It’s Thursday night, you don’t have class until noon tomorrow, you successfully made a trip to Raynor, and once again, it’s Thursday. The next question you may find yourself asking is, “Should my friends and I go to Murphy’s or Caffrey’s after we pregame?”
Stereotypes
Older crowd- Fact. Caffrey’s is known to attract an older crowd, including graduate students and maybe a professor or two (if you’re lucky).
Known for taking IDs-“If you know someone, you can get in.” Nope. You need to be 21. We are on a Jesuit campus, and the bartenders are law-abiding people. Fun fact: Caffrey’s now has a “do not admit” list.
Better quality service and products-There are more bartenders at Caffrey’s; some are more experienced and not afraid to try making new drinks.
Sit-down atmosphere- There is a lot more space in Caffrey’s, which is why you’ll sometimes notice customers having a drink earlier in the evening.
5 Best Things
+Larger patio and beer garden
+Double Your Dough
+Happy Hour!
+Bouncer Nick V’s death glare
+Being able to see inside the entire bar from the 16th Street window
Say hello to Kelsey Lavinio, a super senior in the College of Communication who you are more than likely to find mid-semester at Caffrey’s on a Thursday or Friday night.
Which bar do you prefer and why?
Usually Caff’s. I always get this horrible feeling of not belonging when I’m at Murphy’s. There’s too much cliquey-ness going on there.
How would you describe the atmosphere at both bars, and what do you consider a good time?
Caff’s is chill and Murphy’s is like nightclub-y. (At Murphy’s) I always feel like everyone is drunker than me. I don’t like that feeling.
What makes you come back to Caffrey’s?
In the end, Caff’s and Murph’s are both like Facebook: where you say you hate it but you continue to go there and log on because it’s just the way we do things and our choices are limited.
Maggie Smith, a recent College of Arts & Sciences alumna shared why she preferred Caffrey’s over Murphy’s during undergrad: “I like Caffrey’s a lot better because it’s more of a Marquette crowd. Murphy’s seems to have a lot of creeps from Marquette and Milwaukee. Caffrey’s is more of a fratmosphere. Murphy’s seems like a club to me, and I like Caffrey’s because it’s more laid-back.”
Kirsten, the smiley blonde and epitome of a college bartender at Caffrey’s, landed her first bartending job here just two years ago. She enjoys working in a well-lit interior space and the opportunity to become good friends with people she might not have ever met outside of the bar.
For Kirsten, the most challenging part of bartending on a college campus is dealing with inexperienced drinkers, which is never fun for anyone.
“Twenty-first birthdays are fun for the newly-minted 21-year-old and their friends, however not always for us bartenders,” Nelson said. “Inexperienced drinkers tend to not know their limit, and a bartender can only take so many screaming girls in one evening or early morning.”
On the bright side, she does enjoy working at Caffrey’s because of her coworkers, the great prices and because, “the community feel of these bars isn’t felt in a place like Trinity or a downtown club, like 720. A good time for me is having a few drinks and shots with a few good friends, all which can be found at Caffrey’s.”
Stereotypes
Crowded- A greater variety of students usually come to Murphy’s, especially once the clock strikes midnight.
Alumni & MU parents- Alumni and parents adore Murphy’s. With a “Parents Get A Free Drink” special after Senior Week, who wouldn’t?
A Real Life Mr. Clean- To maintain the bar’s appearance (and to avoid being referred to as “slimy”), Jimmy, the manager, takes floor-mopping and clean glasses seriously.
“Aldo is mean.”- No, he’s just a Scorpio doing his job. Bouncer Aldo Tase is a class of 2010 Marquette alum who you’ll find at Murphy’s with one of his eyebrows turned up. He’s only “mean” when under-agers try to get in … multiple times.
+DJ First Grade
+Ladies Night
+Mug Club
+Friendly staff
+Conveniently located near
late-night eateries
College of Education super senior Alex “Theo” Teotokatos is a regular at Murphy’s, not to mention he holds the title of two-time Murphy’s Beer Fest Champ. Theo shared with us a few reasons why he continues to come back:
Which bar do you prefer and why?
I prefer Murphy’s because that is where my group of friends go. I know all of the staff and regulars pretty well, and whenever I walk in I know there is always going to be a familiar face to catch up with over a beer.
How would you describe the atmosphere at both bars, and what do you consider a good time?
On the weekends, Murphy’s has more of a club feel, the DJ’s do a great job of getting everyone in the mood to dance and have a good time. Caffrey’s is also fun, but in a different way.
So what makes you come back to Murphy’s?
The atmosphere, the great staff, laid-back feeling and great drink deals.
Meet a bartender
Bartender: Mattison Lemieux
Age: 23
Hometown: Saint Paul, Minn.
Year: Graduate Student
Major/Minor: Electrical and Electronic Engineering (undergraduate) & Computer Electrical Engineering (Masters)
Favorite shot: Serbian Troubadour & The S’mores Mind Eraser
Meet Mattison, a regular bartender at Murphy’s who balances graduate school and keeping up with his duties at the bar. Mattison has remained loyal to Murphy’s during his time at Marquette.
“I think it’s a personal preference, but I prefer Murphy’s because it’s a great weekend bar as well as a mellow bar throughout the week,” Lemieux said.
The biggest challenge as a bartender is working on a Friday or Saturday night.
“All the bartenders are in a very small area trying to serve as fast as possible, and there is a lot of moving around and avoiding other bartenders. I actually calculated about how much a bartender moves on a Friday or Saturday night 4-hour shift and it’s anywhere from 3-5 miles,” Lemieux said.
Aside from the chaos, Lemieux enjoys bartending at Murphy’s mainly because he gets to meet new people.
“Meeting the different kinds of people that come into the bar during happy hour, it’s not just college students,” he said. “Everyone has a different story to tell.”
John Smith • Oct 23, 2012 at 1:02 pm
Caff’s is def more fun if you are looking for a quiet night out