Quiet Pubs I might not have tried in the city center?

mynameispaul · 07-03-2014 11:45PM #1

I'm moving to Dublin city center tomorrow, so I'll be going out in the city center a lot more than I did before for 'casual pints' (as opposed to getting paralytic and going to nightclub/ busy late bars etc).

I'm looking for a place to stand in for my local out in the south-side suburbs, since I can't be travelling all the way out there every time I want a pint.

What are some good places to meet a friend or two for a casual pint and a chat, on the weekend or after work, that I might not have thought of?

What I'm looking for:

A pool table would be a huge plus.
Not too loud (a bit of live music or the likes would be fine, but a DJ or bumping background music isn't really what I'm looking for)
The closer to the very center of the city (O'connell street bridge ish) the better
Price isn't too important as long as it's not a dive or stupidly expensive
Not an out-and-out old man pub
Late bar is a plus
I'd be open to try somewhere quirky or different if that's what you have in mind.

The places I'd usually go (As you can tell I haven't tried too many spots in town)

Doyles
Macturcaills
Messrs (AKA Sweetmans)
Bull and Castle

despot · 08-03-2014 01:22AM

Ever been to The Long Stone? It's just up from Doyles, just past The Screen.
Has a pool table in the smoking area, the smoking area being my favourite of any pub in Dublin (and I spend 90% of every night out in the smoking area of anywhere I go, rain or shine)
Not an old man pub from what I can gather, though I've only been on Friday and Saturdays, I'd say it's a mix, but mostly 21-30s.
Price of a pint was grand but I can't remember specifics, nothing outrageous. Pretty sure they've good deals on pitchers.

Boldberry · 08-03-2014 01:34AM

It might be a bit far down, but Big's Bar on Ellis Quay has a pool table and the owners are really cool.

Lovely Bloke · 08-03-2014 03:33AM

craft beer?

brew dock

KevinEldon · 08-03-2014 06:03AM

Chaplins on Hawkins Street.

sonicstrav · 08-03-2014 06:18AM

Try 57 The Headline on Lower Clanbrassil St

https://www.facebook.com/57theheadline

Got lots of different irish craft beers on top (over 20) - loads of bottles too

KevinEldon · 08-03-2014 06:20AM

Long way from O'Connell Bridge in fairness.

wicklowwonder · 08-03-2014 09:14AM

You could try hacienda bar, it is on Little Mary Street beside the fruit market not too far from bottom of Henry St. It is very quirky, has a pool table, eccentric owner, you even need to knock to get in he looks at you on CCTV and then let's you know. Place is great craic. I think you either love it or hate it. Give it a googke for some reviews.

Hootanany · 08-03-2014 09:22AM

Boldberry wrote: »

It might be a bit far down, but Big's Bar on Ellis Quay has a pool table and the owners are really cool.

Is that place open

Skittlebrau · 08-03-2014 09:50AM

wicklowwonder wrote: »

You could try hacienda bar, it is on Little Mary Street beside the fruit market not too far from bottom of Henry St. It is very quirky, has a pool table, eccentric owner, you even need to knock to get in he looks at you on CCTV and then let's you know. Place is great craic. I think you either love it or hate it. Give it a googke for some reviews.

+1 for the Hacienda. Great little boozer.

Alfie Byrne's (new craft beer place under the Conrad Hotel on Earlsfort Terrace) has a pool table and some delicious beer on tap. Nice pub but be careful what you order. Some are ridiculously pricey.

roadsmart · 08-03-2014 10:00AM

Ryan's on Queen St is the quirkiest pub I've been in in a long time, ticks all your boxes too.

sullivlo · 08-03-2014 10:03AM

The lotts on Liffey street. No pool table but decent spot.

cson · 08-03-2014 12:24PM

No pool table either but the Confession Box on Marlborough St is the closest I've seen to a quiet pub in the City Centre.

Jumboman · 08-03-2014 03:36PM

A quiet pub for me would be somewhere without a TV or music playing in the background. If your going to be watching sports then by definition it cant be a quiet pub.

FloatingVoter · 08-03-2014 08:39PM

Jumboman wrote: »

A quiet pub for me would be somewhere without a TV or music playing in the background. If your going to be watching sports then by definition it cant be a quiet pub.

