December’s Pick of the Month goes to Murphy’s Sports Bar. The result of a major renovation of a massive auto garage, Murphy’s has plenty of space to feel comfortable while you watch your favorite game.

Murphy’s owner is no stranger to Astoria. Rory Murphy also helps run the Wolfhound, a classic Irish pub, across town. But this time around, Murphy wanted to do something different, and the task came with obstacles. “It took a long time. But the second I saw the space I thought, ‘I gotta do a sports bar,’” he said.

As far as the bar’s home team, it was a serious decision. Before his bar ever sold its first drink, Murphy was frequently asked if his establishment would commit to being for one team or another. Murphy recalled, “A lot of people saw the building, and people would contact me and ask if we would get behind the New York teams.”

However, after careful consideration, Murphy decided the bar wouldn’t identify with any one particular team, so you would never have to worry about showing up wearing the wrong jersey to your watch party. Murphy decided he wanted to embrace the entire community, “A thing I want to stand out is: be for everyone. And we like to see people who aren’t just out for sports.”

Carefully mounted high-definition screens are visible from just about everywhere. “We get all the channels we can. We show the World Cup and all of the soccer games. If we don’t have it, we’ll try to get it,” Murphy said. In addition, Murphy’s is ideal for your fantasy league games. “We open at 10am for the highly invested fans who would have had to go to Manhattan,” Murphy explained.

Whether you’re a true fanatic or a neutral fan, you can enjoy Murphy’s menu which is a mix of Irish, Spanish, and American food. “And we have awesome salads on the menu,” Murphy said. If you’re looking for value, get the $11 beer and burger during happy hour from 12pm to 6pm (Mon – Fri). For something more unique, ask for a spice bag: chopped crispy chicken tossed in a bag with spices, fries, peppers, and onions.

Even though the bar has come a long way, Murphy isn’t done tinkering. He outlined his vision for what’s to come, “Brunch is going to be starting soon. For winter, I’ll probably get something built out front. Our inaugural New Year’s party will be something special.”

As for his view of the neighborhood, Murphy is full of praise and wants people to know it, “Astoria has got a vibe like no other. The community had the patience for us to open. I’m very excited to see what the next years hold.”

45-01 23^rd Avenue / Phone: 347.242.3786 / murphysbarastoria.com / Yelp 4.0