Pygmalion, South William Street
€€ | DJs, late licence
Dublin does traditional pubs brilliantly; this is isn’t one of them. Tucked inside Powerscourt Townhouse on South William Street, Pyg is one of the better arguments for leaving Temple Bar behind. The terrace on Coppinger Row is the steady start: busy, good for cocktails, and perfect for people watching. But downstairs is the reason it’s on this list. The basement is dark, compact and loud, with DJs on late and enough of a late-night edge to take it well beyond just one drink. It’s not the cheapest night out, but by Dublin standards — and certainly compared with Temple Bar — it feels far less offensive. Order the Spicy Cucumber and thank us later.
Good to know: The door is 21+. Start on the terrace, but don’t let the terrace become the whole night.
HYDE Dublin, Lemon Street
€€€ | Cocktails, DJs, nightclub
Another one for anyone not in Dublin purely for pints and trad sessions; HYDE is glossy, central, and built for a night that wants to go past cocktails. Set across four floors on Lemon Street, between Grafton and Dawson, it has five bars, a rooftop, and a nightclub in the basement. It won’t give you old-school Dublin. It’s modern, bright but with the rare Dublin bonus of a €5 Guinness, which in this economy feels like Christmas has come earl. It will give you a full night out without having to leave the building.
Good to know: Double check what’s on before going: Sexy Dancing used to be their club night, but their seems to be a changeover happening (slowly).
Nolita Dublin, South Great George’s Street
€€€ | DJs, cocktails, late licence
Nolita is technically an Italian restaurant and cocktail bar, but that undersells what happens after 10pm. It’s New York-speakeasy-meets-burlesque-theatre: polished enough for cocktails, lively enough that you’ll almost definitely spot at least three hen parties before the night is over. At the weekend you’ve got live music, DJs, the occasional sax player, and a room that goes from seated drinks to everyone singing along without much warning. It gets busy, and then it gets very busy, but that’s part of the charm. No entry fee, decent cocktails, a 2.30am close and music built for dancing rather than posing.
Good to know: Book a table if you want a base early on. After 10pm, expect it to be packed.
Dicey’s Garden, Harcourt Street
€ | DJs, nightclub
Dicey’s is not here to be chic. Far from. It is cheap, loud and extremely committed to a lively night out. Set on Harcourt Street with one of the biggest beer gardens in Dublin, it’s the reliable late-night spot for a reason: affordable drinks, packed dancefloors, great music and a crowd that skews younger, louder and far less concerned with looking composed. It can be too much, but it might also be exactly what you need? Not the refined option, not the romanticised Dublin option, not somewhere to go if anyone in the group is still trying to be elegant.
Good to know: Entry is usually around €10 and can be hit-or-miss later on. Do not wear shoes you’re emotionally attached to.
Bad Bobs Temple Bar, Temple Bar
€€ | Live music, late bar
The Temple Bar exception. Bad Bobs is touristy, obviously, but done in the best way. Five floors on East Essex Street, live music every night, resident DJs later, and a Friday-Saturday saxophonist that gives the whole thing a welcome touch of theatre. It’s unpretentious, group-friendly and much better later than it looks early on. The rooftop is useful when you need air or a quieter round; downstairs is the reason people stay. Is it subtle? Absolutely not. But for one big, loud, everyone-knows-the-words night in Temple Bar, it’s perfect.
Good to know: Free entry every day.
Cafe en Seine, Dawson Street
€€€ | DJs, late licence
The grand dame of (posh) Dublin nights out. Open since 1993 and still ridiculously good-looking, Cafe en Seine brings a bit of art deco to Dawson Street: glass ceilings, Parisian details, a huge central bar and an indoor-outdoor street garden that spills onto Anne’s Lane. Come here when the group needs somewhere impressive, easy and reliably lively. DJs, live performers and the atmosphere keep it from feeling like a pretty room with nowhere to go. Not subtle, not niche, but for a hen weekend or a one-off night out, we’d recommend.
Good to know: Best for groups who need a no-drama crowd-pleaser. It gets busy, but the scale helps.
