McCarthy's Pub NYC — Restaurant in New York

We visited Manhattan and were staying at the Muse for a couple days. We passed by McCarthy’s many times on our way to and from Times Square/Subways. The wife and I stumbled in on what happened to be our 6th Anniversary. We figured we’d check it out since it was a stones throw from the hotel.. The authenticity and service of this place sets it apart from any other…

The Bangers and mash was excellent, as was the drunkin pretzel. The beer cheese sauce was amazing! The wings were also insanely good! Aside from the food, I liked that they had their own beers on tap. Their IPA and Amber were excellent!

Our bartender was Liam, and he immediately made us feel at home and welcome. He was super attentive and friendly, and even gave us some Irish history lessons, which was super cool. This service experience surpassed the vast majority of Restaurant experiences we’ve had in the past.

A couple days later we went to Rosie Dunn’s Irish pub since it was closer to the hotel we had switched to. The terrible experience we had there (not being attentive or checking on us. when it was super slow) made us appreciate McCarthy’s 100x more. We made the walk and it was most certainly worth it.

The second trip made us realize how consistent the service was. It was a different group working that night, but everyone was super cool and the food and service remained...

The service was horrible and extremely slow. The food was horrible and clearly reheated slop.

Avoid at all costs -- it is the worst restaurant I've experienced in the city.

Our entire meal took 2 hours. Our order was straightforward -- beers, an appetizer, and entrees. Despite reminding them what our order was, nothing moved until we explicitly asked where the food was after 45 minutes.

It still took another 45 minutes before our entrees would arrive and we got only vague excuses about "being really busy." Tables that arrived 30 minutes after us around us had received food, so clearly our order had not been put in or completely forgotten about.

The pretzel was clearly microwave crap and so was the cheese served with it. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich and it was also reheated through some means -- I am not sure if they even fried it there at any point. The bottom of the chicken breast was soggy and the batter had sloughed off -- clearly it had been reheated with that side down in an oven or microwave. The fixings on the sandwich were also subpar.

This is, without exaggeration, the worst restaurant I've been to in the city in my 3 years of living here. Nothing was comped despite complaints -- even for a Times Square establishment it manages to set a new standard...

If You’re Lucky Enough to Be Served by the Two Seans, You’re in for a Night to Remember

McCarthy’s is a great Irish pub in the heart of New York—but what truly made my experience unforgettable were the two bartenders named Sean. These guys are the heart and soul of the place. I’ve been to countless bars in NYC and beyond, and I can honestly say I’ve never had service like this.

Both Seans brought unmatched energy, personality, and professionalism to the bar. They made everyone feel like a regular, remembered names, gave amazing drink recommendations, and somehow managed to serve the entire bar effortlessly while still engaging with everyone like you were the only customer there.

It’s rare to come across bartenders who are not only incredibly skilled but also genuinely care about the vibe and experience of every guest. The two Seans are masters of their craft—funny, sharp, and absolutely legendary.

If McCarthy’s is lucky to have them, then any customer is even luckier to be served by them. These guys made my night. Cheers to the Seans—you two are...