McSwiggan's Pub. Hoboken, New Jersey.

110 First Street

Guinness Tag: $9.00 | Overall Rating: 4.75

McSwiggan's Hoboken Curb Appeal

Sometimes Irish Pubs just miss the mark. They can have a nice patio along with decent curb appeal, beautiful ceiling beams, a couple of Steel Tip Dartboards, stained glass windows, and a good pour of Guinness but yet still give patrons a bad experience. Take McSwiggan's Pub: it has all of those things mentioned which is great, however, we're not going to be bending our elbows here again anytime soon. You could say "we're not diggin' the Swiggan".

McSwiggan's Hoboken Ceiling Beams

There are some Irish Pubs out there that are so bad; it almost makes them good in a sense. I've told people before "hey, this Pub is so terrible you 'gotta' go just to check it out". McSwiggan's isn't that bad, but I wouldn't recommend taking an hour out of your life at McSwiggan's unless you are either A) a college kid looking for a hookup, or B) someone looking for more of a sports bar that doesn't mind having to scream during conversation.

A Pint of Guinness Resting in Front of a Dartboard

If this is your first time reading anything off of The Drunken Mallard, then perhaps I'm coming across as some old guy who only prefers proper, quiet Pubs that offer a good Irish Coffee while I try and read a book. That's not the case. We/I rate Irish Pubs off of many things with "The Craic" being at the top of the list. Craic is an Irish word/term to describe "a good time" or "great hospitality" and "holy crap everything about last night was perfect". Offering a gathering hole to the general public that gives college kids a good chance to get lucky and dance to cruddy music is not "the Craic".

Ok, let's get into some actual details about the Pub. On a good note, they do offer some good hospitality off the rip. Not only do they provide two dartboards which is amazing, but the last time we were here they turned the board's headlights on when they noticed us taking out our darts to play. They pour an average pint of Guinness for a steep $9 in exchange, they give you a lit fireplace during the colder months, and they keep their toiletries nice and clean. The bartenders are knowledgeable and will give you friendly service when it's convenient to them. When you come at the right time, the place can be pretty cozy; the food ranks above other local Pubs and the building itself has some charm to it. The patio is incredibly inviting and it's a great spot to gather with a large group during the spring.

A tidy toiletry resting underneath McSwiggan's in Hoboken

Some of the annoying things about McSwiggan's are what drives me to not want to give this place another glance for another few years. When it's crowded you can be standing like a sardine in a room full of sweaty, screaming individuals dancing to computer generated beats. You'll find the bouncers constantly walking around with clickers, counting everyone's heads quite literally every 10 minutes. You can kiss the pool table and dartboards goodbye once it starts remotely filling up and you can expect weird looks from the college bros and miniskirt girls if you happen to be an average person trying to have a casual chat. The place smelled like one big fart the last time we were here when it filled up and as soon as we grabbed our first Guinness we wanted to high tail it out of there. If you're going to be drinking in Hoboken then you can expect a lot of this, but that doesn't negate the things that make an Irish Pub a great one. Take Willie McBride's for example; that place rests in Hoboken and it is an absolute BEAUTY.

No more pool for you, loser

As I always say; the best time to go to an Irish Pub is when the sun is still shining. That's definitely the case here at McSwiggan's and to the Pub's defense; you can't always control what happens when people start pouring in. There's a way to provide upbeat music with a party vibe attached to the atmosphere without being that annoying Pub that nobody wants to go to during the heart of the night and McSwiggan's doesn't do it. It's expensive, it has very average whiskey along with very average beer choices, and it's just not the place you want to be tonight. If you're a Craic addict and you're in Hoboken, then you're definitely going to want to go to McBride's instead.

Sorry Swiggs. No hard feelings and we hope you continue to rake in the cash for the next 50 years to come. Slainte!

A stairway to a urinal