Gracie's Bar Sligo

Just what Sligo needed - another pub claiming to serve "the best pint of Guinness" in town. Gracie's Bar Sligo materialized on the scene with all the familiar trappings: dark wood, promises of "authentic atmosphere," and locals swearing it's different from the other dozen watering holes within stumbling distance. I arrived determined to find fault, armed with years of pub criticism and a healthy skepticism of anywhere that broadcasts live sports while simultaneously attempting to maintain cocktail bar pretensions.

I'll grudgingly admit my first impression wasn't terrible. Gracie's Bar Sligo has somehow managed to thread the needle between traditional Irish pub and modern establishment without completely botching either. The interior stops just short of theme-park-Irish, which is more than I can say for half the pubs in this town.

The Guinness? Fine, I'll say it - it's exceptional. The pour is methodical, the settle time respected like a religious observation, and the temperature perfect enough to make even Dublin publicans nod in approval. I watched the barman execute it with the kind of precision usually reserved for brain surgery or defusing bombs. It's irritating when places actually deliver on their bragging rights.

What's more annoying is that they're not content to rest on their perfectly-poured laurels. The cocktail program would be at home in establishments charging twice as much in cities ten times the size. Their Devil's Chimney cocktail (named, I assume, after the local waterfall) is the kind of drink that makes you forget you came in planning to stick to pints. During their Friday cocktail special, you can sample two for €15, which is the kind of value that makes me question my life choices as a critic.

The staff situation presents an interesting paradox. When they're attending to you, the service is surprisingly competent - knowledgeable about both the traditional pub offerings and the more ambitious cocktail menu. However, catching their attention during peak hours requires the patience of a saint or the strategic positioning of a military tactician. I've seen shorter queues at Vatican City during Easter.

Live music here doesn't assault your eardrums with the usual pub fare of butchered Van Morrison covers. The programming shows actual thought, with a mix of traditional and contemporary that manages to please both the tourists and the locals who've heard "Brown Eyed Girl" enough times to last several lifetimes.

For sports enthusiasts (I reluctantly count myself among them), they've managed to create viewing areas that don't transform the entire establishment into a screaming arena. The inclusion of Gaelic sports in their regular rotation is a thoughtful touch that probably shouldn't be as rare as it is in Sligo.

The food menu... well, here's where I expected to maintain my cynical stance, but they've gone and ruined that too. It's pub fare, yes, but executed with more care than necessary. When they bring you chips, they actually remember the condiments (most of the time), and when they don't, management actually seems to care about making it right. It's the kind of attentiveness that makes it harder to maintain my professional dissatisfaction.

Let's talk about the practical stuff: They take cards (including contactless), which shouldn't be noteworthy in 2025 but somehow still is in some Irish pubs. Street parking is available, though you might need to circle the block a few times during peak hours. They accept reservations, which I strongly recommend for weekend evenings unless you enjoy practicing your standing-at-bar endurance skills.

The location, in the heart of Sligo, makes it dangerously convenient for both locals and tourists. It's walking distance from most hotels and exactly where you'd want a proper pub to be - accessible enough for your first drink of the evening and close enough to stumble back to when you've had your last.

Look, I didn't want to like Gracie's Bar Sligo. I really didn't. But sometimes a place comes along that forces you to retire your well-cultivated cynicism, if only temporarily. Whether you're after a perfect pint, a craft cocktail that wouldn't be out of place in a major metropolitan bar, or just a spot to watch the match without feeling like you've wandered into a football riot, you'll find it here. Just don't tell them I sent you - I have a reputation to maintain.