Capel Street

A Farewell to Underdog

by

Have you been drinking?
‘Cause it’s not too late to start
There’s still a week
Before they come and pull the place apart

— The Lucksmiths, Requiem For The Punters Club, 2007

The crowd inside Underdog, on the last nightWhat happens when your favourite pub closes?

With Underdog ringing the curtain down, now we know. While Dublin has no shortage of pubs, it’s not as simple as merely simply walking a shorter distance to one of your other local options. What made Underdog unique was not just its dedication to independent beer, but the community that Paddy, Maura and other staff members have been instrumental in building since 2017. Although there are some other spots with a wider-than-usual beer selection, on the whole, it can be fairly difficult to find anything other than Guinness or Heineken products without actively seeking them out – and even then, you may have only one ‘non-corporate’ tap. No other pub in Dublin has a comparable beer selection – an especially difficult loss for smaller Irish brewers who already have relatively few places to get their beers noticed on tap.

In short, this one hurts.

The OG Underdog entrance: down the steps at Brogan'sCovid lockdowns notwithstanding (and even then, there were occasions where it was possible to pop in to pick up some cans), I have never known an Underdog-free Dublin. Yes, that’s a reminder of my blow-in status, but it was one of the first local pubs I ever visited, long before moving here, as well as the last before lockdown started, just after we arrived permanently. In those days, Underdog was in the basement of Brogan’s; the damp from neighbouring Dublin Castle’s moat made things moist at times. But there were good memories from that location, most notably, the working beer engine on Fridays, and incredibly friendly regulars. The beer was a fantastic mix of interesting beers from all across Ireland, as well as choices from the UK, the US and elsewhere in Europe. The bottles and cans were just as diverse as the options on tap, and the knowledgeable crowd would happily make recommendations to visitors or newbies. I quickly got to know Paddy, the owner and all-around legend, and always felt warmly welcomed.

Underdog at the Legal Eagle

After Covid, the many issues with that space led to a temporary ‘residency’ at the Legal Eagle, with the same great range of beers, minus the beer engine. Much of the previous crowd migrated to the new space, and it was easy to become a regular, making firm friends. And when the former Galway Bay Brewing spot that had been Paddle & Peel, and then, Taco Libre became available (is it cursed? Who can say?), Underdog moved in on a permanent basis – at least, that was the idea. This was ideal for me as it was only a 15ish minute walk away, and it became a proper community hub: being a regular here meant that no advance planning was ever needed – you’d always run into a friend and have some great discussions/rants; a chance to put the world to rights, and to do so over some of the best beers you’ve tried anywhere. Visitors were warmly welcomed (unless they got aggressive about the lack of Guinness, even after being pointed to the O’Hara’s stout options, which I did see happen a few times) and quickly included in chats and impromptu tastings.

Underdog hosted some wonderful events, too – the usual tap takeovers from breweries near and far, beer history talk with Ron Pattinson, a book launch for Christina’s excellent Filthy Queens, an episode of A Place in the Sun with live commentary from the participants (also regulars) and some fiendishly difficult pub quizzes; when the beer questions are too difficult for a group of beer nerds, you know you’ve hit upon something unique.

The close-knit nature of our rotating band of regulars meant that when it was rumoured that the end was approaching for Underdog, word went around almost instantaneously. Rescue plans were mooted, possible buyers discussed and so on, but really, there was one overarching question: where do we go now?

Bottles, cans and glasses on the final nightWe still have no firm answer to that question, but it’s fair to say we made the most of the last few weeks of business; there would be no kegs left for any potential new owners to have to worry about. We brought in bottles and cans from all over the world to share as the taps ran out, and made sure that we put in extra orders at the excellent Boco Pizza across the street. From leftover Mexican-ish lager to Westvleteren 12 (and everything in between), it was all shared and, mostly, enjoyed. There were hugs, some tears and a lot of laughter on the final night.

And yes, we can, of course, wander to other pubs on a whim, but it won’t be the same – those serendipitous chats and chance encounters will need to be more planned and organised. This is no great tragedy in the grand scheme of things, obviously, but it’s still a kind of loss.

Maybe, down the line, Underdog will be reborn in slightly (or very) different form; after all, it did happen for The Punter’s Club, the Melbourne bar whose 2007 tribute in song by The Lucksmiths bookends this post. But for now, thanks to Paddy, Maura and everyone else who ever worked behind the scenes – you created something unique to Dublin, and it’s going to be much missed. GRMA.

