Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs

While I do have a few pubs closer to the city centre in the Weirdo Dublin Pubs backlog, this week, we’re heading a bit further out to BRÚ House Fairview – (now) a part of the Galway Bay family that’s less likely to be intruded upon by tourists and/or the special type of Guinness Enthusiast we’ve discussed before – and yes, the particularly egregious story about one of them is still to come.

BRÚ and Galway Bay merged in 2021, with BRÚ’s then-head brewer Francesco Sottomano eventually heading to Lough Gill, where they have been making some fantastic beer of late, including a rare-for-Ireland bitter – perhaps an entry point for the future topic of ‘breweries I wish there were a car-free way to visit’ rant that you may hear parts of from time to time on the Beer Ladies Podcast (and not just from me). Mergers, though, were nothing new to the BRÚ team, who had previously hitched up with Carrig Brewery, with everything subsumed under the BRÚ name, in that instance. Post-Galway Bay merger, the BRÚ House in Fairview is the only one still operating with ‘BRÚ‘ in the name, but that aside, the only major change is the inclusion of more Galway Bay beers on tap, in addition to the BRÚ offerings, plus a few guests as well.

That said, I have to admit I was a little bit – really, very mildly – annoyed when Galway Bay took over BRÚ; despite the fact that they ensured the BRÚ beers kept their identities and, indeed, began to put them on tap in their various other locations, it did mean that the food menu in Fairview also eventually became the standard Galway Bay menu. Now, there are plenty of good reasons for this, and I completely understand why it made economic sense, and, I’m sure, made things easier for the staff – I just really liked the veggie burger they used to offer that was quite different from the usual Galway Bay version – it was one that as a non-veggie, I still sought out regularly. Of course, I am easily mollified with the standard halloumi fries as an only moderately-less-healthy replacement, so all is forgiven on that front, especially when a steady supply of Weights & Measures is on offer.

We’ve made some BRÚ House Fairview part of some family traditions since we moved to this side of the river; it’s one of two spots (along with the Cat and Cage) I like to go after getting my hair purpled-and-cut nearby, and it’s become the mid-point of our Halloween trick-or-treating journey with the smaller child – for the past 2 years, we’ve stopped in for an in-costume pint for me and a rare-treat Coke for her before turning around to hit the other side of Clonliffe Road (for the record, an excellent street for trick-or-treating) on our way back home. Like most other Galway Bay locations, there’s always a warm welcome for everyone, children included, and a lot of little nooks and crannies to settle in – plus a bit of Father Ted art. And with Fairview Park and its very impressive recently-redesigned playground just across the road, it’s often an easy sell, despite it being a longer walk than many of our other usual haunts. I’m reminded weekly when I’m trotting past on my way to or from my local Parkrun that I should sign up for more runs in the general area – there are a fair few just up the road in Clontarf, along the water – it would be a fantastic post-run pint location.

It’s also well worth mentioning BRÚ’s own beers, too – their lager is one of the few gluten-free options that really hits the mark for me, and the BRÚ IPA reminds me very favourably of Yards ESA – this is a Very Good Thing. With a selection of their core beers, plus the Urban Jungle range on tap alongside their Galway Bay stablemates, it means there is usually a very handy mix of styles and strengths.

All in all, it’s every inch the neighbourhood pub, and I’m always happy to have an excuse to pop in, whether it’s on my own, meeting friends or with the kids in tow. I’ve never quite managed to go on a day that made the pleasant little rooftop garden a good option, but someday…

Where: BRÚ House Fairview, 12 Fairview, Clontarf, Dublin 3, D03 C998
Access from the city centre: Buses 14, 15, 27; DART to Clontarf Road
Food: Typical Galway Bay pub grub menu
Sport: The usual big ones: football, rugby, GAA
TVs: In the main bar area
Music: Usually a nice soundtrack, also the odd bit of live music from time to time
Family-friendliness: Very high – Santa visits for photos before Christmas, usual Galway Bay kids’ menu
Pub-crawl-ability: Low, unless you prefer a walk up to The Yacht Bar in Clontarf, though Gaffney’s is very close for a more traditional pub experience
Local sites of note: Fairview Park, Croke Park, Clontarf Promenade
Haunted: Not that I’ve heard…
Other notes: Very handy for Martin’s Off-License, one of Dublin’s best; in theory, the Battle of Clontarf may have happened not far away, but that could also be LIES

In contrast to last week’s visit to The Big Romance, this time, for the week that’s in it, as they say here, it seemed appropriate to share a pub that doesn’t serve any real craft beer, and isn’t much on the tourist trail, but does tick all the boxes for what people from elsewhere – as well as the local neighbourhood – (should) think of when they conjure up ‘Dublin pub’ in their heads, Guinness included, of course.

