Proper old school Dublin pubs thread

Cienciano · 03-02-2021 12:05pm #1

OK, we have the roughest pub in dublin thread, closed down pub thread, but seems that the best type of pub is that "old school" Dublin pub.
The type where the bar man eats his dinner behind the bar while looking up at the horse racing. The type that you're afraid to ask for anything other than a Guinness. A few old guys are the bar all the time and have their own seats. Always the same barman and his relations. Places that haven't become too touristy (looking at you mulligans and gravediggers). Places that haven't seen a coat of paint in 40 years but are well run and aren't full of skangers.
Kennedys beside Tara Street station was well known used to be one of these. Pubs that have avoided being "modernised" in the last 20 years. Here's a couple more:

Clearys on Amiens street. Right under the bridge. Smell of guinness fart when you arrive in is a good sign.

Harold House on Clanbrassil Street. You can also get a good beamish here. Always pretty lively, friendly crowd.

ShyMets · 03-02-2021 12:25pm

Bowes on Fleet St

Cienciano · 03-02-2021 1:03pm

I think Nearys on Chatham St is worthy. Does food, but just sandwiches and the sandwiches are amazing. While you wouldn't feel guilted into ordering a guinness, it's definitely one of the better old school vibe pubs in a central location.

ShyMets · 03-02-2021 1:06pm

McDaids on Harry St. Although the bar staff can be a salty at times

dobman88 · 03-02-2021 1:11pm

Tom Mayes, Dorset street/top of frederick street. Had to meet a chap there for match tickets one time and been back loads of times since. Bit rough around the edges but never felt unsafe. Definition of an old school boozer for me.

L1011 · 03-02-2021 1:12pm

Walshs in Stoneybatter.

odyssey06 · 03-02-2021 1:29pm

Gaffneys in Fairview

Thinkingaboutit · 03-02-2021 1:34pm

Delaneys on North King St, no efforts at looking archly traditional. Nothing fancy, but good.

Hodors Appletart · 03-02-2021 4:56pm

Harry Byrnes in Clontarf is a brilliant old style boozer (up until the lockdown you couldn't even get a sambo in it)

it's "of it's area" though, so there is a bit of the golf/rugby jumper-on-the-shoulder type in there, but the barmen are sound and proper barmen.

Kavanagh's in Marino is also a good old style pub, not been in there in a while, but it's always a good source for croke park tickets on match day.

11wingnut · 03-02-2021 5:06pm

The Palace Fleet st

POBox19 · 03-02-2021 5:09pm

The Pebble Beach, Conquer Hill.

Caranica · 03-02-2021 5:14pm

Fallon's in the Liberties. An ex used to live close by so we spent a bit of time there. Definitely old style

ShyMets · 03-02-2021 5:23pm

The Swan on Aungier St

markest · 03-02-2021 6:05pm

O'Loughlin's, 26 George's Street Lower, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, A96 KP62

jippo nolan · 03-02-2021 6:39pm

L1011 wrote: »

Walshs in Stoneybatter.

I think you get a bang of Hipster in there!

raheny red · 03-02-2021 9:15pm

The Sheds, Clontarf.

Gravediggers.

McGraths, Drumcondra.

The Cedars, Raheny.

Day Lewin · 03-02-2021 9:16pm

Toners in Baggot st. Good old times. sobs

Another vote for Bowes, too.

killbillvol2 · 03-02-2021 9:19pm

Caranica wrote: »

Fallon's in the Liberties. An ex used to live close by so we spent a bit of time there. Definitely old style

You obviously haven't been there for a long time. A lot of "ethnic cleansing" went on to remove its character.

donvito99 · 03-02-2021 9:41pm

The (recently closed) Bottlers' Bank in Rathgar. The old school bit of Coman's, also gone.

dazberry · 03-02-2021 11:54pm

Cienciano wrote: »

The type that

another sign for me is when the gents jacks is just off the bar, where by the wimminz have to go half way around the world to get to their toilets

Slatts - Inchicore - bar side only has a gents and the pub is split in two by the bar, so any ladies that find themselves in the bar side have to go out onto the street and back in the lounge door, and then up a flight of stairs

The Glen - Inchicore - the gents has two doors, one into the lounge and one into the bar, the ladies is right at the back of the pub, so from the bar involves walking thru' the snug and then all the way up the lounge.

The BlackLion - Inchicore - again the bar side - would also get an honourable mention - as it used to be men only for years. The time I had to order a coffee for the wife (as she was going on night duty) and the look I got from the barman...

and McDowells on Emmet Rd, maybe another honourable mention, never there during a match tho', only when it was quiet with just a couple of oul lads at the bar.

Can't think of anything else on the Kilmainham, Mount brown, James St, Thomas St axis until you get to the Lord Edward, but have never have been in McCanns, Bakers or (Tom) Kennedys.