I’ll be alright
We’ll make tonight tomorrow morning
Sometimes you wanna go
Where everybody knows you’re drunk*

*Song lyrics, folks! Drink responsibly, etc…

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: Slattery’s

by

Outside Slattery's on Capel StreetWhat, you might ask, is an early house? If you’re not a Dublin local, this may not be a familiar phrase, but this week, we’re heading to one of the city’s very few remaining such establishments – Slattery’s. For the uninitiated, an early house is a pub with a special license allowing it to open at 7 am. While most pubs can open at 10.30, and a fair few do, it’s usually breakfast or tea and coffee people are going for then – you don’t have to assume Airport Rules apply. But in the early houses, no one would look askance at that 7 am pint, as the original aim of the licensing was to offer a pub experience for those working unsociable hours; back when the rules were drawn up, that meant dock workers, market traders and the like, but the tradition continues for health care practitioners coming off night shifts and others in a similar position – they could enjoy their time-shifted after-work pint. Nowadays, though, early houses that actually exercise their early-opening options are few and far between, and for that reason, Slattery’s is one of a very few go-to options – though even they don’t throw open the doors until 9 am.

The main bar at Slattery'sI’ve only done the (relatively) early-morning visit there a few times, and in both cases, it was For Science – once to scope out the best spot to record a Beer Ladies Podcast episode, and the second time to actually make the recording, though it’s certainly not our finest hour when it comes to sound quality. Even at 9 am, there can be a fair-sized crowd, especially with North American tourists whose flights landed at 6 am and they are waiting to get into their hotel rooms. For them, Airport Rules certainly seem to apply, and they can be liberal with their breakfast Guinnesses (though as an overnight flight in coach is a generally awful experience, no shade here for them).

Upstairs at Slattery'sAnd it is the Guinness most seem to be coming for; there aren’t any craft options, but they have added both 0.0 and the Heineken 0.0 of late, so there are alcohol-free options for those who want to have that morning pint, but also a reasonably productive day. Slattery’s has a classic Irish pub interior, with lots of dark wood and deep colours, some snugs and various nooks and crannies, as well as tributes to local historical and musical figures throughout the bar. And it does draw both that curious tourist and a steady local crowd, so it’s always a lively mix.

I’d still love to see at least one local craft tap some day, but when in the mood for a Guinness, it’s a fine spot.

Where: 129 Capel St, North City, Dublin 1, D01 YN83
Access from the city centre: Buses 13, 27, 49, 77A, 83, 151, Luas Red Line to Jervis or 12-ish minute walk
Food: Breakfast, bar snacks and all the other usual meals
Sport: All the big sports are on
TVs: In various spots throughout
Music: MOR tunes and live music options
Family-friendliness: There is a kids’ menu and they are most welcome at the usual (and slightly unusual) times
Pub-crawl-ability: High – the many pubs and bars of Capel Street include Pantibar, J McNeil’s Pub, The Black Sheep, Underdog, to name just a few; The Hacienda is just down the road, and The King’s Inn and Bonobo are also quite close, – Fidelity isn’t so far, either…
Local sites of note: Capel Street, Four Courts, Collins Barracks, National Leprechaun Museum, at some point, the Fruit & Veg Market will reopen…
Haunted: There is the Ghost Story Gathering upstairs…
Other notes: Not to be confused with Slattery’s in D4
Socials: Instagram

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: Underdog 3.0

by

Outside the (new) UnderdogNovember 2025 update: Underdog is no more. We are very, very sad.

And…it’s back!

Yes, as of this very week, The Underdog has been reborn again, and all 20 taps are now present and accounted for at the top of Capel Street. Happily, the iconic yellow neon sign is also now in place above the door, offering that extra little level of comfort and security. In the new spot – the former Galway Bay joints Taco Libre and Paddle & Peel – it’s now a dangerously-convenient walk from my house, and as I’d missed the opening night with some last-minute work travel (and then a nightmarish extra night away in Amsterdam, a city I would like to visit on purpose some day, but whose airport did not impress in any way), I had to stop in for a quick beer as I was walking past anyway mid-week.

At the bar in the new UnderdogAs it was the summer solstice, and I was on my way to see the 50th anniversary screening of The Wicker Man as per the custom of my people, it was especially appropriate to try a beer from Verdant on my way. While I still have yet to find their Weird Walk collaboration beer, Ritual, I did very much enjoy The First Note. And I *wish* I could make it to the brewery in Cornwall for their Leyline event, which features all sorts of folk horror-adjacent oddness, but well – this had to do (and it did it beautifully).

