The Irish Pub Guide

Dublin is a rare city when it comes to pubs, not only does it have so many, but unlike many places across the world, there’s not really a quiet night of the week.

Of course, on Tuesday you’re not going to see every pub in the city as busy as a Saturday, but you will find certain places with a very lively crowd.

There’s never really a bad night to head out in that sense – and when it comes to having a few after-work pints, there are plenty of great options.

We’ve picked out just a few that are brimming with people during the week, and of course both Thursday and Friday tend to be peak days for the office gathering.

Dockers – Sir John Rogerson’s Quay

You can’t walk by Dockers on a Thursday or Friday without wishing you had a pint in your hand, especially on a sunny day when pint men and women spill out onto the path and across the road to celebrate the working week coming to an end.

Here you’ll find plenty of people in shirts and slacks from nearby offices but all gathered together creating a lively atmosphere, especially at around 6 or 7pm.

Inside the bar is very sleek, with a modern feel. You’ll find a big array of pints on tap, a load of cocktails and spirits as well as a food menu.

The place is pet-friendly too so you might spot a dog or two.

The Ferryman – Sir John Rogerson’s Quay

This list is not solely in this neck of the woods we promise, The Ferryman is in fact the last one down by the docklands, but one that couldn’t be excluded.

It’s taken a bit of a hit from the loss of jobs in some of the big offices around there like Facebook, but it still draws a great crowd as the end of the week nears.

The pub itself is very spacious and has plenty of room out the front to enjoy a drink outside in the sun if it happens to be the one sunny day of the year.

If you’re looking for somewhere after work, you’re guaranteed to get a bit of a buzz here.

Toners – Baggot Street

One of the city’s oldest pubs, home of great Guinness and a haven for people gasping for a pint after a long day’s graft, Toners is a great spot.

The beer garden, surely one of Dublin’s biggest, makes it the go-to spot on a summer’s day if you work nearby and the general craic and quality pints mean it’s never short of people.

Add their very decent food menu to the mix and it has it all doesn’t it?

Slattery’s – Rathmines

Up the top of Rathmines, Slattery’s pub catches a lot of people heading southside who couldn’t quite make it home without a pub sucking them in.

Heading on a bus and seeing the happy faces outside on a sunny Thursday would convince even the most stubborn person that their day of flicking through spreadsheets earned them a crisp pint.

On Friday in particular the place draws a big crowd and you’ll no doubt have a great time if you do decide to jump off that bus and reward yourself.

The Bleeding Horse – Upper Camden Street

This is for those who didn’t even make it across the canal before their urge for a drink got them on a Thursday evening.

The Bleeding Horse is a great all round pub and tends to attract a big after work crowd for its handy position when working in the very many offices nearby like EY and the likes.

It has food, lots of pints, plenty of space and is generally just a quality pub.

Grogans – South William Street

All along South William Street you’ll find places packed on a weekday so having a post-work pint with a bit of atmosphere isn’t really all that hard – but Grogans has to be near the top of that list.

It’s of course famous for having a stunning pint of Guinness and the vibes tend to match that with droves of people gathering outside to chat and have the craic after a long day or week of working.

One of the best spots in the city on a sunny week.

Hogans – George’s Street

At 6pm every day of the week this place will welcome in the office crews gasping for a drink after their one day a week in the office – but no really it’s a great pub.

And it does come alive in the early evening with the after work crowd heading into the uber traditional setting for a drink or five.

Great atmosphere, very central and just a great place to have a drink after work, what more is there to say?

Any others?

Any pint after a hard day’s work is a good pint so really you could include dozens in this list, but we’ve chosen some of the best in our opinion.

There are many, many more that could make the list like Blackbird in Rathmines, P Macs, Doyles by Trinity, Doyles corner, Gravediggers to name a few.

If there are any that we are really, desperately missing, please leave a comment and let us know.