N.J.’s most legendary Irish pub never closes. Joe DiMaggio and George Carlin loved it here.

There are dozens of Irish pubs in New Jersey.

There is only one Irish Pub.

The Atlantic City restaurant/bar is unlike any other Irish pub in New Jersey. Maybe any other bar, period.

It’s not just a lively 24/7 cash-only hangout but a sports, entertainment and political memorabilia museum, with dozens of vintage photos and posters of Yankees (especially Joe DiMaggio; more on him later), champion boxers, politicians, and entertainers (Buster Keaton, Gayety Girls of 1930, 6 Dresden Dolls) on the walls.

There’s an actual 1920 public notice from the U.S. Marshall closing the bar down for a year due to Prohibition. The pub didn’t skip a beat, functioning as a speakeasy; patrons knew to sneak in through the back stairway.

Also on the wall is a signed doctor’s certificate entitling the bearer to legally obtain booze during that time “for medicinal purposes.” No need to sneak in if you had one of those.

Adding to the decor are the faded newspapers plastered on the ceiling, or the porcelain and alabaster statues of elegantly-coiffed ladies everywhere, or the Victorian-age antique furniture in the hotel lobby upstairs — easily the coolest hotel lobby in the state.

The Inn, still a relative secret, offers rooms starting at the unheard-of price of $50. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, it may be the casino city’s best bargain.

NJ's most legendary Irish pub — lobby, Irish InnPG

While Tir na nOg in Trenton is the state’s best Irish bar, The Irish Pub is New Jersey’s most historic and atmospheric.

“People don’t expect to see this,” said co-owner Cathy Burke, sitting at the bar. ”They come to Atlantic City, see the casinos and hotels, they don’t expect to see a place like this."

She and her husband, Richard — they both grew up in Atlantic City — bought the place in 1972. Before that, it had been Feeley’s Hotel and before that, the Elwood Hotel, which opened in 1903.

The building is located a block from the ocean on St. James Place. Yes, the Monopoly game property. And the red hotel pieces are based on the Elwood Hotel.

Owner Cathy Burke sits in a dining room at The Irish Pub in Atlantic CityJim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? Right here. After retiring from baseball, the Yankee Clipper was a frequent visitor to both the bar and the inn. He had a favorite booth, in the corner, near his autographed photos.

“He felt very comfortable here,” Burke said. ”Even though he enjoyed his privacy, he loved the public. He said, ‘I don’t want people to feel I’m snooty. Anybody who wants to come up and say hello, that’s perfectly all right.‘"

Another bar regular: George Carlin.

“There was a group here once. One of them said, We’re so excited, we’re going to see George Carlin. What time is the show? George (sitting in a corner) yelled out, ‘9 o’clock!’”

DiMaggio’s favorite dish here was the chicken noodle soup, Carlin’s a turkey sandwich on rye with American cheese and mayo.

The menu runs from wings, salads and lollipop meatballs to scallops, paninis and burgers. The Irish version of disco fries: St. James Potatoes, with homemade gravy and melted farmhouse cheddar. My favorite item: the corned beef sandwich, the meat sliced nice and lean.

“You could do brain surgery in my kitchen, it’s so clean,” Burke boasted as she led me through the place.

The restaurant/bar is a warren of rooms and alcoves. There’s an outdoor patio, with a sign advertising Faith American Brewing Co., founded by Kelsey Grammer, who stopped here several years ago to promote it.

The Irish Pub’s atmosphere is relaxed and convivial; it’s as busy at three in the morning (police officers, casino workers, etc.) as three in the afternoon.

St. Patrick’s Day, of course, is the major event on the pub’s social calendar. Not far behind is Bag Day, held the day after, where patrons wear bags, often lavishly-decorated, on their heads. The event, started about 40 years ago, was meant for those who had to work St. Patrick’s Day.

Every once in a while, an incident disturbs the calm, like the drunk driver, who after being refused service, plowed his car into the building in 2014. Repairs were necessary; it was the first time the bar had been closed since Hurricane Sandy.

And then there’s Sammy the Squirrel, who loved to chew up the antique chairs and the wooden New Jersey Bell phone booth upstairs. Sammy, fortunately, is no longer around.

Over the years, developers have sought to buy the prime property. Burke’s response is the same: “Don’t call me again. Not interested.”

In the 1920s, Atlantic City may have been the boxing capital of the world; championship bouts were held at Boardwalk Hall. Bud Schulberg, a famed boxing writer who wrote the screenplay for “On the Waterfront,” was another Irish Pub regular.

“I would like to spend my last hours on earth at the Irish Pub,” he once said.

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Stories by Peter Genovese

Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. On Twitter, @petegenovese. On Instagram, @peteknowsjersey and @themunchmobile.