While it’s less of a ‘pub,’ the Guinness Open Gate Brewery re-opened this summer, and it’s a nice alternative for out-of-town visitors to Dublin who don’t want to pay for do the full Guinness Storehouse ‘brand experience,’ but still want to say they’ve been to the ‘Home of Guinness.’ But it does have a few attractions for locals, too – and it’s a very central spot to kick off a Liberties pub crawl, if that’s your inclination, but the real drawl for me is less the beer, which we’ll come on to in a moment, and more the fantastic nibbles: this is one of the only places in town you can consistently get a pretzel with a beer, and although it’s not an inexpensive one, it’s large, and well worth seeking out.
Regular readers will know I have a Grand Unified Theory about how pubs around the world should offer warm, soft pretzels with beer cheese as a snack, and it’s something we simply don’t have here in Ireland, beyond one-off Oktoberfest events – except at the Open Gate. The other menu items are equally good, and if you’re wondering how a cookie might be worth €10, if you pair it with the Dublin Porter, it’s an absolute treat – and still cheaper than a pint of Guinness in some spots in Temple Bar. The lesson here is that you may have come to try a few beers, but leave room for the food, too.
For anyone used to a reasonably trendy brewery taproom, the recent glow-up at the Open Gate hits all the marks – sleek-looking taps, photography-friendly spaces and industrial chic, though you do now get a better view of the brewing operations behind the glass wall. That said, this isn’t the sort of spot you’ll find 30 rotating taps; it’s still your core Guinness range, with a few more experimental options added on, though there are also legacy brands like Macardles in bottles, and it’s one of the handful of places you can consistently get Guinness Foreign Extra Stout. You won’t be putting a picture of your face in your pint, for an additional fee, as you can at the Storehouse, but that’s no great loss.
Perhaps my favourite thing about the Open Gate, however, is less about the beer and pretzels – though I love the Dublin Porter, and would happily drink it much more frequently were it available elsewhere around town – it’s the sign. Rather than the more common neon chalk or paint-pen listing of what’s on tap, there’s an old-school, railway station-style flipboard that resets periodically, and it is incredibly satisfying to watch and listen to. And despite being someone who once spent far too long each week in Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, I miss the old flipboard – it’s lovely to see that kind of retro tech employed in an engaging way (even if the taps don’t change quite as frequently as trains might be expected to go).
So, while it may be just as much on the tourist trail as its neighbour, the Guinness Storehouse, it’s a more chilled-out experience than trying to grab a pint in the Gravity Bar…and the selection is usually much more interesting.
And again, the pretzels are the real deal – if you’re a local and you ‘have to’ take a friend who is visiting Dublin for the first time, go to the Open Gate hungry – take one for the team!
Where: 53 James St, St. James’s Gate, Dublin 8
Access from the city centre: Buses 13, 27, 49, 54A, 77A, 123, 150, 151, G1, G2, 15-ish minute walk
Food: Small plates, including PRETZELS
Sport: Not here
TVs: No
Music: Fairly generic playlist, but likely depends on the night
Family-friendliness: No under-18s
Pub-crawl-ability: High – Arthur’s is steps away, with Dudley’s, Love Tempo, The Thomas House, The Christchurch Inn, Tailors Hall, The Lord Edward, The Bull & Castle and The Beer Temple/The Oak all within a short walk; The Brazen Head is also a bit further away
Local sites of note: Guinness Storehouse, Vicar Street, Olympia Theatre, Christchurch Cathedral, Dublinia, St Audoen's Church
Haunted: Something something big brand capitalism, maybe? The only ‘vibes’ are from Instagram feature walls, so perhaps spooky if that’s not your thing
Other notes: The beer garden is a great spot on a sunny day (but also well-covered – this is Ireland, after all)
Socials: Instagram