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Update, October 12, 2026: The Quiet Man Pub in Dover, NJ served its last night on Saturday, August 29, 2026, and the pub at 64 East McFarlan Street is now closed. As of October 12, 2026, no new restaurant or tenant has been announced for the space. The Burke family had spent nearly six years trying to sell the business, and the sale listing offered the building, the liquor license and the pub’s fixtures together, so the space is set up to reopen as a restaurant and bar if a buyer takes it on. We will update this story as soon as plans are announced. Looking for dinner in town in the meantime? See our guide to the best restaurants in Dover, NJ.
The Quiet Man Irish Pub, a fixture in downtown Dover since 1979, will serve its last meal on Saturday, August 29, 2026. The Burke family announced on the pub’s Facebook page that after 47 years at 64 East McFarlan Street, they are closing for good.
The decision followed nearly six years of looking for a buyer who would keep the place going. “This decision did not come easily. Many of you know that we have been trying to sell the business for nearly six years,” the family wrote. “We explored every opportunity because our sincere hope was that someone would continue the tradition and keep The Quiet Man Legacy alive for generations to come. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the time has come for us to say goodbye.”
Francis and Anne Burke opened the pub in 1979 after emigrating from Dublin. Frank named it after the 1952 John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara film of the same name. He had been working as a waiter at Ashford Castle in Ireland while the movie was being shot there and met both stars. The pub’s back dining room has carried the name the Maureen O’Hara Room ever since. In recent years the Burkes’ three daughters, Mary, Cathy and Trish, have run the business.
Over nearly five decades the Quiet Man built a reputation that reached well past Dover. It earned Zagat ratings and a line from the Star Ledger that the pub still quotes on its own website: “Elegant fare belies humble surroundings in Irish bar in Dover.” Since the announcement, customers have filled the pub’s Facebook page with stories of first dates, marriage proposals and annual family dinners going back decades.
“Since our Parents Frank and Anne from Ireland opened the doors in 1979, The Quiet Man has been so much more than a Restaurant and Irish pub,” the family wrote. “It has been a gathering place where friendships were made, families celebrated milestones, and countless memories were created.”
That leaves five service days. The pub’s posted hours for the final week are Tuesday, August 25 from 3 to 9 p.m., then Wednesday, August 26 through Saturday, August 29 from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Reservations are taken for parties of six or more Tuesday through Thursday only, and not on weekends. The number is 973-366-6333. The Quiet Man has also been selling t-shirts and pint glasses at the bar, with more merchandise on the way.
“We invite you to stop in during our final weeks to enjoy a meal, raise one last glass, and share your favorite memories with us,” the family wrote.
If you are heading to Dover this week, we also keep running lists of the best restaurants in Morris County and things to do around the county this weekend.
Looking for what is on around Dover and the rest of the county this fall? Our guides to fall festivals and fairs, Oktoberfests, pumpkin picking and corn mazes, apple picking, the best apple cider donuts, haunted houses and Halloween events and trick or treat times.
Still looking for a table in town? See our guide to the best restaurants in Dover.
Quiet Man Pub FAQ
What is opening at the former Quiet Man Pub space?
As of October 12, 2026, nothing new has been announced for 64 East McFarlan Street in Dover. The Burke family listed the building, the liquor license and the pub’s fixtures for sale together, so the space is set up to reopen as a restaurant and bar if a buyer takes it on. We will update this story as soon as plans are public.
When did the Quiet Man Pub in Dover close?
The Quiet Man served its last night on Saturday, August 29, 2026, after 47 years in downtown Dover.
Where was the Quiet Man Pub?
The pub was at 64 East McFarlan Street in Dover, NJ. Francis and Anne Burke opened it in 1979 after emigrating from Dublin, and their daughters Mary, Cathy and Trish ran it in recent years.
Where can I eat in Dover now?
Dover still has one of the best Latin food scenes in Morris County. See our guide to the best restaurants in Dover, NJ and our things to do in Dover guide.
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