Fantastic little bar that you would miss if you didn't know it was there. The owner was there serving pints and chatting with customers. The bar holds about ten people, cash only. There is a small garden area outback. We were lucky and got to sit in on a trad session upstairs one night. We came here several times during our week stay. Nice people and friendly atmosphere. read more

See all

Our first visit was 2023 and we had a wonderful time chatting with the amazing owner. We are in Kilkenny for 2 night and went back both nights. There is a lovely group of people from Canada, US, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland in attendance. There are various instruments in the pub for anyone to pick up and play which we witness which added to the charm. We will be back. If you are in Kilkenny at night seek this place out down the Alley. read more

The Hole In The Wall - Bars Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

Cash only and no food. A nice stop along the main street. Off the beaten path but adequate signage to get you to the right spot. read more

The Hole In The Wall - Bars Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

Had lunch at Matt the Millers (see separate review) and the waitress suggested we stop for a pint at the Hole in the Wall. It is on the map that tourists get but a bit off the beaten track and you need a keen eye to find it. Well worth the effort as we had a lovely chat with Carol and Allison who were minding the bar. So friendly and helpful. Got lots of local tips about the entire island which have helped guide our awesome experience of Ireland. Also met local John and Carols brother Shane who invited us on a free tour at the design center which was lovely. Left wishing we could have spent more time which is the true measure of a great experience. Hope to return again someday. read more

The Hole In The Wall - Carol, Debbie, Buzz and Allison - Bars Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

This is probably the best little pub I've been to in all of my life. A definite 'hole in the wall', they are a must-stop when in Kilkenny-it's was a true local experience. The owners, bartenders, and locals hanging out here were the sweetest people. They wanted to hear about our travels, destinations, and were ready to give advice. It was so hard to pick a spot to settle in, as each room offered a cozy atmosphere. There was the outside garden, with beautiful plants everywhere. There was the little library/kitchen area with comfy sofas. and there was the upstairs community type area with picnic tables. In each room, there were posters with histories of the area, Ireland, and beer. It was amazing to tour each room. When we grabbed our beers and settled in, Patrick came to hang out with us, offering insights into Irish drinking activities, he taught us a really fun game named Farkle, to which we immediately went out and bought dice for the rest of our travel time. He also gave us the complete history of the pub. It was such a great experience. I wish we could have stayed longer, and gone back multiple nights. read more

Adorable wee bar/ restaurant in Kilkenney. Lovely staff. It's down an alley. There is a cute outdoor area.

Nice place to find, look for the sign at the end of a no name alley off of High Street. If you feel lost, you are in the right place. Welcoming and friendly staff with some good local stories. Like the feel and the few drafts are local and good. They also have a full bar if you want to go that route. Appears they have a snug next door for overflow and also an upstairs when they have live music. Worth a visit read more

See all

Atmosphere - 10 Hospitality - 10 History - 10 Beer on draft - 0 Bottle Beer - 10 Owner and Staff - 10+ The Hole in the Wall is a must see and stay. The service is incredible and the owner is extremely nice. I've been to Ireland 3 times in the last 15 months and I can't wait to come back and visit the "Oldest and Smallest" bar in Ireland. The music is great and if you don't know the words, just ask Michael (owner) to pull out the pages with the lyrics so you can sing along. Kudos to everyone who works at the HITW!!!! read more

See all

An absolute must in Kilkenny! Great historical pub - you can drink in the same place as the Duke of Wellington. Note, it is cash only but well worth it!! read more

Incredible pub. Don't shy away from the initial small space. It felt like walking into someone's living room. Great conversation with strangers. Warm. Welcoming. Definitely a place to go to when in Kilkenny! read more

With a capacity of maybe 6-7 people you know it's cozy. What you may not know is that the owner here is a great fellow. My wife and I were lucky enough to stumble in and low and behold ran into the actor/comedian T.J. Miller and with Kate. He was there for a comedy show and apparently had popped in for a drink before heading home. Imagine a space of 150 sqft (maybe). Now imagine sitting that close to a somewhat popular (in certain circles) person like T.J. Yeah, that was great but even if that doesn't happen you can't help but love the feel of this place. Try and find it, good luck! read more