And so to The Hut: while The Long Hall rightly lands on many a must-visit list, with its beautiful Victorian interior, The Hut gives it more than a run for its money, with its tiled floor, dark wood bar, converted gaslights and mirrors galore, and that perfectly-poured pint of Guinness won’t set you back quite as much here in Phibsborough (€‎5.80 at last check) as it will in the city centre, even though it’s only a relatively short distance out. The fact that it’s a spot I need to walk by several times a day makes it all the more convenient for me personally, and on a chilly, wet day, sometimes that’s just what you need. I stopped in this week to catch a bit of the action from Cheltenham (for those not in the know, I had a horse racing blog for a decade – yes, I should probably fix it up a bit, even if I don’t write anything nowadays) over a quiet pint, and it’s the ideal spot for it – this is when Old Man Pubs come into their own, especially if you’re keeping an ear out for tips.

But The Hut has its surprises as well – the small upstairs bar hosts music events, and sometimes, there are quite big names there on the down-low; it’s tough to beat seeing your favourite father-daughter folk duo a short walk from your home on a school night, even (especially?) if it wasn’t an official gig. It’s a wonderful space for a small, intimate show, and it’s well worth keeping an eye out for other folk- and trad-themed evenings.

Interior notwithstanding, there’s nothing fancy nor downtrodden about The Hut – this is neither gastropub nor dive bar, just an authentic, old-school pub. Indeed, if it were magically transported to North America or continental Europe and deposited in a city centre (or worse, in a strip mall) as an ‘IRISH PUB,’ it would probably be dinged for not having any rural signage (something that would be wildly out of place here, of course) or random old photos around the place. But that’s what gives it its character; it’s a true urban pub, and it just gets on with it as it has done since the 19th century.

And as for the name – well, it seems it’s a bit of an open question…

Where: The Hut, 159 Phibsborough Rd, Phibsborough, Dublin, D07 HA21
Access from the city centre: Buses 9, 40, 46A, 83, 140; Luas Green Line; 30ish minute walk
Food: Irish beef stew, as per the sign outside, plus some old-school pub classics
Sport: All of them. Horse racing, football, GAA, rugby…
TVs: In both sides of the downstairs bar(s)
Music: Live sessions upstairs
Family-friendliness: Not much for the kids to do
Pub-crawl-ability: High – Doyle’s Corner is right next door, The Boh across the street, The Bald Eagle and The Back Page just a few short blocks away in opposite directions, with a few more in the immediate area
Local sites of note: Dalymount Park, Blessington Street Basin, Mountjoy Prison, Mater Hospital
Haunted: Well, if Doyle’s Corner is, perhaps their ghost wanders through the shared wall
Other notes: You’re probably not really coming here for a meal, but perfect for a relaxed pint

This week, we’re venturing over to Parnell Street to The Big Romance.

This is our first visit to what I would class more as a ‘beer bar’ vs a ‘pub’ – whether traditional or otherwise – indeed, on their Instagram, The Big Romance describes itself as ‘A vinyl bar with a Hatchett Soundsystem serving craft beers & cocktails.’ As someone who was last vaguely aware of anything to do with sound systems (is it one word or two? Do cool people know something I do not?) based on a handful of visits to London indie clubs in the 1990s, obviously the draw for me isn’t the tunes (though they have always been excellent – more on that shortly), it’s the beer and the welcome.

Although in some respects it seems you could pick up the whole of The Big Romance and transplant it to parts of Brooklyn or Manchester without anyone noticing – certainly, the clientele looks pretty similar when it comes to beards, tattoos and hair colour – and yes, I’m very much aware my own purple hair is adding to this stereotype – there are still uniquely ‘Dublin’ touches about it that make it very much at home in this city, and that starts (for me, anyway) with the beer.

Barring tap takeovers – and this is one of the few places in Dublin where visiting breweries do such things relatively regularly – the tap list is usually majority-Whiplash, and it always has Guinness and Hofbräu for those who only want to adventure with their ears, though recently, Whiplash’s own excellent stout, Slow Lives, has been on quite frequently, and one wonders whether anyone has secretly done a Pepsi Challenge on their Guinness Enthusiast friends while visiting. There is usually a good balance to the beer lineup in any case – nearly always something sessionable from Whiplash, like their Rollover or Body Riddle, as well as a mix of higher-octane IPAs or imperial stouts from their own stable, or from the likes of New York’s Other Half or perhaps a Spanish or Scandinavian brewery or two for good measure. Also worth noting is that the bartenders always know the beers, cocktails and wines (yes, they have those, too) inside and out – they are incredibly knowledgeable, always friendly, and make sure the really heavy things get served in an appropriately-sized glass.

The preponderance of Whiplash beers is what keeps me from calling The Big Romance a more generic ‘craft beer bar’ – while it’s not as wholly dedicated to (Mostly) Things Whiplash as its half-sister, Fidelity, which we’ll cover in a future entry, it does tend to be ‘Whiplash and Friends’ – but this is no bad thing; as mentioned, this is one of the features that makes the bar feel really ‘Dublin’ from my perspective – and perhaps even just that little bit specifically ‘Northside,’ especially since Whiplash is brewed in Ballyfermot. Now, I am certainly biased, as I live a short walk away, but I would struggle to picture a spot like The Big Romance on the other side of the Liffey, but it just ‘fits’ on a place like Parnell Street, with its long, varied, not un-messy history (for which I’d highly recommend a read of Donal Fallon’s Three Castles Burning – and I’ve seen him in a few times as well), and eclectic mix of shops, cultures, cuisines and characters.

