We didn’t have time to get to a ‘new’ pub this week for a conventional entry, but given the (strange) glorious sunny weather, we’ll do a quick round-up of the nicest beer gardens in Dublin – plus an introduction to our newest tag, Pavement Pints*. There are relatively few true beer gardens in Dublin compared to many other major cities, though given our typical weather, it’s not terribly surprising. And it’s probably worth defining what we mean by ‘beer garden‘ here on Weirdo Dublin Pubs: for our purposes, it’s a more permanent outdoor space at the pub with at least a number of substantial tables and chairs. But we also have more than a few pubs with semi-official spots to stand with your pint in good weather, as well as those that have either a bench or a few chairs here and there, so we’ve been encouraged to create the Pavement Pints category to cover these locations.
And so, with definitions out of the way, here are some of our favourite proper Dublin beer gardens, along with a ‘why you might like it’ note for each. We’ll start strong: it’s hard to top Bonobo, with an always-interesting beer lineup and a large (by Dublin standards) patio with many tables and chairs, and its sister pub on the south side, Kodiak. There’s pizza at both as well, if you’re putting in a full afternoon’s work. Another excellent option for beer, food and general ‘vibes’ is the back deck at The Bald Eagle – again, it’s a large space, and there’s a mix of covered areas and even televisions if it’s a sportsball-day, plus a lot of fun art (mind the Dalek!), good beer and food for all the family. And we have only just mentioned The Brian Boru – but it is, perhaps, one of the sunniest spots around, especially in the afternoon. Hynes’ Bar also has a lovely outdoor space with a mix of seating options, beer, snacks and a good sense of humour in its mural. Staying Northside (we will cross the river, I promise, but the Northside is just, well, better in this regard), The Tolka House has a large covered patio and is an ideal spot to refuel after a visit to the National Botanic Garden. We’ll begin heading toward the city centre with a stop off at MeMa’s – its beer garden is one of the quirkier ones, but get there early – it fills up quickly. And for a tasty bite and a true sun trap before an event nearby, Urban Brewing has a delightful outdoor space, umbrellas and all.
Then, to the other side of the Liffey: Toner’s has an enormous beer garden for its city centre location, and the Guinness Open Gate has beautiful outdoor spaces (and that pretzel), but book ahead to get your spot. Love Tempo is, as of this writing, still closed after a fire, but we look forward to adding them back to the list when they re-open – their beer garden is a hidden gem of a sun-trap. Luckily, (see what we did there?) Lucky’s is just around the corner, and they have a wonderful beer garden, just off Meath Street. Tapped has a semi-secret beer garden in the alleyway that’s well worth a visit. And if you are heading further south, The Brickyard has a covered patio out front, and they are a wonderful spot for both food and beer. The Vintage Inn has a beautifully-designed beer garden – one of the nicest anywhere in Dublin, and well worth a trip if you’re near the Aviva (or even if you need to make the trip there).
Next, on to Pavement Pints, and it would be rude not to start with The Gravediggers. (And yes, we did just hop back over to Glasnevin, sorry/not sorry). While there’s no formal outdoor seating, there are always people outside with a pint in fine weather, both right in front of the pub and in the centre of the square. Of course, it is a residential area, so do be mindful if you’re enjoying pints al fresco. The Black Sheep has a few outdoor tables, sometimes covered, as do many other spots along Capel Street. Contending with traffic noise from both cars and the Luas are the benches outside Fidelity; once again, there are only a few, but their Whiplash and guest beers are lovely, traffic notwithstanding. Taking the Luas further out to The Circular will also land you at another good Pavement Pints spot – and they are introducing a regular market in the near future, too. Another newer spot in this category, albeit closer in, is The Morris Bar, where they have only just added a small outdoor seating area to the front.
Finally, we cannot decide whether the outdoor space at Rascals counts as a beer garden or is more Team Pavement Pints – what say you, gentle readers? In any event, don’t forget your sunblock…
*Name inspiration courtesy of Peter at Craic Beer Community – if you’re a local beer nerd, do join!
