Best Pubs in Belfast

A traditional Belfast bar crammed with original mirrors and memorabilia, cold beer, great Guinness and the largest selection of Irish whiskeys in Ireland. Catch live music Thursday-Sundays including traditional, acoustic and rock. (Snow Patrol first played there in 1998!). The extensive smoking area outside is festooned with award-winning flowers and street art.

The Crown Bar is one of the most famous pubs in Belfast. Known as the Crown Liquor Saloon, it was originally a Victorian gin palace in Great Victoria Street. Step in to discover a traditional pub of unique character, revered for its eclectic range of real ales and its heartily classic pub food, which are served, as they should be, with a generous measure of famous Irish hospitality. Dating back to 1826, it is now owned by the National Trust and has been sympathetically restored over the years.

Robinsons houses five bars in one. On the ground floor Saloon, you’ll find original memorabilia from the Titanic including the famous Philomena Doll recovered from the wreckage, while letters and postcards written onboard the iconic ship sit alongside first and second class china used on all White Star Liners. Steeped in Irish tradition and packed to the rafters with little bits of history, the back bar, Fibber Magees, is the genuine article. Pull up a stool by the open fire and enjoy tunes from traditional musicians, every night of the week.

The Garrick Bar is a traditional pub in the heart of the city centre serving food every day from 12pm. Well known for trad music sessions and showing sport regularly. Check out their beer and Irish Whiskey selection, Irish Coffees and now its Belfast Coffees.

The Morning Star bar and restaurant is a must for anyone wanting to see a living museum piece of old Belfast. The Morning Star is easily identified by the superb Victorian sign hanging from a grandly exuberant iron bracket jutting out from the corner of the bar. Another great rarity is the Winged Lion of St Mark sitting proudly on the corner. The building is historically listed and can trace its history back to 1810, when it was mentioned in The Belfast Newsletter as being one of the terminals for the Belfast to Dublin Mail Coach. The downstairs bar has its original mahogany counter with its old terrazzo floor.

Belfast’s first tavern license was granted in 1630 to the building where Whites now stands, making it the oldest of its kind in Belfast. The building has a great depth and history, from housing the Tavern as we know it, to a hotel and also many wine and spirit merchants. It is said that the Bateson family established the first wine and spirit store in Winecellar Entry. In 1868, the establishment known as The Oyster Rooms was born. Proprietor John Walker, a fish monger and spirit merchant by trade set up shop in Winecellar Entry. Now re-born with the history at heart, the tavern is a place to eat, socialise and enjoy live music. Open seven days a week, call in for Guinness how it should be!

Henrys, named after historic Belfast figure and United Irish man Henry Joy McCracken, has been a pub for over 100 years. Call into this Joys Entry bar for great drinks, traditional food, live music and plenty of history. Henrys Public House and adjoining sister bar The Jailhouse, offer a fantastic range of traditional food, local drinks and entertainment alongside the rich history of our name sake Henry Joy and the heritage of Joys Entry and the buildings with in it.

In 1901, the original Fountain Tavern was established, and has been feeding and watering Belfast ever since. The bar survived until World War II when it was severely damaged during the famous Belfast blitz. In 1955 the premises was rebuilt and re-opened to the public. Fountain Lane was then restored and launched in October 2019. They strive to develop and capture the essence of Fountain Lane through their great local grub, local drinks, live traditional music, great Belfast history and craic each and every day in the heart of Belfast city centre.

The Points is a traditional Irish pub situated in the heart of Dublin Road Belfast. This warm inviting Irish traditional bar focuses on whiskeys & ales with traditional live music 7 nights a week! Head down on a Friday or Saturday evening to see their Irish dancers put on a show. Complimentary Irish Language lessons every Monday from 7.30pm.

Acting as a gateway to the Cathedral Quarter and only a 5-minute walk from Belfast city hall, this versatile yet stylish establishment offers the best in local produce as well as great Belfast hospitality. Whether it’s to dance a Saturday night away on the tiles or enjoy a hearty Sunday lunch with the family, the luxurious surrounds of the Northern Whig are a no-brainer when choosing your city centre destination.

The Jailhouse, and adjoining sister bar Henrys, offers a fantastic range of traditional food, local drinks and entertainment alongside the rich history of their name sake Henry Joy. Call into this history-soaked building for cocktails, light bites, breakfast and dinner all under the original beams and barred windows.

This beautiful traditional pub is in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter, facing Belfast’s most prestigious five-star hotel, The Merchant. It offers weekly trad sessions inside its humble surroundings and sports a music room for Irish culture events and art exhibitions. The pub offers a large outdoor beer garden and is part of The Dirty Onion bar complex

The Errigle Inn is known as one of Ireland’s most famous traditional pubs with a great history for excellent music and atmosphere. The Errigle Inn has a reputation for serving fabulous food, drink and entertainment. The Errigle Inn has a variety of over twenty different beers on tap that include not only the big names like Guinness, Heineken, Becks, Carlsberg and Coors, but also a variety of craft beers and a few great quality draughts which are a little harder to come by in Belfast, such as Blue Moon, Samuel Adams, Erdinger, Peroni and Asahi.

The Dirty Onion is Belfast’s oldest building with real Irish music and craic, seven nights a week. Dating back to 1780, the building was used as a bonded spirit warehouse from 1921. It was then known as STACK N, a reference to its position on the north side of Waring Street and still bears a giant red painted N on its brick faade. The distinctive external wooden structure is another original feature, which, following careful restoration, frames the venue’s beer garden to the front of the complex, with a new contemporary courtyard stretching out to Hill Street.

Belfast’s oldest family-owned pub–live music, sports, pool tables, tasty grub and a vibrant atmosphere for socialising & fun. Experience authentic Irish hospitality – upon entering Lavery’s, you’ll be greeted with a warm atmosphere & friendly staff. With multiple bars and a diverse range of entertainment options, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Sample the very best of west Belfast’s world-renowned Irish hospitality and indulge in a new culinary experience at the Roddy McCorley Republican Heritage Centre. Sit back and relax in the Corrib Bar and Lounge with their range of drink offers.

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