And so, back to the music; The Big Romance is owned by Hidden Agenda, who started off producing club nights and suchlike (again, I am far too out-of-the-loop to know about These Things), and they’ve made the spot a haven for the audiophile, but never in a way that seems pretentious or unwelcoming to the uncool – I’ve enjoyed a few pints over one or two of my favourite Divine Comedy albums (entirely serendipitously – I wouldn’t have even thought to ask, yet there was the vinyl, already playing) and I have always been impressed by the jazz offerings as well – I realise how awful that probably makes me sound, but that’s the kind of thing they had around the house when I was growing up, my dad was born in the 1920s, so…not my fault! But back to descriptions…

The interior also hews strongly ‘vinyl bar’ vs ‘pub,’ but it comes across as creative reuse of an old space, rather than as a cold, try-hard re-do; I’ve always found the booths and chairs comfortable, and also welcome that it’s usually quite dark inside, but again, this is a feature, not a bug: it’s soothing! It’s equally pleasant as a slightly cavernous spot on a hot summer’s day or, as of this writing, a bit of a cold, wet and miserable one  – as an additional aside, if you’re curious as to why there’s no external photo this week, this is why – it suits both moods, with low lights and a few candles.

And if you’re wondering what specific ‘big romance‘ it’s named after, well, wonder no more: it’s to do with the street’s namesake, Charles Stewart Parnell, and his career-destroying affair with Kitty O’Shea – though no signs of such complications exist at this Big Romance – just tasty, tasty pints, and some great tunes.

Where: The Big Romance, 98 Parnell St, Rotunda, Dublin, D01 T2T3
Access from the city centre: 15 minute walk; buses 1, 11, 9, 13, 16, 44, 46, 155, Luas Green Line
Food: Small nibbles; pizza from a neighbouring shop can be delivered
Sport: Nope
TVs: Nope
Music: Live music some evenings, DJs & so much vinyl
Family-friendliness: Leave the kids at home for this one
Pub-crawl-ability: Medium – Kimchi Hophouse, The Flowing Tide, The Confession Box and Piper’s Corner are not terribly far, but don’t feel right on the doorstep, either – still, very central
Local sites of note: Mountjoy Square, Rotunda Hospital, Hugh Lane Gallery, Garden of Remembrance, Abbey Theatre
Haunted: No obvious tales
Other notes: Cocktails are tasty, and while there’s always (great) music, it’s only too loud for conversation when it’s really packed – the music itself is at a sensible level

I have a relatively small list of ‘must visit’ pubs that I recommend to overseas visitors, but, especially for those who are looking to sample local ingredients, craft beer and unique Irish whiskies, this week’s pub is very much in the top portion of that shortlist.

My first visit to L. Mulligan. Grocer, back in 2019, was an auspicious one. At that point, we knew we were moving to Dublin, but we were still waiting for the details and paperwork to fall into place. We had been looking at neighbourhoods online, though without knowing much more than what we could see and read there. We had made an initial connection with our relocation agent, who had what I can only describe as an idée fixe about which parts of Dublin were ‘appropriate’ for ‘people like us,’ and it was clear we had very different ideas on that front. I had heard nothing but good things about the beer and food at L. Mulligan. Grocer, and so made it a point of stopping in on a work trip to check it out, as well as the surrounding area, which looked from afar very much like one that was (shock!) suitable for ‘people like us.’

I had an event at the nearby Lighthouse Cinema, so walking the extra 5 minutes from Smithfield to Stoneybatter was a no-brainer, and I immediately felt at home upon crossing the pub’s threshold. It was suitably dark and ‘pubby,’ but with a selection of unfamiliar-to-me (then) tap handles – definitely a good sign. I had a Trouble Dark Arts Porter and a lovely chat with everyone behind the bar; it was a quiet weekday, so a perfect way to do some fact-finding. I’d not been in long when a man came in and ordered a Guinness; upon being told they did not serve Guinness, but did have some alternatives from smaller local brewers, the man simply turned and walked out without another word. I was somewhat slack-jawed, but was told it happened not infrequently – indeed, I’ve now seen similar behaviour (and worse) at a number of local pubs – this is something we will be revisiting as a theme in this series. Don’t get me wrong, I like Guinness, but I find that specific type of Guinness Enthusiast very odd indeed, and they are legion – but I digress.

