5 of the best Guinness pubs
A man who has never met a pint he didn't like, pub correspondent Eoin Butler picks his favourite Dublin spots to enjoy a black stuff brew
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Thursday September 17 2009
Grogan's, South William Street Yes, most of the art on the walls is appalling. And, yes, many of the customers look like they've been perched on their bar stools since the early 80s. But that's only half the charm of this much-loved boozer. The other half? The delicious creamy pints of stout.
Mulligan's, Poolbeg Street There's something about the no-music policy in Mulligan's that always makes me think we're about to be asked if we have "no homes to go to". But no, that silence is purely to allow Guinness drinkers to rabbit on and on about how this bar does the finest sup in the city.
Kavanagh's (AKA The Gravediggers), Glasnevin You'll need a map, a compass, a sleeping blanket and about four days' provision to find the bloody place of course. But once successfully located, it's impossible not to be impressed by the swinging doors and the frothy pints. Sitting outside with a Guinness and a newspaper on a hot day is one of life's sweetest pleasures.
Walsh's, Stoneybatter A personal favourite, Walsh's boasts the best staff, the best atmosphere and, most importantly, the best stout north of the Liffey. No mean boast.
Guinness Storehouse, St James's Gate It is Dublin's most visited tourist attraction and, if we're being brutally honest about it, probably one of its most overrated. But there are no complaints here about the climax of the tour: panoramic views of the city accompanied by a cool, refreshing pint of the stout that made it famous. (An American friend who made the pilgrimage here many years ago claimed to have been served his pint in one pour. But this can't be true, can it?)
- Eoin Butler