Back room at the new UnderdogBut back to the new Underdog – what’s it like? Well, it’s brighter and fresher than either previous incarnation – not difficult, no longer being in a cellar or in a dark, dark room – and it feels like there’s more space to spread out, with a variety of seating types, from barstools and solo tables to some more communal spots in the main rooms. The taps are still displayed on the screens above the bar, with another set of screens in the back room; very handy for planning that second drink without having to take up valuable bar space thinking. But as before, Paddy and team can be relied on to give top-notch recommendations, and there’s an extensive bottle and can selection in addition to the fresh taps.

Cask is comingWhat there is not – yet – is cask, but the cask sign is in place, and ready for the two handpumps that will be appearing in the not-too-distant future (I’ve been promised this, no one would lie to me about cask ale). Food is also not an option just at present, but there are plans to add some bites later in the summer if all goes well. But with so many food options on Capel Street, there is plenty of opportunity to stay well-fed.

As before, the digital taplist seen in the bar is available online as well, so you can easily do some advance planning. It’s also worth keeping an eye on the socials for events like tap takeovers and general ‘hey, look what we just tapped’ updates. And for a bit of a sense of that taplist, it’s still the most diverse in Dublin – an ever-changing mix of strengths and styles, with beers from near and far – everything from a straightforward Irish stout (the Whiplash one, not the Other One) to a Lapsang Souchong-infused lambic from Belgium. Sure, there are lots of hazebois from all over at the moment, but it’s what people are asking for, so that’s understandable (and they tend to be the actually good ones), and things are always rotating.

I am very much not mad about the new location being so conveniently located for me – just far enough away to feel like I’ve had a bit of a walk, but close enough to simply drop in on a whim. All hail Underdog, thrice-born of its kind!

Where: Underdog, 199 King St N, Rotunda, Dublin 1, D07 PR5X (essentially, the top of Capel Street)
Access from the city centre: Buses 1, 11, 16, 44, 46A, 155, Luas Green Line, 15-20 minute walk
Food: Patience – you can order in from elsewhere
Sport: No
TVs: Secret ones for some events; IYKYK
Music: Always a great indie soundtrack on the speakers
Family-friendliness: There are some outdoor tables if you need to stop off with your kids on the way to Penneys
Pub-crawl-ability: High – The Black Sheep, J McNeill’s, The King’s Inn, Bonobo, Bar 1661, The Church, Slattery’s…and many more – not too far to L Mulligan. Grocer
Local sites of note: National Leprechaun Museum, Wolfe Tone Square, 14 Henrietta Street, King’s Inns, Smyth’s Toy Superstore is a must-visit, per my smaller child
Haunted: I’ve heard the site is mildly cursed, but hope that has been resolved
Other notes: An incredibly speedy turn-around – last pints poured at the old location in April, first ones poured here in mid-June
Socials: Instagram

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: The Black Sheep

by

As promised last week, we’ll be visiting a number of Galway Bay pubs in this series; while one of the things I really enjoy about their various bars is that each has a bit of its own character and style, I’m particularly lucky that one of my favourites happens to be a relatively short walk away from my now-home – something of a happy accident. Let’s rewind.

I first encountered The Black Sheep on a work trip to Dublin in 2016; at the time, we were living in Seattle and had no plans to move (again). I recently came across the old WhatsApp group that was used to coordinate post-meeting sustenance and frivolity. In those conversations, I saw The Black Sheep described as ‘kind of like Brave Horse‘ – the now-shuttered bar in the middle of the Amazon campus where people would go to extend their desk-crying sessions over a pint – and also as ‘one of those hipster beer places, but more Irish.’ However, I was also warned that it was ‘far from most other things’ and that the area was ‘kind of sketch, but no guns, so all cool!’ Thus prepared, I set out with a small group of fellow Amazonian beer nerds after a long day of meetings, looking at the ‘trek’ from the offices to the supposedly ‘sketch’ Northside of Dublin as quite an adventure.

