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t’s a problem for the ages. When traveling with a group, the whole group doesn’t necessarily want to do all of the same things. Especially in a city like New York, where there’s pretty much an unlimited selection of activities. Sightseeing, shopping, dining, shows, shopping, parks, shopping…….well, you get the idea.

For more than a few NYC tourists, trips to the city mean – shopping. From uptown to downtown, luxury to bargain, the city has all the shopping you could ever ask for, and locals and tourists alone love it. Some tourists, that is. We figured this all out when we started talking to some of the male-only groups who have come to our restaurant for a meal or a few beers — they were enjoying some of what they see as the finer things in life at the best pub in NYC, while their female companions were doing the same………down the street at Macy’s.

And, suddenly, everyone is happy. The women in the group can enjoy some of the world’s finest shopping, while the men enjoy one of the finest Irish restaurants around. So, when you’re planning your NYC day, and shopping is part of the equation for only half the group, send the rest to come see us at Tir na nOg.

Enjoy a few beers from our popular draught beer list, or lunch items like our Wild Mushroom Crepe or a good old Tir na nOg Cheeseburger. Whatever your palate, our lunch and dinner menus have something for you. Then, when the ladies join the party, invite them for a Kir Royale or Elderflower Champagne Cocktail, and stay for dinner – everyone will be happy at Tir na nOg. We even have a gluten-free menu! And, since we offer some of the best customer service in the city at a super-convenient midtown location (33rd and 8th), you’ll leave us happy AND, most likely, close to your hotel. You can’t beat that.

So, come say hello – and stay as long as you like. Cheers!

We’re announcing our schedule of live Irish music for St. Patrick’s weekend:

Thursday March 15th – Fergus Begley 10pm
Friday March 16th – Morningstar 10pm
Saturday 17th – Whist, Morningstar, Pio & Peadar 12 Noon – Midnight

First-rate, live Irish music in New York isn’t always easy to find. Well, unless you simply visit Tir Na Nog. We regularly feature several bands Pio & Peadar and Morningstar, with other bands making occasional appearances.

Pio Ryan is an Irish-tenor-banjo-musician who launched the Irish Tenor Banjo program. He plays traditional Irish music, with unique blues & bluegrass undertones. He plays at Tir Na Nog with Peadar O’Hici on guitar and vocals, who is known for his traditional Irish sound and occasional old language lyrics. Preview Pio & Peadar’s classic sounds here, with a clip of a performance in Red Hook.

Our other favorite is Morningstar, composed of Mary Courtney on vocals guitar, and bodhran, John Nolan on accordion, and Bernadette Fee on fiddle. Mary is an Irish native who started Morningstar in the 1980s, and both John and Bernadette are native New Yorkers, though you wouldn’t know it by their sound! Mary has been called “one of the very best!” and often moves Irish ex-pats to tears. Get a sneak peek of her sound, or check out her album, here.

Come see us for our Irish music shows – and join us for dinner beforehand. We’ll be pouring pints and more all night. And, since we’re conveniently located right next to Penn Station, invite friends from near and far for an Irish night on the town!

Wish you’d known sooner? Check out our Facebook page to find out in advance about performances, drink specials, and more.

For many, the business lunch is a pastime that ended in the Mad Men era. The notion of languorously savoring gourmet fare on a china plate while engaging in an elegant mix of personal and business conversation is foreign to many people today. Sadly, in too many cases it has been replaced by two slices of pizza and a soda, or dirty water dogs from a sidewalk vendor, while obsessively checking your iPhone to see if any emails or Tweets arrived while you rode the elevator down.

This is a sad state of affairs. There is much to be said for stepping away from electronic screens of every shape and size and actually enjoying lunch a few days per week. Add into the mix a former colleague, a business prospect, a current client or just a friend you haven’t seen in too long and it may be the most fruitful, or personally enjoyable, time that you spend all week.

When you do make the proper time for lunch, you’ll realize it’s been so long since you did so that you no longer know where to enjoy a NYC lunch. CBS deemed Tir na nOg one of the very best places to have lunch in NYC, noting that “the space accommodates plenty, and the menu appeals to everyone.”

