The Grand Social
35 Lower Liffey Street, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 874 0076
thegrandsocial.ie

Spreading musical joy at the foot of the Ha’Penny Bridge, the Grand Social is one of the capital’s busiest and most respected hubs of live music. The 300-capacity venue has gone from strength to strength since it opened in 2010. It boasts three event spaces that cater for a wide range of activities, including screenings, talks, comedy, quizzes, corporate launches and wrap parties. Its premium venue, The Loft, has hosted many memorable shows by local and international artists, including the likes of Primal Scream and Jake Bugg. Regarded nationally as being one of the best sounding venues in town, The Loft also offers its patrons and promoters a room with a different look and feel to any other in the city. Add into the mix the spacious rooftop beer garden adjacent to the performance space and it’s not hard to see why it was voted IMRO Dublin Venue of the Year in 2012, and nominated for National Venue of the Year four years running. Frank Gleeson of Townhouse Leisure has acquired the business and they have plans to develop and grow The Grand Social over the next two years.

Sin É
14-15 Upper Ormond Quay Co. Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 555 4037
sin-e.ie

Having opened its doors back in 2001, Sin É has been through many incarnations over the years, all the while establishing itself as one of the city’s most eclectic night spots and alternative live music venues. Now offering free admission seven nights a week for local and international touring bands, Sin É is also noted for its huge selection of specialist craft ales, draft beer and top shelf liquor to please all tastes.

Panti Bar
7 Capel Street, Dublin 1
Tel: (010) 874 0710
pantibar.com

For years, Panti Bliss, aka Rory O’Neill, was an underground celebrity. She then became a national icon and, finally, a national treasure. And now, her Capel Street hot-spot has become a magnet for LGBTQ+ activity in Ireland. Saturdays are when you’ll catch Panti onstage – if you’ve never seen the show, you’re missing out on one of the funniest nights in Dublin – but there’s nearly always something going on. Open seven nights a week, there’s relaxed pints and chats, ‘80s music on Thursday and a “tea dance” on Saturday afternoons.

The Black Sheep
61 Capel Street, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 873 0013
Galwaybaybrewing.com/blacksheep

Affectionately known at ‘The People’s Pub’, The Black Sheep is conveniently located at the corner of Capel Street and Parnell Street. Featuring an eye-popping range of craft beers and spirits, you’ll be able to go back time and time again and try something new on each occasion. The Black Sheep serves food right from noon up until ten in the evening, with succulent steaks and mouth-watering wings among the highlights. Great as an after-work spot, or as a pre/post-cinema location.

Yamamori Tengu
38/39 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 872 0003
yamamori.ie/yamamori-tengu

Yamamori Tengu is one of Dublin’s essential bar experiences. The decor is marvellously exotic and colourful, with a superb range of beers and wonderful, high-end Japanese whiskey. Yamamori has been a Mecca for fans of superb Japanese food for over 20 years, but the bar and club at the back of its premises also offers “shape-shifting grooves, supernatural reverb, mindful melodies and a variety of sorcery.” This, we like! Whether chilling out in the bamboo garden, tearing it up on the dancefloor, or listening to some of your favourite Irish DJs and artists, this is one of Dublin’s real hotspots.

Koh Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge
6/7 Jervis St, Millennium Walkway, North City, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 814 6777
koh.ie

Winner of the Good Eating Guide’s Best Cocktail Bar in 2015, 2017 and 2018, this Thai restaurant has long been considered one of the most stylish places to eat sumptuous modern Asian dishes, as well as drink some world-class concoctions. Each of Koh’s cocktails have their own unique story and are ranged between being ‘tangy and sour’ to ‘mild and refreshing’. Whichever you do end up picking, Koh pride themselves on their passionate craftsmanship. Well worth checking out.

Pipers Corner
105-106 Marlborough Street, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 873 3503
piperscorner.ie

With renowned uilleann piper Sean Potts (whose father was a founding member of The Chieftains) and Dublin publican Eamonn Briody at the helm, Pipers Corner has already become a magnet for Irish traditional music and Gaelic games fans in Dublin, despite having only opened in July 2017. Located across the road from the Abbey Theatre, Pipers Corner has trad sessions round the clock, and any given night could see the likes of Sean McKeon, Liam O’Connor, Kevin Glackin and more performing, with Damien Dempsey and members of Lankum also known to pop their heads in for a session.

McNeills
140 Capel Street, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 874 7679
facebook.com/McNeillsPub

Music shop by day and pub by night, McNeills of Capel Street offers a uniquely traditional flavour of Dublin nightlife: one steeped in culture, music, and a hugely welcoming environment. If you’re a sports fan, the pub also screens all the big matches. Music, however, is its main appeal. Playing host to trad sessions every week, McNeills draws crowds of musicians both established and new. Even if you don’t have a musical bone in your body, just sitting in the bar itself with a pint in hand will be all you need for a fantastic night.

Slattery’s
129 Capel Street, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 874 6844
slatterys.bar

Situated on a wide, sunlit corner framed by barrels and benches, Slattery’s is your classic Dublin bar. Featuring a wide selection of beers, stouts and spirits, it also serves hearty Irish fare throughout the day, ranging from full Irish breakfasts to international dishes. Originally opening in the Victorian era, circa 1870, it’s one of 12 original bar-names left in Dublin. Slattery’s has been under the guidance of manager Brian Conlin since 2014 and, during that time, has won numerous awards for the best-pulled pints of Guinness in the city.

The Academy
57 Middle Abbey Street North, Dublin 1
theacademydublin.com

The Academy is one of the best places in town to catch a live act – Superorganism, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Hardy Caprio, Max Harvey, Parquet Courts and Talib Kweli are all upcoming – and shake a leg (or two) at their club nights, which include Saturday’s three-room Circus spectacular.

Urban Brewing
Vault C, CHQ Building, Custom House Quay, North Dock, Dublin 1
Tel: (01) 568 5989
urbanbrewing.ie

Brewers of the award-winning O’Hara’s Irish Stout, Irish Red and Irish Pale Ale, Urban Brewing is O’Hara’s addition to the ever-developing Dublin Docklands. It’s a craft beer brewery, but also includes Taps & Tapas, an open kitchen featuring an array of tapas style dishes. There are two fully licensed bars: Brewmaster’s, which is ideal for group parties to experience food and wine/beer pairings; and Brewery Tours, where you can immerse yourself in the brewing process, taste selected beers, and meet with brewers for an in-depth chat.

The Whisky Bar, Yamamori
38/39 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin
yamamori.ie/
Tel: (01) 872 0003

The Whiskey Bar is the newest addition to the Yamamori family and provides an authentic Japanese experience in an elegant, relaxed environment. Once the night comes, a theatre curtain closes off the Yamamori kitchen, leaving the smokey, intimate space of The Whiskey Bar, where the extensive range of whiskeys on offer – in addition to the stunning display of art lining the walls – is sure to transport you across continents. Above the dark panelled booths lie genuine Japanese silk screens dating back over 100 years, while behind the bar, you can feast your eyes on stunning scenes from the Japanese city of Kyoto. Be sure to check out the mesmerising Shogun warrior on display too. Moreover, The Whiskey Bar boasts one of the largest selections of Irish and Japanese whiskey on offer in this country, with approximately 30 bottles of each to sample (presumably over a few nights). Open till late, this intimate venue is a perfect space for every occasion, whether it’s after-work drinks or a night on the town. Offering a cultural taste experience, great live music every week and a central location near Henry Street, The Whiskey Bar is a game-changer on Dublin’s nightlife scene.