Best Pubs For…

It’s Dublin pub round-up time again; this edition is in response to a frequently asked question we get on The Socials and via email: what pubs in town are handy for hosting an event? It could be a birthday celebration or a youth team end-of-season party at a single long table, a corporate event in a private room, or even a wedding celebration taking over some or all of the pub.

We’ve had the pleasure of attending nearly all of these events in pubs across the city, and have a few that we’d especially recommend if you’re planning a shindig. For a ‘traditional’ pub experience with a private room, The Stag’s Head frequently hosts weddings and family gatherings in their upstairs space, complete with beautiful decoration. The Old Spot also has a gorgeous room that fits the bill here, along with their excellent food. Taphouse in Ranelagh has ample party space, and weddings are not at all unusual for them. The Bull and Castle is another for festive fine food and drink.

For a less-formal event, The Cat and Cage has a lovely upstairs area (karaoke rooms included), and we love Rascals for parties of all sorts – a range of options are available in their flexible space, and there’s excellent pizza and beer at both. The Back Page is a frequent party spot for all ages, thanks to its range of video games (it’s worth noting it can be especially full of louder children’s voices during ‘Communion Season’) – and, again, karaoke – while Token is more of a corporate event space. BrewDog seems to get both the family events as well as work-related Mandated Fun parties, but with such a large space, it’s unsurprising. There is a less-used-these-days basement room at The Black Sheep that can still be booked, but for a more atmospheric subterranean space for events, we recommend Urban Brewing, with its arched vaults and wildly-underrated cheese plate.

Finally, there are plenty of pubs and bars that have space for more casual get-togethers and events with a bit of advance notice: MeMa’s, Drop Dead Twice, Hynes’ Bar, Kodiak (with bonus shuffleboard upstairs) and The Circular are all well worth investigating for a group evening out or afternoon pints with your Meetup crew.

In short, whether it’s a formal sit-down dinner or simply some group drinks after work, there’s a pub in Dublin with just the right space; book away!

Dublin has an exceptional number of ‘literary’ pubs, and it’s no surprise that visitors build entire itineraries (a fancy word for ‘pub crawl’ in no small number of cases) around pubs frequented by Brendan Behan or namechecked by James Joyce. Indeed, in some parts of town, it can be tricky to find a pub that doesn’t claim to fit into one (or both) of these categories, and in many instances, it’s absolutely true.

But our intent here isn’t to map out the best bibliophile journey-by-pint – rather, it’s to highlight the best local pubs to enjoy a quiet pint with a book. There will be a bit of crossover with the aforementioned ‘literary’ pubs as it’s nearly impossible not to stumble across at least a few, but on the whole, these are spots where you can relax and catch up on your TBR pile without worrying that you’ll be fighting with a tour group for a seat at the bar or a nice table in a corner or snug.

Of course, there will be times when even the most chill bar will be absolutely heaving, so it (mostly) goes without saying that you’ll have better luck of a sport-free afternoon versus, say, a Friday or Saturday night, so plan accordingly – a peek at most pubs’ socials will tell you if there’s a big event on when you’re keen for a solo reading session.

With that introduction, it’s on to some of our favourites, and we’ll begin with one that does also have a Brendan Behan connection: The Cat & Cage. And yes, it can get very full if there’s a game on at Croke Park or just a bit of Premier League action on the TV, but there are cosy spots all over the pub that are ideal on a quieter afternoon (near the fireplace is a wonderful place in chilly weather), and the beer selection is much more varied than many, too. Heading over to Phibsborough, both The Bald Eagle and Doyle’s Corner are also handy – but again, make sure it’s not a game day. Doyle’s Corner even has a respectable mix of books lying around in case you forgot your own – though the Phibsborough Library is also right there.

As we move closer toward the city centre – depending on your route – The King’s Inn and The Flowing Tide are both fine options with various corners to hide in. Mulligan’s of Poolbeg Street is a no-music pub if you want to avoid distraction, and while Kehoe’s can certainly get crowded, it’s a common spot to see people with books or notebooks in the afternoon. Neary’s, too is often quiet in the lounge (if not so much in the main bar), so don’t be afraid to seek out a spot, especially in some of the larger pubs. And while The Long Hall gets its fair share of tourist foot traffic, it is also typically calm enough early on to get a few chapters in. It may come as a shock to anyone who’s been into Caribou on a Friday night, but in the daytime, it can be a fine spot for reading. The Oak is also pleasant…it must be the panelling.

