In considering an establishment to enjoy a cocktail, there must be thought given to what matters most to you about your drinking environment. Are you looking for a location where you cannot hear and see, but still able to feel bodies crunch against you while you pay for a $17 vodka and redbull? Do you yearn for a place that is happy to let you know that your drink is an homage to a cocktail in 1927, and your bitters were made by a young Parisian named Jaques in his sunroom the day before? Or do you just wish for a quiet, cozy bar that's charm comes from its age and not from its strobe lighting? Where guiness is poured well, whiskey flows, and you can delight in hearing your companions voice clearly, or if alone, enjoy the talk of those around you? Finnegan's Wake is that place, and I'm happy to say it is a fine establishment and an oasis in a fratty neighborhood. read more

True Story: the super of my apt building is 100% Irish, and sometimes I have difficulty understanding him. However, I run into him every now and then on the elevator, and he kept talking about Finnegan's Wake and how I needed to go there. I never really took him up on his advice until this past Saturday, when I went to eat breakfast/lunch there with my two girlfriends. And man oh man, am I a fan. We were greeted by a very polite older Irish gentlemen (who I believe was the owner?) and were waited on by a super friendly blonde Irish woman. Both service/food was PHENOM. Our sodas/waters were constantly watched and refilled, and our food was brought out pretty pronto (which was great b/c we were starving beasts). AND the prices were really good! Which is a huge plus, as a recent college-grad. And although, yes...I'd say a good 80% of people were of older generations...it means that the crowd is low-key, quiet, and overall everyone who was eating there seemed to be so nice. I actually got into a conversation about the weather with a little elderly lady sitting at the table next to me. There's something nice about raging on a Friday night, and coming into a very quiet,/homey atmosphere and sort of re-gathering one's self on Saturday morning. Myself and one friend got the ham and cheese omelette off the brunch menu, while my other friend nabbed a burger. The omelette was so completely tasty, I was besides myself. It was also huge, and yes, I ate all of it. It came with toasted English muffins...and get this...a homemade SCONE. It was so good, and it was a nice little touch to the very homey/Irish feel. I don't know what I was thinking, but I never had a bite of my friend's meal to try the burger...but all I can say is that she was raving about it. I did, however, manage to steal a french fry, which was awesome. It wasn't greasy at all, it was fresh. You could taste the potato of it and savor it, rather than fries that are completely soaked in chemicals and oil nowadays. Overall, I am glad I finally understood what my super was saying and tried this place. I can see why it's such a neighborhood favorite, as it was a very good place to feel comfortable in and chill and have some good food/beer while you're at it. I can't wait to go back. read more

This is the best pub on the UES hands down. They're chicken in a basket is delicious. Fiona and crew go above an beyond, creating an amazing experience. read more

Mondays = $15 DELICIOUS prime rib. Nice mix of patrons, conversational and friendly bartender, attentive waitresses, sports on the telly, clean bathrooms. Maybe it's an older crowd, but this is not an "old man's bar." It's just a place that doesn't have Jager-shot-loving-frat-boys. Thankfully. read more

I love this place. Yes, it's an older crowd, but not a stodgy one. Basically all this means to me is that I can go to a pub and not be surrounded by shrieking post-tweeners doing shots. You can actually have a conversation here. Every guy I've ever dated has been dragged to this place and loved it. They make the best burgers in the neighborhood, the service is good (I'm a long time regular, which may make a difference), and the prices are great. Unless you're looking for a "scene," there's really nothing not to love about the place. And you know what I really like and which is so weird in this neighborhood? If I come in after not showing up for a couple of weeks, they want to know why. That actually kind of means something. read more

The last time I was here my medium rare burger was totally very very well done. I went back because friends wanted to meet there. I ordered the Chicken Francaise, which was in the Specials that night. It was NOT Chicken Francaise. The chicken was cooked just fine but it was in a flavorless white sauce with dried parsley. There was NO flavor at all, not even a hint of lemon. And their mashed potatoes were lacking as well. Maybe they're good for Irish Breakfast. But for dinner, I'd skip this place! read more