No TV, no radio, ... Peters Pub springs to mind (opposite the Stephens Green shopping centre). Ideal for one or two and a quiet read of the paper. Drink is pricy enough but not so you'd notice if it really is just one or two pints.

Jumboman · 08-03-2014 09:09PM

FloatingVoter wrote: »

No TV, no radio, ... Peters Pub springs to mind (opposite the Stephens Green shopping centre). Ideal for one or two and a quiet read of the paper. Drink is pricy enough but not so you'd notice if it really is just one or two pints.

I passed that place so many times didn't even know it was a pub! I thought it was a restaurant.

Boldberry · 08-03-2014 09:33PM

Hootanany wrote: »

Is that place open

Yea, they don't open till 8 most evenings. Pretty relaxed.

G_R · 08-03-2014 09:38PM

Could try Cassidy's on Westmoreland Street - can get busy at the end of the night but there's a great atmosphere there. They have board games and either a fooseball or a pool table downstairs. Can't think which tho.

Very good selection of craft beers, aswell as the regular ones, and the bar staff are very friendly.

They'll give you a packet of crisps and a lollipop too for free if you ask nicely.

Birneybau · 09-03-2014 02:25PM

Grand_Rajnah wrote: »

Could try Cassidy's on Westmoreland Street - can get busy at the end of the night but there's a great atmosphere there. They have board games and either a fooseball or a pool table downstairs. Can't think which tho.

Very good selection of craft beers, aswell as the regular ones, and the bar staff are very friendly.

They'll give you a packet of crisps and a lollipop too for free if you ask nicely.

Far, far, far from a quiet pub.

gugleguy · 09-03-2014 03:08PM

Jumboman wrote: »

A quiet pub for me would be somewhere without a

pooltable.

Jumboman wrote: »

If your going to be

playing pool

Jumboman wrote: »

then by definition it cant be a quiet pub.

Also, way back when gugleguy was in Third Level, a fellow student's parents ran a Pub. His parents would not get a pool table for the pub "cos then 'twould make it too noisey" (I'm trying to emulate a Limerick accent here)

liffeylite · 10-03-2014 12:15AM

I think Mcgrattans in the lane would suit you perfectly.

its a nice bar, with pool tables and a friendly crowd. very much a local pub in the city centre. its just off Baggot street. There is a Tesco on Lower Baggot street, head down the alleyway next to it and you come to the entrance of the pub.
great smoking area too, its like a large conservatory.

There is a local type pub on Camden street with a pool table, think its called the Central. pool tables upstairs.

Also the swan and JJ's would be good options.

try www.publin.com for more ideas.

Long stone is great, as a previous poster mentioned.

LionelNashe · 10-03-2014 12:21AM

O'Sullivan's on Westmoreland Street (beside Starbucks);
The Oval on Middle Abbey Street (next door to Eason's).

mynameispaul · 10-03-2014 02:23PM

Thanks for all the great suggestions, guys!

Hacienda bar, The long stone and O'Sullivan's have all been added to the must try list for the coming weeks.

Any more suggestions keep them coming!

eire-kp · 10-03-2014 03:24PM

Ryans on Camden street might be wort a visit

branners69 · 10-03-2014 03:31PM

The Sackville Lounge would get my vote. It is beside Clearys.

uch · 11-03-2014 05:26PM

branners69 wrote: »

The Sackville Lounge would get my vote. It is beside Clearys.

Was just going to post that, Highly recommended

http://thesackvillelounge.ie/

A Neurotic · 11-03-2014 05:47PM

+1 for Frank Ryan's on Queen St. Lovely pub. Also has Dice Bar right across the road which is less quiet, but also a good spot.

While it's not a pub, I've also had a couple of nice evenings playing pool in the Izakaya bar behind Yamamori on the quays. It's got quite a nice atmosphere and isn't particularly loud. Something a bit different I suppose.

sticksman · 11-03-2014 06:06PM

What is that Scruffy Murphy's place like off Mount Street? Its hidden away there nicely; is it more of a 'local' than a quiet pint spot?

JuliusCaesar · 11-03-2014 06:28PM

branners69 wrote: »

The Sackville Lounge would get my vote. It is beside Clearys.

But the noise of sports on TV! You can hardly hear yourself think! Nice pub, but stopped going because of the bloody TV.

Quiet Pubs I might not have tried in the city center?

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