Oddly enough, even some dive bars can be good for the bookish – Anseo has its own small library ready to go, and while not quite so divey (dive bar-adjacent?), Delaney’s also maintains a grown-up vibe – with its own book collection. And while much more ‘pubby’ than ‘divey,’ Anseo’s near neighbour, The Bleeding Horse, is not only a great spot to tuck yourself away with a tome, it’s also the spooky inspiration for Brian J. Shower’s book of the same name which is out in a new edition – pick it up now!

In Stoneybatter, Walsh’s and Hynes’ Bar are both excellent for mixing your reading time with a little people-watching – and there’s the bonus beer garden at Hynes’. And like its sister pub Caribou, Bonobo is surprisingly handy for a little bit of afternoon reading (also with a great beer garden), but the atmosphere will notably change once it starts to fill up – not, we hasten to add, for the negative, just very different!

Venturing out toward Kilmainham, The Old Royal Oak flies a bit under the radar but is ideal for an afternoon out (these two facts may not be unrelated), and if you’re looking for a pub on the Luas later, Taphouse has not only the space, but plenty of books to choose from if, once again, you forgot your own.

And this is simply to get you started; there are plenty of other pubs all over Dublin that welcome the reader – why not write yourself into a pub’s literary history? If you’re in need of a book or two (or three?) to get started, we recommend picking up The Dublin Pub by Donal Fallon, Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland by fellow Beer Lady Podcaster Dr. Christina Wade and A Compendium of Irish Pints by Ali Dunworth.

Grab a book (or several), settle in with your pint and enjoy a few chapters.

It’s March, and while we wouldn’t dream of taking on the subject of ‘what’s the best pub in Dublin for Paddy’s Day?’ we are, nonetheless, aware that there are many additional out-of-town guests here over that weekend/bank holiday, and that most of them are looking for Guinness…as well as other stouts, given how synonymous the holiday and the beer style have become in the global public consciousness.

Hang on, you ask…surely, every pub in Dublin serves stout?

Well…yes. But it’s not just Guinness on offer – if you know where to look. And even your Guinness Experience will vary, both in cost and feels, depending on where you go…so let’s get cracking.

We also won’t dive into the ‘best pint of Guinness in Dublin’ discourse because 1) it’s Not Really A Thing* and 2) different pubs have different atmospheres, service, vibes, etc – if you love the Guinness at The Gravediggers it’s because it’s a nice pub in an interesting setting that’s been lovingly cared-for, not because there’s anything unusual about the Guinness itself. And yes, visitors will be told to go to The Gravediggers, The Long Hall, The Lord Edward, Bowe’s, Grogan’s and many others for the ‘best pint of Guinness,’ but at the end of the day, it’s down to personal taste and how crowded those pubs are on the day – they all have very fresh Guinness and expert bar staff.

But wait, there’s more!

Although much – if not most – independently-brewed Irish stout ends up on tap in France or Italy, there are a number of places in Dublin to give some a try. Sister pubs The Porterhouse and Tapped each offer Porterhouse Plain Porter (your only man) and their Oyster Stout most of the time, but it’s also worth keeping an eye out for Lineman Astral Grains Foreign Extra Stout. Harty’s Bar or Porterhouse may get the odd cask stout from the likes of Brehon Brewing, too – their Ulster Black Oatmeal Stout is lovely, and a cask stout is a nice change from the more typical nitro stout.

Galway Bay’s Ostara Stout is usually on at their various pubs including The Black Sheep and The Beer Temple, often alongside 9 White Deer’s stout, which also happens to be gluten-free; Piper’s Corner is another spot that frequently has 9 White Deer in bottles. You can safely assume Guinness 0.0 is available nearly everywhere nowadays, and it’s still very much the standard for a non-alcoholic beer.

Other local stouts to keep an eye out for include Four Provinces Dublin Dubh – definitely available at their own pub in Kimmage, but frequently on tap at pubs such as The Botanic, Two Sisters and The Cobblestone. Whiplash’s Slow Life can be found at Fidelity and The Big Romance; they also make Dying Again, an export stout that’s been available more often than not of late. Wicklow Wolf’s Eclipse might pop up at Daphni or Kodiak, and Bullseye Nitro Stout from Rascals is on at their brewpub, along with their always-excellent pizza and pilot brews.

