Pubs Near the RDS
Leinster games, the Horse Show and gig nights — sorted.
19 pubs ranked by locals
The RDS keeps Ballsbridge busy year-round — Leinster home games, the Dublin Horse Show, exhibitions and arena gigs all spill their crowds onto Merrion Road and Anglesea Road looking for the same thing: a decent pint within walking distance. Luckily this is one of the best-served corners of Dublin for it, with proper locals on almost every approach to the showgrounds.
Every pub here is scored on the pint by the locals who drink in them, from the Bath Avenue and Beggars Bush rooms ten minutes' walk from the gates, through Ballsbridge itself, out to Donnybrook and Sandymount. If you're heading to the Aviva instead, the two grounds share a postcode — our Aviva guide covers the same villages from the stadium side.
Top-rated pubs near the RDS
Distances are straight-line from RDS.
Frequently asked
- What's the closest pub to the RDS?
- Ballsbridge village pubs are a few minutes from the main gates, with the Bath Avenue and Beggars Bush locals just beyond them towards the river. The list above orders them by the current pint rating and shows the walk from the showgrounds on each.
- Where do Leinster fans drink before games at the RDS?
- The classic match-day circuit runs through Ballsbridge and Donnybrook, with the Bath Avenue rooms picking up the overflow. Kick-off crowds fill the nearest bars an hour or more before the game — start one village out and walk in if you want space at the counter.
- Which pubs are good during Dublin Horse Show week?
- Show week is the RDS at its busiest — the Ballsbridge and Donnybrook pubs closest to the grounds run packed all day. The villages a few minutes further out, Sandymount and Ranelagh, keep more room and pour just as well; the ratings above point to the best pints of the lot.
- Is the RDS near the Aviva Stadium?
- Yes — they're about ten minutes' walk apart in Ballsbridge, and the same cluster of pubs serves both. This guide approaches the villages from the RDS; our Aviva Stadium guide covers the same ground from the stadium side, so use whichever matches your ticket.