Smyths

75-77 Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.

Review to follow.

McSorley's

1 Sandford Road,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.

I personally believe Ranelagh has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to pubs and McSorley's is no exception. On entering the bar I was struck by a lovely sense of warmth. There were just the right number of people at the bar; enough to give the place proper ambience but not so many that you can't order your drink. The lighting and the chatter were just what the doctor ordered, and it was especially nice considering the cold September evening I left outside.

McSorley's is a tale of two pubs. It has a bar and a lounge and both are very different animals. The bar itself is perfect; good size, good lighting, good crowd. An ideal place spend an evening with company. I ordered my pint and admired the place but unfortunately for me all the seats and tables were occupied, so I took my pint around to the lounge (pictured above) which had a substantially different vibe to it. It is far bigger than the bar, as you'd expect, but the peculiar layout of the furniture makes it feel empty, even if it's not. In fact there were a lot of people in there, but because there are large parts of it with no tables or chairs it lacked a certain je ne sais quoi.

6

McCloskey's

83 Morehampton Road,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.

For me to review McCloskey's in a positive light is almost like shooting myself in the foot. The fact is, by letting the cat out of the bag and telling everyone how great it is I invariably run the risk of ruining one of the things that make it so good...and by that I mean how wonderfully peaceful it is. However, you deserve to know about it, and they deserve your custom, so here it is: a glowing review.
The first time I was in McCloskey's, I must confess, was only about three years ago. A friend kept raving about their Guinness and seafood chowder, and when I heard they had a beer garden (I was a smoker back then), I enthusiastically made the trip. The Guinness was perfect. The beer garden was an actual garden. Later we got chatting with a regular - one of those wonderful Dublin bohemians who can talk about theatre and Joyce all day. In summary it was one of those perfect pub days that lives long in the memory. I've been in love with the place ever since.

Stepping into McCloskey's is like stepping back into the 1970s, and I mean that in a good way. There's carpet. It's dark and cool. It's fabulous. Over the last ten years, some Dublin pub owners have made horrendous choices when refurbishing their premises. No such mistakes here. McCloskey's' interior is an atmospheric classic that can stand shoulder to shoulder with other great Dublin establishments like Mulligan's on Poolbeg Street and Slattery's in Rathmines. There's nothing wrong with cream coloured walls and cracked leatherette.

In all the times I've been to McCloskey's I've never had to wait longer than a minute to be served. That, at least in my book, is a very strong pro. The staff are courteous and professional. There are televisions, but they seem to only go on for major sporting events. There is music (usually the radio), but unlike the music in many pubs it is not disruptive. Rather it relaxes and encourages conversation. (It is considered hip these days to dispense entirely with any artificial noise - fine in the evenings when pubs are alive with the sound of people, but often excruciating during the day when there are only three or four people in the bar). The last time I was in there was a Saturday evening and there was no music and no television. Just the sound of people in a pub, knowing they're somewhere special.

9

My raison d'être

The purpose of this blog is quite simple: to review pubs in Dublin with the intention of informing people about great pubs and bars in the greatest drinking city in the world. It is my hope that both Dubliners and tourists planning a trip here will find the information within useful. I will add pubs as often as I can, at least one a week.

Reviews end with a rating. The rating system ranges from 1-10, with 10 being the best.

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