For the Leann Folláin fan, Urban Brewing (an O’Hara’s outpost in town) will always have it on, often in addition to their standard dry stout and other beers. Leann Folláin can also be frequently found at Brickyard and Dudley’s, too, along with Guinness and Beamish (plus many more beers of all varieties).

And for the stout completist, there are a number of pubs that will allow you to try the big-brewery trinity of Guinness, Beamish and Murphy’s side-by-side; you can even set yourself up for a blind tasting if you’re feeling adventurous, and at some, you can add an independent option for good measure. For this type of experiment, we are fans of The Belfry, The Flowing Tide and The Hairy Lemon. The Long Hall also has Rye River’s Eventide on tap, and it’s a wonderful locally-brewed option (also keep an eye out for at at Gibney’s of Malahide, where it’s badged as Gibney’s Stout). Sheehan’s has recently styled itself something of a stout specialist, and it’s an excellent spot to try the fullest possible line-up of darker beers – if we had to pick just one ‘try all the stouts’ pub in Dublin, they would be the go-to.

For those just looking to try one or two Irish stouts in a very ‘ Dublin pub’ environment, Walsh’s, The Morris Bar and The Bleeding Horse have Beamish and Guinness, plus local non-stout faves from the likes of Rye River, Trouble and Whiplash.

We would be remiss in leaving out some of the exceptional stouts that tend to be can-only nowadays – Lough Gill’s barrel-aged stouts are all excellent, and can be picked up at spots like Craft Central or TheCru.ie, but without a true specialist craft beer pub like Underdog, there isn’t really a spot to expect to see them on tap very often. We are also fans of Hope’s seasonal export stout, as well as O Brother, Heaney, Lineman and Third Barrel’s offerings across the stout spectrum.

Finally, it’s worth noting that a pint of Guinness is only €6.30 at The Guinness Open Gate Brewery and there’s no cover charge or ticket required (though we’d recommend booking in advance on a weekend or holiday) as at the next door Guinness Storehouse – no, not at all the cheapest pint in town (that would be at The Lark Inn or The Auld Triangle, where it’s about a fiver), but given where it is in Dublin, and that it’s a tourist hotspot, it’s not at all a bad price. Plus, it’s practically direct from the source. The tasty pretzel is a bonus, and you may find a one-off stout – recently, we had a sarsparilla version there that divided opinion, but it was fun to try.

So, if you’re in Dublin for St Patrick’s Day, by all means get in your rounds of Guinness, but give some love to other local choices as well – it’s a great way to get off the usual tourist pub trail, so you’ll likely save a bit of cash, and you may find a new favourite beer.

*Yes, there are places with Bad Guinness, but that’s typically a dirty tap lines/skills issue…not really something you ever come across in Ireland, and not on the Guinness Quality’s Team’s watch. And to paraphrase The Princess Bride, anyone saying otherwise is an influencer selling something.

It’s December, it’s properly cold in Dublin, and while we already have our roundup of our Best Pubs for Fireplaces, it’s time to turn our attention to Christmas decorations. Most pubs around town get a pretty considerable glow-up for the holidays, and even some of the more low-key Old Man Pubs can be glimmery and sparkly at this time of year.

And while the two clear front-runners in the Most Extra for Christmas race are The Ginger Man and The Hole in the Wall, there are plenty of excellent places to go if you’re looking for festive cheer (and maybe a bit of mulled wine or cider on top of your usual tipple). Most of the usual listicles that seem to repeat annually will name-check The Stag’s Head and Doheny & Nesbitt, and with good reason, but there’s a lot more to enjoy beyond the immediate city centre. The Flowing Tide and its sister pub, The King’s Inn, both have strong Christmas games, and Nancy Hands sparkles as well.

But if you do find yourself in the city centre proper, The Oval and JR Mahon’s are both extremely festive, as is The Bank Bar. But we tend to prefer staying a bit further away from the Christmas shopping parts of Dublin, once the crowds appear (though you can’t beat TP Smith’s if you’ve been trapped in the shops on Henry Street or in the Jervis Centre – they do a great job with the decorating, too). With that in mind, we always consider The Bald Eagle or The Cat and Cage top-notch for holiday cheer, but without the same level of frenzied shoppers looking to sit down to rest. Doyle’s Corner is also festooned with wreaths, and for a more modern, minimal-but-festive vibe, The Big Romance and Caribou are both good spots in which to relax.