Typical Irish food, bland, dry, tasteless cheeseburger. Had to use alot of ketchup to choke it down. I was going to send it back but service was slow and I was hungry. Will not go there again. JG Melon has a much better burger. read more

Neighborhood favorite. Solid pub fare, inexpensive, friendly neighborhood vibe. Very unique place for Manhattan. read more

Some of my favoriate American pub food. Very affordable and good menu of food. Great grilled chicken platter with steamed vegtables. Feels like you are in Ireland when you go there. All the waitstaff are from Ireland. Always pakced so be ready to wait a little on the weekends. Open very late which is nice also! read more

Very classic Irish pub - more restaurant than bar, full of old guys with brogues. You know, the works. There is nothing fancy about this place - they don't even have one micro brew on tap. But, they serve up traditional Irish food as well as standard pub fare that I'm sure is just fine. Not sure if the name of this place is any indication of the type of people they like to hire, but I questioned whether the bartender had a pulse. He really was as interesting as watching paint dry. Too bad too, because he was pretty easy on the eyes. read more

I live in NJ but a few years ago my husband worked on the UES and we got hooked on this place. Standard pub fare. The typical appetizer selection is represented and represented well. For dinner I aways get a burger...the bleu cheese burger to be exact. Finnegan's Wake serves one of THE best pub burgers in Manhattan. Their burger is flavorful and juicy. Thick and seared on outside to perfection. I get mine with the mashed or baked potato usually. The service is not to the formal standard of fine dining I suppose but I have never had anything but the friendliest of service here. Attentive and helpful...and I especially like how any one (and often 2 or 3) of the waitstaff will check on how you're doing and whether you need napkins, more condiments etc. When I asked for more bleu cheese for the wings I was brought an entire creamer full instead of a chintzy little glob...These are the little things that elevate a casual pub to a place where you really just eat, drink and have a good time with friends. The owner, Mr. King, is typically there making the rounds of the patrons. As to some of the other reviews: the last time I was there I (Hispanic) was with two bi-racial asian men, a black man and a white woman. Our average age was 32? We were welcome, offered our choice of seating and doted on by the staff and by Mr. King. I think if you walk into a place and think "God, everyone is old and white" you're probably as good as walking in with a sign over your head that says "I already don't like it here" and you should expect a little cold shoulder in return. The beer selection is varied and anchored by the usual suspects. Go for the beer and burgers, bring your friends and enjoy the place for what it is a modest pub that does what it does very well. read more

Great local spot and the burgers are off the hook! I have been going here for years and I love it! Highly recommended!

One of the oldest pubs in the neighborhood. Brilliant atmosphere amongst the regulars and the staff are great!! Unreal burgers with a 20oz pint of Guinness (Few and far between these days) goes down well. Definitely pop in if you're in the neighborhood! read more

Really great Irish pub. Genuine Irish bartender; authentic accent and all. Good beer, and food you'd expect from a classic pub. Very chill atmosphere - quiet music, and lots of regular people from the neighborhood. read more

We are both long term Manhattan residents; and Saturday was our first visit to Finnegan's Wake...but we are coming back! Noel and George who served us...were excellent Our Caesar Salad was very tasty and we both ordered Cheeseburgers which were perfect....Plump, Juicy and not squashed down in a flat patty....served on a tasty bun...yes...we will return for more burgers and to try other offerings! read more

Very good neighborhood pub. I had the shepard's pie and my date had the chicken pot pie. We both enjoyed our food. Our waitress was super friendly and even remembered the fact that my date got something out of the norm of his usual order. I would go back again and would recommend it. I am not Irish though so I cannot speak to how authentic the food is or is not. read more

Nice easy going bar food. They have gotten my order wrong not once, but twice on the ten times I've eaten there.. So it does seem like a lot! Everyone is warm and friendly and make you feel right at home read more

Great place great food I highly recommend it if you like the Irish pub feel. Prices are very reasonable also.

Really great pub food! Burgers, Irish Breakfast on weekends! Open late, great service! Love Finnegans! read more

Finnegan's Wake - Full Irish breakfast! - Pubs Near Me - New York, New York

Basic pub food prepared very well. Very friendly servers make this a casual and fun place to eat.