My sortie around the area after the pub visit confirmed that this was much more our style than the suburban, South Dublin newish-build/bland gated townhouse ‘communities’ we had been sent – having a pub like this nearby could only be a positive; this was somewhere I could see visiting regularly, and I made a mental note to do so. But such things took a little bit longer than expected…

Fast-forward a global move, a pandemic (during which we enjoyed some online whiskey tastings and take-out meals from the crew) and pubs finally being able to re-open, and we finally had the chance to start visiting L. Mulligan. Grocer more often. Although we did not end up moving especially close to it, we’re not terribly far, either, and we’ve enjoyed some lovely events there – pumpkin painting two years in a row for Halloween (accompanied by Trouble Brewing’s Pumpkin Ale, of course), community book sales and, most recently, a lovely belated birthday dinner for me (there was a Lough Gill Mac Nutty Brown Ale on tap, so BROWN ALE JOY was all around).

While there are many wonderful Dublin restaurants featuring local ingredients, it’s more of a rarity for them to also promote Irish beer and spirits beyond those from the familiar megacorporations; on the flip side, relatively few pubs champion Irish meat, cheese and produce as well as drinks from smaller local producers; L. Mulligan. Grocer, covers that full spectrum, and they do so in a friendly, inclusive way – it’s never pretentious, it’s simply baked into its DNA.

Sometimes the longer walk is just what you need…

Where: L. Mulligan. Grocer, 18 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, D07 KN77
Access from the city centre: Buses 37, 39, 39A, 70, 83, 83A; Luas Red Line, 30ish minute walk
Food: Fab chips and charcuterie boards, ‘fancy’ mains – definitely not your typical pub grub
Sport: Nope
TVs: Nope
Music: Has always been GenX-friendly on my visits
Family-friendliness: Elevated-but-approachable kids’ menu & house-made soft drinks
Pub-crawl-ability: Medium-High: The Cobblestone, The Belfry & Bonobo are quite close; Fidelity and (at present) The Underdog aren’t too much further away
Local sites of note: The Lighthouse Cinema, Arbour Hill Cemetery, TUD Grangegorman
Haunted: Haven’t heard any stories, but… Update: CASUAL GHOSTLY VIBES
Other notes: Amazing whiskey selection

Yes, we’re back in Phibsborough again. I promise we will visit other parts of Dublin, but hey, I like convenience, and, as of this writing, am badly jet-lagged for nerd reasons. This week’s pub: The Back Page.

In my home country, I have an aversion to most sports bars; they tend to blare sports I don’t watch, to a largely That Kind of Dude crowd, and frequently have terrible beer. There are, of course, some exceptions to this – there are many excellent soccer pubs all over the US and Canada, and those tend to be a little more my scene: first off, they focus on a sport I actually follow, they tend to have a better beer selection, and are (often) more generally welcoming.

That said, I have also lived various places where the local soccer/football pub was one to be actively avoided; when I moved to East Ham in the 1990s, my brief sole visit to my closest pub, The Hammers, was enough to put me off West Ham for life, and I never made the mistake of crossing their threshold (or, indeed, going outside on game days) ever again – instead, it was the ‘Spoons that was a longer walk away for a safe pint for me.

But soccer (and it is frequently/possibly more often ‘soccer’ vs ‘football’ here in Ireland) in Dublin is a very different beast. League of Ireland teams don’t have anything like the deep pockets their counterparts in the UK (or, for that, Germany, Italy, Spain or even the US) have, and it means that they simply don’t have the same level of awareness; most of the kids in my 8-year-old’s class have a favourite Premiere League or La Liga player, but they would be hard-pressed to pick a local hero – and many of these kids, mine included, actually play for various local teams’ youth sides. But that is a reason I love going to The Back Page – they support Irish soccer, especially at the hyperlocal level – and it’s not just the men’s teams. Best of all, you can nerd out over all things soccer over a good pint – there’s nearly always a fresh Scraggy Bay or other Irish craft option or two on – there was a new-to-me beer from Hopfully on my last visit.

One of my favourite activities at The Back Page has been their series of soccer history/book club talks in their upstairs bar. I’ve learned so much from the guest speakers, not just about our own local team (c’mon Bohs!), but about the surprisingly complicated history of professional sport in Ireland in general. And, as mentioned, it’s been a fantastic spot to catch women’s soccer games, so I know we’ll be spending some quality time there during the Women’s World Cup this summer.

But it’s not just for footy fans – while all manner of sport is catered for, it’s equally possible to just swing by for a quick pint, borrow a board game, get into a ping-pong tournament or look at a book from The Back Page Book Club – and if you bring in a sporty title for the pub, you get a free pint.

The mural of Mrs Doyle on the outer wall gives you a great sense of what’s on inside: a sporty, but not sport-exclusive welcome, a good sense of humour, and some real local spirit. I always enjoy stopping in for a pint.

Where: The Back Page, 199 Phibsborough Rd, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, D07 A0X2
Access from the city centre: Buses 4, 9, 46A, 140, 155, Luas Green Line, 25ish minute walk
Food: Excellent pizzas, flatbreads & now, chicken
Sport: Yes, all of it: Premiere League, League of Ireland, Six Nations, F1, etc…
TVs: Everywhere!
Music: Usually top ’90s tunes; also karaoke (in a separate room) – you have been warned
Family-friendliness: Can get crowded on big game days, but fine during the usual hours
Pub-crawl-ability: High – Doyle’s Corner, The Boh, The Hut & The Bald Eagle are all within a short walk; a few others closer to the Luas
Local sites of note: Dalymount Park, Mater Hospital, Blessington Street Basin, Mountjoy Prison, TUD Grangegorman
Haunted: No obvious signs
Other notes: I need to do a better job of checking for the only North American sport I really enjoy – ice hockey

I’ll be honest, my expectations were not high.

