Mc Govern’s Tavern

Hands down my favorite bar. I come here about every week or so. Mike and Moe are some amazing bartenders. The drafts rotate so some great seasonal ones come in! Happy hour is a great time and they have daily specials on food. Definitely recommend using the touch tunes juke box to get a good energy flowing.

Mo it’s worth the lack of windows and 80s era projection TV in main bar. Food is average but fast and service is great burgers and chicken tenders are go to’s.

Needed a place to watch the game and came across this cool place. Drinks are reasonably priced and the staff is fun to chat with. I will come back soon. I would like to check out there happy hour menus.

This place is a must-​go, especially when you live/​are going to school in University Heights. It’s a very homey and friendly spot. There’s tons of cool memorabilia from police and Newark used as decoration, so there’s always something to look at. Mo, the bartender — is the best. He remembers everyone and builds positive relationships with them but simultaneously upholds the value of the business. You’ll often see a lot of students and professors here — mostly from the Rutgers Newark Law School on weekdays. But there’s plenty of space for everyone, every day and night of the week! Fries are fantastic, and their veggie burger is on point as well. Great place to hang out, great place to grab a bite, and also a great place to get drunk if that’s what you’re into.

This place is ok for a lunch or if you want to experience an old Irish bar. It’s nothing special food-​wise though. I went there for lunch. They were very busy, so the server warned us to order quickly before it gets even more packed. I had the beef barley soup (it was ok — lots of barley, little beef, and the beef was ground beef rather than the beef chunks I’m used to but flavor-​wise, not bad). I also had the grilled chicken house salad. The chicken was good but the veggies were wilted and didn’t taste that great. The cherry tomatoes were soft and sour. The lettuce looked unwashed and dry. The baby carrots were sad. Raw broccoli — not a fan. If you’re hungry and in the area — go. But maybe avoid busy lunch time.

Best bar around, great food, great service! Best bartenders around Mo and Kevin rock you always feel at home its kinda like cheers. If your hungry they make a kiss ass tuna wrap, no lie its the best I’ve ever had.

This place was fun! We came here for the first time with two other couples for play trivia on a Tuesday. Anthony, who was running the trivia was so much fun. The Bar area was pretty small so we got a drink at the bar and moved to a table in the other room. I wish there were servers walking around, and maybe on busier nights, there are. But we had to get up and order our food at the bar and then we sat back down and they brought it to us. It took a while for them to come back to get the empty dishes, but it obviously wasn’t a fancier bar because they serves us on Styrofoam plates with plastic utensils. Id come back here again because the atmosphere was fun and trivia was alot of fun.

I love Newark. And this is my favorite bar (well, Irish pub) in Newark. It doesn’t look like much from the outside; it actually looks like some dingy building but when you walk inside, you arrive to McGovern’s with your Irish pub flair. Most importantly, you have some of the coolest bartenders in town (shoutout to Mo for being the best of them all!) and you’re bound to see some familiar faces from Rutgers and NJIT.
The kitchen is pretty top notch and stays open till pretty late (midnight, I believe). They have great burgers, sandwiches, fries, and wings.
It’s always a good time at McGovern’s and it’s the #1 choice of an evening hangout with my friends. :D

Great bar food. Best with Sam Adams.

The Story: Change of pace from our usual Thursday night trivia at Crow’s nest. Heard a lot of good things about this place but that was probably what set it up for failure.
Food: I always order a water with lemon my very first time at the bar. It’s to test if the bartender is a good one or not. They failed — lets say I ran out of water and had to wait for the ice to melt and drink that. Foodwise — I got the chicken tenders with sweet potato fries (again — highly recommended) but it fell short. The tenders were over done and very hard to eat and the fries are so cruncy to the point of hurting my gums.
Price: Price is average for bar food.
Décor: They have cute street signs all over the bar.
Service: I felt ignored and flagging down someone was too much of an effort.
Parking & Finding the Place: Near Rutgers and NJIT — I can see this place being a local bar for a lot of college students.
Additional Thoughts: I never liked the bar scene and this is the prime example why. I went to play trivia but instead the music was so loud that I couldn’t hear the trivia question and you got a bunch of college kids screaming at the top of their lungs and girls going «OMG» this and «OMG» that. Tip in life: not everything is so extreme yo.
I will *NOT* be coming back here — even if you paid me a million bucks.

