Best bars in Ireland

BAR 1661 is an independent Dublin cocktail bar focused on poitín, modern Irish drinks and menus shaped by collaboration with local producers and its Dublin 7 community.

Modern Irish poitín-focused cocktail bar · site · IG

Mother Macs is a traditional, conversation-focused Limerick pub with rotating craft beer and Peggy’s whiskey parlour, without televisions or loud music.

Traditional craft-beer pub and whiskey parlour · site · IG

The Temple Bar Pub is a traditional Dublin pub with daily live music, an extensive whiskey selection and a lively visitor-oriented atmosphere.

Traditional Irish pub and whiskey bar · site · IG

Vintage Cocktail Club hides behind a discreet Crown Alley door and spreads its 1920s-inspired cocktail and dining rooms across three intimate floors, including a roof terrace. Guests ring the bell for table-served cocktails, food and a deliberately vintage speakeasy atmosphere.

1920s-style hidden cocktail and dining club · site · IG

McCafferty's at The Barge is a traditional Irish pub serving home-cooked food and drinks, with live music every night and screens for major sport.

Traditional Irish pub, sports bar and live-music venue · site · IG

101 Limerick is a multi-level O’Connell Street bar and restaurant with a collection of distinct rooms, including the Yard, Piano Bar, Secret Garden and Opium. Cocktails, food, late-night events and group occasions are central to the offer, so it works as much for a large gathering as a single room within the building.

Multi-room cocktail bar and restaurant · site · IG

37 Dawson Street is a Dublin city-centre late bar spread across four distinct spaces over two floors. Its vintage-heavy, theatrical interiors frame cocktails, food, whiskey and a late dancefloor, with tasting and cocktail-masterclass formats alongside the regular bar.

Multi-room late bar with cocktails and whiskey · site · IG

Peadar’s Bar is a traditional Moate pub with beer, cocktails, live music and a beer garden.

Traditional Irish pub with live music

Blake’s Bar is a traditional Irish pub adjoining Brasserie on the Corner, with whiskey tasting boards, steak and seafood dishes, live weekend music and televised sport.

Traditional Irish pub and whiskey bar · site · IG

McSwiggan’s is a family-run Woodquay public house and steak-and-seafood restaurant, with a traditional market bar, charcoal-cooked dry-aged beef and local oysters.

Traditional Irish pub and steak-and-seafood restaurant · site

Carlingford Brewing Co. operates from The Old Mill in Riverstown, Carlingford.

Brewery and taproom. · site · IG

Peruke & Periwig fills three floors of a Georgian Dawson Street townhouse. The ground-floor bar serves cocktails, draught beer and a broad spirits selection, while two upstairs lounges provide a more theatrical, seated cocktail experience.

Multi-floor Georgian cocktail lounge · site · IG

J.R. Mahon’s is a Dublin public house and brewery with house beer, Irish whiskeys, traditional food and daily live entertainment.

Public house and brewery · site · IG

Geary's Bar is a long-running, family-owned Charleville pub with a front bar, lounge, and covered beer garden.

Historic Irish pub serving draught beer, food, and coffee.

The Whiskey Reserve is a Temple Bar whiskey shop, tasting room and cocktail bar founded by Tom Cleary. More than 2,000 bottles anchor guided tastings, whiskey-led cocktails and a broader bar selection in a relaxed horseshoe-bar setting.

Whiskey tasting room, shop and cocktail bar · site · IG

Dalys Mullingar is the award-listed Mullingar, County Westmeath bar of this exact name.

Bar; no further current style detail was established.