24 upscale rooms in Dublin, editor-picked. occasion rooms in Dublin: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Dublin food.
Loose Canon ★ 4.8
south-city-centre · 29 Drury Street, Dublin 2, D02 RX95
Loose Canon on Drury Street in Dublin 2, a low-intervention wine bar pouring small-grower European bottles and toasted-cheese flatbreads, the southside.
Tip: Twenty-five seats; book the back stools online. The toasted-cheese flatbread is the only menu item, two varieties weekly.
The Long Hall ★ 4.7
south-city-centre · 51 South Great George's Street, Dublin 2, D02 DV74
The Long Hall on South Great George's Street in Dublin 2, a Victorian saloon since 1881 with original mahogany and mirror back-bar, the city's best Guinness.
Tip: The bar runs the length of the room; sit on a stool in the back snug to watch the bar staff work. Cash and card.
Grogan's Castle Lounge ★ 4.7
south-city-centre · 15 South William Street, Dublin 2, D02 H336
Grogan's on South William Street in Dublin 2, the artist's pub since the 1970s, the city's reference for a creamy Guinness and a toasted-cheese-and-ham.
Tip: Cash and card. The front lounge fills with regulars; the back room is the conversation room. Toasties stop at 18:00.
The Cobblestone ★ 4.7
north-inner-city · 77 North King Street, Smithfield, Dublin 7, D07 TP22
The Cobblestone on King Street North in Smithfield, Dublin 7, Tom Mulligan's family trad music pub, the city's reference for an unplugged session.
Tip: Nightly trad sessions from 19:00, free entry. The back room is the dedicated session bar; arrive 18:00 for a seat.
Etto ★ 4.7
south-city-centre · 18 Merrion Row, Dublin 2, D02 A316
Etto on Merrion Row in Dublin 2, a Bib Gourmand Italian-leaning wine bar with the best by-the-glass list south of the Liffey and a kitchen that backs it up.
Tip: Counter seats face the open kitchen; book through the website not OpenTable. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Delahunt ★ 4.6
portobello · 39 Camden Street Lower, Dublin 2, D02 K277
Delahunt on Camden Street in Dublin, Darren Free's modern Irish dining room with head chef Dermot Staunton inside a restored Joycean grocer.
Tip: Friday and Saturday book three weeks ahead. The upstairs bar serves the full menu and is the walk-up option.
L. Mulligan Grocer ★ 4.6
stoneybatter · 18 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
L. Mulligan Grocer on Stoneybatter in Dublin 7, the Northside gastropub of black pudding arancini, Irish seafood chowder and chicken Kiev, no Guinness.
Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The Wednesday early dinner is the calm window; Sunday lunch books two weeks ahead online.
Frank's ★ 4.6
south-city-centre · 22 Camden Street Lower, Dublin 2
Frank's on Camden Street in Dublin 2, a tiny low-intervention wine bar in a former pork shop with one large communal table, around 100 organic and biodynamic.
Tip: Walk-in only daily; the room seats around twenty around the communal table. Arrive early Friday and Saturday.
Peruke and Periwig ★ 4.5
south-city-centre · 31 Dawson Street, Dublin 2, D02 DR58
Peruke and Periwig on Dawson Street in Dublin 2, a Victorian-cabinet cocktail bar on three floors, the city's reference for a Dealer's Choice and a Manhattan.
Tip: Three floors; the basement is the speakeasy room. Bookings essential Friday and Saturday; the ground-floor bar takes walk-ins.
The Stag's Head ★ 4.5
south-city-centre · 1 Dame Court, Dublin 2, D02 TW84
The Stag's Head on Dame Court in Dublin 2, a Victorian pub since 1860 with original mahogany and a stained-glass roof, the city's archetypal Dublin pub.
Tip: Two bars; the downstairs is the trad pub, the upstairs Parliament Hotel is the late bar. Irish stew at lunch is the value play.
Amy Austin ★ 4.5
south-city-centre · Unit 1, Dublin 2
Amy Austin on Drury Street in Dublin is the Drury Street Car Park wine bar, with sixteen taps and a Bib Gourmand small-plates menu that draws the south-side.
Tip: Dog-friendly; walk-ins Monday to Thursday from 17:00, Friday and Saturday from 12:30. Back banquette sits four for late.
The Bar With No Name ★ 4.4
south-city-centre · 3 Fade Street, Dublin 2, D02 NF77
The Bar With No Name above L'Gueuleton on Fade Street in Dublin 2, a hidden-entrance cocktail bar marked by a wooden snail, mismatched decaying furniture.
Tip: Look for the wooden snail beside L'Gueuleton; the entrance is unmarked. Walk-in for cocktails.
