Great little hole in the wall. Dark & comfy, bartender very friendly. Only seats about 15 people…read morebut very cozy place for a drink.

We visited this bar yesterday as part of Cocktail Week…read more There was a mix up about seating and we ended up on the first floor where a member of staff was extremely rude and made us feel unwelcome. It's a real shame as the hostess on the ground floor was lovely and very helpful. It was clear that whilst trying to be classy and exclusive that the attitude actually being promoted in this bar is stuffy and elitist. Class comes from etiquette and your waitress showed none.

We showed up without a reservation (I know, I know) and rang the bell. A nice young lady came down…read moreand took our phone number and said she would text us in about 15 minutes because we did not have a reservation. We decided to hang out a block away and waited for the text that ultimately never came. It was disappointing because had she just said they were full or a reservation was required we would have just left the Temple Bar area entirely but instead we stuck around wasting our evening.

This is a true speakeasy, which is really hard to come by. It's suggested to make a reservation…read morebecause they fill up quickly. We visited twice, and the first time was on a Wednesday night. They were able to accommodate us mid-week without a reservation, but Friday night we made one to come back. There were gobs of people waiting to get in so we're glad we did! The entrance is very non-descript. It's an ugly grey metal door with VCC randomly applied, so if you didn't know what was there it would look industrial. There is a door bell to the left of the door. Ring it a few times and someone will open the door and check you in. With reservations they do make you wait until exactly that time so don't be alarmed. Your table is already selected for you. The inside is loungy and very swanky. Both times we had extremely comfortable chairs. Service is immaculate. Their menu is massive, very well published and explained. Our servers were both able to explain exactly what the cocktail may taste like as some of the combos might blow your mind. I had the Dirty Wizard which sounds odd on based on ingredients but was delicious. I also had the Purple Pearl which was my perfect cocktail. My husband tried a few different whiskey concoctions and he was impressed by all of them. I highly recommend adding VCC to your Dublin itinerary!

A cozy speakeasy hidden away beneath an unassuming Italian restaurant serving bespoke cocktails,…read moresmall plates, pastas and more. It's a pretty small place and it feels very hidden so making a reservation is probably a good idea. How it works: walk downstairs (look for the neon sign that says "sshhh!") and GENTLY press the pig head on your left at the bottom to open the secret door. Our server was a gem and helped us navigate the extensive craft cocktail menu-I LOVED THE "breakfast of champions " and my wife enjoyed the noonin which was a bit of a riff on a margarita. We started with the creamy burratta with grilled pears and bread-heavenly and so fresh. For mains I got the pasta with beef and onions(yum!), but the standout was the braised short ribs with creamy mashed potatoes-amazing! -and at €30 a fantastic value. In fact everything was very reasonably priced and cocktails were only €15 each. Out entire bill was just €120-at least 50% less than a comparable meal at a quality restaurant in the US. Highly recommended (shhh!)

It feels a bit weird writing a public review of a secret spot...but I can't gatekeep this spot!…read more The Blind Pig Speakeasy was one of our favorite spots while in Ireland, and it ranks high on our list for several reasons! They are situated in the base of a sister restaurant, so from the main entrance the only give away is the neon "shhh" sign that sits over the stairway. Once at the base of the stairs an unassuming bookcase/shelf appears. This honestly got us, as we had no clue this was the entrance at first. We wandered around and into the bathrooms expecting some cool bathroom stall entrance. It wasn't until someone came out from behind the bookcase that we figured it out! We did let the "door" close and played with the art on the wall, including the bronze pig head, which turned out to be the hidden lever! Legit already wowed before entering! Upon entry, you are legit transported into a small speakeasy with a few high tops, a cozy bar and a small dining room beyond the second archway. The walls are stone, the lighting is dim and moody, the woods are heavy, and the vibes are immaculate! We sampled a few house-made cocktails, got an appetizer and a few main dishes. Spent a total of close to 2 hours, which is standard and actually timed. Which makes sense and I like, it keeps things moving, on time and allows plenty of time to soak it all in! The Jolly Roger and Espresso Martini were my cocktails for the night. There was a clear theme with both, as stout and espresso were highlights in both. For the app, we went with the fritto misto, which is a combination of fried cheese and veggies. Our mains were both pasta dishes. They were light and simple, yet complex and robust. They were tasty and impressive! Service was stellar from entry to exit. The host's, bartenders and our server were all top notch, friendly, helpful and a joy to interact with! Oh, I do highly recommend reservations! They are a small and very in demand spot, so trying to walk-in is a bit risky. Overall, we absolutely loved our evening at The Blind Pig! It was one of our best times and meals on our trip around Ireland...memorable for all the right reasons!