Cask Corner in the Before-TimesIf memory serves, there was mild disappointment from some in the group on the nearly-complete lack of ‘sketch,’ but everyone was very pleased to find The Black Sheep had something for everyone in our group – cask ale (sigh – more on this in a moment), some good Galway Bay beers, a guest tap or two that catered to other tastes, and possibly the oddest nachos I’ve ever come across – the chips on the night were certainly not made from corn, but whether that was a case of ‘the kitchen ran out and improvised’ or whether that was the recipe at the time, I cannot say – jumping ahead briefly, I am pleased to report the current state of Black Sheep nachos is very different – in a good way! On that occasion, we sat at one of the big tables on the Cask Corner (sob! again!) side of the pub, but I made a firm mental note of the comfy couch by the window and the bar seating on the other side, and immediately made plans to return on my own a few days later. For the record, Untappd tells me that on that initial visit, I had a White Hag Little Fawn and Galway Bay’s own Pilot 014 – Dortmunder Lager.

Some of the Father Ted artAs planned, I stopped back in for a solo pint on the couch before heading home, taking in the Father Ted wall decorations and the usual tin brewery signs, I thought about what a thoroughly pleasant pub it was, and that this was somewhere I would visit regularly if I lived nearby. As that was not even a vague idea, I thought no more of it, but continued to make a point of stopping in on subsequent work trips – the fact that it was not especially close to the Amazon offices, but was quite convenient for Chapters Books may well have played a part; once again, Untappd let me know that in March of 2019, I had some lovely cask pints – from Kirkstall, in this case – over some newly-acquired books. And then, later that year I got the unexpected offer to take a new role in Dublin and, well – here we are.

While we initially lived south of the river for a year – a combination of a pandemic, a relocation agent who refused to believe that we actually meant it when we said we were ‘city people’ and the ongoing housing crisis in Ireland, when we finally had the chance to move to the Northside, we took it, our landlord from the old house telling us, in all seriousness, that we were ‘so brave,’ notwithstanding. (Some Southside Dubliners have a very skewed idea of what happens once you cross the Liffey – it’s a thing). While we had not planned it, we ended up only a few minutes’ walk from The Black Sheep; although it’s not quite close enough to be our local, it’s a very easy sell to head in that direction.

The first pint backWhen pubs could finally re-open, after the last of the major Covid restrictions were lifted in January of 2022, The Black Sheep was the first place I headed to get a pint at the bar (again, for the record, a BRU Xtra Pale Ale and a Weights + Measures). Sadly, a combination of Brexit and all things pandemic meant that the Cask Corner did not return to its full function…I give it a bit of a sad look and a sigh each time I’m there, but I am always hopeful that it may, at some point, go back into at least partial use. But even without that, there is much to enjoy at The Black Sheep: the standard Galway Bay beers are always in tip-top shape (I am especially partial to the aforementioned Weights + Measures as well as the Bay Ale), and the guest taps have been varied and interesting, featuring other Irish breweries as well as some international options.

And I have to say, again, that the nachos are the real thing now – although sister bar Taco Libre has closed, some of the skill that went into their excellent chips and guac has settled into The Black Sheep. I am always a fan of the halloumi fries, too, and seem to find an excuse to get them at every Galway Bay location.

Also worth noting is the absence of televisions; for the non-sportsball fan, The Black Sheep can be an oasis of calm when every other pub is full because ‘the game’ is on. And while there are many times when I do want to go see whichever ‘the game’ is on, it’s nice to have alternatives when it’s not your sport or team – or just to have that relaxing solo pint.

That couch is still a very comfortable spot, and it’s wild that I can simply walk there any time.

April 2023 update: Cask Corner lives again! Keep an eye on The Black Sheep’s socials on Thursdays – there’s a lot of good stuff headed our way.

Where: The Black Sheep, 61 Capel St, Rotunda, Dublin
Access from the city centre: 10 minute walk, 46 bus, Luas Green Line
Food: Galway Bay standard pub grub menu
Sport: Nope
TVs: Nope
Music: You are safe here, fellow Gen Xers
Family-friendliness: Kids’ menu, always a welcome at the usual times
Pub-crawl-ability: High – all of Capel Street is right there (edit: and now, the reborn Underdog!), from early houses like Slattery’s to other Galway Bay pubs like The Oak and The Beer Temple on Dame Street if you keep walking…also a short walk to The King’s Inn, or to Smithfield for Bonobo and beyond…
Local sites of note: Capel Street, Chapters Books, Wolfe Tone Square, Jervis Centre, ILAC Centre, 14 Henrietta Street, King’s Inns
Haunted: Only by the absence of cask ale, unless anyone has a story to share CASK IS BACK! Check the socials for what’s pouring when, it’s still intermittent
Other notes: Everything is on a single floor – no need to trek to a basement toilet; excellent bottle list
Socials: Instagram