Midtown Lunch

If you like to eat, chances are you like to drink (read: a lot of you are freakin’ lushes), so I thought maybe it was time to introduce a happy hour column to the site. Every week, our Happy Hour Correspondent “Mamacita” posts about a different bar in Midtown that fits the Midtown Lunch mentality: unhealthy food, not lame (unless it’s lame in a cool way), and most importantly… cheap.

Ever get a case of the Mondays? You know, that feeling you get when facing the beginning of a long workweek or just staring into the never-ending list of projects and errands for the day? Well, I had it bad on Monday and found a wonderful solution. Of course it involved beer and procrastination. Now I’m not condoning drinking liberally at the beginning of the week… oh heck, who am I fooling, you need it, get your drink on people! Here’s how I did it up this past Monday…

I hit up Mondays at Margarita Murphy’s for their early happy hour. It starts at 4pm, ends at 8pm, and offers all draft beer at $4. Irish pubs tend to be as generic as midtown delis, but my spirits lifted as soon as I saw my beer poured. Not only was my female bartender sweet and attentive, she also poured a perfect shamrock shape into the top of my Guinness. It was a nice touch and a sign of an experienced bartender. Things were looking up!

Murphy’s generally has a relaxed atmosphere. The bar’s main clientele during the weekday is local businessmen and I’ve seen lunch meetings going on in the back where there is table service. On tap are local and Irish beers, plus a different happy hour special each day of the week.

As you might expect from its name Margarita Murphy’s has a bit of an identity crisis. Mexican tapestries adorn the walls, and the menu offers Tex-Mex food, yet there are also items like Shepard’s pie, fish and chips and Irish beer. I can look past this because their $9 burger is enormous and comes with fries so when you add the cheap beer to this you can get a very comforting and belly-busting dinner. Unfortunately, I didn’t stay for NFL night, when they have a special on $2 chipotle bbq pork sliders and $4 Bud. I asked the bartender about the game nights and she said it starts getting busy by 6pm, so get there early to snag a prime seat near one of their many flat screen TVs. They also offer the game with sound, so I guess that’s a big deal? It’s a win win, your date gets drinks and sliders, you get to grab a beer and watch the game, and if you work on the East side this is a perfect way to take the edge off the beginning of the work week.

THE +

• Different happy hour special each day of the week including $4 drafts on Monday and $5 signature margaritas on Thursdays
• A Guinness poured correctly with a shamrock top for only $4!
• Great place to take the office crew for lunch meetings
• NFL fans can take advantage of the slider and beer deals

THE –

• I still like the late night food specials at the Warf next door more. Hello! Fish tacos??
• Hollering sports fans, I’ll pass
• The Tex-Mex and Irish mix makes no sense

Margarita Murphy’s, 591 3rd Ave (nr. 39th), 212-684-4421