On the Upper West Side where there once were three Irish bars, there are now two that have survived in their original location. The 1930s era neon sign situating The Dublin House makes it more recognizable than the other—Malachy’s—as it has no sign at all.
There was a time when Irish bars covered the city like acne. The bigger bars further downtown proffered steam tables full of corned beef, stews, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravies and the like for insider prices—no longer is that available.
Dublin House is more neighbourhood sized. Ironically, it opened at the beginning of prohibition, survived that, reopened as an actual pub once alcohol was legalized in 1933 and has remained in place since.
Still, the barkeepers may speak in an Irish brogue that might even be authentic, but considering how patrons begin to pick up the brogue the more they drink, by the end of the night, everyone sounds like they just stepped off the plane from Dublin anyway.
Draught Guinness is on tap, Harp is available as are all the usual European cans and bottles along with standard bar kitchen fare like hamburgers and chips.
The charm of this place is begun largely by the unusual neon sign which has always been an eye-catcher even when neon was more prolific, and extends to the original decor which, apart from the ATM, is pretty much original.