This place reminds me of Cheers...The place where everybody knows your name. Cozy and welcoming. Everything I've had on the menu which is just about everything is good and at a great price. I visit the city annually with my family and Finnegan's has become an annual tradition for us. read more

All around great experience, every time. Neighborhood gem! No nonsense bar, Irish menu, great staff and company.

The steak is great! A small Irish style bar which full of joy and laugh. A little noisy if you like quiet.

Fantastic service. Extremely authentic feel. Made me feel like I was at home. Definitely recommend.

This upper east side staple needs some more love on Yelp. Irish hospitality and decent food. The outdoor eating area is dog friendly which is a plus for the area since other restaurants have not been as friendly this season. read more

Best burger in town!! Simple classic style burger that deserves more recognition! This place should be famous!I recommend medium rare with cheddar cheese and a Smithwicks ! I A FAN!!!!!!!!! read more

Don't order chicken pot to go. There is no pie. Just filling in a tin. A sloppy mess. They give you what I thought would be bread or rolls but it was one big crumbled mess of dough. Would stay away. Just plain laziness on their part. read more

Reading all the not-so-good reviews on here just reminded me of my experience at this place. My boyfriend has been wanting to try this place for awhile, and we finally decided to make a trip there a few weeks back. When we first got there, we were waiting for someone to come over to find us a table, or at least acknowledge the fact that we were there. Seems like it was too high of an expectation because we got absolutely NO acknowledgement. The woman working at the bar looked at us, and just looked away as if trying to ignore the fact that we were even there. We should've taken that as a sign to get out but we decided to stick it through. We were surprised looking around when we were first seated at a table; every patron was older and needless to say, we were the only two young people at the bar. I felt kind of out of place, but I also found it cute seeing the older crowd enjoying themselves on a Sunday. Anyways, back to the service. The waitress we got at our table was HORRIBLE. She acted like she could care less about us. She was just grumpy with us the whole time, gave us attitude when we ordered, and just threw the food and drinks at us when they were ready. Meanwhile, I would see her walking past other patrons (I would imagine they were regulars) pleasantly talking to them and laughing with them. Umm what? Is this the same woman?? The food was okay. I ordered the steak and kidney pie; it was my first time ever having it so I had nothing to compare it to, but I wasn't blown away. And the minimal pie crust compared to the portion of the stew under it just seemed like a weird balance of portions. Basically to sum it up, horrible HORRIBLE service with subpar food. Moral of the story -- don't bother trying this place. At least not if you're in your 20s or 30s like my boyfriend and me. If you're "that young", these workers at Finnegan's Wake will ignore you completely (which baffles me since these workers are that young too!!) If you're in your 50s or older...maybe it's worth a shot. Who knows. I guess I won't know how good of a service they're capable of giving for another 30 years. I will definitely never be coming back. read more

High hopes for fish n chips. SOGGY AND BLAND 3 others agreed. Sent it back. 25 min for chili- equally disgusting. WORST part: staff and management was rude and confrontational. Billed for BOTH items because "our fish n chips are famous. There is nothin wrong w it". INCORRIGIBLE customer "disservice". read more

Look, feckers, if yer compleening about dis place becaz de foods nat haute, or becaz de soorvis ain't quick, yer missin' da fecking paint. It's a fecking bar, ya nancies. Have a fecking drink, get yet panties unbunched, and leern to fecking relax. Christ. read more

A friend and I came here around 6pm on a Friday expecting a great pub experience, but were left very disappointed! The place was very busy, and the crowd is definitely older--at 25, we were certainly the youngest in the place by many decades. My friend ordered bangers and mash, and it looked and tasted like frozen breakfast sausage thrown atop some instant mashed potatoes. I had shepherd's pie, which was basically just greasy, tasteless ground beef with more of those mashed potatoes on top. We also went for some cheesy fries to start, but got an order of french fries with a couple squirts of already-hardened nacho cheese on top. Overall, really unpleasant. read more

This is a great local restaurant and bar. Quality food at very reasonable prices. A bit older crowd for sure but it's thankfully rare here to spot those offensive, swaggering, gel-haired Wall Streeters who soil many Upper East Side spots. At Finnegan's you can drink well, without the sanctity of your session being disrupted by excessively rabid sports enthusiasts or yapping girls who say "like" every third word. The All-Star Bartenders will pilot you competently to the height you desire. Enjoy it! read more

