Irish pub in Derry

fin12

Hi, I will be visiting Derry soon,

Can someone recommend an Irish pub to visit please?

Are the restrictions the same as we have, time limit and meal?

irish_goat

Currently the only pubs open are those serving food. The way most are operating is that you have to order some form of meal and then you have the table as long as you want it.

Nicest bar in Derry, in my opinion, is Blackbird. It's got a decent selection of local beers, serves nice cocktails and is a well kept bar.

Peadars is the most quintessential "Irish pub" in town and has only just reopened serving soup and stew. It's quite small so you may not always get a seat.

fin12

irish_goat wrote: »

Currently the only pubs open are those serving food. The way most are operating is that you have to order some form of meal and then you have the table as long as you want it.

Nicest bar in Derry, in my opinion, is Blackbird. It's got a decent selection of local beers, serves nice cocktails and is a well kept bar.

Peadars is the most quintessential "Irish pub" in town and has only just reopened serving soup and stew. It's quite small so you may not always get a seat.

Thanks, I’ll def try to get to Blackbird. I have booked the walled city brewery for one night but it seemed on the booking that we can only stay there for an hour n half so that’s why I was thinking was the time limit up north a-swell ?

irish_goat

fin12 wrote: »

Thanks, I’ll def try to get to Blackbird. I have booked the walled city brewery for one night but it seemed on the booking that we can only stay there for an hour n half so that’s why I was thinking was the time limit up north a-swell ?

Good choice, food in Walled City Brewery is fantastic.

Restaurants are more likely to have a time limit as they will have bookings later in the evening to sit. Pubs don't seem to care as long as you are continuing to buy drinks.

fin12

irish_goat wrote: »

Good choice, food in Walled City Brewery is fantastic.

Restaurants are more likely to have a time limit as they will have bookings later in the evening to sit. Pubs don't seem to care as long as you are continuing to buy drinks.

Sorry not sure if you will know this but was there only one company that was doing the hop on hop off tour bus in Derry? I was hoping to do that but I’ve looked on their website and says they are not operating till next year. I think it’s the red bus one.

I’ve done a black cab tour in Belfast is there anything similar in Derry? I will probably do a walking tour as-well.

irish_goat

fin12 wrote: »

Sorry not sure if you will know this but was there only one company that was doing the hop on hop off tour bus in Derry? I was hoping to do that but I’ve looked on their website and says they are not operating till next year. I think it’s the red bus one.

I’ve done a black cab tour in Belfast is there anything similar in Derry? I will probably do a walking tour as-well.

There is a taxi tour but it would just be in a normal car and it's not really worth. The walking tour will cover all the main sights anyway. Haven't noticed the hop on hop off tour bus recently so it's probably not running.

fin12

irish_goat wrote: »

There is a taxi tour but it would just be in a normal car and it's not really worth. The walking tour will cover all the main sights anyway. Haven't noticed the hop on hop off tour bus recently so it's probably not running.

Ok thanks for all your help. Sorry is there any local beer/ale you would recommend?

irish_goat

fin12 wrote: »

Ok thanks for all your help. Sorry is there any local beer/ale you would recommend?

No bother. You'll have a good choice of beers in Walled City. They do sample trays so you can try the full range easy enough.

Over in town I normally drink Kinnegar beers from Letterkenny, their IPA is on draught in Blackbird and the Guildhall Taphouse. Rough Brothers are a fairly new brewery I like as well, you should find their bottles in a few places.

Oh and if you're coming from the Letterkenny direction be sure to stop off here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grianan_of_Aileach

fin12

irish_goat wrote: »

No bother. You'll have a good choice of beers in Walled City. They do sample trays so you can try the full range easy enough.

Over in town I normally drink Kinnegar beers from Letterkenny, their IPA is on draught in Blackbird and the Guildhall Taphouse. Rough Brothers are a fairly new brewery I like as well, you should find their bottles in a few places.

Oh and if you're coming from the Letterkenny direction be sure to stop off here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grianan_of_Aileach

Cool, thanks I’m actually will be coming from Cork but funny you mention Letterkenny as I am heading there then after Derry.

Geuze

Can I add a few more queries?

The Walled City brewery, can you have just a drink there, or is it a sit-down restaurant?

https://www.walledcitybrewery.com/


At the moment, I'm told that if you go inside a pub in NI, you must have food, but if you drink outside, you can just drink, and not buy food.

As the COVID rules are changing so often, I just want to check is that correct?


If that is true, can anybody suggest any pubs with beer gardens?

Thanks.

fin12

Geuze wrote: »

Can I add a few more queries?

The Walled City brewery, can you have just a drink there, or is it a sit-down restaurant?

https://www.walledcitybrewery.com/


At the moment, I'm told that if you go inside a pub in NI, you must have food, but if you drink outside, you can just drink, and not buy food.

As the COVID rules are changing so often, I just want to check is that correct?


If that is true, can anybody suggest any pubs with beer gardens?

Thanks.

Hi, yes u can sit outside and have a drink outside the walled city brewery without ordering Food, same with Peader O Donnelly.

Food is really nice in the walled city brewery so would recommend going there for food aswell.

Guildhall tap bar has seating outside. They are very friendly in Derry. I had a lovely visit there.

Geuze

Is this the Guildhall tap bar?

https://www.dopeydick.co.uk/

fin12

Geuze wrote: »

Is this the Guildhall tap bar?

https://www.dopeydick.co.uk/

Well they were serving those beers there. It’s just a pub just around the side of the Guildhall.

Check out blackbird aswell like another poster here recommended.

fin12

I would recommend the Bloody Sunday and Bogside walking tour.

http://bogsidehistorytours.com/

And then outside the entrance of the Foyle shopping centre, there is the meeting point for the walls walking tour.

Both were brilliant.

irish_goat

Walled City have a few picnic tables out the front so you can definitely get a drink there without food. They also do tapas dishes so you can sit inside and spend very little on food if you want a drink. There's no €9 "substanial meal" rule up here so as long as you eat something most places are happy to serve you a drink.

Sandinos Bar has reopened and it's definitely worth a visit, they have outdoor seating as well. Blackbird also have outdoor seating. We don't really have many actual beer gardens in Derry. Any pubs that do have them aren't that great.

All pubs reopening from next week as well so the food rule won't apply at all then (except in Walled City as it's a restaurant).

doughef

There all Irish pubs surely ?

Eleven Benevolent Elephants

Derry is in Ireland.

You might as well ask for an Irish pub in Kerry. Pubs in Ireland don't have Irish theming.

irish_goat

I took the question to mean "traditional pubs" rather than fancy cocktail bars, sports bars etc.

johnadam2

You can't change yesterday, but if you are too worry tomorrow, will ruin today.