Spider Murphy’s Is The Modern Irish Bar in Knox-Henderson We Didn’t Know We Needed

As a Henderson Avenue area resident, I got excited when I saw that the former Bar Stellar space (which had been sitting empty for awhile) was being transformed into something new. When the sign “Spider Murphy’s” went up atop the grey and black brick building, that was intriguing enough. We then found out that the new bar would be the third Irish pub owned by Dublin-native Feargal McKinney, following the hospitality veteran’s much-loved spots The Old Monk and Skellig, also  located on Henderson Avenue. After an extensive remodel that including expanding the patio, Spider Murphy’s is now officially open, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Walking up to the new pub, it’s clear a new brick wall has been added to separate the expanded patio from the sidewalk, offering a bit of privacy and a cozier feel for those dining al fresco. The covered portion of the patio includes several large, wooden tables spaced out for groups to provide some social distancing.

Inside, the former arrangement of Bar Stellar remains largely the same with two distinct seating areas. We took a seat on the more intimate side, which also features a couple of tiny, two-person booths and a larger booth with the sign from The Idle Rich’s traditional Irish wake, hosted when the McKinney Avenue bar closed in 2018.

Deciding on drinks was tough. The new pub features a more craft cocktail-forward menu than Old Monk or Skellig. But choices have to be made, so we started with the Blackberry Mezcal Sour and Habanero Margarita. The former ended up being my favorite for the night — it was the perfect mix of smoky and sweet. You definitely have to be into spice if you go for the margarita; there is quite the kick.

The Paper Plane with bourbon, Aperol, Ramazzotti Amaro, and lemon was a close second for me (notable, since I generally  dislike the taste of bourbon), and is accompanied by a cute little lemon peel shaped as an airplane (natch). The Irish Gold Dust was also a creative twist on a classic — Spider Murphy’s uses Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, honey, and lemon and it’s just really pretty to look at.

Let it be known right now that when you come to Spider Murphy’s, you have to start with the Mezcal Shrimp Shooters. Now, I know it sounds like I drank a lot that night, and I did. But it was my first big outing since the pandemic, and trust me, I’m feeling it as I write this morning. But it was also the kind of excessive drinking night (there was another shot involved that I won’t get into) that felt well worth it, because truly everything was good. Anyway, I digress. The shrimp shooters were unexpectedly amazing. A mezcal, mango, tamarind shot is topped with a mojo grilled shrimp. What more do you need to know?

As for food (sustenance was definitely required during this marathon evening), the 9-Layer Burger with Disco Fries was the standout. Nine layers sounds like a lot, especially with a bean and cheese tostada and pork carnitas involved, but it was remarkably just the right amount of each layer atop a single beef patty. And the Disco Fries, a creation that originated in New Jersey, provided all the warmth and carbs we needed. An iteration of poutine, the sidewinder fries (which I didn’t even know was a fry shape that exists until now) comes covered in gravy, mozzarella, and scallions.

We also tried the Roll-Your-Own tacos, which is a bit like a charcuterie board for tacos. You pick and choose three or five items and they come with flour tortillas, salsa, cheese, sour cream, and more to top with. We opted for the pork carnitas, chipotle chicken tinga, and elote fritters.

Spider Murphy’s has one dessert, a Cajeta sundae. It’s three scoops of vanilla ice cream with Cajeta caramel and chocolate cinnamon pecans. Get it, and thank me later.

For more on Feargal McKinney’s newest endeavor, head to spidermurphyspub.com. Currently, the Henderson Avenue bar is only open for dinner and drinks, but a brunch menu is in the works.