Pub culture in Ireland is renowned worldwide for its hospitality and the “craic,” an untranslatable Irish term that encompasses the lively atmosphere, banter, and good times shared among friends, both old and new.
We visited Ireland in November of 2023 and went on the Ultimate 3-Day Road Trip. We drove around the country to see the beautiful countryside, small towns, and cities.
Along with seeing some famous landmarks and sites, I was excited to experience the pub culture Ireland is known for.
During our short time in Ireland, we visited five different Pubs and had very different experiences. In this blog, I will rank our favorite pubs we visited in Ireland and discuss the food and drinks we tried at each!
1. Fitz’s Pub
On our second day in Ireland we visited Fitz’s Pub in Doolin. We spent the day exploring the Cliffs of Moher and decided to spend our night Pub-hopping around Doolin.
We planned to start our night at McDermotts Pub based on a recommendation from my aunt and sister. However, after a very confusing and unwelcoming experience, we quickly left and went to Fitz’s Pub.
Fitz’s Pub is located in Hotel Doolin and is famous for its traditional Irish music, lively sessions, and thirst-quenching pints. They also have a great selection of Irish Craft beers to choose from.
As soon as we walked into the pub, the bartender greeted us, and they made room for us at the bar. The pub was packed with people, and live music played throughout the night.
We ordered two Irish Coffees and an order of their Fish and Chips. Mason made it a goal to try Fish and Chips at each restaurant or Pub we visited in Ireland.
When we first walked into Fitz’s Pub, we only planned to stay for one or two drinks and a quick meal. However, we ended up having such a good time that rather than going around to the different Pubs, we stayed at Fitz’s for the whole night.
The longer we stayed, the more fun the Pub got. They rotated musicians throughout the night. Each musician was better than the last. Towards the end of the night, a wedding party came in, and everyone took to the dance floor. The band played a mix of songs, including traditional Irish and famous American songs we were familiar with.
We had a phenomenal time at Fitz’s Pub, and it ranked number 1 on our list of pubs that we visited while in Ireland. If you find yourself in Doolin and are looking for a place to go at night, we highly recommend going to Fitz’s.
Fitz’s Pub Ranking:
Vibe: Josh – 10/10, Mason- 10/10
Food: Josh – 8.0/10, Mason- 7.5/10
Music: Josh – 9.0/10, Mason- 8.5/10
Overall: 8.8/10
2. Temple Bar
We spent our final night in Ireland at Temple Bar in Dublin. Temple Bar is known as one of the more touristy pubs in Dublin. However, it is also the most iconic. We had the best night when we visited and stayed for almost 5 hours.
Temple Bar was one of the most crowded bars I have ever been to, having to push our way through the doors. While it was absolutely jam-packed with people, everyone was very kind, and the place had an incredible vibe!
The bar rotated musicians every hour or so. Each musician was as good as the last. We drank Guinness throughout the night and sang along to both classic American songs and traditional Irish songs.
We eventually found a spot to sit, and rather than going up to the bar each time for a drink, we flagged down a waiter to replenish our drinks.
While Temple Bar may be known as one of the more touristy bars in Dublin, we met locals throughout the night who assured us that the bar was not only for out-of-towners. We had a great night at Temple Bar and did not even realize how long we were there.
Having an early flight home the following morning, we finally decided to leave the bar around 2 am and head to get McDonald’s.
Temple Bar Ranking:
Vibe: Josh – 9.0/10, Mason- 8.5/10
Food: Josh – n/a, Mason- n/a
Music: Josh – 9.5/10, Mason- 9.5/10
Overall: 9.1/10
3. Gus O’Connor’s Pub
Gus O’Connor’s Pub is in the heart of Doolin, Ireland. Mind you, Doolin is only a town of just over 300 people. We visited Gus O’Connor’s Pub after hiking around the Cliffs of Moher.
Following a long day of driving and exploring the Cliffs of Moher, we stopped at Gus O’connor’s Pub for a late lunch and happy hour. We were both tired and cold after a long day and were excited to get into a dry and warm pub.
