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Ireland
The Pav is Trinity College Dublin's only drinking hole at the moment, and as the summer approaches is really the only one needed. The bar itself is horrid.
I'm recommending it on the strength that it is the best place to drink outside in central Dublin, legally.
On a Thursday and more so on a Friday there will be literally thousands of people, students, office slaves and more, sitting in the sun drinking. Drinks can be bought at the bar- 4 cans of larger for €8 - or more often brought in. Sometimes there's cricket on, and you can laze and look at that, or the stunning Berkley Library full of studying students, all wishing they were down on the grass next to you.
Other activities might include an impromptu kick about, impromptu sing-a-long, frisbee game, streaker and other studenty type activities.
Food and other drinks available and there's a very limited selection of beers and stouts on tap, but buying drink in there seems against the whole spirit of the thing.
The Pavilion Bar,
Trinity College Dublin,
It's the yellowish building facing on to the cricket pitch.
It's an hilarious Dublin guide filled with serious tips.
The Bernard Shaw is one of a number of pubs catering to a youngish, trendyish crowd. There's a massive smoking area with a pool table, a dj booth, and decently priced if limited selection of beers.
Decent music nights, recent ones were Dubstep and a celebration of the Rio Carnival with drummers and cheep Brazilian beer. Usually packed at the weekend, always a laugh.
Richmond Street,
Dublin
I know, I know, it's a bit hypocritical after telling you to avoid the place in a previous tip, but I actually quite enjoy it there.
It's like going out in a market town in England on a Friday; raucous; loud; packed with fools and too much drink. But it also has some of Dublin's best pubs, live music, galleries and restaurants.
It's rare that the sense of violence, which always seems a wrong look away in London, is felt here.
I wouldn't recommend Temple Bar at night for someone in search of a quiet drink, or a civilized time. The puddles of vomit and p!ss ensure that, but it is great fun if you're in town for a laugh with a group of friends.
the centre of town
The current 'in' place in Dublin city. Cool, without being trendy, energetic, without being raucous.
Some of the best live music venues are situated here, along with a great choice of bars.
Curiously the bars with Irish language names are the coolest. Solas (Light) has a recently opened beer garden upstairs and serves decent food during the day and a great selection of beers - try Murphy's stout instead of Guinness for a change.
Anseo (Here) also has a good selection of imported beers. Both bars have regular DJs playing alternative dance and funk vinyls from when before most of the customers were born. For the best kebabs in Dublin, Zaytoon is beside Anseo.
Other bars and venues worth a visit in the same spot are Whelans, The Village, Carnival and The Bleeding Horse. Not far from the latter is the recently refurbished Tripod venue and the impressive Odeon.
Tram: Harcourt station
Camden St./Wexford St.
Large tapas bar in the heart of the city centre, hidden in behind the George Street Arcade. Decent portions, though not particularly cheap.
Its a massive space with exposed brick and palms. The service is iffy, but the atmosphere is great and mercifully there isn't any music, a rarity these days.
George Street Arcade
Temple Bar is where every drunken eejit and plastered hen/stag party will end up. Avoid it like the plague on St Patrick's, last year the place ran with piss and vomit. Horror.
Instead go to Camden Street, still city centre, which is full of decent bars, most have live music and DJs organized for the night and where I'll be, in Anseo.
Camden Street
Although under renovation, this hostel is an excellent place to stay in the centre of town.
The rooms for two offer ensuite facilities and are impeccably clean if basic.
If a couple of chairs were provided they would be even better!
The price might seem expensive for some (70 euros a night for two if booked over the net) but try to find better at a seven minutes walk from the Spire.
There is a kitchen and a minimalist breakfast is included if you want to share it with the school groups.
There is a Thai restaurant across the street and the pub on the corner's public bar (Molloy's) will take you straight back to pre-tourism Dublin - especially at the 11am rush.
A couple of caffs just round the corner on Talbot St offer all-day breakfasts at a very good prices if you can face the cholesterol, yum.
Talbot Place.
The Smallest Pub in Dublin (officially known as the Dawson Lounge) can be found on Dawson Street, just past Grafton Street in the City Centre.
