-
Mulligan's
This brilliant old boozer was established in 1782 and has barely changed over the years. In fact, the last time it was renovated was when Christy Brown and his rowdy clan ran amok here in the film My Left Foot . It has one of the finest pints of Guinness in Dublin and a colourful crew of regulars. It's just off Fleet St, outside the eastern boundary of Temple Bar.
-
Nealon's
The warm and cosy decor of this traditional pub is matched by the exceptionally friendly staff. It's a bit of old Dublin on a street getting ready to take off, so catch it while you can. There's live jazz on Sunday.
-
Neary's
One of a string of off-Grafton St, classic Victorian boozers once patronised by Dublin's legless literati, Neary's is a perfect stop-off day or night. It combines great service, a bohemian atmosphere and attractively worn furnishings, and is popular with actors from the nearby Gaiety Theatre .
-
No 4 Dame Lane
This two-storey designer bar took forever to get going - one of the pitfalls of trying to manufacture cool - but once it did it really took off, especially at weekends, when clubby kids and young professionals dressed as clubby kids try to hold a conversation above the loud DJ-led music. Upstairs is even louder, but that's OK, because - judging by some of the conversations we eavesdropped on - the music is often better than the chat.
-
O'Brien's
The unofficial HQ of media types and advertising execs, old-fashioned O'Brien's is the embodiment of all the aspirations of the Celtic Tiger, a place where prosperity and forward-thinking can flourish amid the powerfully nostalgic reminders of a time gone by. Which pretty much means that O'Brien's hasn't changed its decor all that much, but the bathrooms are absolutely spotless.
-
O'Donoghue's
Once the most renowned traditional music bar in all Dublin, this is where the world-famous folk group the Dubliners refined their raspish brand of trad in the 1960s. On summer evenings a young, international crowd spills out into the courtyard beside the pub. It's also a famous rugby pub and the Dublin HQ for many Irish and visiting fans.
-
O'Neill's
A labyrinthine old pub near Trinity College, O'Neill's dates from the late 19th century, though a tavern has stood on this site for more than 300 years. The odd combination of students and stockbrokers lends a chaotic air. Good pub grub is also on offer.
-
Octagon Bar
This swish bar at the Clarence Hotel (owned by U2) has a domed skylight and lots of timber panelling, but not much character. It attracts a mixed crowd (many of them tourists lured by Bono's cachet, plus the odd celebrity) and can be a comfortable place to drink when everything else in Temple Bar is packed.
-
Old Stand
Refreshingly unreconstructed, this is one of the oldest pubs in Dublin and seems to be just sauntering along at the same pace it was 10 years ago, as if the whole Celtic Tiger thing never happened. It's named after the old stand at Lansdowne Rd Stadium, and is a favourite with sports fans and reporters.
-
Olesya's Wine Bar
With over 100 different wines available by the glass and about 400 by the bottle, this lovely wine bar is perfect if you fancy a liquid evening but want to avoid a crowded pub. Take a seat, order some wine and wash it down with something from the accompanying menu, even though we were disappointed with the size of the cheeseboard.
-
Advertisement
-
Oliver St John Gogarty
The best thing about the sessions at this popular Temple Bar watering hole is not that it's ram-packed with tourists or that the 'craic' is slightly manufactured, but that the sessions run virtually all day from , making this the only place you'll hear trad before nightfall. And it's pretty good stuff too.
-
Oval
This is a great little pub, where young and old come together in conversation and rich, creamy pints go down a treat. The Tardis effect is evident once you walk through the door: it is much bigger than it looks from the outside, spreading over three floors.
-
Palace Bar
Some of the best traditional music in Dublin can be heard at the excellent sessions laid on in the gorgeous upstairs lounge of this venerable boozer. If you want to hear the real deal in the city centre, this is the place.
-
Patrick Conway's
This gem of a pub has been lining up drinks since 1745 and joyous fathers - including Colm Meaney's character in The Snapper - have been skulling celebratory pints at its bar since the day the Rotunda Maternity Hospital opened across the road in 1757. Upstairs is the fantastic Boom Boom Room, one of the best places in the city for good live music.
-
Pavilion
One of the most enjoyable drinking experiences in town can be had on a pleasant summer's day on the balcony of the Pav, the cricket pavilion overlooking Trinity's playing fields. Grab a beer and a sandwich before settling down to enjoy the spectacle on display: a cricket match or just the other punters getting drunk and trying to play Frisbee.
-
Peter's Pub
A pub for a chat and a convivial catch up, this humble and friendly place is more like Peter's Living Room, and is one of the few remaining drinking dens in this area that hasn't changed personality in recent years, or gone chasing the new money.
-
Pravda
As un-Irish as you could probably get, this huge, multilevel Russian-themed bar was all the rage when it opened a few years ago. It has got a party atmosphere and is a great pick-up joint for young tourists, but you can forget about conversation at night (because the music is so loud) and the bouncers seem especially dim-witted.
-
Renard's
Snooty Renard's offers little in terms of interesting music (it mostly has pop hits and old classics), but it is a top spot for a little social credibility. The problem, however, is that most of the celebs - including some of U2 and their entourage when they're in town - are safely ensconced in the upstairs lounge, while the ordinary plebs have to make do with the main room.
-
Rí Rá
One of the true veterans of the nightclub scene, Rí Rá - one half of the Irish expression rí rá agus ruaile buaile (ree raw aw-gus roola boola), which translates roughly as 'devilment and good fun' - changed hands in 2007, with the new owners promising the same mix of laid-back grooves and funky beats that made it one of the most popular in town. Monday night's Strictly Handbag, with its great menu of '80s music, has been going for a dozen years.
-
Rogue
Relative newcomer on the block, Rogue is an intimate two-floored venue and home to the Bodytonic crew, who specialise in expertly mixed disco, house and electro. Expect to hear melodic and deep house and techno at the excellent Discotonic on Saturday nights.
-
Advertisement
-
Ron Blacks
Despite its cavernous size, this upmarket watering hole retains an inviting atmosphere, thanks to plenty of warm wooden panelling, leather sofas and huge soft lights. The newly opened champagne bar upstairs attracts suity young men and smart-dressed girls who aren't afraid to flash their cash.
-
Ryan's
Near Phoenix Park, this is one of only a handful of city pubs that has retained its Victorian décor virtually intact, complete with ornate bar and snugs. An institution among Dublin's public houses, this is truly worth the trip.
-
Sackville Lounge Traditional Pub
This tiny 19th-century one-room, wood-panelled bar lies just off O'Connell St and is popular with actors from the nearby Abbey and Peacock theatres, as well as a disproportionate number of elderly drinkers. It's a good pub for a solitary pint.
-
Samsara
This huge Middle Eastern-themed drinking emporium is packed at weekends with gorgeous young things and thingies, air-kissing and comparing their designer ware. The seats are too uncomfortable and there's an overwhelming vibe of 'me, me, me!' but you can get through it by meditating on samsara - the endless cycle of suffering and reincarnation. Or just enjoy the eye candy.
-
Sean O'Casey's
The antithesis of the Dublin superpub, this is the kind of place where the male drinkers (and there seems to be only male drinkers) look up and grunt when you walk through the door. It's a Kerry pub, decked out in the county's Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) colours, and is particularly lively when Kerry are playing in Croke Park.
