Murph’s Bar

Comfortable place to spend the night. Staff is nice and crowd was great as well. They make a mean captain & Coke & Juke box is always poppin good tunes ! Deff would recommend this bar if you just want to relax and have a nice night !

Awesome Italian food! Homemade pasta. Everything was delicious. Great service also.

If we want some Italian home style food we go to Francesco to Murph’s! Always good! Just go and try it!

UPDATE: We went back last Wednesday and I think the food was even better than last time, if that’s possible. We got two specials. Mine was a pear and parmigiana stuffed fiocchi in a honey glaze. Oh. My. God. It was to die for. Definitely sweet and tasted almost like a dessert, and I loved it. Ate every bite. He got the veal tortellacci with truffle oil and walnuts over cappcollo, which was also delicious. He nearly licked the plate. The portions are huge and you’re definitely indulging, but it’s totally worth every last calorie. We hung out with Francesco again. We learned he actually cooked at Monsu, Modo Mio’s sister restaurant. He explained his love for making pasta and making it interesting enough that you can have only one item on the plate and not get bored with it. He doesn’t want the place to get too popular and he wants to keep the prices reasonable. He loves to talk to his customers and watching you clean your plate. He also gave us complimentary homemade limoncello. The guy is awesome. The food is top notch. Can’t wait to go back.

I love Murph’s. It is a nice, quiet place to get fresh and delicious Italian food. The specials are so hard to choose from because they all sounds amazing. I suggest going with a large group so that you can sample everyone’s meal. Tonight I had a sweet potato gnocchi and wanted to strangle the incredibly sweet chef just because I could not stop eating. That did not stop me, however, from trying some gelato dusted in coco powder. The back patio is a great place to eat during good weather, especially with some decent beer on tap.

The best Italian food in the city can be found in this divey Irish bar. The chef, Francesco, was also our extremely friendly server/​host. He explained to us every item on the menu and gave wonderful suggestions for wine and dessert! A lot of his ingredients, such as the pasta, are made in house, and I believe he also tries to source local ingredients as well. Best of all, the food came in huge servings and was fairly priced. You will not be disappointed!

Someone who hails from Philly told me to visit Beddia for great pizza when I headed up from a business trip to DC. But when my friend and I got there on a Friday afternoon, it still had three hours ’til it opened. We were scratching our heads about where to dine (she lives in a suburb and isn’t familiar w the eateries there and I live in Calif), a nice local guy asked if we needed help. When we told him we were in the mood for Italian, he pointed us across the street and a little down to Murph’s bar.
«Wha?» I thought (aloud, I think…)
«They’ve got a great Italian chef there. His name is Francesco. You’ll love the food. If you go, tell him Kevin says hi.»
So we walked over, still wondering how an Irish pub comes to have an Italian chef, and enter what by all appearances is indeed an Irish pub, with dark walls, and happy customers drinking brew and watching the ballgame. We asked if the bartender if they really have Italian food, and she confirmed this, so we went to the small back dining room, which looked like a better place to eat an Italian meal than bellying up to the bar. Within a couple of minutes, who should greet us with a beaming smile but Francesco himself. He was warm, gracious, and fun as we spoke with him about Kevin, our trip, and the menu, and I attempted to speak Italian. My friend got a special — lobster ravioli with other shellfish and thingies I can’t eat bc I’m allergic; he threw in some shrimp for good measure — and I got chicken parmesan.
We ordered wine and when the food came we were both blown away by how fantastic it was and mostly by the homemade pasta! Mine was delectable orrechiette («little ears») and my friend’s ravioli pasta was also homemade. She said her seafood was also delectable. Yum yum yum!
What a find this place is! A hidden gem. Next time I’m in Philly I’ll be back. Hats off to Francesco, and a big thank-​you to Kevin for helping make my reunion with my friend even that much more memorable. Grazie tutti!

Amazing Italian food. Good selection of bottles and cans. Pretty laid back. Staff is friendly and helpful. Screens in here if you want to watch a game, not everywhere if you don’t.

Easily the best Italian on Girard. Yes, I know Modo Mio is a few blocks down but…
The ambiance leaves a lot to be desired. I loved Murph’s for being a great hole in the wall. Now I love it so much more.
My husband and I walked past the patrons bellied up to the bar doing shots and screaming obscenities to sit in the back room for dinner. It was incredible! We’ve traveled to Italy many times and Francesco is a man who knows what he is doing.
Go with an open mind and leave with a desire to come right back. Go now!

We stumbled on Murph’s bar by accident. In town for a conference. We had the best night! The combination of Irish bar and THE MOST AMAZING Italian food was perfect. Francesco really looked after us, and we ate like kings. The highlight of my trip to Philly. Thank you.