I only had a passing familiarity with The Red Parrot as it was – an awareness of its reputation as an old-man pub, saw it absolutely packed outside on Croke Park game days and had picked up the odd takeaway pint during the no-wet-pubs time, but that was more or less the extent of my knowledge. Still, it was (and is) my closest pub, so when it was evident that it was not going to re-open in avian guise, and that some fairly significant refurbishment was taking place, I kept a close eye on developments.

When the new signage appeared, I assumed ‘Juno‘ was a nod to Seán O’Casey, born just down the road. As there is now a cocktail called The Paycock on the menu, that would seem to track. I’m not sure there’s a hard-and-fast rule that every pub in Dublin needs to be mentioned in Ulysses and/or has a Brendan Behan anecdote, I am all for bringing in other local writers. I had zero familiarity with the ‘beers, beats and Battlestar Galactica’ reference now above the front door, but much cooler Young People have told me it’s to do with The Office; I’m not one of those people who is Not Into Television as their personality, I just never had time to catch that one (see also: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Scrubs, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos – essentially anything else on American television between about 1992-2008 or so), so I really had no reference point as far as what kind of ambience it was suggesting inside. But the fresh paint outside was still encouraging, and clearly, much work was happening in the pub’s interior. The initial keg delivery was – for me – underwhelming, with the usual suspects you see at nearly every pub, but I was still curious.

In the summer of 2022, the doors began to occasionally open on weekends; as I walk by several times a day as a matter of course, it was important to stop in to investigate, For Science. At the time, only the main bar was open, and the single craft-y tap was a Brewdog one, but the Guinness was in good shape, and the décor was a good start – freshly-painted all around, with framed pictures and art that celebrated Dublin (local art, Three Castles Burning, Shane MacGowan) without veering into theme pub territory, and an assurance that more was coming – at the time, the bar on the other side of the building was still very much under construction. I became cautiously optimistic that good things were not far off, that time I walked past a burning dumpster next to the bar notwithstanding – sometimes, these things happen when you live in the city.

I caught a glimpse of the other part of the bar during the holidays, when they opened briefly to host an excellent local arts and craft market, and I really liked what I saw – it wasn’t quite ready for prime time yet, but the bar area had been beautifully tidied up, and some lovely snugs with comfy seating were being readied.

Fast-forward to early 2023, when Juno began offering food and independent Irish beer, and it was time for a re-visit or two. This time, all the impressions were not just positive, but outright excited. Scraggy Bay is one of my favourite Irish beers to find on tap anywhere, and the freshly-tapped keg did not disappoint. The White Hag’s Little Fawn is another excellent go-to, and I had a wander around the entire space, eventually settling in one of the snugs, which now has not only a sofa and comfy chairs, but books of an especially eclectic thrift-shop selection – something I am very much here for.

Some may find the upcycled church fittings in this part of the pub a little too ‘hipster’ for them, but I’ve always had a soft spot for that kind of thing, so I am a fan. They are now definitely ticking all the boxes for ‘great spot for solo pint and book’ and as they are mere steps from my door, I am not remotely mad about this. And, depending on when you read this, we have either just recorded and/or just dropped a Beer Ladies Podcast episode on what makes a great pub, and we spent a fair amount of time on furniture and atmosphere – it’s worth considering.

In fact, I’m thrilled that all my ‘hipster bar with boring beer’ misgivings have been proven wrong – there’s a lot of character here, some excellent beer and a variety of spaces to sit or stand. I’m sure it’s going to become absolutely slammed on game or concert days going forward, but that’s no bad thing – and being able to pop over for ‘just the one’ on quieter days looks like a regular future activity.

It’s a worthy addition to the list.

Where: Juno, 58 Dorset Street Lower, Dublin 1, D01 EP86
Access from the city centre: Buses 1, 11, 13, 16, 40, 122; 25ish minute walk
Food: Brand-new food menu has just launched
Sport: Screen for big games of all sorts – footy, rugby, GAA
TVs: Chiefly in the main bar
Music: Good mix of indie faves; no live music so far
Family-friendliness: Still trying to figure this one out…more testing required
Pub-crawl-ability: Medium; there are other pubs within a 10-15 minute walk, but the closest few are not terribly exciting
Local sites of note: Croke Park, Royal Canal, Mater Hospital
Haunted: Is there a ghostly taxidermied parrot? Only time will tell
Other notes: Some interesting cocktails and good mocktail selections, too, plus main-floor toilets

As promised last week, we’ll be visiting a number of Galway Bay pubs in this series; while one of the things I really enjoy about their various bars is that each has a bit of its own character and style, I’m particularly lucky that one of my favourites happens to be a relatively short walk away from my now-home – something of a happy accident. Let’s rewind.

