Murph's Bar Reviews

Simply awesome. In Philly from Florida for nephews wedding. He recommended Murphs. Small but casual and sorta crowded but the service was awesome and the Italian food was super good. Meatballs, Ravioli and pasta simply the best. Dont let its outside fool you go in and eat ,,,,,enjoy.

Great restaurant. We had the octopus, pasta puttanesca, and pasts with eggplant and it was all delicious. Friendly staff, great wine pairings. Really a fun place for a group dinner, a date, or even dinner for 1. Highly recommend!

Irish pub with very good Italian food. Drinks are just okay. They use QR code for menu ( I rather not to look at my phone while I’m out and about ) Please bring paper menu back.

Murph's is a small neighborhood bar located in the Fishtown area of the city. The bar is a typical local bar, although the patrons and staff are very friendly & it is a fun place to have a drink and unwind. Now here's the surprise....... Murph's is an Irish Bar. However, for those in the know, they have a chef from Italy who prepares incredible Italian dishes in the small back room restaurant. There are only a few tables, and you might hear some foul language from the bar, but the food is nothing short of amazing. Everything - including the pasta- is home made fresh daily. Prices are extremely reasonable. Francesco ( the chef ) greets the customers then goes into the kitchen to cook. I have eaten at many 5 star restaurants, but the flavor combinations and the unique pastas are some of the best I have ever tasted. Portions are large. Save room for the home-made deserts that change weekly. This is not the place to go for a romantic dinner, and with the juke box and chatter conversation is tough. But if you want a different experience and GREAT food, give Murph's a try.

Good beer selection whether you like craft beers or just a simple light beer. Friendly staff, and for a small "dive" bar has some of the best Italian food in the city. Very reasonably priced - must pay cash for the food as an Italian cook makes the food in the kitchen as a separate entity. Absolutely delicious.

Best past I have ever had ! Don’t skip the fried burrata . Worth the visit . I would rate this place 10 stars if u could .

Stopped at Murph's because I heard their Chef from Italy made superb pasta. Ordered lobster ravioli and pumpkin gnocchi's. Both were fresh and so flavorful. Probably the best lobster ravioli I've ever had and each with a large shrimp on top. The pumpkin spiced gnocchi was so flavorful and fresh. Also had two glasses of wine and a Stella beer. Total cost for all - $45. I live in Bucks County and will definitely return

Home made pasta! We had been wanting to go here for awhile and snagged reservations for Valentine's day! Definitely do reservations, if you didn't have them it was a two hour wait, not saying the wait wouldn't be worth it. A small plce, great service and out of this world food!

My party of two arrived at 5:40 pm today. I gave my name as "Cara," and the hostess in a red hoodie (male) informed me that there was a 1.5-hour wait. I checked my phone to confirm that 7:00 pm was the reservation time, and he said that was correct. We arrived promptly at 7:00 pm, only to be told that all names on the list had been called and no more guests were being seated. The staff member simply said, "We're open tomorrow." We drove 40 minutes to get there, and this was the service we received. This is terrible customer service. There was no room to stand a wait as the place was packed. So I returned at the time your employee quoted, and you refused to honor my reservation. It is terrible customer service to expect people to drive 40 minutes only to be turned away again.

Murph's is an Irish bar in Fishtown where you'll have the best Italian food you didn't know you were missing. One night, my boyfriend and I wandered in after a few beers at another bar. The chef happened to be standing at the bar chatting with the bartender. Maybe he wanted to sober us up, or maybe he was delighted by the sight of two crazy kids; drunk, hungry and in love. The kitchen was closed, but he made us the best ravioli I've ever tasted. It was so good, we asked for more bread to sop up the extra sauce with. No shame at all.

Murph's is a tiny neighborhood bar in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia. It's easy to spot, if you know where to look. Most folks are going to zip right on past it, but if you're looking for one of the best Italian meals ever, you'll find a place to park along Girard or a side street and get yourself into Murph's. Warning: There are only a half dozen tables. At most, the place seats 16 in the restaurant. There are seats outside and in the bar, but even so, you may have to wait your turn. Don't worry, you'll be glad you did. Murph's hosts an Italian chef who prepares every meal beginning with going to the market for ingredients. He works in a tiny kitchen below the restaurant, but occasionally emerges to say hello to guests, all of whom want to thank him for a fabulous meal. There's a menu, but pay particular attention to the chalk board because that's where you'll find the featured meals. And don't worry, it doesn't matter what you order, you won't go wrong. Rarely would I ever order braciola because no one makes it like my grandmother used to make it -- well, now I can get it at Murph's! Some of the pastas are homemade, and the sauce (in Philadelphia they call it gravy) is rich and sweet. My dinner companions ordered steak and veal and everyone raved about their selections. We also enjoyed several desserts, but most are not prepared by the chef.

From the outside, Murph's looks like just your average neighborhood dive bar. What you wouldn't expect is that it houses a 1 man kitchen operation that puts out some of the best Italian dishes in the city. Francesco is the waiter, the chef, the busboy and sometimes your bartender, and he's amazing. The pasta is always fresh, there are daily specials that never disappoint, and there's always a little something extra thrown in. The meals are also incredibly priced ($10-12 for huge portions) It also doesn't hurt that you can get a draft beer for $2.50. The bar itself is nothing fancy, but the food is incredible and the people are always friendly. Love murphs!

