Temple Bar Area, Dublin

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One of Temple Bars traditional pubs that offers live music, day and night. I'd passed by this bar a few times, and it appeared to be very popular.

Visiting Dublin with 4 of my friends, we decided to call in for a pint of 'the Black Stuff'. It was Saturday afternoon, and it was quite full (as were most of the bars around here), we were lucky enough to grab a seat each, and near the window, so that we had a view of the activity in Temple Bar

Traditional dark wood furniture and fittings, with large central bar.

A guitarist was tuning up, so we settled down with our drinks. Well, it wasn't long before 'the party started', with everyone joining in with the singing and banter. A mix of 'traditional Irish favourites' with well known tunes by the Rolling Stones, Proclaimers etc.
There was a friendly atmosphere, with a mix of clientele - tourists, stag/ hen parties, college groups, couples, locals taking a rest from shopping etc.
Music at about the right volume, as we could still carry on a conversation.

Half pint Carling lager 3.20 Euros Pint Guinness 4.80 Euros (2010)

Opening Hours: Mon - Thurs 10:30 - 23:30, Fri & Sat 10:30 - 2:30, Sun 12:30 - 23:00

Food Served: Mon - Fri 12:00 - 20:30, Sat 12:00 - 19:00, Sun 12:30 - 19:00 - traditional Irish and international bar food, plus All Day Breakfast. We didn't eat here...The Guinness was filling enough!

Dress Code: Come as you are!

There were a few 'stag' dos, groups sporting wigs, Team shirts, Guinness Hats etc... otherwise a mix of casual and smart casual.

The Auld Dubliner is as close as a real Dubliner pub that one can get, in Temple Bar at least. There's nothing fancy in its old wooden furniture, but the staff's friendly and the pints are good, really good. A plus is that it has not yet been completely taken over by tourists - although there's quite a fair share of them.

Dress Code: definitely informal.

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Farringtons Bar and Hotel is located at 28E Essex Street. It is set in a Victorian Building, where some of the original fittings such as the wooden partitions are over 120 years old. (The hotel rooms are modern contemporary design though) I'm not sure If I'd like to stay here- Temple Bar is lively until the early hours, then there is the early morning bin collections etc. So probably not the most peaceful of places if You're a light sleeper.

Farringtons gets its name from one of the characters in James Joyce's 'The Dubliners'.

I popped in here on the Sunday afternoon, after hearing music being played here. (So this is a Day/ Night time tip)

I'd ordered a Guinness from a very friendly young bar attendant. I then found a seat. The bar is divided into smaller rooms, I sat in a small raised area, where I could see and hear the musician who was playing in the opposite room. According to the notice outside (Pic 3) this was Phil Nevin. He sang and played guitar- soft rock classics - which I enjoyed.

Monday - Thursday, Live Music can be heard here at 14.30, 17.00 and 21.30 Fridays and Saturdays- 14.00, 17.00, 21.00 and Mid-night and Sundays 14.00, 17.00, 19.00 and 21.00.

I enjoyed sitting here, listening to the music. A pleasant atmosphere. The clientele appeared to be a mix of locals with some tourists - mainly around 25+ age group. Dark wood furnishings and decor, with old Large mirrors (pic 4) and framed pictures etc.

Opening Hours: Mon - Thurs 10:30 - 23:30, Fri & Sat 10:30 - 02:30, Sun 12:30 - 23:00

Food Served: Mon-Fri 10:00 - 20:30, Sat 10:30 - 20:30, Sun 12:30 - 18:00

There are menus outside (pic 3) - local and international cuisine. There is an 'early bird' menu - 3 courses for 15.95 Euros.

Breakfasts - Full Irish for 11.90 Euros (Bacon (2), Eggs (2), Sausages (2), Tomatoes, beans, Black and White Puddings, served with toast, tea and coffee. Mini Breakfast 7 Euros (as above, but 1 of each item). Scrambled Egg and Bacon-with toast and tea or coffee- 7 euros

I didn't eat here - A Guinness drunk in the daytime is nearly as filling as a meal for me!

