Florrie McGreal's is an Irish pub at 138 Hurstmere Road, in the heart of Takapuna's Hurstmere Road entertainment precinct. It offers a welcoming ambience, an extensive range of beers, wines and spirits, a hearty Irish menu, live pub bands every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, a trivia quiz, multiple large TV screens showing live sport, and 18 pokie machines.
The pub is named after Florence "Florrie" McGreal, the owner's grandmother, who was born in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, and married Simon McGreal in 1909 before the pair emigrated to New Zealand in search of a better life. Florrie was a Protestant teetotaller, while Simon, a Catholic from the Republic, enjoyed more than his share of the drink — the two produced five children, one of whom, Edna McGreal, married Tuppy Schwass, whose son Kevin Schwass now owns Florrie McGreal's.
First established in 1993 as part of the Poenamo Hotel, the pub relocated to its current Hurstmere Road location in 2009. Over the years it has become an iconic North Shore landmark, regarded as one of Auckland's finest watering holes, known for its staunch locals, ultra-friendly staff and great craic.
In the heart of Takapuna's Hurstmere Road entertainment precinct, Florrie McGreal's has built a reputation as one of Auckland's finest watering holes — an iconic North Shore landmark with staunch locals, ultra-friendly staff and, as the pub puts it, great craic.
The pub takes its name from Florence "Florrie" McGreal, the owner's grandmother, who was born in Enniskillen, a small border town in Northern Ireland. In 1909, Florrie married Simon McGreal, and the pair emigrated to New Zealand in search of a better life. Their marriage was, by the pub's own telling, an interesting one — Florrie was a Protestant teetotaller, while Simon, a Catholic from the Republic, enjoyed more than his share of the drink. Together they had five children, including Edna McGreal, who married Tuppy Schwass. Their son, Kevin Schwass, is the current owner of Florrie McGreal's.
The pub itself was first established in 1993 as part of the Poenamo Hotel, before relocating in 2009 to its current home on Hurstmere Road, right in the middle of Takapuna's entertainment strip.
Florrie McGreal's offers a welcoming ambience alongside an extensive range of beers, wines and spirits, and a hearty Irish menu. The venue leans into being a genuine entertainment destination too — live pub bands play every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, a trivia quiz runs regularly, and multiple large TV screens show live sport throughout the pub. For those after a flutter, there are also 18 pokie machines on site.
The pub runs daily meal specials described as "so good we had to put them on permanent rotation" — its Pub Classics. A separate Pre Theatre Menu is also available, suited to anyone catching a show nearby before or after their meal. The full menu spans categories including Spuds To Share, soups, sandwiches, salads and lighter bites, pizza, burgers, Pub Classics, a Butcher's Block, sides, puddings, and a kids menu, alongside dedicated beer and cider, wine, whisky, and spirits and liqueurs lists.
As a genuine neighbourhood pub, Florrie McGreal's is positioned as the perfect place to meet friends or make new ones — a spot built for regulars as much as newcomers. Its events calendar, from live music nights to trivia, keeps the venue busy well beyond a typical pub crowd, and its central Hurstmere Road location makes it an easy stop within Takapuna's wider entertainment precinct.
Florrie McGreal's is open seven days a week, from midday, closing at midnight Sunday to Wednesday and 1am Thursday to Saturday. Tables can be booked directly through the pub's website, and the team is happy to answer any questions about the menu, hours or events over the phone.