Ireland’s home to a whopping 7,000+ pubs 😮

I’ll just let that sink in for a moment…

Some are amazing, some are alright and some are, well, some are sh*te 💩

What the guide contains
    • The best traditional style pubs in every county in Ireland
    • Pubs that myself, family and/or friends have been to and loved 

A couple of weeks back I spent several hours perched at the counter of Brannen’s Bar in Newport (a great little spot) nursing a pint, and the realisation that I’ve been to more crap bars in Ireland than amazing ones hit me.

Why? Well, mainly because I spend all of my time planning out what I’ll be doing during my trip and finding a great pub is left as an afterthought.

Even though every time I end up in a crap pub I promise myself I’ll do a bit of research in advance the next time…

best traditional pubs in ireland
Photo © The Irish Road Trip

How do I define an amazing bar?

For me, it's all about;
      • A ‘traditional’ style Irish pub; a place that looks exactly like it did 40 years previously
      • A no-frills/no-messin’ pub that’s packed with charm and character
      • Preferably one that pours a solid pint of Guinness

By the time that I’d milled through all of the above in my head (and reached the bottom of my second glass of whiskey) I’d decided upon two things;

      1. I need to stop sitting in bars on my own drinking whiskey.
      2. I need to create a map of the best traditional pubs in Ireland so that I, and people like me, can find great pubs to visit on their Irish Road Trip.

A map of Ireland’s best traditional pubs

So, that’s what I did… well, the second thing, anyway.

Below, you’ll find an interactive map that lists a good chunk of Ireland’s best bars*.

To use it, simply bookmark this page and have it ready in your arsenal for when you arrive in a town weary from traveling and in the humor for kicking back with a drink in a traditional Irish pub.

*What this map isn’t: a list of all of Ireland’s top bars. I’ve kept the list of pubs included to those that fall into what I’d call ‘traditional’. More info on how the pubs were selected below.

How I’ve picked the pubs included in the map

The vast majority of the pubs included have been pinned as a result of a personal experience or a recommendation from family, friends, or the Irish Road Trip community.

On top of that, I’ve also used jar.ie (a fantastic resource for finding the best pubs in Ireland) and TripAdvisor.

Naturally, I’ve missed out on some great spots for a tipple – so I’ve left the comments section below open for your suggestions.

Have your say!
If there’s a great pub that I’ve missed out, please comment below and I’ll check it out.

Planning a trip to Ireland?

We’ve more handy interactive guides on the best places to stay, eat and drink (traditional pubs only) in every single county in Ireland.

Check them out below.

Things to doPlaces to stayWhere to eat
570+ of the best things to do in Ireland on 1 interactive map. Check it out here.
32 Counties 190+ Hotels, Hostels & B&Bs for every budget. Check it out here.
32 Counties, 360+ Restaurants, 1 interactive map. Check it out here.