Last week, we asked whether 
The pub has been here since the 1850s, and in the Hedigan family since 1904, and you can’t miss their name in neon, either. Of course, like so many pubs along this route, it’s name-checked in Ulysses, and has a useful write-up 
Well, there have been proposals to 
We are back this week with a ‘request pub’ – one that’s much further north than our more common north-of-the-Liffey-but-still-pretty-central stomping grounds. We’re heading out of Dublin City proper to Howth; it’s an easy trip on the DART, but a bit of a pain if, for example, you needed Dublin Bus to deposit you to a nearby spot at a predetermined time. Dublin Bus is not always especially good at the concept of ‘on time’ (but it’s pretty great on ghost buses), so the journey in this general direction involved more taxis than I typically take in a 6-month period, but we got there in the end. Our (eventual) destination was 
I’d recently had an exchange on the socials lamenting the lack of railway station bars in Ireland, and while we have nothing here quite like the small-but-mighty 
We enjoyed excellent food and service when we stopped in, which isn’t necessarily a given in some pubs mid-week in the middle of the afternoon (hardly a fruitful time for most), so it was much appreciated. There is outdoor seating as well around both ends of the pub, but we kept to the more dimly-lit interior on a lovely sunny afternoon. Having offspring who actively avoid the sun may be odd to others, but hey, at least their vampiric ways are preventing long-term sun damage, and the pub interior really is lovely, all stone and dark wood.
A proper ‘Pubs of Croke Park’ roundup is long overdue, and with so many events on this summer, we may as well finally start working on that. While we’ve already covered a few handy ones like 
It’s very much a ‘locals’ pub most of the time, but a welcoming one; I’ve had out-of-town guests wind up there and have great chats with the barstaff. No frills, but no pretention, either. If you are looking to pre-game before an event at Croke Park, it’s hard to be better-placed for an easy walk in to the stadium. And, of course, the pub’s name 
Back in the day – you know, perhaps 3 years ago – this week’s pub was The Porterhouse Central. It was a very handy spot in that you could enjoy a mix of interesting beers from Porterhouse and various guest options, but you avoided 
However, I happened to be in the area and had a bit of time after a meeting, so I gave Tapped another try. I’m pleased to say that the interior, while still feeling just slightly too ‘taproom’ has been softened and improved. There is now much more comfortable seating and the lighting is more dialled-in; it feels warmer on the whole. There are screens showing the beer lineup, 
While it was likely something akin to a coaching inn in that earlier phase – again, like its not-too-distant neighbour in Drumcondra – having a tourist site spring up nearby in the form of the National Botanic Gardens in the 19th century was a boon to business, similar to the relationship between the nearby 
It’s properly Halloween season, and that means we need to take in a pub with a better ghostlore pedigree…even if its other, more, er, brazen claims don’t really hold up. And so, to 
And so to the second issue – is it ‘Ireland’s oldest pub,’ here ‘since 1189?’ LOL, no. While 
Happily – at least for a 
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 
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 
Dublin does not, on the whole, have the kind of grand railway station pubs and bars that you might find in the UK or Germany, but it seems 
It’s a bit of a funny spot, The Galway Hooker; the patio outside overlooks the Luas tracks, giving it more of a ‘commuter’ vs ‘real trip’ vibe, but it does afford a nice view of Heuston’s exterior, which is really rather nice by Irish train station standards; it can be a bit too easy to overlook when you’re in a hurry to catch a train. Inside, though, there are multiple options for people-watching, though it’s not as easy as it might be for trainspotting. The entrance from the station concourse only suggests a somewhat-unpromising buffet/carvery experience, but if you press on into the pub interior, a more impressive spectacle awaits.
The colour scheme is dictated by the red-brown (Burnt Sienna?) sails of the model 
And yet, while some of those elements may not be what tourists envision when they think ‘Irish pub,’ MeMa’s feels very much part of the fabric of the neighbourhood. One of the reasons I especially enjoy stopping in – beyond the comfortable seating options – is their support for independent Irish beer. There is always Ambush on from Trouble, and usually something from Rye River as well, plus a few other wild cards. The same can be said for their championing smaller Irish distillers, and some of the cocktails are a great way to showcase those producers (perhaps not, it must be said, in the ‘tower’ format, but in your standard-sized cocktail, absolutely).