The term Murphy's Law is an old adage that means "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." So, it was no surprise that naming a bar Murphy's Law (370 East Ave., 739-2500) was almost like asking for at least a little bit of trouble.

Posters proclaiming the future site of a new Irish pub started to show up in the windows of a former office building on the corner of East and Alexander over summer 2008. But as the months passed, the interior stayed unfinished, and the doors remained closed.

"The entire project took over a year to finish," says Murphy's co-owner Mark Chiarenza. "After beginning the first phase of construction, we ran into some problems with the New York State Liquor Authority."

Chiarenza says that problems arose due to the concentration of bars and clubs in the East End district, so he and co-owners Marty Cordy and John Diamantopoulos had to reorganize and figure out a new plan. After several months, they finally received their liquor license after proving that we were not just another bar, but an Irish pub as well as a full-service restaurant.

Once the legal issues were resolved, construction began again and progressed at a brisk pace. Murphy's Law opened its doors for the first time on Wednesday, March 11, just in time for St. Patrick's Day.

The concept is a full-service Irish pub and restaurant, Chiarenza says. "Nothing over $15 on the menu makes it affordable for everyone to enjoy."

I made my first visit to Murphy's Law the day after it opened. Even though there was still a slight smell of lacquer, the place was definitely finished and ready for the large crowd that had gathered to watch Syracuse take on Connecticut in the Big East basketball tournament. They were treated to a six-overtime thriller, as well as Murphy's 38 draft beers and 42 (and growing) varieties of bottled beer.

My first impression was that the place is enormous. From the high ceilings to the custom woodwork, to the giant windows that open out on to the street, to the 10 flat-screen televisions scattered throughout, Murphy's Law is a great place for a pint, a business lunch, or a casual dinner. There is seating all around the massive central bar, as well as at tables and booths. A second-floor bar overlooks the scene below.

"Our approach to separate [ourselves] from other pubs in the area was to create something authentic on a grand scale that you would find in big cities like New York and Boston," says Chiarenza.

This isn't the group's first foray into the local bar scene. Chiarenza is one of the former owners of the recently closed Two89 on Alexander Street, Cordy is also the owner of popular Monroe Avenue hangout J. D. Oxford's, and Diamantopoulos has had a hand in many local watering holes, including the fairly new Magpie on Park Avenue.

Even though Murphy's Law was open for St. Patrick's Day, it still has not had its official grand opening. "[We] just wanted to open the doors without any big celebration to get things rolling; it was kind of a soft opening," Chiarenza says.

Murphy's Law is open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., serving lunch, dinner, and a late-night menu. Check rochestercitynewspaper.com/nightlife for updates on the official grand opening.