Hen Nightlife Guide to Dublin's North of the Liffey
| Top Reasons to Visit North of the Liffey |
|---|
 | Bars - Shoulder to shoulder, traditional boozers and quirky bars line the banks of the Liffey in this area |
 | Restaurants - The restaurants this side of the River Liffey have seen Taylor Swift and Bill Clinton indulge in fine dining. Are you ready for it? |
 | Music - Buskers and bands at every corner, except with less tourists in the way |
 | Shopping - The Jervis and the Ilac Shopping Centres are screaming out for your hen party kitty |
 | Art - Cocktails in an old church and spirits in a former confession box – is doesn’t get much more arty than this |
Most tourists tend to stick to the Temple Bar and more heard of nightlife zones, but straying just metres over the Liffey, you’ll experience a whole new world of authentic Dublin. This district has charm and character by the bucket load, as well as a whole load of craic thrown in there for good measure.
This network of streets even has Jameson Distillery within walking distance, and the Jervis and Ilac Shopping Centres close by. But, when you need a retail therapy break, the streets you’ll want to know about are O’Connell Street, Jervis Street and the adjacent Capel Street. These lively (but not crowded) areas have sleek bars and traditional pubs running harmoniously alongside each other. There’s even a basement boozer in the shell of an old church – sounds like heaven to us.
Top 10 Hen Do Pubs North of the Liffey
Just north of the picturesque River Liffey, over the waters from the iconic Temple Bar, lies a much less touristy nightlife zone with bags of charm and plenty of character to match – perfect for a Dublin hen party out of the busy city centre.
01. The Church Bar and Restaurant
www.thechurch.ieJervis St, North City, Dublin 1
If there was ever any reason to believe that Ireland is the place where dreams come true, it’s this place. The former church is Dublin’s most unique setting for a watering hole, not only because it’s a 300 year old former place of worship. As far as celebrity spotting goes, you won’t be disappointed in The Church; Taylor Swift and Billy Clinton have both dined in the restaurant here, and if an ex-President and a global superstar aren’t big enough names for you, you’re obviously Beyoncé herself. Hi Queen B. The humongous beer garden is also the largest outdoor space in the whole of the Irish capital, so when it gets sunny, you know where to head.
- No. of Bars: Three
- Beer Garden: Largest outdoor space in Dublin
- Live Music: Yes
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon – Weds: 10:30 – 23:00
Thurs: 10:30 – 23:30
Fri: 10:30 – 00:30
Sat: 10:30 – 01:30
Sun: 11:30 – 23:00
02. Yamamori Tengu
www.instagram.com/yamamoritengu/?hl=en37 Strand Street Great, North City, Dublin 1
The Black Sheep is certainly no outsider… Dublin’s finest craft and micro-brewery venue is a welcome retreat from the traditional boozers and leprechauns. Dedicated to beer, the Sheep has 23 delicious craft beers on tap and an ever-changing rotation of bottled beers. These beers are flown in from all over the world, should you get sick of Guinness, and rub shoulders (shelves…?) with impressive local brews. The beers are even paired with tasty food to soak up the hops. It may be a little off the beaten track, but once you are in – you’ll settle for the night.
- No. of Bars: One
- Beer Garden: No
- Live Music: Yes
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon – Weds: Closed
Thurs – Sun: 23:00 – 03:00
03. The Grand Social
www.thegrandsocial.ie35 Liffey Street Lower, North City, Dublin 1
Renowned across the city for its live music, The Grand Social sees DJs, musicians and performers regularly whipping the crowd up into a frenzy each night of the week. The Loft is the gorgeously appointed upstairs venue, with a fantastic sound system and boho circus vibe, where The Ballroom, set on the ground floor, is the party spot with all the biggest club nights – including the disco and funk Space Talk night. The Parlour is a small and intimate space looking out over the Ha’Penny Bridge, serving barista coffees and other hot drinks, perfect for the morning after.
- No. of Bars: Two
- Beer Garden: Yes
- Live Music: Yes
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon – Weds: 10:30 – 00:30
Thurs – Sat: 10:30 – 02:30
Sun: 11:30 – 00:30
04. Brannigans
www.brannigansbar.ie9 Cathedral St, North City, Dublin, D01 FH29, Ireland
Brannigans is a family run gastro pub and bar, that’s known for its warm and welcoming atmosphere. Not only does it serve all your classic Irish tipples such as Guinness (obviously), Irish craft beers, whiskeys and gins, but it also has a cracking food menu packed with traditional Irish food that has actually won awards (impressive!). You can also enjoy a spot of live sport here.
