Dublin has always known how to drink; the news is how well it now eats. Irish produce — the beef, the butter, the oysters, the wild Atlantic fish — was always world class, and a confident generation of chefs has finally built a restaurant scene to match it. The correct approach is to alternate: old pub, new kitchen, repeat. Here is the route.
Key facts
- Currency: the euro; cards accepted almost everywhere, though a little cash never hurts in older pubs.
- The pint: a well-poured Guinness needs a two-part pour — patience is part of the ritual.
- Booking: the top tables book out days or weeks ahead, especially Thursday to Saturday; reserve before you fly.
- Best months: pub kitchens often close well before the bar does; eat first, drink second.
- What it costs: casual meals are mid-range by European standards; tasting menus climb steeply from there.
The proper pubs
The Long Hall
On South Great George's Street, all Victorian mahogany, mirrors and red-shaded lamps, largely untouched for over a century. There is no food to speak of and none needed: this is where to learn what an unhurried pint of stout actually tastes like, ideally mid-afternoon when the light comes through the etched glass.
Order: a pint of Guinness, nothing else, and stand at the bar if you can.
Kehoe's
Just off Grafton Street on South Anne Street, a warren of snugs and creaking staircases that fills nightly with an easy mix of locals and strays. The snug by the front door — a small partitioned room once used for discreet drinking — is the prize seat.
Order: a pint, and a toasted sandwich if hunger strikes between meals.
Mulligan's
On Poolbeg Street near the river, trading since the 18th century and long beloved of printers and journalists from the old newspaper district. Famously serious about its stout; famously unserious about everything else.
Order: many Dubliners will tell you this is the best pint in the city. Test the claim.
