106 1st Street
Guinness Tag: $8.00 | Overall Rating: 6.05
Today's Dedicated Pint: Oreo. Hoboken, NJ.
If you're stumbling through Hoboken and hell-bent on experiencing both the Irish culture as well as sports, then The Shannon may scratch your itch. Don't get too excited though, as it's not proper and you'll find a fair share of "bros". Hoboken isn't for everyone, however, what's one type of crowd that fits well in these streets? The college crowd. With a lovely name like The Shannon, it's certainly worthy of stepping into at least once.
When you walk through the door of this place you're greeted with high-top tables to your left and the bar on your right. The front room where the bathrooms, pool table, and bar counter provides a cozy atmosphere on a cold sunny afternoon. They serve Guinness the right way and the pours are not only consistent, but they're also one of the best in the immediate area. The signage on the walls is fantastic, ranging from authentic sports decor, pictures of notable people, and charming novelties like a hanging bicycle right in the middle of the bar.
Sitting at the bar you'll have no problem finding a friendly face behind the counter and there always seems to be a conversation at hand. The last time we grabbed a barstool here we met the best bar-mate ever: Oreo, the coolest pooch in Hoboken! Cheers to you, handsome fella.
The whiskey selection is pretty weak, and the beer choices are average. The sports bros around here don't need much to keep them entertained as it seems, so long as they have their TVs, jukebox, and bar games such as pool, cornhole, and Connect 4. The bathrooms aren't too gross, however, let's just say that you won't want to plop any potatoes unless it's desperately needed.
You'll notice a large room in the back behind the first pool table. In there, you'll come across less cozy and more "bro'zy". At night you'll embrace a DJ and a dancefloor with a club atmosphere pumping through your veins. Not the biggest selling point for a Craic Addict, but hey; at least it's in its own separate room.
At the end of the day, this doesn't get much of a recommendation. Sure, you can enjoy yourself here, especially during football season. If you're looking for a worthy Irish Pub in the area, then you should definitely consider bending the elbows at Willie McBride's instead. If you're in the mood for some pool/darts and sports, and don't mind the heavy college crowd then you'd be better off at Mulligan's across the street, although The Shannon gets the job done if you're not too hard to please. As for us, despite having a fun time as always; we may not ever be back at this one.
Slainte!
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