- No. of Bars: One
- Beer Garden: No
- Live Music: Yes
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon – Thurs: 12:00 – 23:30
Fri: 12:00 – 00:30
Sat: 10:30 – 00:30
Sun: 12:30 – 23:00
05. Confession Box
confessionbox.com88 Marlborough St, North City, Dublin 1
Got something you’d like to get off your chest? What exactly happened last night? Have all your hen party sins pardoned in Dublin’s Confession Box. This unique place was once used as an actual confession area for bishops seeking sympathetic priests, and still has religious paraphernalia adorning the walls. The cosy and intimate ‘box’ like interiors are everything you’d expect from a traditional pub, and they even host live music nights so you can sing along and tap your feet, happily in the knowledge that your sins have been accounted for.
- No. of Bars: Two
- Beer Garden: No
- Live Music: Yes
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon – Thurs: 11:30 – 23:30
Fri: 11:00 – 00:00
Sat: 11:30 – 00:30
Sun: 12:30 – 23:00
06. The Parnell Heritage Pub and Grill
theparnell.com72-74 Parnell St, North City, Dublin 1
Located on Parnell Street, this bar is the epitome of bars north of the River Liffey. The 19th century building is a heady and eclectic mix of traditionally Irish charm and glitzy, modern pub. Spread liberally over three floors, The Parnell Heritage Pub and Grill promises good music, good food, good company and good craic. And they don’t make a habit of breaking promises. The spacious, heated rooftop terrace sees the masses indulging in some drinking al fresco throughout the summer and the winter months. The award-winning traditional Irish food goes down a treat the morning after, too.
- No. of Bars: Three
- Beer Garden: Rooftop bar
- Live Music: Yes
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon – Thurs: 11:00 – 23:30
Fri - Sat: 11:00 – 00:30
Sun: 11:00 – 23:00
07. Slattery's Bar
slatterys.bar129 Capel Street, Dublin 1
Boasting a late night licence, Slattery’s is an example of pure, undiluted Dublin nightlife. Drinkers with the most stamina head to the pretty corner building of Slattery’s, to enjoy their favourite premium drinks with a generous helping of craic on the side. The authentic buzz you’ll get is unrivalled in this area, so much so, it’s seen big name Irish stars, like General Hux from Star Wars. There’s even a carvery and pub food menu to soak up a bit of that booze. Sounds car-very nice to us.
- No. of Bars: Two
- Beer Garden: No
- Live Music: Yes
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon: 07:00 – 00:00
Tues – Sat: 09:00 – 00:00
Sun: 12:00 – 23:00
08. The Hacienda Bar
www.facebook.com/haciendabar44 Arran St E, Smithfield, Dublin 7
Hola amigos, and welcome to the Hacienda. This pub is an edgy mix of Spanish villa meets the inside of a sea going vessel (sounds weird but it works). Nestled just behind Dublin’s renowned fruit and veg market, it’s full of locals who couldn’t pass without popping in for a swift one. But it’s not just locals drinking here, as the Hacienda has been known to attract an A-lister crowd, having seen the likes of Ed Sheeran, Matthew McConaughey, the Vikings cast and Kate Beckinsale, all enjoying a drink with the lovable landlord.
- No. of Bars: One
- Beer Garden: No
- Live Music: Yes
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon – Thurs: 20:00 – 23:30
Fri – Sat: 20:00 – 00:30
Sun: 20:00 – 23:00
09. The Black Sheep
www.galwaybaybrewery.com/blacksheep61 Capel St, Rotunda, Dublin 1
Attracting bearded hipster lads (contain yourselves, ladies), this is Dublin’s finest craft ale venue, with its very own micro-brewery in-house. Dedicated to beer, this place has 23 tasty craft beers on tap and a huge selection of bottled beers from all over the globe – guaranteed to please everybody in the group. The Black Sheep also rustles up a fantastic range of food, ideal for soaking up all that hoppy goodness and setting you on your merry way.
- No. of Bars: Two
- Beer Garden: No
- Live Music: Yes
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon – Sun: 12:00 – 23:30
10. Bar 1661
https://bar1661.ie1-5 Green St, Rotunda, Dublin, D07 YT6H, Ireland
Describing themselves as ‘staunchly Irish and fiercely independent’, this is where you wanna go if you love a whiskey because not only do they have a ton of Irish whiskey for you to try, they also have an extensive selection of world whiskey. They also have loads of poitín, formally known as Irish moonshine, which isn’t for the faint of heart, but is defo something to try whilst in Ireland. Voted Ireland’s bar of the year 2022, you don’t wanna give this a miss.
- No. of Bars: One
- Beer Garden: No
- Live Music:No
- Fancy Dress: No
- Happy Hours: No
- Opening Times:
Mon – Thurs: 17:00 – 23:30
Fri: 17:00 – 00:30
Sat: 14:00 – 00:30
Sun: 14:00 – 23:00