For those looking for a Santa visit, he does appear (early and often) at the aforementioned Hole in the Wall, but also makes visits to pubs like The Two Sisters – one to keep an eye out on the socials and book ahead if that’s more your speed than a 12 Pubs of Christmas crawl. And, of course, if you are setting out on a 12 Pubs quest, please be mindful of the pub staff and your fellow pub-goers; by all means, have a good time, but don’t get messy or unpleasant.

If it’s a special holiday beer you’re looking for, we don’t get a huge number of them, and even fewer will be available in pubs – there is almost nothing in the broader ‘winter warmer’ category, much less a special Christmas ale, and even something globally-available like Sierra Nevada Celebration will only appear here and there, at pubs like The Porterhouse or Tapped…you’re better off looking into a bottle shop like Craft Central and stocking up on the seasonal stuff to have at home with your Late Late Toy Show viewing.

But whether it’s a post-shopping decompression pint or another get-together after the corporate holiday party, there’s a festive Dublin pub for every taste.

Perhaps surprisingly to some (certainly, to us), Dublin pubs do not contain a wealth of ghostlore. There are, of course, a few good stories, but there isn’t the critical mass of spectral servants, long-dead landlords and pesky poltergeists who turn up in the dozens (and dozens) of books about haunted pubs on the Neighbouring Island. Indeed, we have books covering small parts of individual counties that span to over 100 pages, but for whatever reason*, Irish pubs simply don’t seem to have the same ghostly population.

However, ’tis the season, and we always have an eye or ear out for a good creepy pub story. One of our favourite tales is tied to the Bull & Castle, although the current building replaced the one in which James Clarence Magnan was born; nonetheless, he’s meant to haunt the place, drifting around and leaving a melancholy atmosphere (as you do). And the pub does have a very atmospheric feel, so it’s well worth a visit for a spooky pint.

We’re less inclined toward the flashy, big-name haunting at The Brazen Head, though at least there’s historical reason to associate Robert Emmet with the pub (unlike its entirely spurious ‘founding date’), so we’ll give it a pass, with reservations. Just around the corner (and we swear we’ll get to spooky pubs outside The Liberties, but it does have some of the more well-preserved ‘older’ buildings in Dublin, so sorry/not sorry), The Lord Edward is meant to still accommodate its namesake ghost, and the décor would back that up.

Sticking with one of the more well-known spots for spooky vibes, we can’t miss The Gravediggers; of course, the location next to Glasnevin Cemetery helps (see? We left The Liberties!), but it’s also got a proper ghost story of the ‘messing with the electrics‘ sort, which is always interesting from a folklore/ghostlore classification perspective (well, we get excited about that sort of thing). Similarly, Mulligan’s and Brogan’s both have more ‘modern haunting’ elements – we ignore mention of the dreaded orb, but we do enjoy non-specific bumps, knocks, moving pints and the like – and L. Mulligan, Grocer, also has some gentle ‘haunted’ vibes in that direction.

There is another ‘classic’ haunting of the folkloric stripe at The Portobello Bar, where a 19th century lock-keeper still keeps watch…or, perhaps, lures victims into the canal near Rathmines Bridge – if time permits, we’ll investigate this one properly this month and provide an update (that update: the food is good, but the feel isn’t super-spooky). The Bleeding Horse also has some literary ghost cred, so it nearly counts in this list.

But we also want to shine the spectral spotlight on another pub whose apparitional associations are often overlooked: Doyle’s Corner. Whilst nowadays, with Gavin James onboard, its musical reputation is growing again, but in Brendan Behan’s day, it was known as the pub in which executioner Albert Pierrepoint would relax pre- or post-work at nearby Mountjoy Prison. It even had reports of poltergeist activity in the 2000s.

And while we still have no creepy tales about The Cat & Cage, well…we hope there are some out there, it would be a brilliant spot for a ghost story on a chilly night. It’s also right next to an atmospheric churchyard, and makes for an ideal spot to pause on an autumnal stroll.

Perhaps we need a pubby ghost story contest…

*Would happily retire and do a folklore PhD on this topic. Just saying!