This week’s Bokenology takes us to Onieal’s, 343 Park Ave. just off of Church Square Park. This cozy pub is a standard for locals looking for good food and good conversation. They offer great specials all week long including industry night on Mondays, their fabulous Wine Down Wednesdays, and Football specials during all the games. Foodies can stave off hunger with the late night bar menu, which is available until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The regulars are nearly as friendly as the staff, who really do know most of the crowd by name. Mandi, a longtime staff member, even remembers your drink if you’re having trouble remembering which wine you tried!

DS: When did you start working at Onieal’s?

Mandi: Over six years ago in August 2005.

DS: Was this your first bar job in Hoboken?

Mandi: Yes, first in Hoboken, but I did work in Cape May.

DS: What made you move to Hoboken?

Mandi: I couldn’t afford living in the city and we had friends who said, ‘You’d love Hoboken!’

DS: What do you think of it?

Mandi: I think it has gone through a whole transformation. It has everything – great entertainment, everything is in walking distance, it is so close to Manhattan, and there are families and young people.

DS: What do you like best about bartending?

Mandi: The customers and the friendships you make. I like that this is a neighborhood bar. People want to talk to you.

DS: What is the strangest thing you’ve ever seen?

Mandi: About four years ago, a bus full of clowns walked in here. Literally, a minivan pulled up and 12 of them came in here in their getups.

DS: What was the crowd reaction to the clowns?

Mandi: Confused, like it was a joke. People were looking around for cameras.

DS: What is the most life affirming moment you’ve witnessed?

Mandi: When the recession hit, people were saying, ‘I just got laid off.’ I remember talking about it with people and it made me very thankful that I work in the bar business. People were saying, ‘I worked there for 25 years and I have three kids and a home.’

DS: Did you keep in touch with any of them? Did they recover?

Mandi: I know several people who changed careers completely. One teacher changed careers. She opened a restaurant.

DS: What is the best drink you make?

Mandi: My Bloody Mary. We have a bar menu of Bloody Marys that I came up with.

DS: What is the single biggest tip you ever received?

Mandi: $200 from one guy. He was very generous. He still visits occasionally.

DS: What advice would you give a 21 year-old going out?

Mandi: I would say you can always tell when someone orders a shot of Kamikaze. No one does those anymore. It shows your age when you order a shot like that. Ask the bartender to recommend a shot.