Our lunch menu features a truly mouthwatering array of classic comforts. Offerings include the best smoked salmon you’ll ever have; Tuna Salad Crostini, an Irish Cheddar Burger, an Open Face Steak Sandwich, classic Shepherd’s Pie, and of course, Hot Corned Beef on Rye. Any one of them will make your day.  We also offer a wide array of Salad Entrees, and a three-course soup, salad and half-sandwich option. On Mondays, we offer our Cheddar Burger, or a Turkey Burger, for just $10.

See the reviews of Tir na nOg on Open Table to get a sense of why we believe were the best choice for an old-time NYC lunch. Then dress up for work, be productive all morning, call an old friend, and enjoy an occasion that hopefully will no longer be such a pastime for you.

Working on your NYC bucket list? The Empire State Building is on pretty much every must-see list you’ll find. We’re proud to call ourselves a neighbor of this storied landmark. Check out our top 10 tips & trivia items about the famous building:

1. The tallest building in NYC, the ESB hosts an annual “Run Up” race, in which participants race up the stairs of the building’s 102 stories. The fastest time to date is 9 minutes, 33 seconds.

2. From June – September of 1931, the 102nd floor of the building served as an Air Blimp terminal.

3. Between 10,000 and 20,000 people visit the building each day. Recently, there has been controversy and debate surrounding the ticket-sellers outside the building. We recommend pre-purchasing online to save yourself the hassle.

4. The building cost nearly $41 million to build (including the value of the real estate) in 1931, and is currently undergoing a $550 million renovation. (How’s that for inflation!)

5. The Empire State Building is famously lit up for annual and current NYC events – from the Westminster Dog Show to current sporting events or memorials. The lighting schedule is always posted on the ESB website.

6. Most of NYC’s commercial FM and TV stations are broadcast from the top of the building.

7. The building has its own zip code! The only larger office complex in the USA is at the Pentagon, but the ESB hosts 1,000 businesses and 21,000 employees – giving it the right to zip code 10118.

8. The building’s exterior was created with Indiana limestone and granite, and its interior lobby features imported marble from France, Germany, Belgium, and Italy.

9. When the building opened on May 1, 1931, it was first lit up by President Herbert Hoover, by pressing a button in Washington, DC.

10. The tourist traffic driven by the ESB feeds a phalanx of tourist-trap restaurants with over-priced, sub-par food, long lines and shoddy service.  Tir na nOg is a welcome respite from this, and is literally a 7 minute walk away. Head west on 33rd Street and walk 3 avenues to Tír na nÓg, a family-friendly restaurant makes everyone happy!

Check out our lunch menu for options like our famous Irish Cheddar cheeseburger, Pan Roasted Free Range Chicken, and much more – as well as our extensive craft beer and wine list. For coeliacs, we have one of the few gluten-free menus near the Empire State building.

We have plenty of space, so you’re likely to get that much-needed rest for your feet right away, and you’ll leave full and happy – and ready to face the next item on your NYC bucket list.

Beginning Tuesday, Madison Square Garden will host the five-day, 16-team Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament.

With a wide selection of Irish and American craft beers, Tír na nÓg is recognized as one of the best bars around MSG.

What sets Tír na nÓg apart from other bars is our food, which New York Magazine says is cooked “with an imaginative touch unequaled in pub circles.”

Our bar menu includes venerable favorites like buffalo wings and mozzarella sticks, along with more sophisticated fare like rice-dusted calamari, Maryland lump crab cake and raw Blue Point oysters. At lunch we offer a range of filling sandwiches, salads or soups, while our dinner menu includes entrees like strip steak and pork chop. And best of all, our much-loved shepherd’s pie is available all day.

Tír na nÓg is the best bar for Big East fans and their families looking for more than just a drink before or after the game.

Gymnastics takes center stage at Madison Square Garden this weekend.

First up on Friday night is the Nastia Liukin Cup, which features America’s top young gymnasts who have qualified for the event in regional competitions around the country. These are the gymnasts who you’ll hear about in the Olympic Games in 2016 and 2020.

On Saturday night is the AT&T American Cup, featuring the gymnasts from around the world who will star at the London Olympic Games this summer.

