Best Local Favorites Pubs

Stop whatever you're doing right now because The Silver Granite in Dublin is about to become your new favorite local legend. This isn't just another Dublin pub - it's basically the TARDIS of Irish drinking establishments, mysteriously massive on the inside and absolutely packed with potential for nights that start with "just one pint" and end with stories you'll be telling for years. Let me paint you a picture: imagine walking into what feels like Dublin's best-kept secret, where the atmosphere hits that perfect sweet spot between classic Irish pub charm and "where has this place been all my life?" The Silver Granite isn't trying to be the fanciest spot in town, and that's exactly what makes it magical. It's like your favorite worn-in leather jacket - comfortable, reliable, and always makes you look good. You know those venues that somehow create perfect moments without even trying? That's this place's superpower. The outdoor seating area is basically Dublin's answer to finding sunshine in a pint glass. On sunny days (yes, they do exist in Dublin!), this spot transforms into the kind of place where afternoon drinks turn into sunset celebrations, and "quick catch-ups" mysteriously stretch into evening adventures. Inside, The Silver Granite is literally the definition of "the more the merrier." The space is HUGE (and when I say huge, I mean "could probably fit your entire Facebook friends list" huge). It's perfect for everything from first dates (plenty of cozy corners) to birthday bashes (where you can actually invite everyone without that awkward "sorry, limited space" excuse). But here's where it gets really good - the live music setup here is pure magic. Picture this: you're settled in with a perfectly poured pint, the band kicks off, and suddenly you're part of one of those authentically Irish moments tourists spend their whole holidays trying to find. The kind where strangers become best friends and everyone somehow knows the words to every song. Speaking of pints - holy moly, they know what they're doing behind the bar. The team here treats pulling a proper Guinness like an art form (as they should), and their cocktail game is surprisingly strong for a traditional pub. The prices won't make your wallet cry either - you're getting that sweet spot of Dublin pub prices where quality and value high-five each other. Want some insider intel? Thursday nights are when things really kick off - it's like the weekend starts early and nobody told your calendar. The crowd is this perfect mix of locals who've been coming here since forever and newcomers who can't believe they're just discovering it now. And if you're into sports? The matches here are better than watching from the actual stadium because the atmosphere is ELECTRIC. Pro tip: get friendly with Dave and the crew behind the bar. They run this place like a well-oiled machine and treat regulars like family. If you're planning any kind of gathering, these are the people you want in your corner - they've seen it all and know exactly how to make good nights great. The location is pretty much perfect too - easy to get to, but just far enough from the main tourist traps to keep its authentic Dublin soul. There's actual parking (I know, in Dublin, right?), and they've even got that modern convenience stuff sorted with card payments and contactless everything. Listen, Dublin's got no shortage of pubs, but The Silver Granite has that special something that turns "maybe we'll check it out sometime" into "this is our new regular spot." Whether you're planning a massive celebration or just need a reliable spot for quality pints and good craic, this is your place. Get yourself down here before everyone else discovers what they're missing - trust me, future you will be very grateful for this tip!

