4 Irish Pubs in Dublin You Must Visit

If you’ve been to Dublin, Ireland or know anything about this city, you are probably familiar with the famous Irish pub called The Temple Bar.

Established in 1840, The Temple Bar is a top tourist attraction in Dublin. It’s hard to miss this bright red pub once in the neighborhood by the same name. But if you’re color blind, it’s impossible to miss all the tourists both outside and inside taking selfies.

On my first trip to Dublin years ago, I stopped by The Temple Bar. I recall it not feeling like an authentic Irish pub because of all the tourists. Plus, it makes it really hard to get a drink when there are so many tourists trying to do the same or worse, take a picture of themselves at this historic bar.

Not wanting the same experience during my next trip to Dublin, I opted to go rogue while in Ireland and not visit The Temple Bar. Instead, I decided to create my very own Irish pub-crawl in Dublin.

My initial intent was to find some local gems for drinking whiskey. All the bars I visited have great whiskey selections, however, sometimes it felt more appropriate to get a beer.

Was going out to test run a bunch of Irish pubs in one day on an empty stomach the smartest move? Definitely not, but was it fun and felt like I got to enjoy a real Irish pub experience while in Dublin? Yep!

Here are my top choices for grabbing a pint or whiskey in Dublin, Ireland:

Bison Bar and BBQ

One of the first things you’ll see when walking into this pub is bison heads on the wall. It feels as if you’ve been teleported to a Texas saloon, but don’t worry, you’re in the right spot for great drinks and food in Dublin.

Connected to the Clarence Hotel, which is owned by U2’s Bono and Edge, this pub has over 140 whiskeys. When I visited they were pouring a Jameson seasonal IPA edition whiskey, which had been barreled in barrels that once held Irish Pale Ale. Only 8 pubs at the time were fortunate enough to be pouring this whiskey in the world, which made me know I was in the right place.

As Dublin’s first BBQ joint, I really wanted to try the food, but it felt unauthentic to eat Texas BBQ on my Irish pub-crawl. But if you don’t have the same morals, go for it because it looked and smelled delicious.

The Foggy Dew

Named after an Irish Ballad, this pub is a favorite in the city center for locals. I hear The Foggy Dew plays great music. However, the day I went, they were showing a soccer game. I felt super comfortable as the only person of color and woman traveling solo in this pub. Everyone was friendly and it felt as if The Foggy Dew is most likely a weekly meet-up spot for groups of friends.

Also, considering this Irish pub is located in the Temple Bar district, the prices were reasonable and the pint options are plentiful.

The Long Hall

Simply look for the iconic red and white canopy on Georges Street and you’ve stumbled upon one of Dublin’s oldest and most beautiful pubs.

Unfortunately, women weren’t allowed in the main bar area until 1951. Instead, they were served their drinks seated in the long hallway, which is how the pub got its name.

This Victorian style pub is famous for its beautiful interior and being a pub where celebrities like Bruce Springsteen stop by whenever they’re in Dublin. If you have limited time in Dublin, this is a must stop for at least one drink.

John Kavanagh’s (aka Gravediggers Pub)

Founded in 1833 this is considered to be the oldest family-owned pub in Dublin with the current family being the 7th generation to run the business. This pub is known locally as the Gravediggers Pub, as it is built into the wall of Glasnevin cemetery and was where many gravediggers went after work.

What makes this Irish pub unique is that there is no music or television. They don’t even allow people to sing or dance. It’s strictly all about their famed pints, great food, and good old conversation.

If you must, grab that obligatory selfie in front of the Temple Bar Pub and then immediately head to one these Irish pubs. You seriously can’t go wrong with any of these pubs. Cheers!