This is the best place to jam with local Celtophiles in the middle of an over-blarneyed pub. It's set inside one of Hobart's oldest buildings.
Irish Murphy's takes the classic Irish pub theme and breaks it right down to its fundamental elements. Charred wooden beams, Guinness on tap, dark interiors, cask barrels on racks, Gaelic fonts and hearty dinners are all combined to create the prescribed Irish chain experience.
This Salamanca venue is a great pub in great location (although it beats me why they did a faux ye olde fit-out inside one of Hobart's best genuine ye olde sandstone buildings). That said, it's certainly a friendly and warm spot for a drink or a casual meal, and the Irish theme is consistent throughout. Expect a real craic house.
The restaurant is weighted towards affordable pub grub rather than nouvelle cuisine. It serves the sort of food that you want to eat between bouts of downing beers. The staff call themselves 'drinking consultants' and the main priority is definitely the booze. Live music also features six nights a week, which is commendable. Gigs range from acoustic sessions to open mic nights.
Murphy's is positioned right in Hobart's tourist market and dockside entertainment district, and it is also set close to Parliament House. On a quiet day you can grab a pint in a window booth, listen to
Dirty Old Town and watch the pollies and tourists passing by. A good spot, to be sure.
Robert Stevenson