Capitol Bar is one of those places that you lie about the next day when, for some reason, you did…read moreend up here. Or at least that's what I do. A cocktail bar with a large selection of cheapo drinks, dimly lit and frequented by about 85% girls and 15% hopeful boys. The cocktails aren't good but they are cheap. A fiver buys you an Irish Mule (Jameson, ginger and lime) or even a mojito, for 6 Euro you can get a passion fruit margarita. None of the cocktails taste the way they should but they come in big glasses and the night is young. So is the average age, clearly attracted by the prices. In fairness, what they do, they do well: there are plenty drink specials like 2 for 7euro on Tuesdays, plenty of comfy seats, a separate bar that serves only shots (all a fiver), the venue is clean, there are plenty toilets and the staff is alright. If you don't mind the terrible hangover caused by too much sugar in your drink and too many different kinds of booze or you are young enough to handle that sort of thing, try Capitol Bar. My only advice is to stay clear of the ones that you haven't heard of before and you should be ok.

My sore head today is a reflection of this place's cheap cocktails. 5 euros a pop before midnight,…read moreyou can't beat that! Great cocktail menu, the bartender I dealt with was charming, he even deviated from the menu to do my favourite cocktail. It's moderately sized, interior is modern, comfy couches. Music is chart, the DJ was abit too volume happy so we had to shout to talk and then we gave up and just focused on drinking the cocktails. At one point I thought I was at convention celebrating the show Sex & The City which then shifted to me thinking I was in a lesbian bar. It was thronged with well done up young women and hardly any men. Boys if you want to score a chick, this is the place for you! Girls if you want to score a chick this also is the place for you but in a very Sex & The City hook up kinda way, that is they will be straight again the next morning. The only reason why I am giving it three stars is that it would not be my scene and the music is too loud but it's a great place to pre-game it with some cheap well made cocktails before hitting another spot.

And down below, in the basement of the former Stephen's Green Hibernian Club, built in 1756, where…read moremost of the interior is historically protected, is where the alchemical magic happens. A team passionate & dedicated about creating delectable flavor profiles that are unforgettable The space is luxuriously moody, openly intimate & comforting chic as it presents itself successfully on so many various levels. The cocktails, think art in a glass. Many pre-batched for flavor profile consistency with their syrups made in-house. I will yearn for their Mirage 9Below- their riff on an Old Fashioned-probably forever. And their terrific staff! Real standouts in the industry. A special shout out to one of their masters behind the bar, Connor; easily the best barman in Dublin...maybe the world.