Well I'm not sure how to start. This place will pretty much leave you speechless. It starts down a long dark alley and ends up in n a crazy small space that you won't believe is the actual bar if it weren't for the people inside calling you to come in. We said we would stay for a minute and left four hours later. Because of the intimate setting you become friends with people from all over the world. You will sing songs, hear stories and drink to everything. There has to be over 100 bars in this small wonderful town but this is an experience you won't want to miss! read more

This is truly a hole in the wall. Built in the 18th century the establishment is small but welcoming to all. Stop in for a pint or Irish Coffee and you will be intrigued. If you play the guitar they have one on site and welcome you to get the crowd singing Irish ballads, Beatles, Johnny Cash or John Denver. They even have some flip charts with ballads words in case you forgot. The bar area itself can't hold more than a dozen but the garden area and table at the entrance are close enough to join in the fun! read more

The Hole In The Wall - Garden - Bars Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

See all

Irish coffees were excellent. This historic little tucked away bar is not to be missed. Server was excellent. Tiny space with friendly locals. read more

This has to be one of the most unique bars in Kilkenny! I heard about this bar, and had to check it out. The bar almost feels off the beaten path because you have to go down an alley way. We walked in to a tiny bar and were welcomed by a friendly bartender. I wish I can remember his name, but he was incredibly nice to my wife and I. He was chatting with us about his visits to the U.S and various breweries in our area. They have a great list of craft beer here and also you can get an Irish coffee if you are not in the mood for beer. We decided on grabbing craft beers which were local. We sat out back in the yard and it was a cool spot to relax with a beer. It is tiny, but cozy. This bar is incredibly kitschy with a ton of character and history! read more

As the oldest (and probably uniquest) bar in kilkenny, it's definitely worth a visit. You're sure to meet some locals and have the opportunity to explore all the nooks and crannies (of which there are many) of this actual hole-in-the-wall-down-a-dark-alley locale. Drinkwise, get anything EXCEPT the irish coffee unless you want to experience locals heckling the bartender for using whipped cream instead of real, thick irish cream. read more

This place was on top of my list for Kilkenny and it did not disappoint. It is a historic place full of character in its multiple spaces. Our walking tour guide had also raved about it. It is tucked in an alley but a clear sign from the street will lead you in. We went around 5pm on a Tuesday in May and were the only family there besides another couple. We were greeted by a friendly lady bartender and an Irish guy on the stool at the bar. We ordered our drinks, I had hot whiskey, and went in the back patio as the weather was nice. Another American family joined us back there later and we had a chat. One of us went to the bathroom and looked a little sick coming out, so I'm not sure the status of the bathroom but the patio was nice and we had a good time. Would definitely spend more time there next time. read more

See all

This was a somewhat hard place to find, but the small and quant place allowed you I really experience a small pub experience.

This was seriously the greatest pub we have been to in Ireland and it is the size of our bathroom at home! We had an amazing time with about 35 people shoved into the small space! Bartender James was great, the owner Mike is a cardiologist and just seems to love the fun of this place! He brought our instruments and we were all singing and playing!!! Thank you Mike and James for the best Craic in Ireland!! read more

See all

Had an amazing time with Allison. The owner Michael stopped by as we were leaving. This is a must while being in Kilkenny. You can't get more cute, historic and friendlier people than this bar. When are you able to get the entire bar in 1 picture? read more

Perfect little watering hole near our Airbnb. Such a great environment and small slice of local life.

WOW, Wow, wow.....the owner was obviously not present today as we heard many GREAT things about this place and the lively stories of the history. None of which we experienced. All we found was an extremely RUDE bartender that could care less if we were there or not; and her apparent French entourage. They were not only making fun of the German patrons, but were snide in their comments to us about Americans. Funny since all the walls were littered with American dollar bills. The owner should rethink his staff and find locals that we have found are very appreciative, accommodating and above all respectful (which the bartender was lacking). Our whole experience in Ireland has been great thus far and this is not indicative of what we have seen so far. So we felt speaking up about this experience was significant since we do not want others to leave with a negative experience from this beautiful spot on earth! Sad this was our last night and final experience in this beautiful place..... read more

Most fun I've had in years! Educational too. Great bartenders and wonderful local brews. Perfect spot for making friends from all over!

