Best Bars in Hoboken: Sports, Cocktails, Live Music and More

The best bars in Hoboken serve different kinds of nights. Watching a match calls for clear sightlines and enough screens; cocktails and dinner require another setting. Rooftops, live music, outdoor tables and quieter neighborhood pubs widen the choice. The 12 venues below are compared by location, food, entertainment and atmosphere.

Editor’s note: This guide is published on the McSwiggans website. McSwiggans is included under the same criteria used for every other venue.

Best Hoboken Bars at a Glance

Venue	Area	Go for	Food	Sports or music	Outdoor space	Booking note
Madd Hatter	Downtown	Major games and nightlife	Full menu	40+ screens	–	Reservations
Mulligan’s Pub	Downtown	European football and NFL	Full kitchen	Football, pool and darts	Patio	Private room
Farside Tavern	Midtown	Neighborhood sports bar	Full menu and brunch	Multiple screens	Year-round patio	Private events
Finnegan’s Pub	Midtown	Football and live music	Pub food	Arsenal, live bands, open mic	–	Party room
McSwiggans Pub	Downtown	Sports, music and pub leagues	Pub menu and brunch	Live music, darts and pool	–	Parties
Dear Maud	Downtown	Cocktails and dinner	Full menu	Lively evening setting	–	Reservations
The LOLA	Downtown waterfront	Cocktails and date night	Dinner, brunch and small plates	Bar and lounge	–	Recommended
Metropolis	Downtown	Rooftop cocktails	Brunch through dinner	Rooftop drinks	Rooftop	Reservations
City Bistro	Uptown	Rooftop dining and music	Full menu	Live music and DJs	Rooftop and patio	Restaurant: reservations; rooftop: walk-in
Pier 13	North waterfront	Drinks, food trucks and skyline views	Rotating food trucks	Music and events	Outdoor pier	Check the event listing
Carpe Diem	Uptown/North	A quieter drink	Gastropub menu	Sports at the bar	Summer café	Private room
Hoboken Biergarten	Uptown/North	Groups, beer and outdoor seating	Gastropub menu	Rotating events	Dog-friendly patio	Tables and events

Hours, entertainment and access to outdoor areas can change. Check the venue’s official site or social pages before leaving.

Sports Bars and Pubs

Madd Hatter

Madd Hatter is built around televised sports. Its site lists more than 40 large screens and projection TVs around the central bar, reducing the chance that one game dominates the room. A full menu and extensive beer selection cover long matches. After dark, the venue shifts toward nightlife, parties and scheduled events.

Mulligan’s Pub

Mulligan’s is closely associated with European football as well as NFL games. Large screens line the pub, and the kitchen serves wings, burgers and an Irish breakfast throughout the day. Pool and dart leagues extend the traditional pub setting beyond match days. There is also a patio and a separate room for private events.

Farside Tavern

Farside Tavern follows the neighborhood sports-bar model rather than the scale of Madd Hatter. Games play across multiple TVs, with a full food menu, cocktails and weekend brunch. Its rear patio operates throughout the year.

Finnegan’s Pub

Finnegan’s combines football and live music in a Willow Avenue pub. It is home to the Arsenal FC Supporters Club of New Jersey and promotes match viewing throughout the season. Live bands are scheduled on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, followed by an open mic on Sundays. Check the current calendar before visiting.

McSwiggans Pub

McSwiggans moves between an Irish-pub setting, televised sports and a busier nightspot later in the evening. It hosts live music on Wednesdays and recreational leagues for darts, pool and softball. The First Street address places it among the Downtown bars, within the same cluster as Mulligan’s, Dear Maud and several other nightlife venues.

Cocktails and Date-Night Bars

Dear Maud

Dear Maud pairs cocktails with a full food menu developed from the owners’ Irish and New York backgrounds. The bar describes its atmosphere as lively, and tables can be reserved. This is a dinner-and-drinks format rather than a sports bar, with separate arrangements available for parties and other events.

The LOLA

The LOLA occupies a waterfront address on Sinatra Drive and operates as a dining room, cocktail bar and lounge. It serves dinner, weekend brunch and small plates. Reservations are recommended. The published dress code calls for business-casual clothing and excludes athletic wear, caps, beachwear and distressed denim.

Rooftop and Waterfront Bars

Metropolis

Metropolis sits on River Street in Downtown Hoboken. Its rooftop has a separate menu covering cocktails, spritzes, beer, wine and alcohol-free beer. The restaurant also serves brunch, lunch and dinner. Tables can be reserved through the venue.

City Bistro

City Bistro has a full-service rooftop for drinks, brunch and dinner in Uptown Hoboken. The venue lists live music on most Thursdays and DJs on Fridays and Saturdays. Restaurant reservations are encouraged, but the rooftop and patio use first-come, first-served seating. Access can depend on weather, events and capacity.

Pier 13

Pier 13 is an outdoor waterfront destination rather than a conventional bar. Drinks, rotating food trucks, live music and events share the pier with open seating and Manhattan skyline views. The program changes through the season, and some events require tickets. Check the opening status, truck lineup and event calendar before going.

A Quieter Drink or a Larger Group

Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem sits north of the viaduct, away from the Downtown bar cluster. Its own description mentions stopping for a quiet drink, meeting friends or watching a game at the bar. The gastropub menu covers American and Irish dishes, while the dining room has a fireplace. A small outdoor café opens during summer.

The Hoboken Biergarten

The Hoboken Biergarten occupies a large space on Grand Street with a dog-friendly patio. The drinks list extends beyond draft beer to wine, cocktails and mocktails, while the kitchen serves a gastropub menu. Tables, private spaces and full-venue events can be booked. Weekly promotions and seasonal events change throughout the year.

Choosing an Area and Planning the Night

Most Downtown venues in this guide sit around First Street, lower Washington Street, River Street and Sinatra Drive. Hoboken Terminal serves NJ Transit trains, PATH and ferry connections. Midtown adds Farside Tavern and Finnegan’s, while Uptown and North Hoboken contain City Bistro, Carpe Diem, Hoboken Biergarten and Pier 13.

Before going, check the day’s hours, match schedule, music calendar and rooftop or patio status. Groups should confirm whether ordinary reservations, event booking or walk-in seating applies. For a direct choice: Madd Hatter or Mulligan’s center the night on sports; Dear Maud and The LOLA pair cocktails with food; City Bistro and Metropolis have rooftops; Pier 13 supplies the open waterfront setting; Carpe Diem has the clearest case for a quieter drink.