159 1st Street
Price of a Guinness: $8.00 | Overall Rating: 8.0
A fascinating pub on a busy street in New Jersey. Mulligan's Pub is one that caters to most, but not to all. It puts a heavy amount of its attention on the Premier League (European Soccer), so if you're not into "futbol" and you have zero tolerance for people under the age of 40 then this pub may not tickle all of your fancies.
Don't get the wrong idea, however, if you're looking for a fun Irish Pub within the Hoboken area then this will surely give you what you crave. The decor is splendid, the bartenders come with brogues (sometimes), and the atmosphere is a rather cozy one. Aside from the TVs, they provide 3 steel tip dart boards as well as one pool table in the back along with a small second bar for when it gets crowded.
Don't get too excited about the darts though... as they provide the Winmau Blade 6, rather than the favorited; Blade 5. Anyone who throws darts religiously will know what I'm talking about.
They served an average pour of Guinness with a price tag of $8.00. Unless you're a total snob then the whiskey selection will serve you just fine. One of the neatest cosmetics that you will surely notice while sitting alongside the bar is the plethora of futbol scarves. I didn't bother to count, but as you can see there is a huge array of neat scarves hanging from the ceiling.
The wall decor does not disappoint by any means and the dark colors provide the room with a cozy vibe. The foyer upon entry has beautiful French windows and offers a warm welcome. They have a few other unique gems such as a phone and a coin operated breathalyzer!
Let's chat about a couple of the blemishes while visiting Mulligan's. While we were throwing darts on the Winmau Blade 6... behind us was the stairwell that led to the bathrooms. As I make my way down the stairs I notice I guy about 5 steps below me puking on the stairway itself. He proceeds to walk back to his friends at the pool table to which he continued drinking while not informing any of the bar staff about his projectile practices. Now, this of course isn't the bar's fault... however it did happen right in front of my face while I happened to be there. Does this happen often at Mulligan's? Who's to say it doesn't after that experience.
Some more small potato casualties would be that the patio is tiny and compact, it often has a college crowd feel to it, and it's a luck of the draw with the bartending staff. One funny thing that happened with our bartender was when a small group of college kids came up beside us and asked for Green Tea Shots. He responded "no you're getting Jameson". As he was pouring the shots Liverpool FC had scored and as he placed the shots on the bar he said "they're on me". So that was a fun thing to witness.
Mulligan's is a fun place to watch sports, eat food (although I did not indulge in the grub), chat with locals, and throw a few darts. I recommend stopping by if you're in Hoboken with an hour or two to kill, although I may not go as far as to say "you gotta come to this pub if you're nearby". It makes our Highest Rated Pubs list with a worth 8.0, which is a bigger compliment than some folks may give the place. Go Liverpool!
Slainte!
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