Still the best deal in the upper east side.Always a friendly and cheerful place to meet friends for drinks.Make's the best corned beef and cabbage for St Patrick's Day. read more

Last few times food was not good at all. Used to be a good place but I'm not going back anytime soon. Disappointing

NOW this is an Irish Pub! Our waitress was definitely an Irish lass- she was absolutely incredible and everyone loved her. She even sat with one table for a bit - such great energy! The food was wonderful - we had crab cakes and then fish and chips - both were great. We finished off dinner with an Irish Coffee, which was perfect. This is a great place for dinner, drinks and fun! read more

If you're reading this review, it's likely that you'll be the youngest patron at this Upper East Side watering hole by a number of decades. Though fairly unremarkable, Finnegan's Wake was my only refuge during the dismal year I spent on the Upper East Side. It could always be counted on to be devoid of small dogs, strollers, Burberry, or any of the other symbols of yuppie affluence so ubiquitous in that part of town. The service is friendly, the patrons are older, and the fish and chips are well worth your hard-earned money. While sufficiently Irish, it doesn't bludgeon its patrons with stereotypical paddy accoutrements. Be sure to note the portraits of Irish literary giants like James Joyce (the bar itself is presumably named after his last novel), and enjoy the easy conversation with fellow patrons. read more

I cannot believe how rude the waitress was. Me and my boyfriend were weated by the bar tender and as we were about to order the waitress kicked us off the table we were at to be moved to a smaller table. Needless to say we left and I will never go back there again. It was so rude especially the way she said jt. I explained that the bar tender told us to sit there and she said well he's not the owner. Well I hope the owner reads this and has a word with his employee. read more

3.5 stars. this is a standard irish pub, with a simple pub menu. several SO's ago i used to eat here regularly (her parents lived 2 blocks away), but i had not been back in many many years. not because it was bad, just fell out of the rotation. So it was freaking cold last night, and my buddy and I wanted a burger and a beer, and we wanted it close to my apartment. This place is a block and a half from my house, so we said wtf... and went to give it a shot. If i were going to review this on just the burger it would easily get 4 stars. this was a damned good burger. large. flavorful. very juicy. medium rare was nice and pink throughout, with a good char on the outside. the bun didnt quite hold up t the juiciness of the burger, but that's no big deal. however, we were shuttled to a back table , and kind of ignored at first, until we charmed them into accepting us. i had to call a waitress over to ask about the specials. i had to call a waitress over so we could order. We never were given a glass of water, like every other table. why was the service like this? did it have to do with the fact my friend's complexion was a bit darker than irish? i really don't know, if that's the case, but it seemed it might have been. once we did order, and chatted with the waitress a bit, things started to go a little more smoothly, so maybe it was my imagination, brought on by cold and hunger. But i'm just not so sure. I rarely get that vibe in NYC (and being a jew i can fake whiteness pretty well, so it's never pointed at me) and, as i said, it may just have been a busy night, and i'm creating problems in my mind. ok. forget all that. it's decent pub food. i remember them having a good shepard's pie there years ago, as well as good bangers in mash. (i will check them out and report back when i do) A guy at the next table told me his liver was some of the best he'd ever had. Ignore my bloodsugar induced paranoia and go have a burger and a guinness. it's good for you. read more

This review is for the food only- went there for dinner and the food was subpar. The waitress was knowledgeable but not very friendly. We had the crab cake which had VERY LITTLE crab and was cold in the middle, I also had a burger which was undercooked and just okay. My friend also had the burger (which only comes with a slice of onion) so she asked for a tomato and lettuce to Which she got an evil look from the waitress followed by a soggy tomato and piece of slimy white lettuce. There are so many other better places to go I would never go back here. The place looks like it needs a serious makeover plus everyone there was 60 and over. No thanks. read more

Ordinary food, over-salted. And if you are a woman alone, be prepared to be asked to leave as soon as you finish paying the check, even if you tipped 25%. read more