Best Pubs in Smithfield & Stoneybatter
Just outside Dublin city centre, you’ll find some of the best pubs in Dublin and maybe even Ireland as a whole. Smithfield and Stoneybatter, an area you’ll hear referred to as D7, is filled to the rafters with the kind of watering holes that make the capital famous. Here you’ll find a long list of traditional pubs, both in their own right and some with a modern twist.
Along just a few streets, you’ll find all your ‘duck in out of the rain’ spots, pre-dinner drinks, post-dinner pints, and late night seisún’s all covered in this small plot of Dublin.
Bars & Pubs in Stoneybatter
What’s a Stoneybatter, you say? Hundreds of years ago, Stoneybatter was a road leading from Dublin City to the countryside. Today, it’s a neighbourhood just northwest of inner city Dublin, nestled between the city and the Phoenix Park. The area is bursting with character thanks to its mix of young people, families, and locals who’ve lived here since…forever.
Manor Street, in particular, is packed with coffee spots, delis, restaurants, and pubs. And the pubs in Stoneybatter are some of the best in town. Here are a few you can’t miss.
In no particular order, here’s the best pubs in Smithfield and Stoneybatter;
- Walsh’s
- L. Mulligan Grocer
- The Belfry
- The Glimmer Man
- The Cobblestone
- Delaney’s
The Belfry
37 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
The Belfry is one of Stoneybatter’s most loved pubs. Located on Clanbrassil Street Lower, The Belfry would be anyone’s favourite local: it’s a great beer-focused pub with big Chesterton armchairs and a lot of character on the inside. And if there happens to be a bit of sun, the beer garden is an excellent spot to hang out and people watch on Manor Street!
With delicious food such as gourmet pies and pizza to accompany your pint or cocktail, it’s a great place for couples or a group of friends.
Walsh’s Stoneybatter
6 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
One of the best traditional Irish pubs in Dublin, Walsh’s on Manor Street is hard to miss and even harder to leave, particularly on a cold winter evening. Warm, inviting, and pulls a great pint of Guinness. Sometimes, that’s all the invitation you need.
L. Mulligan Grocer
18 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
Just up the street from Walsh’s is L. Mulligan Grocer. More gastropub than bar, it’s an ideal place to start any evening. Expect over-sized portions of unreal gastropub food.
Beyond the food, the real draw is Mulligan’s beer collection. Not a Guinness in sight, you’ll find an ever-evolving mix of Irish, UK, European, and U.S. craft beers on draft and by the bottle. And for those less picky and more budget conscious, go for the lucky dip, where the team throws you a bottle or can of whatever is on its way out – at a decent discount.
Come for the food, and have a pint or two with dinner, then move swiftly on to one (or more) of the wonderful pubs in Stoneybatter.
The Glimmer Man
14 Stoneybatter, Dublin 7
The Glimmer Man is half cabinet-of-curiosities and half lounge (with just enough space for the bar). You never know who you’ll run into here: it’s a pristine mix of old locals, new arrivals, and visitors.
It’s the kind of pub you end up in until closing time, having had dinner in Mulligan’s and a few respectable pints in Walsh’s.
Strange name, right? The Glimmer Man is reference to the gas shortage in Ireland in 1942, when canny Dubs realised there was still a ‘glimmer’ of gas, even after their supply was cut off. Some things never change.
Bars & Pubs in Smithfield
A few hundred years ago, Smithfield was a marketplace and home to farm yards and one of Ireland’s most important horse fairs. Today, it’s one of the few wide open spaces in Dublin City Centre. Oh, and it’s lined with some of the best pubs in Dublin. Just your luck!
The Cobblestone
77 King Street North, Dublin 7
Once an endangered pub, The Cobblestone is the king of Dublin pubs and naturally top of the list of best bars in Smithfield. Describing itself as “a drinking pub with a music problem”, it’s one of the best spots in town for a pint and a listen of the most talented trad musicians in the city, making it popular with locals, out-of-towners, and tourists alike.
The commitment to the music isn’t a pretence; there’s trad sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday. As well as dancing, cèilidhs, classes, and talks in the Backroom venue, if you happen to be in town on a Tuesday!
Delaney’s
83 King Street North, Dublin 7
Delaney’s gets just about everything right: buzzy but not loud, plenty of indoor seating, a heated beer garden, expertly-pulled pints, and decent food. It looks like just another Dublin boozer from the outside, but looks are deceiving and part of what keeps the locals coming back.
Come here for a quiet one or on match days. There’s no wrong time to wander into Delaney’s.
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