Finn McCool's sits on the corner of Diego de Almagro and Joaquin Pinto in La Mariscal, the closest thing Quito has to a proper Irish local. It has run for years as the anchor of the expat scene, and Tripadvisor reviewers keep calling it one of the best places in the city for newcomers to land a first pint.
Who would love it: travelers and residents who want darts, a screen showing the match and a conversation in English. Who would hate it: anyone after a quiet Ecuadorian wine bar or a cocktail menu with tweezered garnishes.
The room reads like an Irish pub anywhere, which is the point. Dark wood, a long counter, a pool table and televisions angled at the seats, with a small upstairs that fills on quiz and music nights. The corner setting in the heart of La Mariscal puts it a short walk from Plaza Foch and most of the area's hostels.
Order a pint of stout or one of the imported lagers, then a plate from the pub kitchen that leans on burgers, wings and fish and chips. Regulars on Tripadvisor flag the wings and the Sunday roast when it runs, and the bar pours a long list of whiskeys for a slower night. Prices land in the moderate band for the neighbourhood, with pints and mains both reasonable by Quito standards.
Best time to go depends on the calendar. Match days bring a packed, loud crowd around the screens, while a weekday early evening is calmer and better for talking to the staff or planning a trip with other travelers. The pub keeps long daily hours from midday, which makes it a reliable afternoon stop when other Mariscal spots are still shut.
For the wider scene it anchors, pair it with the city's best craft beer bars and the rest of the best bars in Quito. A natural beer crawl runs from here to Turtle's Head a few blocks away, with Bandido Brewing in the Old Town and Cherusker rounding out a night on Quito beer.
