Pubs in Dun Laorighe

fortwilliam

It's been a while since a review thread has been done,
I would be the first to contribute but I've not been there for a while however planning to go out this Friday with a few friends.
Any advice? We are couples looking for nice pubs to have fun in..

Larbre34

Have a few in the quirky Gilbert and Wrights, then down to The Purty for a bit of grub and a few more beers, then upstairs to their supper club for music and a late pint.

I couldn't recommend any other pubs in DL.

Fratton Fred

The best place for a night out in Dun Laoghaire is the taxi rank, then get a cab to Dalkey.

schemingbohemia

Fratton Fred wrote: »

The best place for a night out in Dun Laoghaire is the taxi rank, then get a cab to Dalkey.

Miaow!!;)

I thought Larbre's advice was spot on. Though Dalkey does have a few nice pubs.

Fratton Fred

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Miaow!!;)

I thought Larbre's advice was spot on. Though Dalkey does have a few nice pubs.

It was a bit facetious, the Purty Kitchen and Gilbert Wright's are good (food in the Purty Kitchen is excellent) but that's it for Dun Laoghaire. It's been a year since I rambled through there with a friend trying every pub and it was grim then, now Walter's has closed it can't have gotten any better.

Contrast that with Dalkey that has seven places, all of which are good.

Planet X

Passed The Cosy a few times, once on a Friday night there a few weeks ago, was in the Sushi place across the road actually, "nice" bunch of girls poured out heading up towards Dun Laoighre proper, all locked. Lads roaring after them. Quaint.

Larbre34

In related news, 'Scotts' is in the next Allsops giant auction.

uch

Planet X wrote: »

Passed The Cosy a few times, once on a Friday night there a few weeks ago, was in the Sushi place across the road actually, "nice" bunch of girls poured out heading up towards Dun Laoighre proper, all locked. Lads roaring after them. Quaint.

I'd be in the kozy every now and then and find it a lovely pub for a few quiet pints, and when I say quiet I mean Boring, but nice to sit and read a newspaper. I've never seen any hassle there.

bullpost

Anyone been to the Whiskey Fair?
Its new to me but been there few months apparently. Its where Weirs used to be. Its a Gastro pub.

djburchgrove

Been in Whiskey Fair a few times. Pretty quirky in itself. Good selection of Craft beers and growing. Management seem quite cool and happy to let you drink into the slightly later hours. They have a pool table too now down the back during the week.

Nice smoking area with palette furniture, not the most comfortable but sheltered from the rain and comfy enough for a ten minute sit down.

Haven't been there on any special nights with bands etc. but they do organise little events (open mics etc.) thursday through to Sunday.

Definitely worth a look.

rubadub

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Contrast that with Dalkey that has seven places, all of which are good.

Dalkey & blackrock's pubs are all very close to each other too, a huge plus.

djburchgrove

rubadub wrote: »

Dalkey & blackrock's pubs are all very close to each other too, a huge plus.

Blackrock is almost always dead, no pub in the town doing well. Haven't been in to that Wetherspoons yet (and don't plan on it).

Dalkey I frequent, but to be honest, It's only busy the odd Saturday and completely dies off in the Autumn/Winter.

Larbre34

You'd be hard pressed to find any concentrated area outside of a few tourist traps where the pubs are all doing decent business all year round. €5+ for a beer is just not acceptable for most people, and I know all the factors that feed into the pricing, but they don't matter to the people looking at the bottom line of a receipt. Even a substantial economic recovery won't really change that.

The question is where do pubs go from here? Many of them invested in expansion and embraced food in the last 20 years but the ciggie ban and proper enforcement of drink driving as well as increased overheads and wholesale pricing has squeezed a once very lucrative business. I've no particular sympathy in that regard but we are in the middle of that watershed moment, hard to say whether just a small few establishments will be left standing to serve whatever local trade or existing pubs will begin to strip back the frills and offer a more basic product, more like it once was; a beer pump, a stool and a toilet (maybe!)

Either way, the days when 4 or 5 pubs in each of Dalkey, Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock would be busy all the time are gone for good.

djburchgrove

Completely agree with everything you say.

Also there is not enough young people left in the area (South Co.) for all three towns (or even 2) to be buzzing.

It seems Dalkey has the upper hand on both Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock for the last few years (on weekends anyway).

There is also only 1 late venue in these 3 towns combined (The Vico above Queens in Dalkey) and that only opens on a Saturday. This is further pushing more drinkers into town and less going to local towns for casual nights out.

I do definitely think there is an opportunity for some venue to firmly establish themselves, as a premium entertainment venue, but whether anyone has the balls to take that mantle on remains to be seen.

Dun Laoghaire is supposedly set for a resurgence in both retail and service industry. It looks a long way off but the sooner this happens the better.

Reality is Dun Laoghaire is the main town, and Dalkey, Blackrock and everywhere in between are the satellites. If Dun Laoghaire can not prosper then what chance do the other towns have?

Buck Henrys in Dun Laoghaire opens late on Saturdays too, maybe Friday as well but im not sure.

Mick Murdock

Fair play to the lads in the Whiskey Fair. Name is a bit dodgy but they've turned one of the dreariest pubs in town into something trendy and hopefully busy. I didn't think it was possible in there!

I was in on Thursday night and it was quite lively. So there, Gilbert & Wrights and the Purty Kitchen. Rest are dreadful.