My never fail, go-​to on the Rutgers-​Newark campus! Everyone should try the lava fries!

LOVE and miss this place. I use to live across from here, and it literally was my favorite place to go to. Its a dive bar, and its nothing fancy, but yet it pulls you in and I always end up having a great time. They have the best beers on tap, and also their tap actually tastes super clean as well. Mo is my favorite bartender ! Hes great. He always makes you feel welcome, and greets you right when you walk in the door. Hes funny, and a character. Oh also, the food, is amazing. You wouldn’t think bar food can be good, but their signature lava fries are AMAZING. Their pizza is pretty solid too, and usually have it until 12am, which is good when you start hungry after drinking. They have really good chilli too ! you really won’t regret this place. Come here with friends, come here by yourself ! Either way, you’ll enjoy it

Ok, let me start out by saying I am not a fan of bars where I can’t have conversation due to blaring music, or bars where there is music blaring while 20 tv’s are covering every bit of wall space playing 10 different sporting events, 5 reality shows and 5 news channels. If you like the trend in ridicules impersonal loud and visually ADHD HDTV then this is NOT your bar… STAY AWAY!!! Mc Governs’s has one projection screen that they will pull down if there is an event of interest and it will display without sound. The good news for the buffalo wings sports bar lover is that there are thousands of other places you can go to be hip and deaf.
I have been going to Mc Govern’s for about 12 years now when I feel like having a beer at an unpretentious neighborhood watering hole. It’s walls are historically rich with old painted and darkened varnished murals instead of flashy TV screens. Souvenirs of retired police and firemen helmets along with other artifacts from the local working class are exhibited throughout. At it’s core, Mc Govern’s is a traditional Irish pub and reminds me of the classic American taverns one would find in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. That said, it does have some of the bells and whistles of more modern hip establishments with offerings of incredible bar food at reasonable prices and a respectable selection of tap beers which evolve seasonally. The working class crowd here mixes with the ever changing college crowds (the ones with good taste who still know how to socialize). The patrons who frequent this place are culturally diverse and represent a slice of Newark’s finest. In short, come here to socialize, make connections, be served by great bar tenders, and enjoy the real McCoy before it’s gone!

Uh ohhhhhh ! Just hearing the word mcgoverns means it’s going to be a great night. Always a nice crowd especially on Tuesday and Thursday nights. I go to school near by and always meet up with friends here. Always a mix of young recently 21 year olds, alumni, and then the undergrads making noise. Bartenders always know who to serve in order so wait your turn. Drinks are great and free shots are often if you have a good time with the bartenders. Mo always hooks it up, food is alright but this isn’t a place to eat at. More for the drinks and good people around. Back room has enough space for when things get a little live. Always a great time coming here.

Came here before a NJPAC show. The place is very non-​descript from the outside. We had trouble even finding the entrance! But, once you walk in, the place is a very welcoming place. Kevin was the bartender and he was very nice and recommended some food choices. The Dubliner was great and burger with Taylor Ham was good too.
I would say this a really good dive bar (not really a negative). I’d come here again in a second. Just don’t expect fancy. Great place for a good beer on tap and some good bar food.

Stopped by for a few drinks right before hitting NJPAC. It’s a typical Irish pub, decorated with pictures of locals and funny bar signs. I came during happy hour, but the deals aren’t very good, just $ 1 off the domestic macro brews.
They do have a decent tap selection though, and prices weren’t bad. The service was good, my bartender checked on me as soon as my drink was running low and got my food out quickly.
I ordered a Scully burger with a side of Irish fries. It was nice that I got my burger medium rare as requested, but the food was pretty average for a bar.
I liked it just fine, but wouldn’t go out of my way to visit.

Nice standard bar with great food and many choices on tap. Their buffalo chicken wraps are amazing and their wings are underrated. However, keep in mind that if u come with a group, they dont allow u to split the check unless youre sitting at the bar. I think this is a little cheap on the restaurant’s part for not wanting to swipe more cards. Its around a college campus! there will be tons of groups of students that will ask to split the check.

