Ireland · best-of list
The 7 Best Bars & Cafés in Ireland
All 7 bars & cafés our route editors picked in Ireland, across 4 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect bars, cafés and tasting rooms, spread across 4 destinations.
Our curated picks
7 bars & cafés in Ireland, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Doolin & the Cliffs of Moher 2 picks
Gus O'Connor's Pub
Doolin & the Cliffs of Moher · On our Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way route
Fisher Street pub with trad music sessions nightly through the year.
Tip: Grab a table before 9pm.
Photo: Gus O'Connor's Pub · Google
McGann's Pub
Doolin & the Cliffs of Moher · On our Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way route
Small pub up the road known for sessions and seafood chowder.
Photo: Tony Vincent · Google
Dublin 2 picks
The Brazen Head
Dublin · On our Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way route
Pub dating its license to 1198, with trad music every night.
Tip: Arrive before 8pm for a seat near the music.
Photo: Harold Strong derivative work: Nikthestunned · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Long Hall
Dublin · On our Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way route
Victorian pub with dark wood, mirrors and chandeliers, unchanged in decades.
Photo: The Long Hall · Google
Galway 2 picks
The Crane Bar
Galway · On our Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way route
West End pub with trad sessions in the upstairs room.
Tip: Sessions start around 9:30pm.
Photo: Peter C Grew · Google
Tigh Neachtain
Galway · On our Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way route
Corner pub with snugs and a painted front, known for music and conversation.
Photo: Blaithnaid · CC BY 4.0
Connemara 1 pick
Lowry's Bar
Connemara · On our Dublin to the Wild Atlantic Way route
Music and whiskey bar with a long Irish whiskey list and trad sessions.
Photo: Lowry's Music & Whiskey Bar · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the bars & cafés in Ireland?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 7 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Ireland has the most bars & cafés on this list?
Doolin & the Cliffs of Moher, Dublin and Galway lead with 2 each; the other picks are spread across 1 more destination.
More lists for Ireland
Best bars & cafés nearby
Destinations on this list
- Doolin & the Cliffs of Moher 2 on this list
- Dublin 2 on this list
- Galway 2 on this list
- Connemara 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.