Dundrum - Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs

Inside PYE We tend to avoid bigger crowds when out and about (and, frankly, we like to be home early – sleep is important!), but we recently made an exception to stop into PYE in Dundrum at what looked to be close to peak weekend action. Despite the crowds, the very professional and friendly staff managed to find our group a handy corner, and kept us fed and watered in the process.

But let’s back up – what kind of a place is PYE, and who is the target demographic?

Dog rules for PYE It certainly leans more ‘gastro’ than ‘pub,’ but the overarching feeling about the place is ‘dog friendly‘ – there may be a more ‘elevated’ food selection than at many pubs around Dublin, but it’s the canine visitors (and their humans, often of a youngish variety) who are especially well catered-to. There is a vending machine with doggy treats and accessories, advantageously-placed water bowls and beds, plus plenty of little nooks and crannies for the more retiring pup. Given that PYE is from the same team behind The Barber’s Bar in Stoneybatter – a spot we love – this is no surprise. The scale, however is quite different.

PYE took over the former Eagle House pub in 2022, and converted it from a traditional pub into a series of drinking, dining and event spaces, both indoor and outdoor. It a sensible use of the space – a fair few of these more suburban pubs once served as drinking establishments, groceries, post offices and even morgues (often concurrently), but it’s difficult to make use of some of those massive buildings in anything close to their original 19th century layouts in a way that makes economic sense today. The renovation also included accessible toilets, something that is still not a given in every pub here, especially not those originally built in the 19th century.

Beer garden at PYE And while it may feel a bit less spontaneous than your typical Old Man Pub where you simply walk in and head to the bar to order (not in a queue, thank you – we don’t do that here), it’s a fair evolution of the pub concept – there was still plenty of socialising over drinks on our visit, plus some adorable dogs as a bonus. It stands in contrast to our experience at Token, which has very much of an Enforced Corporate Fun vibe, and while there are clearly similar events hosted at PYE, the ‘feel’ of the place was still, overall, ‘pubby’ versus ‘event venue.’

Although the aggressively-modern pink-and-green colour scheme may not be to every taste, the name hearkens back to a previous Dundrum business – the PYE electronics business that used to be near this part of town, so there is a nod to local history. The extensive food menu offers something for everyone, even those with allergies, and the drink selection is more than respectable: Kinnegar, Whiplash, Hopfully and Trouble are all well-represented, and there are other rotating indie choices as well, plus Guinness, Beamish and the like. There’s also some Japanese whiskey if that’s your preference.

Doggy wall at PYE - yes, very similar to its companion at The Barber's Bar And while we are usually visiting Brickyard for their excellent beer selection and tasty food when down this way (though we fervently wish they also had a Northside outpost), PYE was well worth a side quest – we’d be in much more often if we were closer.

And while we can much more easily visit The Barber’s Bar when we need our Good Doggo fix, it’s nice to know we have options when in the wilds of South Dublin; PYE is certainly one to add to the Best Pubs for Dogs list.

Where: Main Street, Dundrum, D14 V9R3
Access from the city centre: Bus 14; Luas Green Line. You’re not walking unless you’re up for something close to 2 hours
Food: Everything from brunch to pizza, spice bags and snacks, with a welcome charcuterie board
Sport: All the big events, especially rugby; you are in South Dublin, after all…
TVs: Lots of screens, all around
Music: Party people in the house
Family-friendliness: Children welcome until 7 pm – there is a kids’ menu and many easy choices from the adult menus
Pub-crawl-ability: Low – Dundrum House is across the road, Brickyard is a shortish walk away, but it’s much more suburban out this way
Local sites of note: Dundrum Town Centre, Airfield Estate
Haunted: Might seem cursed to those allergic to colour and lights
Other notes: Many gluten-free options and step-free access
Socials: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok(!)