Stunning 5/5! We…read morefirst arrived at 9 Below on a Sunday evening with no reservation. The kind host let us know right away that without a reservation, we were out of luck. The entire joint was booked out, including the bar seats. Disappointed, we left & found another cocktail bar within walking distance. Out of curiosity, we checked out the 9 Below Open Table, & saw that there was availability in just over an hour. We decided to book 2 spots & wait it out. When we returned, the host remembered us & remembered that we prefer to sit at the bar. They showed us to our reserved spots - at the bar! We first admired the interior. Underground! Somehow low-lit, archaic, well-lit, & modern, all at the same time. Lively but not noisy pop music was playing - Dua Lipa, etc. The actual physical menu was so cool. It was a beautifully designed picture-book inspired menu, with each cocktail having its own separate & artful page. I'm looking back on the menu & I think the drink I ordered was "Fight Club" (Don Julio Blanco, mango, Falernum, camomile, lemon, & sugar) & it was phenomenal. The bartender scorched a hot pepper & carefully placed it on top, which MADE the drink. He also made my partner a Paper Plane with Scotch. Delicious. Speaking of the bartender, he was a real champion. Such a nice guy with a bit of flair to his style of bartending. We really enjoyed chit chatting with him. It also seemed like the staff really vibed with each other & everyone was having a good time. Great atmosphere. The next time we're back in Dublin we will definitely be back to 9 Below Bar.

Looking for a break from the usual Irish Pub scene? Well, beneath the U2-owned Clarence hotel is a…read morespeakeasy-type bar hidden away out of sight that is a real delight. It checks all the boxes of being downstairs, low ceilings, late Victorian decor, bartenders with beards and period clothing, etc. - plus a long list of mixology-type drinks. Let me description of the place sound like a slam. We had a really great time. There is a deep menu of drinks made from all kinds of stuff. We ordered all kinds of stuff and every drink was excellent. The prices were very reasonable as well. We sat on some comfy couches and there was a DJ plating some really great down tempo, yet still dance-able music. The hours flew by as we had an excellent time.

What a neat little find! The menu provides you the opportunity to see a flavor profile of a drink…read morewithout necessarily being an expert on the ingredients. The way the cocktails are presented is very nice, and no attention to detail was spared when it came to the interior decoration. It's a must visit for a cocktail when on a trip to Dublin!

This is a nice little place that you wish less people know about so you could enjoy it more often…read more There is not a whole lot of seating and it's really a gamble when you show up if you'll get the chance to stay. Though, I can't fault them on that because their seating is all oversized, comfy armchairs that you just sink into, so that is a sacrifice I can appreciate. But again: often crowded. There is a fireplace and vintage furniture, makes for a great atmosphere when you want a quiet drink, though it can get pretty loud because it's often full. They do have a nice selection of drinks though it's not as huge as some bars, but it's a nice place for a Port or Whiskey. I am a little put off by the staff, but it depends on who's there. Sometimes they're fine, not going out of their way to be nice, but decent. Though, one particular bartender is... tactless and comes off rude. Ordering from her is off putting because she doesn't really listen or answer your questions. It's too bad because when we come in and see that she's working the bar it kind of puts you off. It doesn't stop us though because we love the ambience and cozy feel to this place. Definitely somewhere you'd bring people visiting because the style and mood is hard to match.

I should seriously be wearing some tweed garments, have a pipe in my mouth, a cocker spaniel at my…read morefeet, and noshing on scones for this review. Alright I think I'm mixing up the Library Bar with Sherlock Holmes, sprinkled with bits of the Darling Buds of May. Let's tone it back a tad. I'm not even sure if there is any tartan or tweed in sight, and there definitely are no scones on the menu. But there is dark wood, and big manuscript writing chairs (That's it! I shall write a manuscript!), and gold fittings and dark wallpaper and muted lighting and plush carpets. You feel a little like you've discovered somewhere you shouldn't be. (Or is that just me and my overactive imagination?!) Either way, it's a hell of a spot. All cosy and warm and cosy and just so feckin well.. cosy. They have good WiFi so you can work away or have meetings til your heart's content. I had some lunch here which was ok - it was crab salad - not brilliant, not terrible. A little saucy (in a not good way), and bland. And cost €14.50. BUT still. My guest's pork sausage sandwich and soup combo for a tenner looked and smelled delish. My only complaint (besides not loving my food) is that perhaps it might be just a teeensy bit too quiet? Like perhaps some barely audible background music might be nice? Something atmospheric and classic? I reckon the staff in this place hear a lot of secrets...