Wishbone Ash · 04-02-2021 8:20am

dazberry wrote: »

...The time I had to order a coffee for the wife (as she was going on night duty) and the look I got from the barman....

It's usually a good indication of an old school pub when the coffee available comes out of a small jar of Maxwell House and the barman has to look for it.

04-02-2021 8:26am

dazberry wrote: »

another sign for me is when the gents jacks is just off the bar, where by the wimminz have to go half way around the world to get to their toilets

Slatts - Inchicore - bar side only has a gents and the pub is split in two by the bar, so any ladies that find themselves in the bar side have to go out onto the street and back in the lounge door, and then up a flight of stairs

The Glen - Inchicore - the gents has two doors, one into the lounge and one into the bar, the ladies is right at the back of the pub, so from the bar involves walking thru' the snug and then all the way up the lounge.

The BlackLion - Inchicore - again the bar side - would also get an honourable mention - as it used to be men only for years. The time I had to order a coffee for the wife (as she was going on night duty) and the look I got from the barman...

and McDowells on Emmet Rd, maybe another honourable mention, never there during a match tho', only when it was quiet with just a couple of oul lads at the bar.

Can't think of anything else on the Kilmainham, Mount brown, James St, Thomas St axis until you get to the Lord Edward, but have never have been in McCanns, Bakers or (Tom) Kennedys.

Slatts is a real hidden gem.

The Royal Oak up to about three years ago was a proper pub with a grumpy old barman from Tipp. Looks like they've gone down another route now which is a pity.

Twee. · 04-02-2021 4:47pm

The Glen/Jack's in Inchicore still doesn't take card, been caught out a few times down there, can never remember!

Strawberry Hall is another one that doesn't take card, great pub though and family run.

I brought some friends who were visiting Dublin to Fallon's a while back as we were in the area and they wanted to try some different whiskeys. Fallon's would have been known for a good selection but that seems to have changed a lot, I was disappointed with what was on offer.

Bowe's and the Long Hall would be favourites of mine in town, I like the Palace too but it can get very crowded.

Strumms · 04-02-2021 11:53pm

Big fan of the Gravediggers... well run, well managed and well staffed boozer... owner Ciaran is sound as.. as are all the staff and punters..

Not for from The Gravediggers... The Autobahn up on Glasnevin Avenue I guess would still be considered ‘old school’ yet comfy too, mostly excellent staff , absolutely deliciously savage food and a great choice of beers and other drinks... Guinness is savage.. incidentally all the pubs ran by The O’Malley group are excellent old school boozers, they just bought the Old Stand on Exchequer St too.. supposedly cost 3 million....be interesting to see what they can do with that... always thought that pub to be a bit unremarkable... great area but was a kind of small blandsville establishment.

Thelonious Monk · 05-02-2021 12:00am

jippo nolan wrote: »

I think you get a bang of Hipster in there!

Walshes of Stoneybatter. I used to go there before it was cool.
No really I did, back in the early 2000s I had a flat around there and then I went again in around 2018 and the interior had totally changed and it was a beardfest.
It was nothing like that back in the day.
Best pint of Guinness in the world for me, before it was cool of course.

My favourite two now are Bowes and Nearys. Oh man I can't wait to go back and pound Guinness.

Thelonious Monk · 05-02-2021 12:03am

Harry Byrne's is a beautiful building, but as someone else said you get a lot of golfy types and jeans and pinstripe suit jackets and scorfs. Lovely bar staff.
Plus every time I go for a piss Mattress Mick seems to be standing beside me.

HeidiHeidi · 05-02-2021 12:09am

O'Brien's, Leeson St.

Follows the mens-jacks-only-in-the-bar rule mentioned earlier

I presume it must have had a lick of paint at some point in the 30+ years I've been going there, but it hasn't changed one iota. Sound staff, and a gorgeous pint.

dobman88 · 05-02-2021 12:46am

Probably not "old school". Not sure what it would be considered to be. A music venue? A dive bar? I'll let ye tell me. But Frank Ryan's in Smithfield. Only there a handful of times but the bar man is definitely of the old school variety. Asked him once who was in a cool photo behind the bar, he said to guess so I said John Dillinger. He just tutted in disgust and said "ya fcukin gob****e" :pac: that was enough for me to want to go back when a lad doesn't give a shìte like that, great craic. Photo turned out to be young Sinatra lol.

Bonus points cos they have a resident dog too.

ShyMets · 05-02-2021 9:54am

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Walshes of Stoneybatter. I used to go there before it was cool.
No really I did, back in the early 2000s I had a flat around there and then I went again in around 2018 and the interior had totally changed and it was a beardfest.
It was nothing like that back in the day.
Best pint of Guinness in the world for me, before it was cool of course.

My favourite two now are Bowes and Nearys. Oh man I can't wait to go back and pound Guinness.

