Ireland has a lot of pubs that not only serve alcoholic drinks but also good food. So if you’re looking for where to eat the best Irish pub food in Ireland—you can find it in every city!
In this article, we’ll be exploring these places to give you insights about the food and drinks they serve. We’ll also talk about the overall ambience of the pub, and if it offers the typical lively and warm atmosphere you usually find in local restaurants.
Let’s start!
Average Cost of Irish Pub Food in Ireland
According to various sources, if you’re on a budget, a local Irish pub is the place to go. Not only does it serve good food and drinks, but you can also get them cheaper.
Here’s a list of some of the food you can get from an Irish pub and their rates. Please remember these are average rates and not the actual rates.
Top Spots to Eat the Best Irish Pub Food in Ireland
We’re listing down the best spots to eat Irish Pub food in Ireland using the following as a guide:
1. Darkey Kelly’s
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location and vicinity | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer recommendations | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
The atmosphere at Darkey Kelly’s reminds us of the old Irish pubs—live traditional music, good people, and a friendly atmosphere. The most welcomed addition is the presence of a food menu that has some of the best traditional food!
When you enter the pub, you’ll instantly feel that Irish air of being welcomed. The staff are friendly, and are always available if you need assistance or recommendations.
After talking to some of the loyal patrons of the pub, we find ourselves agreeing to their food recommendations. Irish stew, seafood chowder, bangers and mash, and lamb shank are some of the local favourites that should be on your tables!
We love the live music as well, which adds to the already jovial ambience of the pub. What’s better than listening to good music while enjoying good food and nursing a pint of beer, right?
Speaking of beer, the place has a huge beer selection. Some drinks that aren’t beer are quite expensive though, so you might want to bring extra money.
We have to be honest with you though—Darkey Kelly’s might not be the place for serious conversations. The music’s a little too loud for you to even hear each other properly!
Another thing we think you’ll appreciate is that it’s accessible and easy to go to. The pub’s also near some local attractions so it’s hard to miss.
Pros
- Near other local attractions
- Authentic traditional Irish food
- Has outdoor seating
- Live music
- Lively atmosphere
- Large beer selection
- Friendly staff
Cons
- Not an ideal place for conversations
- Some drinks are expensive
Customer Reviews
Extensive brunch menu
This is one of the must-go-to Irish old pubs. Live music 🎶 good traditional food 🥘 and really nice vibe. The pub is located quite close to the Dublin Castle—Mihai Mogos,, Google Reviews
Wide drinks selection
Excellent typical food, and a very good variety of world beers and local whiskey. Ideal for living a true Irish experience— Gracciano Dottori, Google Reviews
2. The Brazen Head
| Menu | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Location and vicinity | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer recommendations | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Known as Ireland’s oldest pub, The Brazen Head has a lot to boast about. It doesn’t only offer good food and a good pint, but it’s also rich in history.
In fact, you can see most of its history preserved in the establishment itself. The exterior and interior of the place say a lot about the place, and the atmosphere inside is quite nostalgic and warm.
Some locals whom we chatted with told us that whenever they want to chill, they go to The Brazen Head. It’s large, so it can occupy a lot of people, and it’s also not too loud so conversations can flow freely!
Don’t get us wrong—it has live music, which adds to the relaxed vibe of the place. However, it’s not that loud so you can still enjoy talking to friends.
The best thing for us though is the pub food—The Brazen head has a lot of food options, most of them traditional food, which you’ll love. We recommend trying the Irish stew, bacon and cabbage, fish and chips.
We love that The Brazebn head also serves decently portioned food. The price is reasonable as well.
The fish and chips in particular are doughy and flavourful. Ireland’s known for its fish and chips, and The Brazen has one of the best versions.
Just a heads-up—it’s far from the city centre so you’d need to walk a little. The pub also has limited drink choices—mostly Guinness.
Pros
- Nostalgic and chill ambience
- Lovely interior
- Lots of food options
- Friendly servers
- Not too loud
- Traditional live music
- Reasonably priced
- Can occupy many patrons
Cons
- A little far from the city centre
- Limited drink choices
Customer Reviews
Perfectly sized portions
Went for dinner on a Sunday night. Very busy, but no problem getting a table, no queue at the bar and the food arrived quickly. Very friendly and helpful staff (even though they were really busy). Food was delicious, perfect sized portions and it was great to eat traditional food in a traditional setting.—Alex McBurnie, Google Reviews
Reasonable prices
The Brazen Head is Ireland’s oldest pub. This is a great place to stay, good and friendly staff, reasonable prices, different options (inside and outside), and delicious food (traditional and contemporaneous dishes), it is a great place to share with friends and family (even kids for early dinner), and beautiful decorations. If you are looking for the true Irish pub experience then The Brazen Head should be your first option.—Claudia Vargas, Google Reviews
3. The Old Storehouse Bar and Restaurant
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Location and vicinity | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer recommendations | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
If you’re the type of diner who easily gets suffocated when there are a lot of people, The Old Storehouse Bar and Restaurant is the place for you. Even during peak hours, you won’t feel too cramped because the pub’s spacious and there’s plenty of seating!
In addition to this, the pub has a lovely interior that makes it relaxing and chill. There’s live music, but it’s not that loud, so even while eating, you can still have conversations with your companions—the perfect night for a group of friends!
The place is quite friendly and warm as well. We love that everyone’s just enjoying the food and the music, so the ambience is friendly and calm.
The staff is attentive as well. They don’t hover, but they’re easily available if you need assistance, which is good customer service if you ask us.
