The Compass
BY KATIE
Dublin, Ireland
the Perfect
the ultimate
pub crawl
as guided by the locals (with a healthy hint of tourism)
note:
I attended this crawl with some Brazilian girls whom I met in the Temple Bar. They have lived in Dublin for years and this was their annual "12 Pubs of Christmas Crawl", however, these pubs would be excellent any time of the year. Obviously, this list can be altered as you see fit, but if you enjoy going to local pubs/bars in an order which makes sense location-wise, is recommended and tested by locals, and still allows you moments for pictures in famous Dublin locations, I would highly recommend using this as a guide! (it was possibly the best and undoubtedly the most fun night of my life) I have added the times which I stuck to as a guide but this can also easily be altered. Be safe and enjoy!
as guided by the locals (with a healthy hint of tourism)
9:30 pm: The Brick Alley Cafe
Go to this a Hole-in-the-Wall bakery/bar for a cheap pregame since it is a few doors down from the famous Temple Bar and 1/3rd of the price.
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10:00 pm: The Temple Bar
Hear a live band and a mix of authentic Irish music as well as a few mainstream blues songs. I heard mixed things about this place before coming to Ireland- some said they loved it while others complained that it was too touristy. I almost didn't go but I am so glad that I did
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Here's why:
I know that may seem a bit early to be there but I really enjoyed beginning my nights here, as this is a well-known stop for tourists all around the world and it is a wonderful place to meet people especially if you want some company on your adventure. I personally met some locals here whom I ended up spending my entire night out with and had the time of my life. People are very friendly at this bar and are more than willing to get to know you. Something to make note of, however, is that I never bought more than one drink here because they are outrageously expensive and it takes a while to get one. I would recommend saving the drinks for other bars in the night. It is also pretty crowded and only gets worse as the night goes on so that's another reason to get there early and grab a small table or seat by the bar.
10:45 pm: The Bar with No Name
11:00 pm: 37 Dawson Street
11:15 pm: Buskers Bar
11:30 am: The AULD Dubliner Pub
11:45 am: Quay's Irish Resturant
12:15 am: The Mezz
12:30 am: Fitzsimmon's Temple Bar
The Temple Bar owns several bars and buildings in the area, and Fitzsimmons is a bit of a more upscale version of the famous Irish pub.
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12:45 am: The PorterHouse Temple Bar
This is somewhere very known and liked by locals, it gets farther away from the tourist crowd and it is a popular hang out for Dubliners. Not to mention, it has a great atmosphere with a stunning wooden bar and brick backdrop.
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1:00 am: Turk's Head
1:15 am: The Woolshed Bar and Grill
This is where we finished our night: it can be defined as a "Brazilian club". Brazilians are a blast but if the clubbing scene isn't for you then I would not recommend this last stop. We stayed here for the last few hours of the night dancing away and getting little Brazilian snacks from the bar (I highly recommend ordering Coxinhas- a Brazilian snack with chicken and cheese, something I had never tried before but is now officially my favorite "drinking food")
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