I first encountered The Black Sheep on a work trip to Dublin in 2016; at the time, we were living in Seattle and had no plans to move (again). I recently came across the old WhatsApp group that was used to coordinate post-meeting sustenance and frivolity. In those conversations, I saw The Black Sheep described as ‘kind of like Brave Horse‘ – the now-shuttered bar in the middle of the Amazon campus where people would go to extend their desk-crying sessions over a pint – and also as ‘one of those hipster beer places, but more Irish.’ However, I was also warned that it was ‘far from most other things’ and that the area was ‘kind of sketch, but no guns, so all cool!’ Thus prepared, I set out with a small group of fellow Amazonian beer nerds after a long day of meetings, looking at the ‘trek’ from the offices to the supposedly ‘sketch’ Northside of Dublin as quite an adventure.

If memory serves, there was mild disappointment from some in the group on the nearly-complete lack of ‘sketch,’ but everyone was very pleased to find The Black Sheep had something for everyone in our group – cask ale (sigh – more on this in a moment), some good Galway Bay beers, a guest tap or two that catered to other tastes, and possibly the oddest nachos I’ve ever come across – the chips on the night were certainly not made from corn, but whether that was a case of ‘the kitchen ran out and improvised’ or whether that was the recipe at the time, I cannot say – jumping ahead briefly, I am pleased to report the current state of Black Sheep nachos is very different – in a good way! On that occasion, we sat at one of the big tables on the Cask Corner (sob! again!) side of the pub, but I made a firm mental note of the comfy couch by the window and the bar seating on the other side, and immediately made plans to return on my own a few days later. For the record, Untappd tells me that on that initial visit, I had a White Hag Little Fawn and Galway Bay’s own Pilot 014 – Dortmunder Lager.

As planned, I stopped back in for a solo pint on the couch before heading home, taking in the Father Ted wall decorations and the usual tin brewery signs, I thought about what a thoroughly pleasant pub it was, and that this was somewhere I would visit regularly if I lived nearby. As that was not even a vague idea, I thought no more of it, but continued to make a point of stopping in on subsequent work trips – the fact that it was not especially close to the Amazon offices, but was quite convenient for Chapters Books may well have played a part; once again, Untappd let me know that in March of 2019, I had some lovely cask pints – from Kirkstall, in this case – over some newly-acquired books. And then, later that year I got the unexpected offer to take a new role in Dublin and, well – here we are.

While we initially lived south of the river for a year – a combination of a pandemic, a relocation agent who refused to believe that we actually meant it when we said we were ‘city people’ and the ongoing housing crisis in Ireland, when we finally had the chance to move to the Northside, we took it, our landlord from the old house telling us, in all seriousness, that we were ‘so brave,’ notwithstanding. (Some Southside Dubliners have a very skewed idea of what happens once you cross the Liffey – it’s a thing). While we had not planned it, we ended up only a few minutes’ walk from The Black Sheep; although it’s not quite close enough to be our local, it’s a very easy sell to head in that direction.

When pubs could finally re-open, after the last of the major Covid restrictions were lifted in January of 2022, The Black Sheep was the first place I headed to get a pint at the bar (again, for the record, a BRU Xtra Pale Ale and a Weights + Measures). Sadly, a combination of Brexit and all things pandemic meant that the Cask Corner did not return to its full function…I give it a bit of a sad look and a sigh each time I’m there, but I am always hopeful that it may, at some point, go back into at least partial use. But even without that, there is much to enjoy at The Black Sheep: the standard Galway Bay beers are always in tip-top shape (I am especially partial to the aforementioned Weights + Measures as well as the Bay Ale), and the guest taps have been varied and interesting, featuring other Irish breweries as well as some international options.

And I have to say, again, that the nachos are the real thing now – although sister bar Taco Libre has closed, some of the skill that went into their excellent chips and guac has settled into The Black Sheep. I am always a fan of the halloumi fries, too, and seem to find an excuse to get them at every Galway Bay location.

Also worth noting is the absence of televisions; for the non-sportsball fan, The Black Sheep can be an oasis of calm when every other pub is full because ‘the game’ is on. And while there are many times when I do want to go see whichever ‘the game’ is on, it’s nice to have alternatives when it’s not your sport or team – or just to have that relaxing solo pint.

That couch is still a very comfortable spot, and it’s wild that I can simply walk there any time.

April 2023 update: Cask Corner lives again! Keep an eye on The Black Sheep’s socials on Thursdays – there’s a lot of good stuff headed our way.

