Spirit of Aloha | Articles | Adventures in Dining | March/April 2005

Adventures in Dining
By Lance Tominaga

Where Good Sports Hang Out

Marion and Don Murphy PHOTO: BRETT UPRICHARD

Don Murphy recalls the time he asked a friend who worked for a long-distance telephone service to look up every Murphy’s Bar & Grill in the United States. “There were tons of them,” he says. “There were literally hundreds of them—maybe even a thousand!”

Indeed. There’s a Murphy’s Bar & Grill in Boulder, Colo., and there’s one in Worcester, Mass. There’s a Murphy’s in Las Vegas. Another one in Carbondale, Ill. And Athens, Ga.

But as far as kama‘äina are concerned, there’s really only one Murphy’s Bar & Grill. The downtown Honolulu establishment—much like its owner—is one of a kind.

Opened in 1987, Murphy’s is equal parts Irish pub, sports bar, family restaurant and business hangout. Murphy himself likens it to a cross between an East Coast saloon and a home-style diner. “We serve pretty basic food. I suppose it’s comfort food,” he says. “We’ve become pretty popular with the locals, because they know they can come here and get a decent meal at a reasonable price.”

That Murphy’s is also a hot spot for serious sports aficionados isn’t surprising. Murphy himself is one of Hawai‘i’s biggest sports fans. He is the president of the Nä Koa Football Club, which is the primary fund-raising organization for the University of Hawai‘i football program. “When we first opened, we were one of the first places in Hawai‘i with a satellite dish that wasn’t a Korean bar or strip club,” he says, laughing. “Then, about 10 years ago, I decided to get involved with UH sports. It’s just kind of grown from there.”

Housed in a century-old brick building anchored by white stucco pilasters, Murphy’s doesn’t offer the 50-inch big-screen TV sets or sporty décor you might see at larger sports bars. Instead, the eatery scores big where it most matters: a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, friendly service and a winning menu.

Of course, wherever you sit, a TV set is conveniently nearby. During the break between ESPN Sportscenter and a college basketball telecast, I managed to scour Murphy’s menu like a scouting report, eventually deciding on the grilled rib-eye steak ($14.50), with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. My dinner companion, who isn’t a sports fan, quickly chose the fresh Atlantic salmon ($13), blackened and served with rice and veggies.

My steak was exactly the way I like it: tender, juicy and richly flavored. It was also a generous cut, about 14 ounces. I’ve eaten here several times, but it was the first time I tried the rib-eye. It’s a sure winner. My friend raved about her salmon, and the portion was large enough that she, too, asked for a take-home box. At least, I think she did. All I know is that San Diego State was killing Colorado State.

Although we were full, we decided to go “overtime” and try one of Murphy’s popular desserts, the apple crisp à la mode ($4). Among Hawai‘i’s deep roster of after-dinner treats, it’s definitely a high draft pick. (Next time, we’ll try the macadamia nut pie.)


Other dinner entrées include grilled pork chops, fresh Island 'ahi, Gaelic New York steak and fish 'n' chips. Weekly specials feature items such as miso-glazed salmon, penne pasta Bolognese, chicken marsala, pan-fried lamb chops and filet mignon. Entrées are priced from $8.25 to $16.50.

The most likeable part about Murphy's, perhaps, is the owner himself. This sports fan is, without question, a good sport. He uses his restaurant to host numerous charity events, including the Pigskin Pigout, an annual fund-raiser for UH football that has raised about $850,000 since Murphy started the event in 1996. "I've lived in about 20 cities, and there's no one with a bigger heart than Murphy," UH football coach June Jones has said. "When they made him, they broke the mold."

During the 2004 World Series, Murphy painted the wall that separated his bar and main dining room a dark green to match the Boston Red Sox's famed "Green Monster" wall in left field. His wife, Marion, then painted silhouettes of fans watching from the stands. Patrons paid $20 to have their photos taken and placed on the wall, and that meant $700 for the Hawai'i Children's Cancer Foundation.

One of our favorite nights of the year is Ronald McDonald Gift Night," says Murphy. "That's when we invite all our customers to show up with a gift, and we wrap presents for the children staying at the Ronald McDonald House. Murphy adds: "We really feel fortunate that we've got a great venue to do all this. My wife and I both enjoy doing it. It's fun. The community's been so good to us, and this is our way of giving back."

Score another one for Murphy's.

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