Photo: QueensPost
Sept. 12, 2013 By Christian Murray
A new restaurant that will focus primarily on seafood is expected to open this weekend.
Murphy’s Lobster Grill, located at 48-18 Skillman Avenue, takes over the space that had previously been an Ecuadorian nightclub.
Mike Murphy, the owner of the new restaurant, is also the proprietor of Murphy’s Bar, a neighborhood pub located next door. He took over the space at the end of last year and began merging it with his existing pub.
Murphy has been meticulous in transforming the restaurant into a seafaring experience. The tables and chairs are made of reclaimed wood and so too is the raw bar. There are pictures of old ships doing battle in New York Harbor and an old cannon is placed above the raw bar.
The restaurant walls are decked out with pictures of the ports of Galway. The restaurant also features an anchor, a treasure chest and a large marlin replica. The doors to the kitchen appear to have port holes.
The menu is almost exclusively seafood. Murphy offers two seafood towers—with the smaller one comprised of a 1/2 Lobster, 3 Oysters, 3 Clams, 3 Shrimps, 6 Mussels & 1 Crab Leg.
Photo: QueensPost
Appetizers include baked claims, while entrees include a steamed lobster platter or a seafood pot pie. He also offers salads, steak and a curried chicken dish.
Murphy has kept the relationship between the bar and the restaurant flexible. He has French doors to separate the two if needed.
The restaurant also features a private booth—located behind a velvet curtain– where people can go out for a special evening and order bottle service.
The restaurant also has a front patio area where customers can sit near the sidewalk, yet still be within the restaurant.
Photo: QueensPost
Featured Events
42 Comments
Great My wife and I have been waiting for a good seafood place in this neighborhood for years. Thanks
Fonz, drink some prune juice – you will feel better.
Luvu2 needs to “get lucky” about time! Maybe that will put him/her in a better mood. This place was GREAT and was a refreshing change for the neighborhood. Good luck, Mike!
The fonz needs reading classes about time! Great place and good music
We enjoyed are ourselves the food was spectacular and the people who work there are very nice. it has a nice neighborhood feel to it with a little upscale feeling as well. They need to work on the service but that will come with time we will definitely go back.
Bartender says, “Something smells fishy in here.” The lobster, oysters, clams, shrimp, mussels and crab say, “Don’t look at us we’re crustaceans and bivalves.”
A 1/2 Lobster, 3 Oysters, 3 Clams, 3 Shrimps, 6 Mussels & 1 Crab Leg walks into a bar ……
Julie is a knucklehead. It takes time & money to open restaurant. If it wasn’t opened soon enough for her, she should have opened one herself. My wife & I are going here for dinner on Sunday! Looking forward to it!
Do that guy and girl who sing country music still play there? Haven’t seen them in a while
Luv fish and free speech
The wife and I are heading there tonight.
Captain Ahoy is right , if you don’t like what someone is saying then ignore them,I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Admin for this site is a Post Nazi, censoring free speech on a whim, he’s a dictator picking and choosing what people can and can’t say.
that being said, Squirts the change bum is STILL shitting under the 7 train. good day.
Fabulous décor,, I can only say that if you have half the amount of satisfied customers as the BRANDY WELL had in the lively old days when work and times were a little better, you will be just FINE..
I loved that corner STOP-OFF, always happy to be in it, lotsa good spirit and memories and I wish u all the BEST OF GOOD LUCK…
I would like some fry chicken!
There are certain people in every thread who just destroy the flow of a decent conversation. Usually the righteous ones who believe only their comments and beliefs are the only worthy ones. Get over it, its a discussion board.
If you only hung out w people you agreed with how boring that would be.
As a seafood restaurant I believe they should hang some good old fishing nets from the ceiling, but hey man, thats just me!!! But I understand this is the owners choice, I accept that others have a persepctive other than mine.
I aint gonna nom de plume the place just because I dont see fishing nets!
Catch of the day
My doctor tells me to eat more fish. I had a wonderful salmon dinner as a special at the Dog and Duck. I hope Murphey’s will have it as a regular item.
Years ago there was a fish restaurant on QB, I believe around 46th Street, and they had Oysterettes on every table. The fish was great and I miss it. What I would like to know is if the new fish place will be serving fish like Cod, Sole or Flounder. I cannot eat lobster, etc.
I wish them well. Looking forward to the opening!
@sunnside native
All she said this thread was “about time.”
If you can get offended by that or interpret it in the worst possible way, then that says way more about you than JulieJ.
Perhaps you didn’t notice but YOU were the one to stray off topic this time. Try practicing what you preach.
@ Nom De Plume – most things that Jule J. posts are negative by nature. Then there are many posts where even though it has nothing to do with the article & the topic at hand, she blathers on about abortion. As per the request by Christian of the Sunnyside Post, everybody needs to stay on topic or run the risk of getting their comments deleted. IF Christian posts an article that is ABOUT abortion, then Julie can have a field day posting her comments about abortion 24/7. She ruins it for all other people who read this forum…
The oysters are delicious. The beer’s good too. A welcoming place. There goes my money.
Is there something fishy about this restaurant?
I hope so! Looking forward to trying it.
My guess is that people are on JulieJ’s case on this thread not for her comment here but her views expressed on previous threads.
I’ve been in this venue at the soft open and the attention to detail is pretty good! The restaurant has a great attention to detail to make it look like an actual wooden ship!
Which half of the lobster?
Scoler is paranoid and does paranormal activity
Some people can’t help sounding negative- Instead of “Great, I’ve been waiting so long for a seafood restaurant!” they say, “What took them so long!”
Some people see the good in life, others are focused on what’s wrong. “That sure was delicious!” or “It needed more seasoning and the portions were too small.” You can almost anticipate what is next- “My glass is half empty. Wah wah wah.”
I’m SO excited for this and may make it my birthday dinner in October!
It was an Ecuadorian restaurant, not night club. They just happened to have live shows at night. Was sad to see it go. The food was delicious.
long time sunnyside resident – please take your hate somewhere else
good luck to the owners and JJ youre right, its about time
Sounds great
Awesome…but how about a vegetarian place in the neighborhood? Veggies can only eat so much Indian take out and Turkish lentil soup.
Longtime I saw it as an enthiastic comment as in about time we had a great place u r paranoid
I think Julie J probably meant “about time” as in it’s about time Sunnyside has a seafood restaurant.
OMG I’M SO HAPPY FOR THIS!
I think Murphy’s is great, and seafood is my favorite thing ever!!!!!
I just love baked claims, especially when served in a booth behind a velvet curtain. 😉
Julie J just can’t help herself can she??? She can’t wait to start commenting on the next post on SP. about time!!! Are u paying the rent in the new seafood resteraunt ??? If not then its none of your business how long it took to open. I believe it’s beautiful and I would like to wish the owner and staff good luck.
great
Would love to go for seafood in my area
About time!
Cool. It’ll save me a trip to City Island.