The George on South Great George's Street is Dublin's oldest gay bar, opened May 1985 eight years before decriminalisation. The central LGBTQ nightlife address.
Tip: Sunday Shirley Temple Bar Bingo at 21:30 is the institution, get there by 20:00 for a seat. The back nightclub kicks in from 23:00 Thursday to Sunday.
Address: 89 South Great George's Street, Dublin 2, D02 R220
Grogan's Castle Lounge on South William Street has been Dublin's literary refuge since the 1970s when Paddy Kavanagh and Flann O'Brien drank here. No music, no TV.
Tip: Order the cheese toastie, it is the entire kitchen and it is excellent. The art on the walls is for sale, ask the bar staff if you spot one.
Pantibar on Capel Street in Dublin is drag queen Panti Bliss's flamboyant bar, central to the queer scene since 2007 for drag, cabaret and a community pint.
Tip: Friday early evening is when Panti tends to drop in unannounced, Sundays do the long lazy drag brunch downstairs.
Mother is Dublin's central queer club night, running every Saturday at Lost Lane off Grafton Street since 2019 with a disco and electro programme built on guest DJs.
Tip: Pre-buy tickets, the door cuts off around 00:30 once capacity hits. Bank Holiday Sundays are the bigger nights, book early.
Street 66 on Parliament Street in Dublin opened December 2016 in the former Front Lounge as the queer venue between Temple Bar and Dublin Castle. Late licences.
Tip: The late licence runs to 02:30 Friday and Saturday, hold the courtyard tables outside in summer, the inside basement gets dense after midnight.
The Big Romance on Parnell Street opened in 2018 as Dublin's first dedicated audiophile bar, with a custom vinyl-only system and a bartenders-as-selectors policy.
Tip: Sit at the bar in front of the speakers, the booths at the back are for conversation rather than listening. Bartenders take vinyl requests if you bring records.
Fidelity Bar & Studio in Smithfield Dublin is the 2024 audiophile listening room from The Big Romance and Whiplash, with custom speakers and Sister7 small plates.
Tip: Programming shifts from balearic and jazz early to house and disco late, book the booth in Fidelity Studio for a semi-private listening table.
Grogan's Castle Lounge on South William Street has been Dublin's literary refuge since the 1970s when Paddy Kavanagh and Flann O'Brien drank here. No music, no TV.
Tip: Order the cheese toastie, it is the entire kitchen and it is excellent. The art on the walls is for sale, ask the bar staff if you spot one.