From the exterior, Hynes’ Bar still looks to be an Old Man Pub; indeed, this was one of storied pintman Paddy Losty’s haunts, back in the day, and if you’re unfamiliar with the lore around Dublin pintmen, a visit to Publin for the backstory is well worth your time. But step inside, and it’s evident that Hynes’ Bar today welcomes a much broader array of regulars and characters (dogs included – this is Stoneybatter, after all), with a beautifully-restored interior, gorgeous beer garden and great lineup of local beers (Kinnegar, Trouble and Rascals, plus the usual suspects), cocktails and amazing food – plus well-curated tunes.
On a recent Saturday evening, I found people making the most of the remaining visit from the sun in the beer garden, which comes complete with a DJ booth and Oasis-v-Blur cigarette disposal – a reference that here in Ireland is both a GenX comfort blanket and general Father Ted reference that even the younger set who don’t recall the 1990s will recognize – they know all about Fathers Dougal and Damo (though I note that as I write this, it’s the 30th anniversary of the release of Parklife, so I may crumble into dust before we’re through here – let’s see!). But the mural on one wall does pay homage to Paddy’s probably-apocryphal ‘wouldn’t be fond of drinking’ quote, so Old Stoneybatter is still here, too.
It could also be said that Old Stoneybatter persists in another way, too – Hynes’ Bar is one of several around town that hosts regular Irish language events, and you can get a discount on a pint if you order as gaeilge. While Stoneybatter was once considered one of the ‘…last Irish-speaking areas in Dublin,’ it’s probably better-known now internationally for its ‘cool‘ status, but don’t be put off by that; it comes by it pretty honestly, meaning that you can still find trad nights alongside DJ sets, open mic nights and all manner of pop-up markets and seasonal events, both at Hynes’ and in and around its excellent neighbours like L. Mulligan, Grocer and The Barber’s Bar, to namecheck just a few.
All told, it would be a challenge to find a more inclusive, welcoming spot, and the bao buns are absolutely fantastic. If the sun does come out again at some point, make a beeline for the beer garden; it’s a glorious spot.
Where: Hynes’ Bar, 79 Prussia St, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, D07 FH51
Access from the city centre: Buses 37, 39, 39A, 46A, 70
Food: Currently Vietnamese-adjacent – bánh mì, spring rolls and more from The Streets
Sport: The odd pre-rugby pint, it seems
TVs: If they are still there, they are well-hidden
Music: It was lit at the club!
Family-friendliness: Probably more for the post-uni+ set
Pub-crawl-ability: High – L. Mulligan, Grocer, The Barber’s Bar, The Belfry, Kavanaugh’s, Walsh’s, The Glimmer Man, and only a short stroll to Smithfield for The Cobblestone, Fidelity…
Local sites of note: TUD Grangegorman, local Sheela-na-Gig
Haunted: Is Paddy still looking for another pint?
Other notes: Dogs are very welcome – they could easily do their own pub crawl in Stoneybatter; keep an eye out for events and music nights on the socials
Socials: Instagram