Highly recommend visiting if you're in the area. This bar is nicely tucked away from a lot of the…read moretourist destination bars. Look out for the entrance or you might miss it! Great for both beer and cocktails. Watching the bartenders craft drinks was an art form. Service was attentive as well. Lots of great seating, both indoor and outdoor. We opted to sit outdoors on a mild November night which ended up being a really nice experience. It was pretty busy even on a Sunday night. If you're in the area, definitely add No Name Bar to your list!

This place goes by two names, depending on if you are looking at Google Maps, or on Yelp. Google…read moreMaps calls it "The Bar With No Name" (and so do it's proprietors in the hotel above). But Yelp calls it "No Name Bar." Late at night, this is the place to be. The music is loud, the place is hoppin', and everyone is movin' and groovin'. It's LOADS of fun, I can't express that enough - but it DOES get packed! If you are staying in Kelly's Hotel up above it, you MUST visit at least once to see what all the fuss is and why your hotel room is rattling until 2 or 3 in the morning. They have DJs playing every Friday and Saturday "from 10pm until late" as it's billed on their website. It's connected to the hotel, so if you are staying there, you can just head down the stairs to enter. From street level, use the entrance with the snail hanging above the black door with the address number of "3" on the door. It's so easy to walk past and not notice it. The entrance is JUST past the sidewalk patio for L'Gueuleton.

Not a bad little place, if maybe a bit swanky for my tastes. Probably more a 3.5 if the truth be…read moreknown as the staff were really friendly - but the fairly average beer selection let this place down in my book - with myself opting for a pint of Guinness (which is never a problem in Dublin in my book!) It's actually the front of a fairly big bar in the back and you can go inbetween the two and drink in either venue, the loos are also in here and to the back. The guys I was with all enjoyed their cocktails and the music was laid back and cool - if you want a cocktail then make sure you check it out.

Swanky, sophisticated and smooth - three words that best sum up the feeling of Chelsea Drug Store!…read moreA real minimalist feel to a bar but not at all pretentious as some of these places tend to be. A group of us went here after dinner and we were treated like lords! As soon was we walked in we were treated to a bottle of tap water whomever browsed the menus. Embarrassingly I picked a Brooklyn beer to drink when there was a whole host of extravagant and elegant cocktails on offer! The bar itself was truly stunning, it was lit by candle light giving a real intimate feel, even though there were 10 of us there. It kind of felt like a secret club. Really top notch in my opinion, I wish there were more places like this in my City.

We're fans of the Rustic Stone ... sooo, when we bumped into the Bar Rustic signage on our way…read morehome, we had to take a look! And, we looked, and then we sat, and then we ordered, and then we drank and then we smiled and laughed a little bit more than we expected to in the middle of Saturday afternoon. Go on up to the second level. Grab a comfy seat in one of those black leather chairs. Order the fruity gin and tonic - it's served in a huge goblet that will have you smiling before you've taken your first sip! The vibe is actually sexy. And, the view overlooking the street is pleasing. The bartender is smooth. And, the natural light in the daytime makes this a must stop if you're up for drinking the afternoon away in a spot that's far from your standard, dime a dozen corner pub. Now this is a cool bar - Mr. McGrath is on to something! Cheers!

I've been a few times to Bar Rustic and I have brought quite a few friends along. Many of them seem…read moreto like it too. They have done a great job on it- I like the uplit bar and the brick walls. My favourite thing though are the upholstered chairs- they are lovely ! I have to say in general the staff here are very friendly too- even when its busy. I think the bar has become busier since they opened the first floor as Taste at Rustic. This has made the bar busier which is good for them. I dont like it as much though as it can take a while to get a drink. I had the Elderflower Martini tonight and it was lovely. My friends Martini with Passionfruit was a hit with him. This is a great place for a quick drink before dinner here or elsewhere.