The Oliver Plunkett ★ 4.2
€€City CentreMon-Thu 11:00-23:30; Fri-Sat 11:00-01:30; Sun 12:30-23:00
Cork's best-known live music pub, with nightly acts Wednesday to Sunday covering traditional Irish, folk and contemporary. Late licence until 01:30 Friday.
Tip: Arrive by 22:00 on Friday for a seat during the live set - the floor fills fast once the act starts
Voodoo Rooms Rooftop ★ 4.0
€€City CentreThu-Sat 23:00-02:00 (weather permitting)
Cork's largest rooftop venue, situated on the third floor of Voodoo Rooms on Oliver Plunkett Street. Covered sections protect against the predictable Cork.
Tip: Check the weather before committing - the rooftop closes when heavy rain arrives regardless of the forecast
Upstairs at Arthur Mayne's ★ 4.4
€€City CentreDaily from 20:00; closes with the main bar (02:00/02:30)
The upstairs cocktail bar at Arthur Mayne's Pharmacy, accessed by a staircase from the main wine bar below. A low-lit, intimate space with leather seating.
Tip: The space is small and fills from 22:00 on weekends - go downstairs first and ask the bar staff to show you up
Wilde ★ 4.3
€€City CentreThu-Sat from 19:00; drag shows from 21:00; DJ from 23:00 until 02:30
Cork's only dedicated LGBTQ+ nightclub, relaunched as Wilde after operating as Vibe. Located on Oliver Plunkett Street, the venue anchors Cork's queer.
Tip: Thursday is the quieter, friendlier night for a first visit - Friday and Saturday bring larger crowds and bigger drag acts
Cask ★ 4.5
€€€MacCurtain Street (Victorian Quarter)Mon-Thu 17:00-23:30; Fri-Sat 17:00-00:30; Sun 15:00-23:00
Cork's premier cocktail bar doubles as the city's closest equivalent to a listening bar: curated DJ sets on weekend evenings and excellent acoustics in a MacCurtain Street Victorian room.
Tip: Arrive at 17:00 on weekdays for pre-theatre cocktails before the DJ crowd arrives - the bar is at its most intimate before 20:00
The Bodega ★ 4.0
€€City CentreMon-Thu 16:00-02:00; Fri-Sun 14:00-02:30
Cork's most consistently packed late-night bar and club hybrid, housed in one of the city's finest Victorian buildings on Cornmarket Street. Also home to the Old Town Whiskey Bar.
Tip: Ask for the whiskey bar inside - it is a genuinely spectacular room that most visitors miss by staying on the main floor