Ireland (Winter 2023) - Dublin (Day 5)
This is the return leg where we flew back to Dublin from Amsterdam since we had round trip tickets back to the US from Dublin.
Fitzsimons Temple Bar
Landed in Dublin but had to wait for the hotel check in hours to start. What do you do in Dublin if you have an hour to kill? Hmmm.
Fitzsimons was usually pretty busy all the previous times we walked by but this was early enough that we had no problem finding a seat. It’s smack dab in the middle of the Temple Bar area so it gets a lot of traffic. It was a convenient stop as it was close the the bus stop drop off by the river and on the way to the hotel.
Finally found some good crisp thin french fries in Ireland.
Aside from the cold, winter in Dublin was fun and festive. It was also nice that it is slightly less crowded.
Places really went big with their holiday lights and decorations during the holiday season
The Snug
We found this bar off a side street. There was another famous place called the Long Hall that we literally tried to go to 4 times previously and at all hours of the day it has been too crowded to get into.
This place was a delightful find. Totally locals place with cheap drinks and cozy surroundings. It was slightly hilarious here because I could not understand anything anyone was saying except the bartender. When the locals spoke to each other it sounded like some sort of code.
A local guy at the front was greeting us and talking to me and all I could do was nod and smile. I assume he was speaking English to me but I could maybe understand every fifth word he was saying because his accent was so heavy. This is definitely a true local experience if you are looking for one.
Peter’s Pub
For the next stop, we were looking for a place that would also have a snack. Found this place and got another toastie.
This pub had a good beer selection with microbrews beyond the typical Guinness selections. Friendly bartenders here and as usual for Dublin pubs at night, the place was busy.
Little Pyg Terrace
This place seemed rather new and the were going for the upscale drinks and dinner experience here. We just had drinks. I believe they have a little pizza restaurant around the corner as well and this is their sister location.
Dakota
I found my first bad drink in Ireland here. This place had that trendy open feel with lots of room inside. The bartender made the manhattan with dry vermouth. I tried to point it out but was too tired to bother explaining it.
The Whiskey Reserve
This place was rather new, open 6 months at this point in time (Dec 2023), but it gets my vote for being one of the best bars in Dublin.
It is actually part of the Temple Bar next door but is their whiskey bar. Very upscale inside but the prices were very reasonable (also remember tax is already included and no tip so the price listed is the price). They even have fancy snifter glasses for your pours.
It’s decently spacious inside with attentive wait staff. It has a nice relaxed atmosphere in here which contrasts with the general mayhem usually in the Temple Bar next door.