It’s Friday night and we were looking for good dinner. Checked all our usual Fishtowns places and wanted something new! So walked by the Murphs and saw specials, walked in, looked at the menu and decided to think about outside. Then the couple walked out and started to tell us how food is good! They told us don’t pay attention that it’s Irish pub just tried Francesco’s food! So we walked back and met Francesco, ordered it and of course we didn’t regret! Awesome cheese plate for unbelievable affordable price; stuffed eggplant, beef braciola were just perfect! So must try it! Service is friendly and nice!

Discovered this place by chance and was blown away by Francessco’s food. It’s real deal Italian in an Irish pub. Prices are very, very fair. They were also extremely nice. Buon Gusto!

Fine bar, has that «neighborhood bar» feel. if the company you keep is enough to engage you throughout your evening, this bar will do just fine. Drink specials are solid and the atmosphere is up to par. If the overcrowded bars in the neighborhood are exhausting to you like it is for me… this is the place to take refuge.

My friends and I have been going to Murph’s for years as a bar. They have great atmosphere and it’s pretty low key. Recently they got a new chef and the food is amazing. I am in awe the quality of food we got and the prices were more than reasonable. The chef cares so much about each plate and wants each customer to be happy. I would recommend Murphs for a great meal for a great price and personalized service!

Murph’s has turned over a new leaf. They remodeled the divey dining room, and added a cute little outdoor dining area with picnic tables in the back yard.
Now let’s talk about the food, because they rebooted the kitchen, too. They have a new Italian chef, Francesco. (He used to cook at Modo Mio.) Wonderful, fresh, Italian food, with pasta made from scratch. We split the calamari for an appetizer, and I had cavatelli with meatballs for the entrée. Everything was SO good, including the cannoli. (And cheap — dinner for two with drinks for $ 50!) I’m torn between sharing and keeping this new dinner option to myself, but I’m opting for good karma.

Went to Murph’s for my bachelor party, nice little place and recently started some Italian food cooked by my cousin, who is from Italy, and his food is really good.
Worth the trip.

If I lived in Philly, Murph’s would have a new regular. I like the idea of ‘come as you are’ with a dive bar feel that still has a sense of caring what the bar looks. In other words, it’s not high class here, but it’s not a total dump either. My first visit was a month or so ago since I originally went for drinks at Murph’s, but I still remember enjoying my time here. I was with a large group and it was a great hideaway from the crowds. The music was fun, drinks were good and there wasn’t the high maintenance attitude that you might find elsewhere on a weekend night.

Murph’s falls on the more traditional end of the Fishtown spectrum. I wouldn’t call it a dive bar, but rather a good representation of a neighborhood bar, though it is near the entertainment district of Frankford Ave. It’s actually quite nice having it as an alternative to some of the other establishments in the area. No nonsense and local brews at a damn fair price. While few would ever consider Irish pub fare to be culinary masterpieces, the food is delightfully and surprisingly enjoyable and satisfying. The only way you could grab a drink with less pretense and in a more relaxing environment is in your own living room.
I’m writing this because they deserve it, however, I’m hesitant because I don’t want this place to be ruined! So behave ;-)

One time, like 5 years ago, I went on a date here, and it resulted in a very long and misguided relationship. I feel like Murph’s is probably a spawning ground for such things.
The beers are cheap, and the food is terrible. We need places like this in the world, just like we need people who want to pump gas in NJ; we’d be stranded without them.

Three and a half stars. You had me at «hockey bar» but lost me at «Flyers.» Totally bizarre for me to be drinking in enemy territory, but a good time was had… even on a non-​Quizzo night. Attentive service for everyone while we chatted up our fellow barmates. Our bartender recommended the Washington Apple shots, which were not too sweet and an alright break from our beers. Extra kudos to her for trying to be my buddy’s wingman after she misread the situation.
Bartender: «So what brings you into town?»
Me, turning to pat my friend on back: «It’s my buddy’s birthday this week.»
Bartender: «Ohhhh.» And unbeknownst to me, shoves her finger into her other hand’s thumb/​index ring in the international sign of getting it on.
Friend, shaking his head in response to her: «No, no.»
Me, slightly annoyed and still looking at my friend: «Uh, yes… that’s why I came up here!»
Bartender, winking: «Better let her have what she wants!»
Me: «Haha! Wait, what?»
Friend: «Oh god, I’ll explain later…»
Yeah, I see myself being a regular here if I lived nearby, even with last decade’s buttrock constantly cycling through the jukebox. Laid back and friendly atmosphere, and much less crowded than Johnny Brenda’s.