09/02/2026
Making New Memories, Remembering the Old: Maloney's Tavern
By Christine D'Alessandro
It was March 2021 when Dan Walsh first uploaded his song, “They’ll Never Be Gone,” a personal serenade to the bygone bars of his younger days.
The song mentions Moylan’s, Gables, Dunes, Gilhooley’s, Surfside, and more—all beloved watering holes long since shuttered. For most, even the original buildings have been demolished, but never the memories—especially when it comes to one special tavern.
"You’ll find me at Maloney’s,
summer’s place to be.
We’d warm up in the Beef ‘n Beer,
then tear up the Tavern ‘til three.
We were young; it was fun,
we all sang “Born to Run,”
now it’s gone, gone, gone."
The song soon went viral, a testament to nostalgia and the days when living in the moment trumped recording them on a phone. Maloney’s eventually closed in 2005, and the property was razed to make room for luxury townhouses. Nevertheless, it’s rare to hear a Shore story where a night didn’t start there, a couple didn’t meet there, or someone didn’t stay too long.
“I think the special thing about Maloney’s is that it was so local,” Dan begins. “You could go alone and be sure to find someone you knew, and it was also open at almost all hours.”
Maloney’s hours revolved around four areas of the establishment. The Tavern, affectionately known as “The Zoo,” stayed open until 4 am. Even then, people had to be encouraged to leave. Dan recalls summer nights when it was so packed that you needed to turn sideways to maneuver through the crowd. Raising a beer to your mouth could also be challenging, all while the crowd undulated in sync with the music.
“The Tavern also had this low ceiling that you could easily touch,” Dan explains. “We’d peel our beer labels off and stick them to it. And the music would be blasting, and we’d all sing along—it was such a great time.”
To the right of the Tavern was the Beef and Beer, a great place to grab a bite and fortify your stamina for the long nights Maloney’s always inspired. Above it was another late-night spot, which encouraged dancing after dinner and cheers to time well spent. The last area was the backyard patio, where a summer breeze added to the good vibes. It was also the site of Maloney’s owner George Naame’s 70th birthday.
“George was always patrolling the place, and if he knew you, he never hesitated to sit down and share stories,” Dan says with a smile. “There were also great bartenders like Dave “Torker” Tarnovski, Billy Rogers, Jimmy Dorner, Joe Randazzo, Tim Sullivan, Kenny Montgomery and, of course—George’s son—George Jr. Some of the DJs included Tony Venuto and Kenny Sloan, while bouncers like Franz Adler and Charlie Grell worked the door. Not to be overlooked were famous regulars, like The Prof and Wolfie. It’s also great to see so many of those same people back at this year’s reunion.”
The Maloney’s Tavern Reunion was held on Saturday, August 8, at the Margate Log Cabin. A beautiful summer night also meant a huge turnout and too many stories to count. Nevertheless, Dan remembers his favorite.
“I still remember the day Maloney’s closed, right after their ‘Last Call’ party on Labor Day weekend,” Dan reflects. “I happened to be driving down Washington Avenue and saw George out front, unloading a crate of beer.”
Dan pulled over and offered to help George carry out the last of the bar’s inventory, as well as a cumbersome meat slicer. The two then sat and enjoyed a room-temperature Tecate beer and a few more stories.
When they were ready to part ways, George handed Dan two souvenirs: Maloney’s last approved Board of Health certificate and one more beer—the last one to be “served” at Margate’s most beloved bar.