If you have tickets for these events, there’s a reasonable chance you’ll be wondering about family friendly restaurants near Madison Square Garden.

Tir na nOg, the best pub in NYC, is right across the street and welcomes families. We offer a reasonably priced kids’ menu so that the young ones don’t run up your bill, and yet also offer Mom and Dad savory fare and a world-class selection of drinks. We also offer a gluten-free menu. Of course, all this comes with the hospitality for which the Irish are famous, and a classic decor that itself is worth the trip.

See you this weekend!

For those of us who came of age in the MTV era, there was no bigger band than Van Halen. Like many of us, they’ve had their ups and downs over the course of the past several decades. The band makes a triumphant return to Madison Square Garden for two shows on 2/28 and 3/1.

A few weeks ago, the band released its 12th album, A Different Kind of Truth, featuring vocals by David Lee Roth, his first album since he returned to the group in 2006.

“Truth” has received flattering reviews, and its first single Tattoo quickly climbing the charts. USA Today called it the “true kick in the butt that arena rock desperately needs.”

If you have tickets for the show, you may be wondering, “what are the best restaurants near Madison Square Garden?”  To which, of course, we’d answer “Tir na nOg.” Our range of menus, from a traditional bar menu with chicken fingers and sausage rolls to an upscale casual dinner menu and extensive wine and craft beer list, means there is something for everyone.

We look forward to greeting you before and after the shows!

This weekend, we look forward to greeting our favorite group of alumni: the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.

As one of the best Irish pubs in NYC located across the street from Madison Square Garden, Tir na nOg has a long history with Notre Dame and its alumni. We’re expecting a sea of Notre Dame fans at Tir na nog as they do their own “pre-game warm-ups” in anticipation of the team continuing its torrid hot streak that has it own track for a low seed in the NCAA Tournament.

So put on your finest greenery, come over for the best Irish and American craft beers in NYC, and a marvelous brunch menu that includes traditional Irish Breakfast and Irish Cheddar Omelet with Bacon Rashers. We’ll also be showing 6 Nations Rugby and other European sports on television.

Flogging Molly is one of three great bands teaming up to play Hammerstein Ballroom on February 22. Its Green 17 offers fans what Indie Online calls “the full-on Molly experience of Celtic rock, razor-wire punk and rousing lyrics both triumphant and defiant.”

Tir na nOg is right near Hammerstein Ballroom at 33rd and 8th, and our range of menus, from a traditional bar menu with chicken fingers and sausage rolls to an upscale casual dinner menu and extensive wine and craft beer list, means there is something for everyone. Make no mistake: Tir na nOg is one of the best restaurants near Hammerstein Ballroom.

We offer a wide range of beer, wine, and cocktails – from rotating drink specials like $5 craft beers, to libations as upscale as you want to go, including our famous Champagne Cocktails.

So before or after the show (or both!), walk just around the corner from Hammerstein Ballroom and spend the evening with us at Tir Na Nog!

Sesame Street Live…1-2-3, Imagine!  is about to begin a ten-day stay at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.

Featuring Elmo and and the whole gang, this show is a joy for kids and grown-ups alike.  This year’s edition will transport audiences to faraway places including the African rainforest and the high seas – meet the characters here and check out this recent video for a sneak peek!

For the first time, the show also features the Play Zone, where your kids can sit in Big Bird’s nest, visit Elmo’s World and much more. The Play Zone opens an hour before the show, and is free with your ticket to the show.

Tickets are still available here, along with a full list of available showtimes (there are many to choose from!).

Once you have tickets, you’ll want to know the best family friendly restaurants near Madison Square Garden. The area around the Garden is chock full of gigantic sports bars, some of which kids should not be walking into, with or without a parent. There is also the usual assortment of soulless franchises that kids love, but parents abhor.

Skip them, and come instead to Tir na nOg – the “Land of Eternal Youth.” We offer a kids’ menu for the little ones, and savory fare for mom and/or dad.

Read the many flattering reviews of Tir na nog, then come by before or after the show to see why Tir na nOg is a family friendly restaurant near Madison Square Garden.