Murphy's, Amman

MURPHY’S HOUSE OF ROCK: MUSIC IS MY RADAR

THE INITIALS:

LOCATION: Shat al Arab St.

Located on “Jewelry Street,” Um Uthaina, MURPHY’S is strategically situated near both businesses and residences. If you live in the area this makes for a great neighborhood bar, or if you’re making the commute for some bling shopping—for yourself or that special someone—MURPHY’S can help top off your day. 

DECOR: Classic rock.

MURPHY’S decor makes you miss the pre-Auto-Tune days of music, when you could decipher real instruments being played, and when songs were the product of talented musicians. Green and brick walls tastefully lined with rock posters, vinyls, and guitars, a central 360º bar, raised TV screens, and a corner pool table, all come together to make this a comfortable House of Rock.

THE ESSENTIALS:

DRINKS MENU: Diverse.

MURPHY’S might present itself as an Irish bar (Celtic designs on the front door and the typically Irish surname certainly point to this conclusion), but having Amstel rather than Guinness or Kilkenny on tap quickly diminishes this deduction. The selection of alcohol is otherwise varied, and you’re likely to find at least one of your drinks of choice among the plethora of bottles behind the bar.

EXECUTION OF DRINKS: Inebriating.

Not that many people would find this a negative, MURPHY’S drinks pack a serious punch. Whether it’s the bartenders that are pour-happy, or this is a policy of the bar, let’s just say the doses served at MURPHY’S are certainly the most Irish thing about the place.

FOOD MENU & EXECUTION OF FOOD: Bar food.

Offering an array of snacks, salads, sandwiches, and other typical pub grub, unless you’re extraordinary picky, you’re bound to find something on the MURPHY’S menu that satisfies your appetite. MURPHY’S meals are simple and tasty enough, albeit it’s hard to go wrong with deep fried foods.

SERVICE: Slow.

For the large number of staff in proportion to its size, the service at MURPHY’S is slow and inefficient. If you manage to get the attention of one of the many young servers, be prepared to wait for your order. At least in the meantime you can enjoy the music/TVs/pool table/etc.

ENTERTAINMENT: Awesome.

Nietzsche said, “Without music, life would be a mistake,” and MURPHY’S reminds us that good music can transform any bar. Aptly named the House of Rock, MURPHY’S offers a range of rock music from its heyday of the 70s, to the grittier 90s, to the more commercial sounds of the 00s. While if its local talent you’re looking for, MURPHY’S proudly showcases live acts on a regular basis.

THE ADDITIONALS:

PRICE: Standard.

Neither overpriced nor particularly cheap, prices at MURPHY’S fall in line with most Ammani bars. However, show up between 6:00 and 8:00pm daily to receive a post-workday or pre-party-night reward in the form of half-off Happy Hour.

THE OVERALL:

I’m going to be a little biased on this one. If I get to hear the Dave Matthews Band, Alice in Chains, and Pearl Jam, as well as live local musicians, all in one place, the chances of my being disappointed by anything else are virtually non-existent. Sure the service at MURPHY’S could use a push, and the drinks would be easier to swallow if they weren’t so reminiscent of gasoline, but at the end of the day, when it comes to great music, most things are forgivable.

EDIT:                                                                               
Since this review was posted, I have to say that the Murphys' staff have really upped their game. They've become more attentive, quicker, and are just on the ball overall, making Murphy's that much better. It's great to see positive changes!