Dublin
Dublin is the capital of pub culture. The publican tradition was invented and refined here over four centuries. The pubs themselves range from heritage 17th century bars to singing pubs to neighbourhood institutions where the same crowd has been drinking together since the 1990s.
Poolbeg Street · $$
Singing pub with live trad music seven nights a week. The Guinness is correctly poured. The crowd is committed and the singing is real. Cash preferred. Open daily.
Baggot Street · $
James Joyce drank here. The pub has been pouring since 1782. The Guinness is among the best in the city. Quiet conversational pub. Open daily.
Fleet Street · $$
Heritage pub from 1818, one of WB Yeats favourites. The Guinness is excellent and the snug rooms are intact. Open daily.
South Great Georges Street · $$
Literary pub frequented by Irish writers from Behan to Kavanagh. The whiskey list is one of the best in Ireland. Open daily.
Merrion Row · $$
Heritage Victorian pub with the original mahogany bar and gas lamps. The Guinness is excellent and the pub feels untouched. Open daily.
$$
Trad music pub where The Dubliners formed in the 1960s. Live music nightly. Touristy but genuinely Irish. Open daily.
Smithfield · $$
Hacienda Bar on Little Mary Street in Smithfield keeps a doorbell entry and a members-club feel that has drawn visiting actors and musicians. A pool table and an old jukebox fill the back room. Open evenings.
in Dublin ›
in Dublin ›
in Dublin ›
in Dublin ›
in Dublin ›
The Guinness in Dublin is genuinely better than anywhere else. The cellar temperature is perfect, the line is short, and the pour is two-step and traditional. Order one and watch the bartender.
Singing pub with live trad music seven nights a week. The Guinness is correctly poured. The crowd is committed and the singing is real. Cash preferred. Open daily.
James Joyce drank here. The pub has been pouring since 1782. The Guinness is among the best in the city. Quiet conversational pub. Open daily.
Looking beyond Dublin? See our guide to the best pubs worldwide, or compare pubs city by city.