It’s always a sad day in Hoboken when a local closure is announced and today is no different as The Dubliner has closed its doors, one of its bartenders confirmed and multiple sources have shared. The Dubliner at 96 River Street is one of just a few bars in Mile Square that features a rooftop area. While there weren’t many very signs that The Dubliner was getting ready to say goodbye, as of at least a week before Saturday {the day it closed}, The Dubliner’s official website was defunct and its social channels haven’t been updated in months.
The Dubliner was best known for being an Irish pub with three floors and a rooftop tiki bar that specialized in margaritas. According to its description on Yelp, the first floor was designed as a gastropub where patrons could find specialty food, Irish fare, gourmet sandwiches, and of course, a craft beer selection and craft cocktails. Keep reading to learn more about The Dubliner in Hoboken closing.
About The Dubliner
The second floor of The Dubliner was its sports lounge and gaming room. There, guests could watch their favorite sports teams, play darts, participate in New Jersey’s only stock market Happy Hour from 5:00PM-8:00PM Monday through Friday. Throughout levels one and two, pints of Guinness and bar bites were a fan-favorite go-to.
Then on the third floor — Dubliner’s rooftop with a view of the historic district of downtown Hoboken — patrons could indulge in beer bucket specials, craft can selections, and of course, frozen drinks such as their famous margaritas.
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The Closure
Locals expressed disappointment in The Dubliner’s closure, especially because it is one of Hoboken’s only bars that still features a rooftop area. People on reddit sounded off in the comments.
“They are one of two bars in Hoboken with a rooftop and they still can’t get people in there,” one user wrote. “Hopefully the next people that buy, renovate, and realize what an asset getting grandfathered in to having a rooftop means.”
Another user wrote, “Didn’t know about this. Surprised it didn’t happen sooner. Honestly the worst use of space by any bar. Tons of dead space. Whoever takes over needs to have a clue on how to run more than 1 level of a bar {sic}.”
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The Dubliner’s History
The owner of The Dubliner, Seamus Q. according to Yelp, moved here from Ireland in 2007 and got his start stocking beer, ice, glasses, and cleaning bathrooms in Hoboken’s local bar scene. After moving up to bartender, Seamus quickly learned his way around the bar and ended up at McSwiggan’s, The Dubliner’s sister bar. Seamus next became a business partner at The Dubliner and wrote on Yelp, “If McSwiggan’s was my master’s, this is my PhD!”
Aside from being a tri-level bar that boasted a rooftop view of Hoboken and the surrounding Manhattan skyline, The Dubliner was also known for its lunch and dinner offerings. The Dubliner’s bar bites menu included typical bar fare like mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, shrimp cocktail, quesadillas, and even a veggie platter.
The Dubliner also served a variety of salads, sandwiches, and traditional Irish dishes like shepherd’s pie, chicken pot pie, fish and chips, shrimp and chips, and more.
As of now, there is no news yet as far as what will be taking over the 96 River Street space. While we’re sad to see The Dubliner go, there is definitely massive potential here with three total floors and one of the only rooftop spaces in town. With The Dubliner now closed, the only remaining rooftop bar in the Mile Square is City Bistro.
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