Dress Code: During the daytime this was mainly casual - jeans and T- Shirts, vest tops and cardigans etc.
I guess at night, it would be a mix of Casual and Smart Casual

There are plenty of pubs in Dublin but we decided to just hang around Temple Bar. The pubs in Temple Bar are quite crowded and roudy, so you may want to skip Temple Bar and go somewhere else.

My collegues wanted to do some pub hopping so after dinner we headed to Templer Bar. It was a Sunday evening and the streets were crowded with young revelers spilling out of the bars. We decided to just walk into some of the pubs, grab a quick pint and move on. But as we were leaving the second pub we witnessed a scuffle between two guys who were being thrown out of the pub. We decided at this point this wasn't something we wanted to be around and decided to go back to the hotel for a few drinks there.

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Perhaps spending an evening bar hopping in the Temple Bar area doesn't sound like the most original thing to do while in Dublin, but what I thought made it so interesting was the variety of pubs and live music that could be heard in the area - while some of the pubs remain faithful to the image we've got of a traditional Irish pub, others are definitely more modern and often feature live rock music. Very roughly, if you're in the mood for some "Molly Malone" and "Wild Rover", the area that stretches between Westmoreland St. and Eustace St. is where you'll most likely hear some flutes and fiddles. Some pubs, such as The Palace Bar (21 Fleet St.), are well known for their typical Irish music sessions; others, such as The Oliver St. John Gogarty, are more similar to Irish pubs around the world, with plenty of people (well, mostly tourists) singing along, clapping hands, and having a jolly good time! In the area that stretches between Eustace St. and Fishamble St., the pubs become gradually more modern, and you're more likely to hear live bands play some Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers (and meet more Dubliners). So overall I'd say it's worth spending at least one evening in the Temple Bar area, if only to catch some of the rustling, bustling atmosphere!

Dress Code: Most places were pretty casual

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We had an absolute fantastic time both nights in this place. Surprisingly, we met a pretty good mix of locals and tourists, and everyone was having a rockin' time. It is very important to have a seat, as the place gets packed with people. We got a table right by the music the first night and sat in a booth at the front window the 2nd night. The earlier music is more typical Irish folk, where the band later plays some more modern music. People will be dancing where ever they can find space. The music is on the 2nd floor.

If you walk by early in the day, look for any tours that start from the bar. We noticed that their was a walking tour starting at 7:30pm from the bar, so we showed up about 7:15pm. When the tour left, almost all the good seats opened up and we were able to pick where we wanted to sit.

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Temple Bar is the main entertainment area and restoration of Dublin. It is one of the oldest parts of Dublin, and has gone through bouts of rise and decay for centuries. Bounded on the north by the River Liffey, to the south Dame Street, east to O'Connell Bridge and the west of Christchurch Cathedral. The urban legend that says the district takes its name from the namesake pub, although the origin of the name is in the prohibition of access to the Jews. It must go into one of its many pubs, take a good pint of beer and enjoy live music.

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Foggy Dew is a cosy pub at the city centre, right next to the Central Bank. I’ve spent an extremely enjoyable evening here with a couple of friends. It’s a very traditional Irish pub with wood panelling, affectionate decoration, a wide range of drinks and friendly service. It’s a perfect spot both for a relaxed afternoon pint and a meeting point before heading out on a pub crawl.
Sports events, such as football and rugby matches, are shown on big screens. Manchester United played while we were there and many people had gathered to follow the match. The atmosphere was continuously friendly- even when ManU was down one goal! ; )
They mainly play Rock music at Foggy Dew. And to pay tribute to the old heroes of that genre there are fascinating items such as signed guitars (of David Bowie and Keith Richards) and framed gold discs of, for example, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and The Who at the walls and even on the ceilings.
There is a live DJ in the evenings from Wednesday to Sunday, on Sundays there’s free live music. From Thursday to Saturday Foggy Dew is open until 01:30 am.

Dress Code: No dress code!