The Farriers Arms in London stands as a defiant reminder of what pubs used to be, and what the best of them still are. Tucked away on Lower Road where Deptford meets Rotherhithe, this Victorian-era establishment rises above its neighboring shops like a guardian of times past, its 1869 facade telling stories that span generations. Step inside The Farriers Arms and you'll find yourself transported to a London that many feared lost to time. The narrow frontage opens into a long, welcoming space where the present day feels delightfully uncertain. A well-worn carpet, bearing the badges of countless footfalls, leads you past light green tongue-and-groove panels that climb halfway up cream-painted walls. There's an honest beauty here that money can't manufacture. The bar stretches along the left wall like a weathered shoreline, where locals gather like seabirds, their conversations rising and falling in familiar rhythms. Here, authenticity isn't a marketing strategy but a natural state of being. A small raised area at the front offers a subtle change in perspective, while the back opens to reveal a pool table that serves as a social hub when the sports aren't playing on the modest screens above. The warmth here isn't just in the welcome - though you'll find plenty of that from the legendary barlady who knows most patrons by name and newcomers by intuition. It's in the way conversations flow freely between strangers, the way regulars shift on their barstools to make room for new arrivals, the way the pub's resident cat and dog make their rounds like furry publicans ensuring everyone feels at home. Behind the bar, you won't find craft beer flights or artisanal gin collections. Instead, there's a straightforward selection of well-kept keg beers that respect both tradition and wallets. A pint of Madri - a recent concession to changing tastes - still costs little more than a fiver, a price point that feels like a gentle handshake rather than a transaction. The back garden provides a breath of fresh air and often, weather permitting, the warm glow of conversation under open skies. It's a modest space, like everything here, but that's rather the point. The Farriers Arms has never been about grandeur - it's about creating space for life to happen naturally. Entertainment comes in the form of karaoke nights and free pool sessions, but the real show is the ongoing theater of community that plays out daily. During football matches, the energy shifts and swells, the pub becoming a collective living room where every goal and near-miss is experienced communally. Time here moves differently than in London's more polished establishments. Afternoons stretch luxuriously into evenings, marked not by artisan small plates but by the changing cast of characters who make this their second home. The cash-only policy feels less like an inconvenience and more like a gentle rebellion against the digital age's relentless march. You might notice the carpet is worn in places, or that the decor wouldn't make it onto an interior design Instagram feed. But focusing on these surface details would be missing the point entirely. The Farriers Arms is a place where the invisible architecture of community takes precedence over aesthetic perfection, where every scuff and scrape is a badge of honor rather than a blemish. Near Surrey Quays station, just three minutes' walk away, The Farriers Arms stands as proof that London's soul hasn't been entirely polished away. Come here not to be seen, but to truly be - to join a story that's been unfolding since Victoria sat on the throne, and that continues to write new chapters every day. Push open that door, feel the warmth of welcome wash over you, and discover what a real London pub has always been about.

Step into Biddy O'Dowd's in Athlone and prepare for the kind of night that Irish legends are made of. This isn't just another pub in Athlone's bustling scene - it's the living, breathing heart of authentic Irish craic, where stories flow as freely as the perfectly poured pints. With a whopping 4.8-star rating, this isn't just me hyping up my favorite spot - hundreds of others are in on this secret too! You know those places that just FEEL right the moment you walk in? That's Biddy O'Dowd's. The atmosphere hits you like a warm hug from an old friend, even if it's your first time through the door. The worn wooden bar, polished by generations of elbows, practically whispers tales of legendary nights past. Let me paint you a picture of what your night at Biddy's could look like. Maybe you start with a casual pint after work, but then the local musicians start trickling in (as they do), and suddenly you're six hours deep in the kind of evening that'll become your go-to story at future dinner parties. Or perhaps you'll meet a group of Canadian tourists (happens more than you'd think!) who end up becoming your new best friends by closing time. The cocktails here? INSANE. Trish behind the bar (local celebrity, honestly) crafts the kind of drinks that make you question everything you thought you knew about mixology. Trust me on this - ask her to surprise you. You won't regret it. But here's the real magic of Biddy O'Dowd's in Athlone: it's one of those rare places that shape-shifts to match exactly what you need. Date night? Grab one of the cozy corners and let the ambient buzz create the perfect backdrop for getting to know someone. Big group celebration? They'll welcome you like long-lost family and make sure everyone's glass stays full. Can we talk about the toasties for a second? Because HOLY MOLY. I know it sounds wild to get this excited about a sandwich, but these aren't just any sandwiches. They're the kind of toasties you'll dream about at 3 AM, the ones you'll compare all other toasties to for the rest of your life. Dog owner? Bring your furry friend! Biddy's welcomes four-legged patrons with the same warmth they show everyone else. There's nothing quite like enjoying a pint with your pup by your side while chatting with locals who'll definitely stop to give your dog some well-deserved pets. Pro tip: if you're planning to come with a group (which you absolutely should), book ahead. This isn't just a suggestion - Biddy O'Dowd's has become THE spot in Athlone for good reason, and the secret is definitely out. They take reservations, and you'll want to snag your spot. The payment situation? As seamless as the conversation flow. They take cards, cash, and even contactless, so you can focus on having a good time instead of worrying about hitting an ATM. It's these little touches that show they've thought of everything. Look, I could tell you more about the perfectly poured Guinness (because it IS perfect), or how the staff remembers your name after just one visit, or how you might walk in as a tourist but leave as a local. But honestly? You need to experience Biddy O'Dowd's in Athlone for yourself. Here's the deal - Athlone has plenty of great spots, but Biddy O'Dowd's is where the magic happens. Whether you're a local who hasn't stopped by yet (what are you waiting for?!) or you're planning your Irish adventure, missing out on Biddy's would be like visiting Paris and skipping the Eiffel Tower. Actually, it would be worse - because the Eiffel Tower doesn't serve perfect pints with a side of unforgettable stories. Get yourself to Biddy O'Dowd's, and thank me later. Just don't blame me when you end up staying way later than planned, making lifelong friends, and adding "move to Athlone" to your bucket list!

