Irish Times

I brought my family here before a recent event at Madison Square Garden and we were all very happy. The food was very good & reasonably priced, the service was good, & the place was roomy with a fun atmosphere. It was a little noisy the time we went, but there was an event at the Garden so that's to be expected, but it was still a good atmosphere for a family dinner if you don't mind speaking up some. But it was *not* a bar-only atmosphere, definitely more restaurant than bar crowd. There are a variety of big screens to make it a great option for a sporting even too (although we weren't there for that). One of the best things is the variety of options - from traditional pub/Irish fare (fish & chips, Shepard's Pie, Bangers & mash, etc) to NYC standards (reuben, corned beef sandwich, etc) to bar food (nachos, wings, chili) to standard American options (burgers, wraps, salad, etc) to even some upscale options (Gorgonzola Salad, Atlantic Salmon, etc). There's something for everyone no matter your tastes or mood. Definitely recommended if you're looking for good food near MSG for a reasonable price, as long as you're not looking for a quiet experience (again, not *too* loud, but it wasn't quiet). more

Friendly staff, good drinks. Zero complaints. Didn't get the chance to try the food. Across from Penn station so it is good for a quick tullymore dew. more

Great atmosphere nice staff and a great place to go while waiting for the LIRR. really reasonable prices and strong drinks. You would be a fool not to just stop in and grab a brew or two. more

On the 7th Rangers’ hockey playoff game versus the Senators, my friend and I dined at The Irish Times at... more

On the 7th Rangers’ hockey playoff game versus the Senators, my friend and I dined at The Irish Times at W.31st St. and 8th Ave. We were assured b... more

As others have written, this place could have been a contender. Right across the street from MSG, nicely decorated, seems to have it all. Except a soul. When you open an Irish pub in Manhattan, it's best not to have large flashing Bud Light and Coors Light signs in the window. Also, your staff should reflect the hospitality for which Ireland is legendary, and not the indifference for which too many places in NYC have become known. more

What a flawless bar. The setting is perfect. How ever The tall lanky crusty old bartender on left side has to be the worst I have ever encountered. If you have only one night off do not waste it on this place. Good riddance more

When Irish Times first opened up I was excited to have a new local spot so close to where I work. It was brand new, clean and nice atmosphere. It's big and roomy and has plenty of HDTVs all over the bar. I'm a person who enjoys a drink or two after a hard day of work, and it was nice to have a new local spot so close to our job. Often we would go there in large groups to celebrate a work occasion or just to gather for an after work Happy Hour to unwind after a stress full week. However, after about a year of giving them plenty of business and becoming a “regular” at the bar I began to realize that the place isn’t really what it is cracked up to be. \r \r Let me start off by saying that the service was always excellent and professional… At first the staff was very friendly & accommodating. But then I gradually noticed that they all started to become distant. Eventually a few of the bartenders & waitresses confided to me that management suggested that they do NOT become friendly with the customers. To me, this was a very odd way for management to run their business. I have frequented many bars and I am usually a big fan of the local neighborhood Irish Pubs. They're usually the most friendly & accommodating. So it seemed very strange that they would chose to NOT want their staff to mingle with the customers? I was somewhat insulted! When I find a place with good bartenders & friendly staff then that is a place I would return over and over. The staff of Irish Times consisted of several friendly & outgoing people, so it was very apparent when they started ignoring us. Not only was that a turn off for me to continue being a regular customer… (after all, who wants to spend time at a bar where the staff is told to ignore you?)… But also it's not fair to the workers who are working hard & giving great service but are unable to develop good relations with their customers which will affect the amount of money they can earn. \r \r Also, being that I would often bring in a large crowds of co-workers, it would have been nice on occasion to receive a buy back round…Now, I understand that a “buy back” is somewhat a thing of the past in many of the Manhattan after work bars… however, being that me & many of my co-workers were such regulars at the place it would have been nice to receive a drink now and then...especially on those nights that we would stay there for hours and spend 100’s of dollars on food and drinks. We would go to the bar at least once a week, sometimes twice, for almost 1 year straight…so would a free round of drinks to say “hey guys, thanks for your loyalty and business” be such a difficult thing to do? \r \r There were a few other instances as well but I am not going to list every incident. To sum things up… if you are looking for a place to hang out after work or perhaps a quick drink and bite to eat before an event at MSG, I would suggest you go to Blarney Stone around the corner. Irish Times did not appreciate our business and management often made us feel as if they were “annoyed” that we would come in so often. As for their staff, they were all great bartenders and my poor review is definitely NOT a reflection upon them. As for me and my co-workers, we hang out at one of the bars around the corner now… \r Pros: Excellent HDTV's Cons: Average food, poor management ... more

Such a pitty ,that a beautiful, new bar, with all the potential is not doing better... all because of bad managament... Abba or classical music playing all day (it might be Irish habit). Employees under constant stress to stay lined up at the door and trained not to bond with customers, that might eventually come back. ... I'm not even mantioning that you never see the same face twice. I use to be a regular for two months or so and I still felt like I walked in in a new bar. That place is cold... oh, NO BUYBACKS at all, that is FORBIDDEN!!! \r Well, I will leave the rest to you. It's a great location, lots of TVs with sports. I just hope that they will GET IT once!!!!\r PS. There are plenty good bars around in case you wonder why this one is emty!!! \r Good luck! Pros: Big Cons: Boring, no atmosphere more