Where: The Black Sheep, 61 Capel St, Rotunda, Dublin
Access from the city centre: 10 minute walk, 46 bus, Luas Green Line
Food: Galway Bay standard pub grub menu
Sport: Nope
TVs: Nope
Music: You are safe here, fellow Gen Xers
Family-friendliness: Kids’ menu, always a welcome at the usual times
Pub-crawl-ability: High – all of Capel Street is right there, from early houses like Slattery’s to other Galway Bay pubs like The Oak and The Beer Temple on Dame Street if you keep walking…also a short walk to Smithfield and beyond…
Local sites of note: Capel Street, Chapters Books, Wolfe Tone Square, Jervis Centre, ILAC Centre, 14 Henrietta Street, King’s Inns
Haunted: Only by the absence of cask ale, unless anyone has a story to share CASK IS BACK!
Other notes: Everything is on a single floor – no need to trek to a basement toilet; excellent bottle list

Edit: hop over to this more recent post for the entry on the re-reborn Underdog.

I broke down and Did The Thing – for this week’s Weirdo Guide to Dublin Pubs, I asked ChatGPT about a pub, and here’s what it said when I asked it to describe The Underdog:

The Underdog is a popular pub located in the heart of Dublin, Ireland. It is known for its lively atmosphere and good selection of drinks and food. People often visit the pub for its friendly staff, good music, and great social atmosphere. It is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike, especially in the evenings and on weekends. The Underdog is an important part of the Dublin pub culture and is considered a must-visit destination for those looking to experience the city’s famous nightlife.

Leaving aside the many and various issues associated with this kind of technology as it exists today, what strikes me is how generic it makes The Underdog sound – something of an achievement in its own right, given how The Underdog is absolutely unique in Dublin as a craft beer destination, and its extended absence from the local scene was very much felt. First, though, some context for non-locals.

The Underdog originally opened in 2017, in the basement of Brogan’s on Dame Street – an ideal location from a city centre/pre-show/transit point of view, though very much less so in others, which we’ll get to later. Descending the steps to the cosy, 18-tap AND BEER ENGINE bar always felt a bit magical; I visited for the first time on a work trip not long after they initially opened, and would always pop in on subsequent trips before we officially moved to Dublin. As it happens we moved here three years ago this week, and, given that timing, you can probably see where this is going. In my pre-pandemic ignorance, I thought I’d be stopping in regularly, and I did manage two visits, one with the now-seemingly-hibernating local branch of the Mikkeller Running Club, and one the night before lockdown happened; at least, I got to go out on a high with a pint of cask Jaipur after running, and some excellent local beers on that final night out.

Once lockdown happened, The Underdog managed to occasionally operate as a beer take-away of sorts, but when they did not re-open when all other pubs finally could – something that only happened a little over a year ago for those non-food pubs, distant though that seems to me now – the word through the grapevine was not positive. Issues with the building were mentioned frequently, and indeed, that seemed to be the blocker. Although the Dame Street location was extremely handy for its proximity to The Olympia Theatre, shopping and Dublin Castle, the latter was part of the problem. The River Poddle was diverted to create a moat around the castle in medieval times, and it still flows under and around much of Dame Street today – a resulting flood put paid to the idea of re-opening The Underdog in its original home. So much for the supposed secret tunnels.

After what seemed like a very long period without a home, the very welcome news came that The Underdog would be ‘popping up’ at The Legal Eagle for a seemingly-unspecified period of time, and it re-opened in the new digs in November, 2022. It brought back (almost) everything for which it was rightly beloved among beer nerds: a fantastic, always-fresh line-up of both local and overseas craft beers, with a wide mix of styles and strengths, an always-personal welcome from Paddy and the team, and a cosy, though not subterranean setting. As a slight aside, it’s worth noting that the routes to and from the basement toilets can seem a bit maze-like – or maybe that’s only after a few drinks? The only thing missing is the beer engine, though I have been reassured it will be coming soon – there is a ‘cask’ sign on the wall, just waiting to list its featured offering, so I have every confidence it will not be long now. In any case, this is not the kind of ‘craft beer bar’ you see in some places around the world, with 25 identikit IPAs (or even, ‘IPAs’ – IYKYK) – you may find Saison Dupont on next to local stalwarts like Trouble and Third Barrel, or a partial tap takeover from the likes of Spain’s Oddity Brewing, to recall a recent event.

It is worth emphasising that The Underdog is still Dublin’s only true ‘craft beer bar’ – somewhat surprising for a capital city, certainly, even a relatively small one, but there is no other direct comparison. While the various Galway Bay pubs – many of which we will be visiting individually as part of this series – do a great job of showing off their own beer, as well as some fine guest taps, and it’s also true that there will be a few other pubs and bars covered that can be counted on to have some good, non-macro options, nothing else really fits the definition as squarely as The Underdog. It’s one of a kind.

And to revisit the AI-generated words on The Underdog, I also have to say that it misses out the other key aspect of the place – the fact that it is impossible to go in without running into at least a few people you know. The beer nerd world in Ireland overall is small but mighty: thoroughly welcoming to blow-ins like me, but you do tend to see the same faces when out and about. To be clear, this is not at all a complaint – it’s a feature, not a bug, and a really lovely one. Even if I do head to The Underdog on my own, I know I’ll end up at a table with friends, over some really excellent beers; it’s got a real sense of community about it, but not in an exclusionary way – everyone is welcome.