This is a solace for any RU law or grad student. Literally a hop, skip and jump away from the law school building. A happy dive! Cheap beer and pub food. Will always hold fond memories of this place.

Great place to go for a beer and some good ol’ bar eats. The décor is eccentric but overall has a chill atmosphere. The bartender/​service was great. The taps are clean, my beer was extremely tasty and the food wasn’t too shabby either!
We had nachos to start — the chili on was good and plenty of jalapeño’s — right up my alley. I had the buffalo chicken wrap with ranch instead of blue cheese. The buffalo sauce wasn’t overly spicy yet still had a good kick to it. The fries were awesome as well, slightly crunchy on the outside, yet perfectly fluffy on the inside.

This place is so unapologetically great. First of all, from the outside, you don’t see anything but a run down corner building that could easily be a liquor store, apartment, billiards spot, or many other less than savory joints. It could also be, and is, the simplest of facades housing the simplest of bars inside.
This is as American bar as you can get and a great stop after work and escape from Newark. Get a Guinness and some regular bar food and you’re set to watch a game or just relax with some friends.
Food — nothing exceptional. You’ll be satisfied by the standard bar food quality that is expected of a college scene bar.
Service — I don’t really remember being helped until I helped myself while we were seated. I think most people tend to stay at the bar or in the front room and that’s what I would suggest.
For a place that hosts mostly college students, it has acceptable food, not so great service, good vibes and good beer.

Since I have gone to undergrad and grad-​school in Newark there is no way I cannot mention this joint. This will be a place I miss when I leave Newark. The outside is nothing but the inside is a very traditional Irish pub with an assortment of Celtic novelties and a collection of fireman and police paraphernalia.
As for drink selection it is the usual. Its definitely the spot for a Newcastle or Guinness. They will get some seasonal and craft brew on tap but they mainly have staples.
This place also has some of the best food around. Soups are delicious as are their burgers and fries. I recommend the Cajun provolone burger with Irish fires (fries with melted cheese and bacon).
Employees are very nice. If you want a real experience go on a Thursday or Friday afternoon to meet Scully. He’s one of the owners and gives the place a realnpub feel with his brogue and penchant for breaking into song.
Times to stay away are Thursday nights during the semester due to the recently 21 year-​olds comingn in to get blasted.

This bar is just like the bar from the TV show «Cheers»…oh wait, no it’s not. It’s hard to figure out where to start this negative 4 star review.
Service: Don’t mess with the bartenders here, they graduated middle school and don’t have to take lip from anyone! It’s amazing these bartenders don’t just start humping a random doorknob, these bartenders are about as clinically braindead as it gets. You’ll wait for years before you finally catch the attention of one of the bartenders that work here, just so you can place your order for one of their awful-​tasting beers.
Drinks: The beers taste awful.
Food: The standards for bar food are already pretty low, but this piece of excrement-​in the-​rough just brought the standards even lower. The food here tastes terrible, just terrible.

Solid Food & Good People
McGovern’s Tavern is a Rutgers-​Newark campus staple that is loved and frequented by many! I can always depend on McGovern’s to be consistently consistent when it comes to the food, drinks and service. This is the go-​to bar on campus for a quick bite to eat, a drink and a great time!
–Price: $ 10 – 17 per person (food & drink)
–Screams: Irish Bar, College Hangout, Jersey/​NY Proud
–Cool Beans: McGovern’s was open during Hurricane Sandy
–Ambiance: Laid back, unpretentious, friendly neighborhood bar
–Frequented By: Rutgers-​Newark & NJIT students, staff/​faculty and visitors, police officers, alums and tons of loyal regulars
–Good For: Groups, catching up with friends and eating some decent bar grub
–What To Order: Burgers, fries, beverages/​cocktails, any fried foods, wings. The sweet potato and lava fries are incredibly delicious!
–Service: Dedicated staff that take pride in their job, bar, city and the state of NJ
–Best Nights: Tuesday (Trivia Night), Wednesday & Thursdays
–Tip: $ 10 Minimum for credit/​debit cards