10 best pubs in Dublin

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Sure, you are headed to Ireland for the weekend, and you just don’t have any time to go elsewhere but the bustling capital city of Dublin. You can still have fun, right?

Righ! Dublin is filled with great cultural attractions, friendly people, tourist sights, quintessential Irish pubs, and much more. For those who are headed to the Emerald Isle just to have a few — or a few dozen — pints of Guinness, stopover at one of these pubs in Dublin during your weekend holiday. Trust us, you won’t regret it (well, maybe the next morning you will). 

McDaid’s

If you have never been to Ireland before and you want a quintessential Irish watering hole with a dimly lit interior, pictures on the wall, a wooden bar, and stools to nestle right up to the taps, then this is t for you. With Guinness ever-flowing here, and the perfect location just off the busy Grafton Street, McDaid’s is a must-go for when you first get off the CityLink bus from the airport. 

Toner’s

James Toner’s Dublin – By Adam Bruderer – Flickr: James Toner’s, Dublin, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25379051

The decorations on the mirror behind the bar, the stools, the huge taps of Guinness — this is everything you want in an Irish pub, and more. One of the oldest pubs in the entire city, Toner’s just off Baggot Street, has been around for over 200 years! So you are not the first patron to head there and have 5 pints of Guinness on your day off, believe me. 

One of the best pubs in the area for people watching and meeting others, we love the history behind this ever-popular spot.

Johnny Fox’s Pub

Glencullen with Jonny Fox’s pub on the right – By Sarah777 at English Wikipedia – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Lvova using CommonsHelper., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11277110

This pub is GREAT for those who want to escape the madness of Temple Bar but still, get one of the best pub experiences in the city. Located in Glencullen, just a 20-30 minute drive from the mad city center, Johnny Fox’s is ideal for a rare sunny day in Ireland. 

With a telephone booth out front, wooden tables, flowers in planters across the exterior of the building, and a huge Irish flag hanging from the second story, Fox’s is the best spot to get a glimpse of the blue sky and escape the tourist drives around the city center. 

The Cobblestone

Entrance from Merchant’s Arch – By Superbass – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8530960

Do you want to listen to some ‘trad’ music during your 24 hours in Ireland? Head to the Cobblestone and settle in for the night! With live musicians ranging from local singers to uber-talented violinists, we love this dark and cozy space that is just outside of the city center. Hail a cab and head to Smithfield for a great show. 

Palace Bar

Temple Bar – Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=152368

So, you’ve heard about the magic that is Temple Bar, we are assuming. If you just can NOT wait to head here for your once-in-a-lifetime trip, then head to Palace Bar. 

Yes, Temple Bar will be overpriced and packed with foreigners — but it still makes a great experience for meeting people, finding the few and far between locals, and watching the busy streets of Dublin pass you by. 

Just at the edge of the Temple Bar area, Place Bar in Fleet Street is a great firs4t-stop for just getting out of a cab or off the plane.

O’Donoghue’s

ODonoghue pub Ireland – .By The original uploader was Kglavin at English Wikipedia. – Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6068005

Another sweet spot for trad music, O’Donoghue’s, looks like it has been around for hundreds of years. With a pub front that looks more like a chemist’s shop, we love the ‘old man’ vibes of this music-centric pub. And lucky for you, there is live music EVERY night of the week! 

The Brazen Head

The Brazen Head – By Harold Strongderivative work: Nikthestunned – This file was derived from: The Brazen Head, Lower Bridge Street, Dublin – geograph.org.uk – 543151.jpg:, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25560565

Everyone who comes to Dublin wants to come to the Brazen Head. Not only is the interior reminiscent of an old newspaper or a knick-knack shop, but the ‘oldest pub in Dublin has really made a killing off of its claim to fame as the oldest pub in the city. 

Featuring currency from around the world scattered on the walls, dark booths, Irish flags, sports club replicas, and friendly bartenders, this is always a tourist’s top spot to head when coming to Dublin for a day or two. 

Mulligan’s Grocer

Mulligan’s – By © O’Dea at Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12627699

No, it isn’t really a grocer here! You can’t buy cereal and bread, but you can buy a few pints. Take your pick on what is better.

This is the best har in Dublin with an extensive list of craft beer. At other pubs, you might just get 5-6 draft optoins — here, you can get an extensive range of newer beer types, like IPAs and Golden Ales, for the warmer days. Located on SToneybatter in Arran Quay, we love the food and craft beer combo here during the summer.  

The Black Sheep

Pint of Galway hooker – By Addison Berry – https://www.flickr.com/photos/add1sun/4435005777/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15783778

Another craft beer option in Dublin is The Black Sheep, a blue-faced building at the north end of Chapel Street in the busy city. Featuring over 20 craft beers to choose from every single day of the week, we love this new-age bar that has combined the pub style with the modern aesthetic of craft beer bars. 

Owned by the Galway Bay Brewery, patrons can choose between light IPAs, like the Weights and Measures, or heavy-duty after-dinner IPAs, like the West Coast Double IPA. 

The Long Hall

South Great Georges Street Dublin – By William Murphy – https://www.flickr.com/photos/infomatique/14152162397/in/photolist-nyzwPX-C6RhZi-dFoZ7y-dy7ndy-hpk1mU-hpk55o-2bDroaB-dy7nps-F6ZztL-hpjVh5-nR4mag-F4jR4H-9ECEQe-9nwgoo-9EFNDm-9ED41t-9EAsDn-2f2NbzL-9ED4Wz-ZfX5Yx-bkr7qJ-21BpzZz-GzDri1-hpk5yu-2eEjpw1-c5VjV9-29Y3wMJ-HBf6RZ-5nXvJC-c5V4qd-GzDpHs-9DPY4z-9EFztS-24fWxvZ-NqZpMK-v6fws-hpjBo8-9EDJFw-GJtD36-9EE8pY-bRyGtH-9EBCae-4dN5Lh-9EBXhZ-9EDHsh-9EDyzy-9ECyrW-9EBvCc-Pv9wV9-p9CgWv, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114979160

Last but not least, we have The Long Hall. Known for its decor resembling something of an old-time American barbershop from the outside, The Long Hall on South Great George’s Street is like going into a time machine. With an interior decor that dates back to the late 19th century, we love the red bar stools, wooden accents, and antique decorations.