Just what Nenagh needed - another pub claiming to pour the perfect pint. Kennedy's Bar sits there in its modest Irish confidence, neither preening nor apologizing for its existence. At first glance, it's everything you'd expect from a traditional watering hole in County Tipperary, which usually means I'm in for an evening of mediocrity served with a side of local banter. But here's the thing about Kennedy's Bar in Nenagh - it has this infuriating way of making you eat your presumptions, one perfectly poured Guinness at a time. The pour, oh lord, the pour. I've spent years developing my cynical shell against publicans who claim their Guinness is "different," but watching that cascade settle into a pristine pint here is like witnessing some sort of dark beer sorcery. The head forms with such mathematical precision you'd think they'd installed some sort of NASA-calibrated measuring system behind the bar. I wanted to dismiss it. Really, I did. In a world where every pub from Dublin to Dingle claims to serve "the best pint in Ireland," Kennedy's Bar quietly goes about its business without the usual chest-beating. They don't need to - the evidence sits in front of you, black and white and perfect, speaking volumes in its silence. The first sip hits you with that velvet-smooth texture that makes you question every other Guinness you've had this year. The atmosphere refuses to play into the typical Irish pub clichés. No leprechauns dancing on the walls or shamrocks plastered on every surface - just honest-to-goodness wooden furnishings that have absorbed decades of stories and the kind of lighting that makes everyone look like they've just returned from a Mediterranean holiday. It's annoyingly authentic. The locals, who I fully expected to give me the usual tourist once-over, somehow manage to make you feel like you've been drinking here for years within about fifteen minutes. It's that particular brand of Irish hospitality that can't be faked - believe me, I've seen plenty try. The staff maintains this perfect balance between attentiveness and letting you enjoy your drink in peace, a skill that seems to be going extinct in modern pubs. Yes, they could expand their beer selection beyond the traditional offerings. And yes, craft beer enthusiasts might find the options limited. But that's missing the point entirely - Kennedy's Bar in Nenagh knows exactly what it is and refuses to chase trends. In a world of pretentious gastropubs and "concept bars," there's something refreshingly honest about that stance. The pricing sits right where you'd expect for a quality Irish pub - not cheap enough to make you suspicious, not expensive enough to make you resentful. You're paying for more than just the drink here; you're buying into an experience that's becoming increasingly rare in our Instagram-obsessed world. The parking situation is surprisingly civilized, with both street parking and a proper lot available - a detail that shouldn't matter but absolutely does after a few pints. They've even dragged themselves into the 21st century by accepting cards and contactless payments, though watching someone tap their phone to pay for a pint still feels somewhat sacrilegious in surroundings this traditional. For those keeping score, yes, there's a proper restroom (a detail that shouldn't need mentioning but anyone who's toured rural Irish pubs knows why this matters). The space accommodates groups without feeling like a wedding venue, and the wine selection, while not extensive, is perfectly adequate for those odd souls who come to an Irish pub for anything other than Guinness. Look, I came to Kennedy's Bar in Nenagh prepared to write my usual sardonic takedown of another overhyped local watering hole. Instead, I'm sitting here, several pints deep, wondering if I should delete my previous drafts and admit that sometimes, just sometimes, a pub actually deserves its reputation. If you're anywhere near Nenagh and you appreciate the art of a proper pint in surroundings that feel like a warm embrace, do yourself a favor and push open that door. Just don't tell them I sent you - I have a cynical reputation to maintain.