly and alert servers.
-Food-
I didn't get anything from the kitchen, but the nacho portions others ordered seemed to be a generous size.
-Service-
The alert servers behind the bar seemed to keep up with our mob of people the entire night. The friendly wait staff came around to tables to make sure glasses were cleared consistently.
-Conclusion-
Murphy's has a great atmosphere and provides the perfect place for getting together over some beers. I look forward to seeing the fully-finished Murphy's and will be back in the very near future.
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