Lowdown: Mahoney's in Poughkeepsie

(Credit: Chris Serico, Metromix)

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If the Poughkeepsie club scene is a getting a little too sweaty for you, maybe Mahoney's should be your bar alternative.

Next to the Poughkeepsie train station and just a stone's throw from the Hudson, this two-floor Main Street pub that once was home to the Vassar Brewery in the 1870's opened as Mahoney's on Oct. 22, 2004. While staying true to its Irish roots, it's modern enough to seat plenty of people comfortably and host the typical Friday night DJ dance party or Saturday night cover band.

It's a place that also makes customers and partiers feel like part of the family. The affable Emmett Woods, who co-owns the place with Bob Dooley, could be seen palling around with partiers one night while a DJ spun.

Vibe: On a Friday night when Metromix Hudson Valley visited, waitstaff started clearing dinner tables from the lower level at around 9 p.m. By 10, an older crowd started to call it a night while 20- and 30-somethings took their places at the lower-level bar and on the dance floor behind it. By 1 a.m., the packed dance floor grooved to PJ the DJ, who played everything from hip hop to '80s classics.

One of the best parts about Mahoney's wide two-story structure is that there are plenty of cool places to go. Have a seat at the bar on the first or second floor. Catch your breath or have a conversation in a well-cushioned second-floor booth, where diners would be eating during business hours. Step outside for a cigarette on the lower level or some fresh air on the upper.

Perhaps coolest of all, take a look at the dance floor below from a second-floor, people-watching perspective: A circular cutout in the middle of the upper floor has a railing surrounding it, so curious onlookers can lean against it and check out the action, or a possible date, below.

Attire: It's a casual vibe during the day, but mostly people generally show up looking put-together at night. It's usually a preppy and sporty looking crowd that might take some more time coordinating the outfit than just grabbing the first T-shirt and pants they see. Think about wearing jeans, but probably your best jeans.

Have in hand: It's an Irish pub, so naturally Emmett Woods — and various vintage signs throughout the bar — will tell you that Guinness is good for you. But Mahoney's other Irish-themed drinks might capture your attention. Trenidier signature drinks that might interest the party crowd include the Irish Redhead (Boru Crazzberry vodka and Sprite), the Celtic Cosmopolitan (Boru Citrus vodka, triple sec, lime and cranberry juice) and the Irish Breeze (Boru vodka and cranberry and grapefruit juices).

The kitchen, which serves traditional pub fare helmed by a CIA grad, closes at about 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, so either show up early or eat before you arrive. But you won't be alone if you show up early for that reason — Mahoney's customers consumed 12,480 hamburgers, 11,100 pounds of steak and 31,000 pounds of potatoes in 2008.

Entertainment: High-definition TVs are scattered throughout the first floor and were showing games and "SportsCenter" on one night Metromix stopped by. There are quite a few of them, but you might want to arrive early if you want to catch a big game, because some seats are much better than others.

And it's pretty much impossible to show up at night and not witness some kind of event going on. There's live Irish music on Sunday nights from 4 to 7, trivia on Monday nights at 9, pub games with PJ the DJ on Tuesdays at 10, karaoke on Wednesdays at 9, ladies' night on Thursdays and a solid band or DJ on Fridays and Saturdays.

Want a look inside? Check out All Access: Mahoney's in Poughkeepsie

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