This week in Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs, we’re not just crossing the Liffey – we’re going Far Away, to the suburbs (though still via public transit – we’re not monsters here). While I had been told by many people that The Brickyard was a must-visit, not just for the beer selection but for the food, as someone with a violent aversion to most suburbs, I had not made my way down there in the nearly four years we’ve lived in Dublin. And, to be fair, it’s a very accessible suburb; indeed, the pub is situated right above the Luas tracks, only steps from a station.

Although I had not previously actually visited, I have been using their beer delivery service, Yards & Crafts, ever since it launched, as they have always had an excellent selection of beer from Ireland, the UK and beyond, including their own label, Two Sides, originally a collaborative effort with the recently-shuttered restaurant 57 The Headline (though in that case, they should be re-opening in a new form in the not-too-distant future). And while that part of the business is winding down – it sprang to life during the Covid shutdowns – the Brickyard Gastropub itself has recently undergone a major renovation, and the attention to detail is evident; it’s a bright, open space with a variety of seating options, both indoor and on the covered patio.

Now that I have finally visited, I was rather regretting not having experienced the previous look and feel, simply for comparison, but what is there now very much reminds me of some of the places we used to frequent in the Philly area, especially TJ’s Restaurant & Drinkery. Both spots have an emphasis on great craft beer from near and far (plus the usual macros for good measure), and an excellent and varied food selection – yes, the usual burgers, but also a changing variety of other options – as well as a similar exposed-brick decor. The other obvious similarity is that both are in relatively far-out suburbs, but with handy train connections – the broader unprepossessing exterior doesn’t give an obvious hit of what’s inside until you’ve made your way past the ‘shopping centre’ surrounds and find the ‘semi-industrial with hops’ look inside.

I was finally motivated to make the trip down to The Brickyard for their Oktoberfest offering – one with real pretzels, a rarity around these parts. I know few people want to hear my Grand Unified Theory on why all pubs the world over should always offer soft pretzels (not hard pretzels, which are garbage), but I will say these more than met with my approval. And I was certainly not disappointed in the beer offering; indeed, it’s probably one of the best in Dublin. I especially appreciated the attention to detail on the beer menu, separating out the low- and no-alcohol options (of which there were many – more on this in a moment), as well as gluten-free choices and useful broad categories beyond that would appeal to the beer newbie and jaded expert alike. In short, they make great use of all 27 taps, with a wide range of styles and strengths. This is not the spot you find 25 basically-identical hazy IPAs and a Guinness, and thank goodness for that.

But back to the impressive non-alcoholic beer list for a moment; our Beer Ladies Podcast episode this week is on the topic of ‘sober-curious,’ – both mindful drinking and simply drinking, well, less. Having such a great lineup, including the brewed-with-a-unique-NZ-yeast Dot Brew Non-Alcoholic IPA, but also a no-booze sour, hefeweizen and some lagers and stouts, really offered something for everyone, whether they were off the drink for the evening, or just choosing to swap a ‘real’ beer for a non-alcoholic one on the odd round. Given the relatively long trip back into town for me, I liked the idea of being able to keep things on the light side, while still enjoying some good flavours – and having a real choice in that regard was a lovely novelty.

All told, this is the sort of place that would absolutely be my regular spot if I lived nearby, but now that I know it’s very much worth the trip, I will certainly be back. I mean, the Luas is free, right?

Where: Brickyard Gastropub, Ground Floor, North Block, Rockfield Central, Dundrum, Dublin 16
Access from the city centre: Luas Green Line – no walking unless you are incredibly ambitious
Food: Gastropub, with many specials
Sport: All the sport! Sport for all!
TVs: So very many TVs!
Music: Felt explicitly targeted as a specific GenX sub-group; so much early ’90s indie joy
Family-friendliness: Lots of families, and a thoroughly welcoming atmosphere
Pub-crawl-ability: Low – PYE is not far, but this is the suburbs, after all – you could hop the Luas back toward the city…
Haunted: Perhaps in a sort of late-stage capitalism, Municipal Gothic sense…
Local sites of note: Dundrum Town Centre, Airfield Estate
Other notes: Walk-ins only, unless your group is large
Socials: Instagram

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: PYE

Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs: The Brickyard Gastropub