Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green
A low-key entrance next to the trendy French restaurant L'Gueuleton leads upstairs to one of the nicest bar spaces in town, consisting of three huge rooms…
Must-see nightlife in Ireland
County Sligo
Combining a gastropub with a proper old bar and a vintage grocery store shouldn't work, but at Langs it really does, creating a unique space full of Old…
The Midlands
Dating from 1775 (when it opened as a grocery store), this treasure of a pub has withstood the onslaught of modernisation. A hotchpotch of oddities line…
Temple Bar
The atmosphere behind this inconspicuous, unlit doorway initialled with the letters 'VCC' is that of a Vegas rat pack hang-out or a '60s-style London…
The Burren
With a big reputation in Irish music circles, Vaughan's has music in the bar every night during the summer and several times a week the rest of the year…
Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green
A Victorian classic that is one of the city's most beautiful and best-loved pubs. Check out the ornate carvings in the woodwork behind the bar and the…
The Midlands
Opening to a lovely beer garden, Hough's is a 250-year-old vine-clad pub renowned for its music sessions. You'll find someone playing here most nights in…
Tralee
Ingeniously converted from a terrace house (with a tree still growing right through the courtyard-garden-turned-interior), this hip little bar has cool…
County Donegal
The best craic in town is invariably found at this old-school pub where the owner plays the button-box accordion and pals join in traditional-music…
County Donegal
Watch your head! All sorts of bric-a-brac hangs precariously from the ceiling of Letterkenny's most atmospheric pub. There's a good beer garden and…
Cork City
This unusual wine bar's former life as a pharmacy has been lovingly preserved – the window displays are full of vintage cosmetics and memorabilia. The…
Cork City
Come early to grab the seats by the crackling open fire, but even if you’re not lucky this time round, it’s still a great place to park for a few hours…
Dingle Town
A toasty cast-iron wood stove, stone slab floor, memorabilia on the walls, great staff and no intrusive TV make this one of Dingle's most enjoyable…
North of the Liffey
This arcade-style bar is fitted out with retro video games and pinball machines. As well as a full bar, the restaurant serves generous portions of…
Skellig Ring
The focus of Portmagee's village life is the raspberry-coloured Bridge Bar, a local gathering point that hosts traditional Irish music and dancing…
Doolin
McGann's has all the classic touches of a full-on Irish music pub, with action often spilling onto the street. Inside you'll find locals playing darts in…
Dingle Town
Coffee specialist Bean in Dingle roasts its own Brazilian, Ethiopian and Guatemalan blend of beans. There's a communal table and a handful of seats;…
Dingle Town
One of Dingle's most traditional shop-pubs, stocking everything from wellies to bags of potatoes, Curran’s has nooks and crannies including original…
The Midlands
Dating from 1823, the Chestnut incorporates dark wood, gilded mirrors, flickering candles, peat fires and a pressed-tin ceiling. Trad sessions take place…
Cobh
It's a steep walk from the seafront but the pay-off is plenty of craic – and often live music – at the wonderfully named Roaring Donkey (allegedly so…
Darkey Kelly's Bar & Restaurant
Temple Bar
Once the home of Ireland’s first female serial killer, Darkey’s now boasts a killer whiskey selection instead. It has a decent range of craft beer, and is…
Dublin
Given its location, Arthur’s could easily be a cheesy tourist trap, and plenty of Guinness Storehouse visitors do pass through the doors tempted by…
Cork City
This curved corner bar has no shortage of comfortable window seats but its real attraction is the outside tables which are indisputably the best people…
Temple Bar
A subterranean cocktail bar decorated in the manner of a Prohibition-era speakeasy. There's lots of rooms – and room – for hip lounge cats to sprawl and…
Cork City
A stalwart resident on the Cork pub scene, the long and narrow interior here is dark and cosy with a decent alternative rock soundtrack. On the weekends,…
Dublin
This pub is officially the longest in Ireland and is more than 350 years old. As you travel down past the cosy snugs and fireplaces, you’ll find not only…
Dublin
If the Storehouse isn’t enough to satisfy the beer lover in you, try the results of the Guinness experimental brewery. You must book ahead online and each…
Doolin
At Hotel Doolin, relative newcomer Fitz's has trad sessions twice nightly from April to October and at least three times a week from November to March…
Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green
This opulent bar in the 18th-century Powerscourt complex combines Prohibition-era cool (staff in Peaky Blinders hats and sleeve garters) and Georgian…
Dublin
The gravediggers from the adjacent Glasnevin Cemetery had a secret serving hatch so that they could drink on the job – hence the pub’s nickname. Founded…
Kilkenny City
This former Bank of Ireland building has been resurrected as undoubtedly the most eye-catching bar in town. Dating from the 1870s, the interior is…
Galway City
Sprawling over three floors, this vast, ancient pub dating from the 13th century has medieval details including cut-stone windows, fireplaces and the…
County Clare
It's partly the regular trad sessions (Wednesday to Sunday, May to September; Friday and Saturday, October to April), partly the timber panels and snugs,…
Galway City
Antiques fill every nook, cranny, wall and ceiling space of this 1942-established pub: clocks, crockery, farming implements, gas lights, sewing machines,…
County Waterford
Behind a black-and-cream facade on the quayfront is the taproom of Waterford city's Metalman Brewing Co. Beers include Ironmonger (amber IPA), Moonbeam …
County Mayo
This tiny, traditional thatched roadside pub with flagstone floors and ancient benches is the real deal. There's no TV or radio or even a hint of a ham…
Galway City
Right on Eyre Sq, this traditional, garrulous pub has a great, huge heated beer garden, which is home to two outdoor bars and regular music events…
Grafton Street & St Stephen's Green
This deliberately ramshackle boozer is probably the coolest bar in town for its marvellous mix of music (courtesy of its owners, the Bodytonic production…
Limerick City
A 200-year-old classic right in the city centre, this corner pub is Limerick's oldest bar and, despite recent renovations, retains a traditional ambience.
County Clare
Crotty's brims with character, thanks to an old-fashioned high bar, intricately tiled floors and a series of snugs decked out with retro furnishings. Trad…