I noticed a bit beard/hipster element creeping into Bowes. Hopefully it gets nipped in the bud

05-02-2021 10:32am

ShyMets wrote: »

I noticed a bit beard/hipster element creeping into Bowes. Hopefully it gets nipped in the bud

That would be a shame. My favourite pub in Dublin during my time there. Great staff and a few characters around. A real refuge from the bustle of the city if you had a few hours to while away.

Unfortunately, they all have to go down the craft beer and whiskey route to stay competitive, and that brings with it the risk of attracting the rollie smoking bearded brigade.

Cienciano · 05-02-2021 10:33am

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

O'Brien's, Leeson St.

Follows the mens-jacks-only-in-the-bar rule mentioned earlier

I presume it must have had a lick of paint at some point in the 30+ years I've been going there, but it hasn't changed one iota. Sound staff, and a gorgeous pint.

I was in there once about 8 years ago during the day and remember thinking it looked like a great pub.

Some central pubs are almost a victim of their location. Hartigans pub on Leeson street is another, but it's location gets it crowded with the suit wearing people.

Generally a good food menu is a bad thing. Crisps, a basket of random chocolate bars and a ham and cheese toasty made on a counter top oven is the extent of the food

shar01 · 05-02-2021 10:43am

markest wrote: »

O'Loughlin's, 26 George's Street Lower, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, A96 KP62

Seeing as Dún Laoghaire is being brought into the mix.

McKennas (aka the yacht tavern) on Wellington Street. Many a happy Sunday afternoons spent there. Shutters down for holy hour. Around to the Miami for a few bags of chips while the barman buttered a slice pan worth of bread.

Fup you covid. Fup you.

L1011 · 05-02-2021 10:50am

Hartigans has a planning app in to modernise the jacks and smoking area, which I suspect may kill the ambience.

Thelonious Monk · 05-02-2021 11:05am

I was in one in Dun Laoighaire in 2010, and they weren't using cash registers just had money in a box, and they poured the pints of Guinness in one go, never saw that before. I'm pretty sure the jacks was some shack out the back that you had to go outside to get to. Sometimes I think it was just a dream.
I've walked around DL a few times since, most recently during lockdown last year and I think it may have been the one called Dunphy's, I couldn't go in as it was closed obviously
Can anyone back me up here?

L1011 · 05-02-2021 11:11am

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

I was in one in Dun Laoighaire in 2010, and they weren't using cash registers just had money in a box, and they poured the pints of Guinness in one go, never saw that before. I'm pretty sure the jacks was some shack out the back that you had to go outside to get to. Sometimes I think it was just a dream.
I've walked around DL a few times since, most recently during lockdown last year and I think it may have been the one called Dunphy's, I couldn't go in as it was closed obviously
Can anyone back me up here?

Not Dunphys. O'Loughlins / Lockies. And you weren't dreaming.

Still no cash register. Jacks have been modernised (actually its an entire new portakabin with new plumbed toilets/sinks and dryers, like you get on a fancy building site) however. Was in a few months before lockdown

shar01 · 05-02-2021 11:28am

L1011 wrote: »

Not Dunphys. O'Loughlins / Lockies. And you weren't dreaming.

Still no cash register. Jacks have been modernised (actually its an entire new portakabin with new plumbed toilets/sinks and dryers, like you get on a fancy building site) however. Was in a few months before lockdown

I've been in every pub in dun Laoghaire except Lockie's. Must put that right.

Thelonious Monk · 05-02-2021 11:51am

L1011 wrote: »

Not Dunphys. O'Loughlins / Lockies. And you weren't dreaming.

Still no cash register. Jacks have been modernised (actually its an entire new portakabin with new plumbed toilets/sinks and dryers, like you get on a fancy building site) however. Was in a few months before lockdown

Ok great, my friends got a place out that way recently so we had been planning on doing a pub crawl whenever that becomes an option (2075 or whenever).
Do they always pull pints of Guinness in one? They were 100% doing that. I don't see why it's a problem if the head is the right size anyway.

L1011 · 05-02-2021 12:38pm

I can't remember, I have had a Guinness there on at least one of my visits but I wasn't paying much attention. I don't care if its poured in one, two or seventy pours once it comes out right (and it absolutely can from a single pour - the two-part pour was a marketing decision to keep delivery times slow, as the change from cask to keg resulted in an insane speed-up)

05-02-2021 12:41pm

O’Neill’s on Pearse st

retalivity · 05-02-2021 2:05pm

Batrachotox wrote: »

O’Neill’s on Pearse st

Pity Widow Scallans is gone.

IAMAMORON · 05-02-2021 2:09pm

The Pav.

spurious · 05-02-2021 5:19pm

raheny red wrote: »

The Sheds, Clontarf.

Gravediggers.

