There are Irish pubs in the most unlikely corners of the world - I watched the Rugby World Cup final in one such in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
There are three in Sofia. Murphy's is typical of the breed, but has something extra - it is immaculately run by charming staff. On a crowded big match day the empty glasses were immediately removed, as were the used ashtrays.
The bar food (onion rings, chicken wings, chips) crispy and grease-free. There is a wider menu of comfort food such as shepherd's pie. The full glasses quickly arrived, with a smile. One large screen and several smaller ones make sure everyone has a view of the sporting action.
A credit to the genre, and I recommend it highly.
ul Kurnigradska 6
tel 02 980 28 70
open noon-midnight
I found Murphy's great, and the staff very nice, especially compared to other places I visited in Bulgaria. The garden was open and in addition to the regular menu, they were cooking BBQ outside. JJ Murphy's is also opening in the Bansko ski resort.Send your feedback or queries to been.there@guardian.co.uk
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This is a common scam method, particularly if the Jamesons has been flowing like Guinness.