I cannot wait for Cask Night to return.

Where: The Underdog at The Legal Eagle, 1-2 Chancery Pl, Inns Quay, Dublin 1, D07 HP40
Access from the city centre: Buses 26, 39, 83; Red Line Luas; 5-10 minute walk
Food: A lovely cheese board – possibly more to come in the future
Sport: Nope
TVs: Nope – screens show what’s on tap
Music: There in the background, not too loud – nothing live
Family-friendliness: Highly recommend having a decade between children, so the older one can watch the younger one – proper grown-up night out!
Pub-crawl-ability: High – Fidelity, Bonobo, The Brazen Head is just across the river, and one could carry on into Smithfield, Stoneybatter…
Local sites of note: Four Courts, St Michan’s Church, St Audoen’s Church, Christ Church Cathedral, Dublinia
Haunted: The current building is a few hundred years old…but no obvious tales
Other notes: Taplist is kept updated on Taplist.io and highlighted on Instagram

We’re heading back to Phibsborough/Phibsboro this week, with a visit to Doyle’s Corner.

Dublin pubs – and, to be fair, other businesses – have a habit of lending their names to road conjunctions. In the case of Doyle’s Corner, this has happened twice: originally known as Dunphy’s Corner from the 1870s, with the requisite Joycean name-check, the intersection in front of the pub has been called Doyle’s Corner since at least the early 1900s. Although built by Thomas Dunphy in 1873, allegedly with leftover stone from nearby St. Peter’s Church, the Dunphy name receded when John Doyle bought both this pub and The Boh(emian) across the road. There is, like last week’s featured pub, The Cat & Cage, also a Brendan Behan connection, but there’s no evidence he offered to do any work here in exchange for a drink.

Although the pub’s name was changed (in the mid-2000s?) to celebrate Arthur Conan Doyle, it reverted to John Doyle’s, and then, re-opened in 2018 as Doyle’s Corner. For Dublin real estate enthusiasts/masochists, it’s worth noting that the pub sold for €4.2 million in 2006, but then had to ‘reduce its price‘ to €850,000 in 2011. These days, it’s a stretch to find many decent houses in Dublin for under that amount, much less a public one, but back to the bar…there are still some nods to Conan Doyle in the snug, with prints of various Sherlock Holmes illustrations on one wall.

I never saw the pre-renovation interior, but I find the current atmosphere very pleasant, with distinct personalities in the two main floor sections. The main bar feels, well, pubby, and the snug, with its fireplace and wood, more ‘Irish pubby’ – at least, that’s how my brain likes to interpret it. But I would hasten to add that it feels ‘Irish pubby’ in the authentic sense, not in the came-in-a-kit regard you get from overseas ‘Irish pubs’ (and, sorry to say, at least one near me, though I will likely simply never mention that particular pub here). I seem to almost always end up next to the bookshelves near the front door, which is no complaint; it’s very comfortable and an ideal spot to be tucked away for a sneaky solo afternoon pint. And, given that I walk by the pub at least twice a day, it’s extremely handy for that solo pint for me – with bonus points given as I have never been accosted by That Guy here.

I confess I have not checked out the newer sports bar and/or party venue upstairs, which makes me feel like I’m cheating to some extent by mentioning it without that more thorough exploration, but I’m very happy with the spots I in which I tend to be placed downstairs, in both sections. The chief draw for me, beyond the convenience factor and comfortable seating, is, of course, a selection of independent Irish beers. There’s always Kinnegar Scraggy Bay on, and usually something from The White Hag, Trouble or Yellowbelly. Guinness is, of course, well-represented, so it does cater to a range of tastes, with some cocktails included in the lineup as well – the Island’s Edge is kept far off to one side, where it belongs.

Doyle’s Corner is very much a pub in my ‘regular circulation’ – a fresh pint of Scraggy Bay is always worth the walk.

Where: Doyle’s Corner, 160/161 Phibsborough Rd, Phibsborough, Dublin 7, D07 R26N
Access from the city centre: Buses 9, 40, 46A, 83, 140; Luas Green Line; 30ish minute walk
Food: Pub grub, excellent warm cookies on the dessert menu
Sport: Most major Premiere League & international football matches; rugby & GAA as well
TVs: An entire sports bar section upstairs; screens come down for big games in the main bar, TV in the snug
Music: You can program the music from your phone; also live music weekly
Family-friendliness: Kids’ menu; plenty of the smaller ones about at reasonable hours
Pub-crawl-ability: High – The Hut is right next door, The Boh across the street, The Bald Eagle and The Back Page just a few short blocks away in opposite directions, with a few more in the immediate area
Local sites of note: Dalymount Park, Blessington Street Basin, Mountjoy Prison, Mater Hospital
Haunted: Poltergeist? Allegedly a ‘noisy ghost‘ ‘terrorised patrons on the second floor‘ in the early 2000s
Other notes: Possibly the most pleasant women’s bathrooms in a pub, anywhere; also a list of cans and bottles from local breweries