Go there at around 8 o'clock so you can guarantee yourself a place and avoid the herds of late-night workers coming for happy hour afterwards (they even have backrests on the walls to accommodate those without seats). Though really small (the area of the whole pub must be around ten metres squared), the pub is very cozy and serves the best Guinness I ever tasted, for a reasonable bargain of €3.80.
Definitely a good option, especially if you're with a big group of friends and feel like starting the night out with some drinks and good laughter.
Dawson Lounge, Dawson Street
Telephone: (+ 353) 1 671 0311
Email: dawsonlounge@thomasread.ie
www.dawsonlounge.ie/
Mon - Thurs 12.30 to 11.30
Fri-Sat 12.30-12.30 Sunday 4-11.00
FOOD Mon-sat 12-4.30
The Chester Beatty Library.
Dublin Castle,
Dublin 2,
Ireland
Tel: (+353 1) 407 0750
Fax: (+353 1) 407 0760
Email: info@cbl.ie
www.cbl.ie/
A smattering throw back to Dublin's hippy scene, which has been nearly totally decimated. This is really only a shadow of some of Dublin's great markets. Still it has a nice feel to it and there are stalls for second hand books, fresh olives, old records and new Japanese and Chinese fashion. There's Simons Place cafe - a real stalwart, and there's a chipper in one of the stalls. Plus there's an entrance to the excellent Market Bar - with its own entrance for when the arcade is closed. It's a fun wee refuge from the occasional rain. A bit over priced in places tho'
George Street
Hard to find (underneath a train station) but great looking bar.
www.sublounge.ie
Tara Street Station
Dublin 2
t: 01 671 6769
The food is ok but the wines! A truly impressive and not very expensive collection of interesting Italian wines. They have two places, curiously enough separated by another cafe. Choose the right one where all the wines are! By the way, the brioche (croissant) and cappuccino are great.
www.dunneandcrescenzi.com
14-16 South Frederick St
Dublin 2
6773815 /6759892
"Wine bar, karaoke box, sake bar" the restaurant describes itself. I would say great Japanese and Korean food and nice selection of wines and drinks!
Not what you would expect from a sidestreet in Dublin, but a really pleasant surprise with its contemporary decor and nice staff.
I did not check out the karaoke though!
7-9 Exchequer Street
Dublin 2
+353 1 6334071
www.ukiyobar.com/
I used to work as one of the stout monkeys here. It's actually a great fun place to work if you're in town for a few months, most of the staff are European and all mix well. Lots of nights out and banter at the taps.
Anyway, instead of drinking your complimentary pint up stairs in the always over crowded Gravity Bar - great veiws but not enough seats - squeeze up for a look, then take the stairs down to floor five and have your drink in the bar there. Its nearly always quiet, it still has good views and you can buy more hooch when you're done with the black stuff.
St James Gate
Great bar with live music nights.
Quite large but never seems empty no matter how few people are there.
Drinks promotions and friendly staff.
Capel Street
Large bar popular with the after work crowd. Free in most of the time but do charge after ten on some nights.
Cocktail lounge upstairs looks like a brothel. Fun and rowdy in a kind of office party way. Expensive.
By harcourt luas stop
Student-type bar near the premier art college in Ireland. Good drinks promotions and music nights with djs in the bar and in the basement. Small, atmospheric, cheap and friendly.
Thomas Street
Bar, where students with less style than they think go to dance themselves silly upstairs to a, frankly, very good indie disco, or just drink and talk downstairs in the basement or in one of the two ground floor bars.
It's a great spot but there are too many wannabe hipsters running around. Still a laugh though.
Near Pearse Street Garda station.
Cramped, noisy, with a seat resembling the proverbial gold-dust most evenings, this is where literary hardmen like Brendan Behan and Patrick Kavanagh came to nurse a pint and their talents. Not to be entered lightly, although you’ll probably leave that way.
Address: 3 Harry Street, Dublin 2.
Telephone: (353-1) 6794395
I went to the John M Keating bar, whilst over in Dublin, on my hen weekend, what a lovely enviornment, with lovely surroundings, service, staff, and atmosphere. We had a really enjoyable experience there and I would thoroughly recommend a visit. On Sunday afternoon, a string quartet was playing inside, completely different to the evening before!
Mary Street Dublin 1
087 636 3738
www.jmk.ie
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