Atmosphere is classic dingy old pub, food is incredible creative Italian for a very humble price tag. Outstanding

We wandered the streets of Fishtown well before catching a show at the Fillmore Philly. We initially passed by Murph’s because it honestly looks like a non-descript Irish, neighborhood bar. Not finding any place else to our desires we passed Murph’s again and were impressed after reading their specials. So, we took a shot and went in. I’m so glad we did! Our bartender was courteous and knowledgeable. When we had questions about the menu we were greeted by the owner/chef. He was honest (the calamari is frozen) and informative (he creates old world Italian dishes at an affordable price). He steered us to items after discussing what we liked to eat. We had some local brews and a good time at this “comfortable place to be.” I highly recommend this place!

Heard about this unique treasure and had to check it out. It may look like just a small local Irish bar but do not be fooled. Inside is a great neighborhood bar with a fantastic atmosphere, which includes an Elvis lamp and bar covered in pennies. But along with a great atmosphere is an incredible menu of Italian delights. Lisa, the charming hostess,suggested the mussels for an appetizer and we were so glad we took her suggestion. From talking to the regulars around us the lobster ravioli was a must try, so naturally we did! Amazing! The other entrees our party ordered were equally delicious. Can't wait to go back! Be sure to call for reservations and it is cash only. Oh, almost forgot to mention the prices are very reasonable!

Went to Murph's recently for dinner. While the name is Irish, the menu was totally Italian. The chef hails from Puglia in Italy, and the menu reflects that wonderful flavors of that region. The homemade pastas were delicious, and all four of us in our party tried three different ones. All were excellent. The stuffed zucchini flowers were the primary reason we went there because not many restaurants in the area have them. We were not disappointed. The food, atmosphere, and drinks were all of the reasons why we would return - and soon!

Amazing Italian food with a dive bar in the front. Everything is great - and the specials are almost overwhelming. Food is cash only, but drinks can be paid for with a card.

Who expects great Italian food in an Irish dive bar? (I mean that in the most positive way). I didn't, but I was wrong. I had the Gnocci Sorrentino and it was cooked perfectly and delicious. The desserts were also fantastic. The price for three of us was less than we usually pay for two. Don't miss this place.

We were in town visiting our daughter, she recommended this place, what a great recommendation! The place is small and is cash only, but that may be the only negative if you consider that negative. The service, food and prices are unbeatable! We can’t wait to return to the city and try something different at this gem! Make a reservation, this place is small.

Been coming here for years. Love the food. Learned to HATE the 'service' (in quotes for a reason). Tonight: 1. they stopped having paper menus, QR code only (really? who still does that?) 2. I had no internet so couldn't use the QR code. The waitress seemed clueless about it, so I THOUGHT she left to get me the wi-fi password (or some kind of help) 3. She then avoided us 4. Another woman came over to check on us and as I started to tell her the situation (I was a bit perturbed but not angry), instead of any kind of resolution, she started lecturing me on my tone. She literally cut me off and lectured me right away. The worst way to handle a customer w/ an issue BTW. 5. Despite this, I find a friend in the place so we can 'swap phones' and I can use his to do the QR. 6. As I am doing this, the 2nd woman (who apparently never worked with actual customers before...maybe she was a simple barmaid with attitude, who knows?) confronted me and told me to leave, in about as nasty a tone as possible. I told her I was resolving the situation to make to allright, but she insisted I leave and never come back OR that I stay seated at my table but that I'll never ever get served. 7. Shakened by this ordeal, I walk next-door to an actually NICE restaurant (with the nicest staff) AND great food, Hajimaru. Murphs lost a customer for life. And after all the years I spent talking up the place and spreading the word, too. I guess they're popular now so they don't care. Good food is never worth the abuse IMO.

My wife went there again and as always it delicious. When you walk into a bar called Murph's and you would expect Irish or bar food. The best Italian food around, the home made pastas are incredible. I had the Bronzino and my wife the lamb chops along with a few apps. All were great.

So this is just a little side street bar to the eye. Bar, some small hightops, and then a few tables in the back. You can take three strides and be on the other side of the bar. BUT the chef in the kitchen, (guy from Italy) is amazing! Literally order anything. You will not be disappointed. One of the absolute best Italian dishes I have ever had.

I just returned from 2 months in Italy and this restaurant has better Italian food.Really! The front of the bar is just what you would expect to see at 2nd and Girard but ohhh the back of the room is the treasure.Had lobster ravioli w shrimp and friend had bracciole.The one disappointment was the calamari appetizer .Having had calamari and octopus in Naples ,I know this appetizer should have been better.Think it was a frozen version instead of a what I had hoped to be a little less heavy handed on the bread crumbs.Perhaps grilled or lightly dusted ? I feel confident you know how to improve this dish since the others were perfetto! I'll be back ...

Despite the look and name, this is a really good Italian restaurant with authentic dishes, with plenty you've not had before and will enjoy. Went on a recommendation and not disappointed at all - I think it was formerly an Irish Bar in Fishtown so is long and narrow, lots of brickwork and a large bar down one side, high tables with stools down the other and tables at the back. As seating is limited and it is popular, there can be waits, but food is worth it. We shared fried burrata to start (very good), with Seafood Manicotti (basically cannelloni filled with a delicious mixture of lobster, scallops and shrimp, covered in a crabmeat sauce) and Tagliatele Bolognese (classic). Drinks menu is very good with lots of variety for both wine and craft beer. Make sure you go early as they sell out of the popular dishes.

Wow, really great authentic food. Hole in the wall bar with a small maybe 6 table restaurant. Outstanding menu, everything was fresh cooked to perfection and was delicious. Easily can compare to any South Philly restaurant. No frills service.

Came out for an early dinner with my family. Dinner was great, Irish name pasta meals that were awesome