P. Mac's ★ 4.4
south-city-centre · 30 Lower Stephen Street, Dublin 2, D02 XY61
P. Mac's on Lower Stephen Street in Dublin 2, a candlelit craft-beer bar with twenty Irish and US taps, the southside's reference for an Irish craft IPA.
Tip: Twenty taps weekly rotation; ask the bar for the Whiplash, DOT or Trouble Brewing pour. Cash and card.
Kehoe's ★ 4.4
south-city-centre · 9 South Anne Street, Dublin 2, D02 NY88
Kehoe's on South Anne Street in Dublin 2, a Victorian pub of original mahogany snugs and an upstairs lounge that was once the publican's parlour.
Tip: Three rooms; the snugs sit four. The upstairs is the parlour room; ask the bar staff to point you up.
The Big Romance ★ 4.4
north-inner-city · 98 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, D01 T2T3
The Big Romance on Parnell Street in Dublin 1, an audiophile bar with twelve Irish and US craft taps, vinyl all night, the Northside's most considered late.
Tip: Twelve taps and a serious vinyl system; the wood-fired pizza arrives until 23:00 Friday and Saturday.
The Palace Bar ★ 4.4
temple-bar · 21 Fleet Street, Dublin 2, D02 H950
The Palace Bar on Fleet Street in Dublin 2, a Victorian pub since 1843, the literary watering hole of the Irish Times pressroom, with a hundred-bottle.
Tip: Three rooms; the upstairs parlour is the whiskey room. Tasting flights of three for €18 Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Brazen Head ★ 4.4
the-liberties · 20 Bridge Street Lower, Dublin 8, D08 WC64
The Brazen Head on Bridge Street Lower in Dublin 8, established 1198 as Ireland's oldest pub, the present 1754 coaching inn serves Irish stew and trad.
Tip: Food served until 21:00 daily; nightly trad music sessions from 21:00. The back snug holds eight; the courtyard runs summer only.
Vintage Cocktail Club ★ 4.4
temple-bar · 15 Crown Alley, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 E229
Vintage Cocktail Club on Crown Alley in Temple Bar, a first-floor cocktail room behind an unmarked door, the city's most serious pre-Prohibition cocktail.
Tip: Ring the bell, walk up the stairs. Bookings essential; the room is two seatings per night Thursday to Saturday.
The International Bar ★ 4.3
south-city-centre · 23 Wicklow Street, Dublin 2, D02 VH59
The International Bar on Wicklow Street in Dublin 2, a Victorian saloon and the city's longest-running comedy room, the basement Cellar Bar pours cocktails.
Tip: Three floors; basement cocktails, ground-floor bar, first-floor comedy nights from 21:00 most weeknights.
Davy Byrnes ★ 4.3
south-city-centre · 21 Duke Street, Dublin 2, D02 K380
Davy Byrnes on Duke Street in Dublin 2, the moral pub since 1798, the Joycean Bloomsday stop for a Gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of Burgundy.
Tip: Bloomsday on 16 June fills before 11:00; the back room sits forty. Seafood plates run all day.
The Piglet ★ 4.3
temple-bar · 5 Cow's Lane, Dublin 8
Piglet Wine Bar on Cow's Lane in Temple Bar, an Italian-leaning wine bar from Enrico Fantasia of Grape Circus, cicchetti and small plates with European.
Tip: Walk-in for small plates; bookings from 17:30 require a minimum three dishes per person. Counter seats face the kitchen.
Note ★ 4.2
south-city-centre · 26 Fenian Street, Dublin 2, D02 FX09
Note on Fenian Street in Dublin 2, a tiny bistro and wine bar opened in 2022 with a sixty-plus bottle list of natural wines and grower champagnes.
Tip: Small room four minutes from Pearse Street Station; arrive early Friday and Saturday. Team will recommend a glass from the largely natural list.
Ely Wine Bar ★ 4.1
south-city-centre · 22 Ely Place, Dublin 2, D02 AH73
Ely Wine Bar on Ely Place in Dublin 2, Erik and Michelle Robson's wine room since 1999, an Old World list and Robson family organic Irish beef from Co Clare.
Tip: Two rooms; the basement is wine, the ground floor is the bar. Lunch by-the-glass is the value play.
Fade Street Social ★ 4.0
south-city-centre · Fade Street, Dublin 2, D02 KC60
Fade Street Social in Dublin 2, Dylan McGrath's three-room gastro bar over a Fade Street courtyard, a Mediterranean wine list and small-plates dinner.
Tip: Roof terrace opens summer only. The Tapas Bar room is the walk-in option; the restaurant room books two weeks ahead.