For food, we and some of the people we talked to agree that while you can’t go wrong with any of the food on the menu, there are those that stand out. Fish and chips, cottage pie, and bangers and mash—you can’t miss these traditional Irish pub dishes!
There aren’t a lot of vegan options though. So if you have a friend who has dietary restrictions, there might only be a few choices for her.
Also, just a little warning that it’s not that easy to find a parking space here. If you’re bringing a car, you might want to arrive earlier or at least during non-peak hours if you want to have a good table to enjoy your food!
Pros
- Friendly staff
- Lots of seating
- Warm and accommodating atmosphere
- Has live music
- Great food
- Big selection of dishes
- Nice interior
Cons
- Not a lot of vegan options
- Some items on the menu are served in small portions
- Difficult to find parking
Customer Reviews
Huge selection of food
Absolutely enjoyed the food here. So tasty and fresh. Service was fast and efficient given the holiday season. Big selection of dishes to choose from. Nice decor with lots of space, Unlike some other restaurants in the area which are small and cramped.—Hosna S, Google Reviews
Efficient staff
Atmosphere! Food, Music!! Loves it! The efficiency of the staff is mind-blowing! I don’t understand how they do it with the amount of people there were, but did not take more than 15 minutes to get seated, and the food was fast too! The plate I had was the Traditional Guinness stew! Delicious! Live music was on point!—Ely P, Google Reviews
4. TJ Ryan Traditional Irish Pub
| Menu | ★★★★☆ (5/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Location and vicinity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Customer recommendations | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
TJ Ryan Traditional Irish Pub might not be the biggest pub there is, but it’s still one of the best places to go to if you want to eat traditional Irish food, drink a good pint of beer, and feel good old Irish hospitality!
TJ Ryan is also located in a prime area, so you won’t have difficulty finding a parking spot. The area’s also quiet and serene, so it feels quite nice to walk around if you have time.
Upon entering the pub, you’ll notice that it’s wheelchair-friendly. So even if the place is q little cramped for most, those with a wheelchair can easily navigate their way around the place.
Other than a good pint of Guinness, the pub food is one of the reasons why the locals love the pub as well! The food tastes authentically Irish and is always served fresh and hot—although just to warn you a little, the menu isn’t as extensive as you might want.
We recommend trying one of their sandwiches and their fish and chips! If you’re not in the mood for beer, you can try the coffee—the pub makes good coffee!
We think you’ll also love the warm and casual atmosphere. The regular patrons and the staff exude a welcoming vibe. And the owner as well always has a story to tell and jokes to make!
If you’re around the area, TJ Ryan is not one pub to miss! Make sure you come with an empty stomach though because you’ll definitely leave full and satisfied!
Pros
- Wheelchair-accessible
- Friendly and hospitable owner
- Good location
- Tasty and flavourful food
- Good beer
- Tasty coffee
- Warm atmosphere
Cons
- A bit small
- Food is limited
Customer Reviews
Wheelchair-accessible
This was my first stop after arriving in Cashel after many, many hours of traveling from the US. Great pub in a seemingly perfect location. The proprietor was very friendly and good-natured. Guinness was great. Would definitely recommend it to anyone. I’m in a wheelchair and found it to be accessible, although I did not check out the bathroom, so I can’t speak to that.—JK, Google Reviews
Great pub atmosphere
Excellent pub with great food. Atmosphere is second to none. Regulars are always up for the craic and the banter is great. You’re made to feel like one of the locals by the friendly, efficient, professional and welcoming staff. Highly recommend a visit.— Pat Mulvee, Google Reviews
5. Durty Nelly’s
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location and vicinity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Customer recommendations | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Durty Nelly’s boasts of being the original Irish pub. It’s a beautiful pub nestled just across the Bunratty Castle where you have a good view of the river—definitely one of those Instagrammable places!
If you want to walk around before indulging yourself with good food, we encourage you to do so! The vicinity’s so beautiful you wouldn’t want to miss enjoying it, and the best way to do that is to walk around.
That’ll make you hungry! It’s the perfect way to prepare your stomach for the gastronomic experience you’ll have when you finally go to Durty Nelly’s.
The pub is spacious, which adds to the relaxing vibe of the place. The servers are also nice and accommodating, even giving recommendations if you can’t decide which food to order.
Speaking of food, Durty Nelly’s has a wide range of food and drinks available, most of them traditional Irish pub food! But both the regular patrons and we agree that the pub’s seafood chowder with its chunks of fish, mussels, & prawns, is the best!
Another thing we love—it has a lot of seating options as well. So whatever time of the day you arrive, you’ll have a table for you. You can choose a table inside or you can opt for the outdoor or rooftop seating—we recommend the latter so you can enjoy the view!
Just a little warning that you might need to wait for a long time for your orders at times. Also, we’re not a fan of the chips in fish and chips—just sayin’!
Pros
- Has plenty of options for seating
- Nestled across the Bunratty Castle grounds
- Beautiful location
- Seafood chowder (nuff said!)
- Very friendly staff
- Wide range of drinks
Cons
- Mushy chips
- Long wait for food
Customer Reviews
Beautiful location
This is an old pub across the street from Bunratty Castle. There’s a great patio outside to sit during good weather. It has a big wraparound bar so if sitting on the side, like we were, it may take a while before you’re noticed. The decor is typical old Irish pub style. Didn’t order food, therefore, couldn’t rate it.—Rose T, Google Reviews
Best seafood chowder
Best Seafood Chowder I had in Ireland! Lovely place with lovely Irish foods. Lamb, beef, chicken, seafood – they have everything!—LA, Google Reviews