Hiking around the Cliffs of Moher was an unreal experience and something that I will forever be thankful that I had the opportunity to do. With that said, it was cold, windy, and rainy the whole time we were there, and after a few hours, both of us were exhausted.
We walked into the bar and found a spot at the bar, not too far from the roaring fireplace. Both of us quickly warmed up and put our order in.
We ordered a couple of pints of Guinness and an order of their Guinness and Beef Stew to share.
All the pub staff were very kind, and the locals in the pub were welcoming.
Our food and drinks came quickly, and we both agreed that the Guinness and Beef Stew was the best meal we had while traveling around Ireland!
Overall, we had a great time at Gus O’Connor’s Pub. If you are in Doolin and looking for a good meal, go to Gus O’Connor’s Pub.
Gus O’Connor’s Pub Ranking:
Vibe: Josh – 8.5/10, Mason- 8.0/10
Food: Josh – 10/10, Mason- 11/10
Music: Josh – n/a, Mason- n/a
Overall: 9.3/10
4. Gallagher’s Pub
After landing in Dublin on our first day in Ireland, we rented a car at the airport and immediately started our road trip.
We made a few stops before arriving in Cork, where we planned to stay the night. The drive ended up taking longer than expected, and after having a hard time finding the hotel parking lot, we were eager to find a pub and have a nice meal.
About a half a block from the hotel we were staying at was Gallagher’s Pub. We were both eager to have our first true Irish Pub experience, and Gallagher’s did not disappoint.
The pub was decorated from floor to ceiling, and had a very cozy vibe to it. The wait staff was very friendly and welcoming.
To start the night, we ordered a fish and chip platter to share and a round of Guinness. The fish and chips came with peas and mash, and the platter was ginormous. After finishing our dinner and the first round of drinks, we ordered a few stouts local to cork.
These stouts included Murphy’s and Beamish. Each stout had a different taste to it, and we ranked the three as follows:
Irish Stout Rankings:
Guinness Irish Stout: Mason – 8.5/10, Josh – 8.7/10
Murphy’s Irish Stout: Mason – 7.7/10, Josh – 7.8/10
Beamish Irish Stout: Mason – 7.2/10, Josh – 7.5/10
Gallagher’s Pub was the perfect spot to have our first Irish Pub experience, and we had a blast the whole time there!
Gallagher’s Pub Rating:
Vibe: Josh – 8.0/10, Mason- 8.5/10
Food: Josh – 9.0/10, Mason- 10/10
Music: Josh – n/a, Mason- n/a
Overall: 8.8/10
5. Mcdermott’s Pub
Mcdermott’s Pub was our first stop on the pub-hopping tour we planned to go to in Doolin. I really do not have much to say about the Pub because we did not stay for more than 60 seconds.
I do not want to judge Mcdermott’s Pub based on our brief experience. However, walking into the palace was one of the most uncomfortable experiences I have ever had.
My Aunt and sister visited Mcdermott’s Pub when they visited Doolin a few years back and had a fun night. Unfortunately, we did not have a similar experience.
As we walked into the pub, the place got silent, and everyone turned towards us. No one welcomed us in or said a word as we walked up to try and find a spot at the bar. With no room at the bar and apparent no one would help make a spot for us, we quickly decided to leave. All in all, no one said a single word to us during our time at McDermott’s, and it was a very welcoming experience.
If anyone visits Doolin and to Mcdermott’s Pub, please let us know your experience. We truly hope it is better than ours!
Mcdermott’s Pub Rating:
Vibe: Josh – n/a, Mason- n/a
Food: Josh – n/a, Mason- n/a
Music: Josh – n/a, Mason- n/a
Overall: n/a
All in all, we had an absolutely phenomenal time in Ireland. We loved the pub culture the country is famous for and highly recommend visiting every pub we went to not named Mcdermotts.
Experiencing different pubs around the country is a must when traveling to Ireland. The small-town pubs are very different from the pubs in the city and give you a great opportunity to experience Irish culture!
Be sure to check out our other blog posts detailing all of our trip to Ireland! While you’re there check out our photo gallery with all of our unposted shots we have taken on our trips.
Till next time – Josh 🙂
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