Irish Pubs on the Upper West Side of Manhattan

The Upper West Side of Manhattan has a number of great Irish pubs. In comparison to its cousin neighborhood, the Upper East Side (which has its own share of great Irish pubs), on the other side of Manhattan, the Upper West Side is known for a liberal and more casual attitude on things and one of the ways in which this is expressed is through its restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Just as the area has a number of great and stylish pizza restaurants, upscale Irish pubs fit the Upper West Side like a glove. The following are the best Irish pubs on New York's Upper West Side.

The Dead Poet
450 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, New York

Rarely, if ever, does a place combine a true Irish pub feel with a highbrow literary sense, but the Dead Poet manages to do so. Founded by a former high school English teacher, the Dead Poet is delightfully decadent (if you drink enough beers over the course of years you can get your name on a plaque behind the bar) while still paying homage to great literary figures of the past through striking black and white artwork, profound quotations and a quest for the meaning of life through literature. And Guinness, of course. This place is fun, comfortable and somehow manages to take itself seriously while also laughing at the itself at the same time. The food is good, though not TOO good, lest it detract from good conversation and a pint, or a hundred pints, of beer.

The Dublin House
225 West 79th Street
New York, New York

I'm too young to truly remember 1970's New York, and the Dublin House goes all the way back fifty years before that. Opened sometime in the mid 1920's, this place is as much a time capsule as it is an Irish pub. Walking in here, with its antiquated layout and decor, you will truly feel what New York, or at least drinking New York, felt like all those years ago. This place attracts an older and generally polite crowd during the week and weekend days. At night, there is definitely a younger crowd and the distinction is dramatic between the two experiences. While in recent years the Dublin House has been cleaned up a bit, the soul remains. This is a bar for serious beer drinkers who can do without the frills and extras.

George Keeley's
485 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, New York

It's been said that George Keeley's offers the best burger on the Upper West Side. While there's no absolute way to determine that, this Irish pub standard definitely deserves to be in the conversation. This is a place that opened in 2002 and is clearly a labor of love for its founder as all the details are taken care of here without losing sight of the fact that it's a place that people come to relax and enjoy a day with a few pints. There is such a wide selection of beer here that they have built a club around it; if, over time, of course, you drink 100 pints of beer from all over the world (and meet a certain quota from each country) you will be immortalized and made part of the club. This is also a very popular dart bar. Food, great beer, televisions and darts. What else could you ask for?

McAleer's
425 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, New York

McAleer's claims to be the oldest family owned and operated bar in New York City. Opened in 1953, they have managed to change with the times without losing the original charm. The lunch specials here are priced extremely competitively and the ongoing beer and drink specials fit well within the smallest of budgets. The food generally is solid but basic, though the wings are extremely good.

The Parlour
250 West 86th Street
New York, New York

The Parlour is a good place in terms of beer selection, good food, layout (it's not cramped) and has a good room for a private party. Is it completely authentic as an Irish pub? It is, but doesn't really seem so at first glance. But the food does have some decent Irish offerings (try the Shepard's Pie) and it's a big soccer bar that attracts many looking to watch and enjoy a pint.