Editorial
The edinburgh vs dublin bars comparison sits at the intersection of two drinking cultures that outsiders often conflate and insiders consider entirely distinct. Both cities have a pub at their core, a whisky tradition (Scotch in Edinburgh, Irish in Dublin), and a reputation for hospitality that produces some of the most genuinely enjoyable bar experiences in Europe. But they differ in mood, pace, and the role that alcohol plays in the city's identity.
Edinburgh's bar scene divides between the Old Town, where the pubs are historic and the whisky bars are exceptional, and the New Town, where a serious cocktail and craft beer scene has developed alongside the financial services community. The Grassmarket and Victoria Street run some of the most atmospheric drinking streets in Britain. For a neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood breakdown, see our complete guide to the best bars in Edinburgh.
Dublin's bar scene is anchored by the pub in a way that no other European capital matches. The traditional Irish pub is a genuinely distinct institution, and the best examples in Dublin produce an atmosphere that is not available anywhere else. Beyond the pubs, Dublin has developed a serious cocktail scene in the last decade that now runs 20 bars worth visiting on their own terms.
Edinburgh wins on whisky depth, cocktail ambition, and the particular pleasure of drinking in a city where the architecture is doing as much work as the bar programme. The SMWS and Bow Bar are both irreplaceable. Panda and Sons is producing cocktails that justify Edinburgh's growing reputation as a serious drinking destination. For those planning a full Edinburgh trip, our guides to the city's sports bars, after-work spots, and hidden gem bars cover every dimension of the Edinburgh drinking scene in depth.
Dublin wins on pub culture, warmth, and the particular quality of being in an Irish traditional pub done properly. Mulligan's is not the best bar experience in Ireland because of its drinks programme. It is the best bar experience in Ireland because of everything else: the atmosphere, the ritual, the conversation. No bar in Edinburgh produces that specific feeling.
Our recommendation: fly to Edinburgh for whisky and cocktails. Fly to Dublin for pub culture. Both trips are worth making separately. If you have to choose one city for a long weekend of serious drinking, Edinburgh has more range. If you want a single unmissable bar experience, the pint at Mulligan's wins. For the full picture of which cities lead the world in pub culture, our top 10 cities for pub culture ranks both Dublin and Edinburgh among the global contenders.
Sofia covers bars across Northern and Western Europe. She considers the SMWS in Edinburgh one of the most important bar experiences in Britain and returns to Dublin annually to verify that the Mulligan's pint is still as good as she remembers it.