In Ireland there are always three must-visits: Cliffs of Moher, the Giant’s Causeway and an Irish pub. Therefore, in this article we have compiled some of the pubs you need to visit on your next trip to Belfast.
🍺 Top 6 pubs you must visit in Belfast
📍Crown Liquor Saloon
It is one of the most beautiful pubs in the world, and an institution in the city of Belfast, you can’t leave the city without having a Crown Belfast here!
Crown Liquor Saloon is characterised by its Italian-influenced style and keeping the snugs. Now part of the National Trust, it’s one of the best places to see in Belfast.
📍Duke of York
It’s almost universally true that the Duke of York is one of the busiest pubs in the city. It’s tucked away on a cobbled street in one of the oldest parts of Belfast.
In fact, if you ever walk around Belfast after 5 or 6pm and the streets are deserted, the whole city is probably in Duke of York, where the real atmosphere of the city is.
This is where the band Snow Patrol played their first gig.
If you’re in Belfast on a summer’s evening and fancy a pint, Duke of York is the place for you. Plus, you’re sure to end up making lots of Irish friends.
📍The Dirty Onion
This pub is famous for being located in one of the oldest buildings in Belfast.
The Dirty Onion is the pub itself. It has one of the most appetising terraces in the summer (and one of the biggest in Belfast), with live music and where the craft beers are a big hit. And if you get hungry, there’s a restaurant upstairs called Yardbird, whose speciality is chicken.
📍The Thirsty Goat
This pub wasn’t really on my list. I ended up here thinking I’d walked into The Dirty Onion (they’re located right next door), after having had my boots on at The Busen, one of the best places to eat in Belfast.
Even so, The Thirsty Goat turned out to be a pleasant surprise. And an ideal place for those looking for a beer in a peaceful atmosphere.
Summer atmosphere, live music, Irish people singing from their seats and a beer in hand – what more could you ask for from the city?
📍The Dark Horse
Next door to the Duke of York is The Dark Horse.
If you’re a Game of Thrones lover, you’ll know that the Dark Edges is one of the locations used for the filming of the series in Northern Ireland. Apparently, a storm blew down one of the Dark Edges trees and ten doors were made from the wood.
Guess where one of those Door of Thrones can be found? Yes, in this pub!
📍The Jail House
The city of Belfast is full of curious stories that often escape many travellers, such as the story of Henry and the Jail House.
For example, in the centre of Belfast there are certain narrow streets called “[Insert Name] Entry”. One of these – where these pubs are located – is Joy’s Entry, which connects Ann Street to the High Street.
This particular entry takes its name from an important family: Joy.
The Jailhouse, on the other hand, was a real prison where prisoners waited until their trial before being sent to their own death in the Cornmarket. Hence it retains its name “Jailhouse”.
But who is Henry and what does he have to do with Joy’s Entry and the Jailhouse?
Henry Joy McCracken was the founder of the Society of United Irishmen in 1795. After several coups d’état, he was arrested and taken to the Jailhouse awaiting transfer to the Cornmarket.
The Henry and the Jailhouse project wanted to give the former McCracken’s Café a facelift to preserve the history of the place. Some say Henry still hangs around here…. 👻
Other charming pubs in Belfast
These places were on my places-to-visit list in Belfast. If you get a chance to unveil the mystery behind them, leave it in the comments 🙂
- Threehouse
- The Perch
- 5A Lockview Road