This off the beaten path restaurant is right off of the high street but a real treat. Delicious fresh made food, delicious soup and charming owners made this lunch stop a highlight in Kilkenny. Definitely worth seeking out when you are here read more

The Hole In The Wall - Great atmosphere that had the perfect 'worn in'. Stately elegance. The upstairs room is perfect - Bars Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

This tiny place is a gem. It is located down a small alleyway and if you blinked you would probably miss it. The owner is a great guy, who is just really interested in talking to people and telling stories of the history of this ancient tavern. One thing I will say is make sure you have a jacket in the winter because there is no heating and it can be pretty chilly read more

A pretty nice place for a drink, but nothing overly amazing* it was a bit crowded in the yard.

This was not a great pup experience. There were only 2 beers on tap and I didn't care for either of them. The seating is in various rooms and surrounded by random junk and odds and ends. This wasn't a favorite. read more

Best pub we went to, particularly because of the live music upstairs. Great acoustic set by three guys playing guitar and banjo. They were fabulous and passed around washboards and bongos for the audience to join in. Really good fun. The big downfall to this place is the price if beer. €7 for a bottle of beer!! Outrageous! read more

This little pub is a must see when wandering through Kilkenny. It was the highlight of our trip to Ireland! Patrick, the bartender, was very hospitable, he introduced us to everyone in the joint, he taught all of the patrons how to play Farkle, and even gave us a little fortune telling. Our only regret was not scheduling more time to spend there before having to leave and catch the bus. 100% recommend it! read more

Definitely worth the struggle to find! This quaint spot is charming with a friendly staff well versed in historical trivia. A must see when in Kilkenny. I was grateful to have had the experience of meeting the beautifully gracious proprietor ~ Happy Days! read more

This place is a must if you're visiting Kilkenny! One of the highlights of my 10 day trip through Ireland. It's a cozy little bar with an interesting history and fantastic Irish Coffee. The owner, bar tender, and locals were just the nicest people. It was an absolute pleasure hearing their stories. read more

What a great little find!! The bartender was a greT story teller and can make an amazing iris coffee!

Best place in Ireland to hang out and meet good people, locals and other tourists alike. Nothing fancy, no taps, nothing to distract from good beer and good conversation. It is small and cozy. It almost forces you to get to know your neighbor. The owner is a character and a super nice guy and showed up n hung out while we were there. A must if you are in town. read more

Come for pub experience and stay for the awesome stories of Kilkenny from the bartender/owner of the pub. Tucked away in one of the two main streets of the city, you can easily miss it so keep your eyes opened. The bar is cute and very small - it can fit max 20 people. This place is a must visit and I learned so much from the bartender - way better than a tour of the city. He is a genuinely nice person and great to talk to! read more

This is one of those "secret" pubs you almost dont want to review as its so small and personal that too much traffic may ruin the appeal. It is small and hard to find! We were the only non-locals that night. The people there were amazing. Young and crazy. Fun conversation and the beer is all local. read more

If you want to feel at home and here some Irish folklore stories, this is the place. A very pleasant surprise in Kilkenny. Don't miss out!

This place was an secret treasure! We spent hours taking in the history of this 435 year old bar. We sat and chatted with Mike, the owner, and a few of the local regulars talking about Kilkenney's history, politics and entertainment. We felt just like family! read more

This is a fantastic little pub! It is very, very small but incredibly full of charm, character and history. The proprietor of this national treasure rescued this 1324 house from dilapidation and is a friendly and gracious host. He tells great stories and sings wonderful songs. This is a must see if your in Kilkenny in the evening. read more

You must vist. This is a unique one of a kind place. It fills up fast but don't be intimidated if you don't get a seat at first. One will free up sone. All be it there was only 9 that I counted. read more

A must visit in Kilkenny. It's a unique place and quite literally feels like a hole in the wall. The bartenders were not attentive & not very helpful either, which is why they lost a star. I had to wave them down even when there wasn't a rush. But this shouldn't stop you from giving it at least a quick visit. read more