Dublin's bar scene deserves far more credit than it typically receives. The city has spent the last decade quietly building one of Europe's strongest combinations of traditional pub culture and serious contemporary cocktail bars. While the tourist infrastructure around Temple Bar remains predictable, the real drinking in Dublin happens in neighbourhood pubs and dedicated craft spaces that have earned their reputations through consistency rather than Instagram presence. These are the best bars in Dublin we actually recommend.
The Best Historic and Traditional Bars in Dublin
Dublin's oldest bars are among its best. The Long Hall, Mulligan's, and Kehoe's represent centuries of accumulated knowledge about how to run a pub properly. These aren't heritage attractions — they're working neighbourhood institutions that happen to have history.
01
The Long Hall
South Great George's Street$Victorian / Historic
The Long Hall remains one of the finest Victorian bar interiors in Ireland, preserved essentially unchanged since the 1880s. The mahogany bar back, the mirrors, the brass fittings — all original. The bartenders know what they're doing, the house Guinness is perfect, and the interior alone makes this worth your time regardless of what you're drinking. Book a snug if you want true Dublin experience.
Order: A pint of Guinness — they get the pour right.
02
The Kehoe's
South Anne Street$Traditional / No Frills
Dark wood panelling, snugs you could hide in, and an absolutely genuine approach to Irish pub culture. No food, no distractions, no apologies. The beer is proper, the crowd is mixed generations of locals and visitors who bothered to find the place, and the whole operation feels like it hasn't changed fundamentally in decades. This is where real Guinness culture still exists in Dublin.
Order: A pint of Guinness or a Smithwick's if you prefer.
03
Mulligan's
Poolbeg Street$Old Dublin / Craft Guinness
Operating since 1782, Mulligan's is world-famous among journalists and craft Guinness drinkers for its exceptional pour. The pub has hosted everyone from Brendan Behan to contemporary writers, and the black and white photographs covering the walls document Dublin's changes across centuries. The bartenders take their craft seriously. This is where to taste Guinness at its absolute best.
Order: A pint of Guinness — this is the place to experience it properly.
The complete Dublin bar guide
Every category across the city — cocktail bars, craft beer, live music venues, and neighbourhood classics. Our full Dublin guide has you covered.
Dublin has quietly developed a serious cocktail scene centred around Temple Bar and Wexford Street. The quality is genuinely high, the bartenders trained properly, and the prices remain considerably lower than London for equivalent execution. Craft beer has also found its home in dedicated neighbourhood bars across the city.
04
37 Dawson Street
Dawson Street$$$Cocktail / Grand
Located in an ornate Victorian townhouse, 37 Dawson Street operates as a serious cocktail establishment. The interior feels like a private members' room, the menu is carefully curated around classical preparations, and the bartenders execute with precision. This is cocktail culture rather than cocktail theatre — a place where technique matters and shortcuts don't exist. Book ahead.
Order: A Negroni or their house sour, depending on the season.
05
The Vintage Cocktail Club
Temple Bar$$$Speakeasy / 1920s
Ring the bell and enter a reproduction 1920s speakeasy decorated with period detail and genuine prohibition-era cocktail knowledge. The martinis are among the best in Dublin, the classics are executed properly, and the atmosphere actually justifies the theatrical setting. The crowd is mostly serious drinkers rather than tourists, which says something about the quality of the operation.
Order: A martini — they understand dilution and temperature.
06
Against the Grain
Wexford Street$$Craft Beer / Neighbourhood
The best craft beer selection in Dublin, with a serious commitment to both Irish and international producers. Galway Hooker is on tap here, alongside rotating guest beers that change weekly. The space is compact, the crowd is knowledgeable without being pretentious, and the bartenders actually understand what they're serving. This is where to taste Irish craft beer properly.
Order: Galway Hooker if you want Irish craft, or ask what's on guest rotation.
07
The Grand Social
Liffey Street$$Live Music / Late Night
The Grand Social has the best live music programming in Dublin, with international acts and serious Irish musicians performing most nights. The bar upstairs is straightforward, the crowd is genuinely interested in the music, and booking is democratic — established artists play alongside emerging talent. This is where Dublin's music infrastructure actually lives.
Order: Beer or a basic cocktail — let the music be the focus.
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Dublin's Best Neighbourhood and Hidden Bars
Some of Dublin's best bars are the ones that serve their neighbourhoods quietly without needing to announce themselves. Portobello, Smithfield, and Stoneybatter hold bars that are genuinely worth the trip.
08
The Bernard Shaw
Portobello$$Alternative / Beer Garden
The Bernard Shaw operates with an outdoor beer garden that is genuinely the best in Dublin, surrounded by street art and frequented by local creatives. The beer selection is excellent, the atmosphere is unpretentious, and the space itself encourages hanging around longer than planned. On warm evenings this becomes the social centre of the Portobello area.
Order: One of the rotating craft beers on tap.
09
The Cobblestone
Smithfield$Traditional Music / Local
The Cobblestone is the greatest trad session bar in Dublin, a working musician's pub where the sessions are real rather than performed for tourists. The space has recently faced development pressure, making it increasingly precious. The bar pulls a proper pint, the crowd is serious about music, and the experience is genuinely authentic — not because it's trying to be, but because the bar simply exists for the musicians and regulars who use it.
Order: A pint of whatever's proper — let the music happen around you.
Dublin craft beer bars
Our guide to Dublin's best craft beer establishments, from neighbourhood taprooms to dedicated beer-focused venues.
P.Mac's operates as a genuine neighbourhood craft beer bar, the kind of place where the regular crowd includes artists, students, and working professionals who live nearby. The beer selection is excellent without being showy, the space feels lived-in, and the bartenders know their regulars by name. This is what craft beer bars should feel like — part of the community rather than a destination.
Order: Ask what's currently on tap from local breweries.
Our Verdict on Dublin
Dublin rewards visitors who look beyond the Temple Bar infrastructure. The city's best bars exist in neighbourhoods like Portobello, South Great George's Street, and Smithfield — places where the bars exist for locals first and visitors second. We'd start with Mulligan's for the Guinness experience, then move to 37 Dawson Street for cocktails, and finish at The Cobblestone for the music.
The combination of world-class traditional pub culture and serious contemporary bartending is genuinely difficult to find outside Dublin. The city has earned its reputation quietly, which says everything about the quality of the operation.
Dublin live music bars guide
The best live music venues and traditional session bars in Dublin — where the music is real and the crowds are genuine.
