A Visitor's Guide to Irish Pubs
How to find a proper pint — and skip the tourist traps.
20 pubs ranked by locals
The Irish pub is the country's living room, and for a visitor it's the fastest way under the skin of a place — but the rooms tourists are funnelled into are rarely the ones locals actually drink in. The good news is that a genuinely great pub isn't hard to find once you know what to look for: an unhurried two-part pour, a tight creamy head that laces the glass to the bottom, a fire or a snug, and bar staff who'd rather take their time than rush your pint. The bars that get that right tend to be the ones that have been at it for a century, not the ones with the biggest neon shamrock.
This is the locals' national ranking — the best-rated pubs across Dublin, Cork and Galway, scored purely on the pint by the people who drink in them rather than by tourists ticking off the Temple Bar circuit. Use it to plan a session in any of Ireland's main cities, swerve the spots trading on the crowd instead of the Guinness, and order with the quiet confidence of someone who's done this before. The order updates as new ratings land, so what you see is the current form table, not last year's tips.
Ireland's top-rated pubs, by the locals
Camden StreetCassidy's of Camden Street
A Camden Street anchor — live music, big outdoor space, great craic.
North CityThe Church Café Bar
Arthur Guinness's wedding church, now Dublin's most dramatic bar.
Merrion RowO'Donoghue's
Birthplace of The Dubliners. Trad every night.
The Hairy Lemon
A Dublin classic on Stephen Street — great craic, live music & proper pub food.
The No Name Bar
No sign, no music — just exceptional cocktails in a Georgian gem on Fade Street.
The Lotts Café Bar
Dublin's smallest bar — steak on stone, legendary staff & homemade cooking.
Chaplin's
A solid Hawkins Street pub — sports, food & Con Houlihan on the wall.
The Grand Social
Dublin's indie arts and music venue — live gigs, comedy & events on Liffey Street.
Temple BarThe Stag's Head
Dublin's finest Victorian pub, hidden in plain sight since 1895.
The Dropping Well
Historic Dodder-side gastropub — great food, sports & craic since 1847.
The Foggy Dew
Temple Bar's best-kept secret — the finest free Sunday trad session.
The Workman's Club
Wellington Quay's indie music institution — pub downstairs, gigs upstairs, disco below.
Ballinteer House
Ballinteer's relaxed local — pool table, great chowder, pastry café & late bar at weekends.
Gaffney's
Fairview's finest Victorian local — great Guinness, great prices, no pretension.
The Swan Bar
York Street's perfect corner pub — famed Irish coffee & whiskey tastings.
Dublin 2Doheny & Nesbitt
Where Dublin's political class drinks. Est. 1828.
Bar Rua
Capel Street's creative cocktail bar — colourful, inclusive & lively.
The Oval Bar
A genuine 1916 pub — pour your own Guinness & outstanding feathered beef brisket.
Brickyard Gastropub
Dundrum's craft beer gastropub — rotating taps, great food & right by the Luas.
Neary's
No TV, no music. Just gas lamps and great Guinness since 1887.
Frequently asked
- What should I order in an Irish pub?
- A pint of Guinness is the classic, and a well-kept one is worth the wait — ask for it and let the bartender pour it in two parts with a settle in between rather than rushing them. If stout isn't your thing, a pint of a local craft ale or a Smithwick's red is a safe bet, and most pubs pour a good Irish whiskey if you'd rather sip something.
- How much is a pint of Guinness in Ireland?
- It varies by location, but in 2026 expect roughly €6–8 in most city-centre pubs, with tourist-heavy spots at the top of that range and rural and locals' pubs often a little cheaper. The pubs on this page are picked on quality rather than price, so you're paying for a pint that's actually worth it.
- Do you tip in Irish pubs?
- Tipping isn't expected at the bar in Ireland the way it is in the US — you order and pay at the counter and that's that. If you're getting table service or the bartender's looked after you all night, leaving the change or telling them to 'have one yourself' is a nice gesture, but it's never obligatory.
- Are Temple Bar pubs worth it?
- Temple Bar is lively and worth a wander, but its pubs are built for tourists and priced accordingly — you'll pay a premium for the postcode rather than the pint. A few streets in any direction you'll find the rooms locals actually use, which is exactly what this ranking points you to.