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Swift Hibernian Lounge

Critics' Pick

34 E. 4th St., New York, NY 10003
nr. Bowery See Map | Subway Directions Hopstop Popup
212-260-3600 Send to Phone

Reader Rating:
5.7 out of 10
|
6 Reviews | Write a Review
Scene: After Work, Bar Food, DJ, Irish/Pub, Live Music, Neighborhood Bar, Open Mic

Photo by Youngna Park

Map Rate & Review

Official Website

swiftbarnyc.com

Hours

Daily, noon-4am

Nearby Subway Stops

B, D, F, V at Broadway-Lafayette St.; 6 at Bleecker St.; N, R, W at 8th St.-NYU

Payment Methods

American Express, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

Profile

Here's an alehouse that feels like a home. Aside from murals depicting boisterously bucolic scenes penned by its namesake, Swift's pub appeal is refined to the basics. The front room is as nooked and crannied as you could desire, with a winding bar yielding several "best seats in the house" as well as a wide selection of impressively esoteric beers. An expansive yet cozy back room—aesthetically, a cross between a church (there's an actual pulpit in back, containing high-tech DJ equipment) and a mead hall out of Beowulf—helps maintain a civilized crowd density. — Andrew Yamato

Live Music

Tue., 9 p.m.–1 a.m., traditional Irish music

5.7

"Mixed Reviews"
Average Reader Rating
on a Scale of 10

50%	Would you go back?
50%	Would you take a date?
40%	Would you go on business?

My Favorite Irish Pub in NYC

ltnyc from 10009 | Posted on 2/21/09

Overall Rating: 9 (Highly Recommended)

...and I've been to quite a few. In this case the owners behind Swift (as well as Puck Fair and Ulysses) are very hands on and nice people as well. Add a friendly staff, a huge selection of beers on tap and more-than-decent pub food (available all night long) and you've got yourself one comfortable place to hang out. The decor is all wood and brick with murals depicting Mr. Swift and the bathrooms (downstairs tho they may be) are large and clean. Incredibly talented DJs play Thursday thru Saturday...boy are those fellas good. They really know their stuff. Fair warning to those who are crowd-a-phobic: It gets a bit packed on the weekends.

Tidy Little Pub

flutedude from 10014 | Posted on 6/12/08

Overall Rating: 9 (Highly Recommended)

It's clear that the guys behind Swift, Puck Faire, and Ulysses, are interested in giving locals and visitors some alternatives to the run-down "boites" that pass as "Irish Pubs" in NYC. Swift, the oldest of the three "New Irish" Pubs, (Those established by folks actually from Ireland as opposed to Irish Americans.) is pretty straightforward: fresh food, fresh Guinness, and a rockin' Irish "Sesuin" on Tuesday nights. The crowd is mixed: youthful NYU student bodies, fit and fabulous yuppies on holiday from the Upper West, and out-of-towners who presumably read about Swift at New York Magazine Online! I recommend the Irish "groaning board": Shepard's Pie, Bangers and Mash, or "Curry Chips": French Fries served with a tangy curry dipping sauce. The staff has its ups and downs, but the bartenders are chatty and the place is so small, it would be almost impossible not to flag down your server in a fit of thirst or perceived neglect. Having read some rather thin-skinned reviews on this page, I suggest that readers take those other comments with a grain of salt: Swift is worth a second or third look in my book!

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