McGraths, Drumcondra.

The Cedars, Raheny.

Agree on all these. Haven't been in McGrath's in years though. Phil McGrath used to run a tight old school place. I remember him roaring some young lad out of it for putting his feet up on the chairs. Proper order. It used to be such a nice place to go for a quiet drink without rowdy scangers - certainly in comparison to its nearest neighbour Cooke's/McGovern's/Quinn's.

When we are allowed back, the Gravediggers will be my first port of call and sure I could stroll down to McGrath's afterwards.

jippo nolan · 05-02-2021 5:26pm

spurious wrote: »

Agree on all these. Haven't been in McGrath's in years though. Phil McGrath used to run a tight old school place. I remember him roaring some young lad out of it for putting his feet up on the chairs. Proper order. It used to be such a nice place to go for a quiet drink without rowdy scangers - certainly in comparison to its nearest neighbour Cooke's/McGovern's/Quinn's.

When we are allowed back, the Gravediggers will be my first port of call and sure I could stroll down to McGrath's afterwards.

Cooke’s/McGovern’s/Quinn’s, one of the worst pub’s I’ve ever darkened the door of!

Strumms · 05-02-2021 6:40pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Walshes of Stoneybatter. I used to go there before it was cool.
No really I did, back in the early 2000s I had a flat around there and then I went again in around 2018 and the interior had totally changed and it was a beardfest.
It was nothing like that back in the day.
Best pint of Guinness in the world for me, before it was cool of course.

My favourite two now are Bowes and Nearys. Oh man I can't wait to go back and pound Guinness.

I think I was only in Nearys the once years ago so have no real opinions but Bowes I like, nice to stop in there for a couple prior to a gig in the Olympia, always such a pain in the ass trying to get a pint in that venue...only a short stroll then to the gig.

Day Lewin · 05-02-2021 9:40pm

Well, since we've wandered out to the south County, I nominate Byrnes, at Galloping Green;

Had an open fire and no pretenses, last time I looked. A most excellent honest simple pub.

Bits_n_Bobs · 05-02-2021 10:22pm

killbillvol2 wrote: »

You obviously haven't been there for a long time. A lot of "ethnic cleansing" went on to move its character.

What does that mean? Lived round the corner of 5 years and don't think much has changed

boombang · 05-02-2021 10:55pm

Caranica wrote: »

Fallon's in the Liberties. An ex used to live close by so we spent a bit of time there. Definitely old style

I really like this place. Have been in on a bright, cold winter's day after a work meeting for a cup of tea and read of the paper (was bursting for the jacks and I don't like using a place with paying for something). It stands out as one of those lovely calm moments in an otherwise busy day.

I thought the place was known for attracting a sort of artsy crowd sometimes.

BonnieSituation · 05-02-2021 10:56pm

L1011 wrote: »

Walshs in Stoneybatter.

I raise you its superior neighbour, O'Gara's.

BonnieSituation · 05-02-2021 10:58pm

Day Lewin wrote: »

Well, since we've wandered out to the south County, I nominate Byrnes, at Galloping Green;

Had an open fire and no pretenses, last time I looked. A most excellent honest simple pub.

That's a stonking spot. We were only talking about a night out a gaggle of us had there 3 years ago. There's an infamous picture, that we can't seem to locate tight now, of a tray of stout so beautiful that we all genuinely caught our breaths looking at head of them.

doughef · 05-02-2021 11:06pm

O’Connell’s south Richmond st

Briodys Marlborough st

Both family run. Spotless ., no bull**** and fantastic Guinness

BonnieSituation · 05-02-2021 11:11pm

Twee. wrote: »

The Glen/Jack's in Inchicore still doesn't take card, been caught out a few times down there, can never remember!

Strawberry Hall is another one that doesn't take card, great pub though and family run.

I brought some friends who were visiting Dublin to Fallon's a while back as we were in the area and they wanted to try some different whiskeys. Fallon's would have been known for a good selection but that seems to have changed a lot, I was disappointed with what was on offer.

Bowe's and the Long Hall would be favourites of mine in town, I like the Palace too but it can get very crowded.

Kennedy's on Burgh quay didn't take card for years either and it was gas watching blow-ins deal with it.

The Glen is my local and more than anything I can't wait to get back there. The Lion isn't close to being an acceptable substitute.

I think my favourite bars all sit along a very narrow thematic strip...

The Glen
The Bird Flanagan
Briody's
Hartigan's
Kennedy's Thomas St
O'Connell's Richmond St
Cleary's Amiens St
Frank Ryan's
O'Gara's
McGettigan's (one of the few pubs ever that the redo didn't make me hate it)
Grace's Rathmines
Slattery's Rathmines

And the dearly departed...

Kennedy's Burgh Quay
Sackville Lounge (is it gone gone?)

Proper old school Dublin pubs thread

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