We were fortunate to experience Le Basement during our time in Dublin…read more It's located on the second floor of a restaurant in a small office sized room with a bar, sofa seats, and a few dining tables. When we came they had a band already playing. It was honestly like an American jam sess where people can come up and sing and perhaps play if the request is honored. My husband asked the guitarist if he could join and the guitarist was gracious enough to loan him his guitar and pick as we are foreigners and didn't pack his guitar for our trip. He was able to play for about three songs and it was amazing to see the two cultures mix and mingle on stage. You could tell that the vibe changed throwing him in the mix. I would imagine this magical mix occurs each time they invite any unique talent that visits Le Basement. The drinks were inexpensive, the environment was welcoming, and the music was soulful.

A hidden gem in the heart of Dublin's nightlife, and what a great discovery! Located on Dame Lane…read morejust across from the popular 4 Dame Lane, Le Basement offers a unique evening experience for Dublin. Presented in a similar style to the famous Parisian Jazz clubs, you descend the stairs to a small and atmospheric room with soft lighting and comfortable leather seating. There is decent quality beer on tap and array of the usual alcohol options available with a decent looking menu if you fancy a bite to eat (although I did not). Most evenings around the weekend there is a live Jazz act and, on the night I was there, we had a delightful lady singer with a fantastic voice and a great support band. Table service is available and the staff are friendly and prompt. There is a cover charge ranging from €5 to €8 depending on who is playing. Le Basement is part of Le Cirk - a hotel/bar on Dame Street. If you are looking for a romantic spot to take your partner or just a place to appreciate some quality jazz tunes, then look no further. I highly recommend Le Basement.

The newly opened restaurant, I was invited there for a blogger event…read more Enjoyed the night, staff and the owner put real effort into welcoming us, enjoyed my Proseco and Canapes, it's a very affordable place for a bite to eat and they have live music on. Location is perfect ! Right in the middle of Temple Bar! Worth a visit!

I was walking through temple bar the other day and just happened to notice this place, it is just…read morearound the corner from Elephant & Castle. One of the main things that caught my eye was the BYOB sign because at this stage I have done Zakura and Mushashi to death and have been on the lookout for another good BYOB in Dublin. While I think this place is only BYOB while the liquor licence is being processed they offer you a free bottle of wine when you spend €50! I booked a table for 9 girls on saturday and no surprises we all arrived a bit late but the staff were extremely friendly. There was a great little jazz duo playing in the restaurant and the atmosphere and vibes in the place were great. Since the Cork Jazz festival earlier this year I have found myself a new found jazz fan! When they finished their set the duo came up to speak to us and see how we enjoyed their show and the whole thing was a very personal and intimate experience. So lets get to the important stuff - the food!! Myself and two other girls shared the calamari and the prawn cocktail to start. Simple dishes but done very well. The calamari was just right, I hate when it is too thick. The prawn cocktail was done with a kind of blood mary twist and was equally nice! For my mains I got beef cheeks which were delicious, albeit a little bit heavy for me. The seafood risotto was very good and the scallops were cooked perfectly. However I have to say my favourite of all the main courses was The Jazz Cafe's take on fish and chips. The batter was lightly done and the fish was just right. At this stage I was too full for desert but did get a nice macchiato. At one stage in the night the fire alarm went off and was extremely loud but to be honest everyone in the restaurant seemed in such good form that it was just a funny addition to the night. The best part of the night was when the humble bill arrived and came to €25 a head!!! This place is only open a week but I would imagine it wont be long before it is one of the go to spots for a nice romantic or group dinner at the weekend!!

Oh my Lord, what a night!…read more I've been wanting to go to the Ruby Sessions for ages and finally made it this Tuesday night. I'd heard it's good but nothing more and didn't know what to expect. Especially as it goes quite late on a Tuesday night, was hoping it lived up to its reputation for me to forego an early night before work the next day. AND, it did. In fact, surpassed my expectations. If you are a huge music fan and want to enjoy original live music even when it's not coming from the biggest known names in the industry, then Ruby sessions hits the spot to say the least. And with some big names dropping in every once in a while, it's not hard to understand why. It's the type of night that has earnt its reputation fair and square where you hear the different acts perform completely mesmerised and you wouldn't be surprised if a few years down the line those same performer's names will be on everyone's lips because they are just brimming with talent oozing out of them. The fact that they perform original music too and manage to entertain is not to be taken for granted either. There are many talented musicians who don't manage to compel audiences unless singing covers and many people don't enjoy listening to songs they've never heard. Not a problem at the ruby sessions as every single performer is just amazingly talented at what they do. I left feeling like kicking myself for having taken so long to make it round to this. The best bit of all, despite the sessions taking place weekly for the past 16 years, the venue remains small, upstairs at Doyle's, I'd guess about a 50 strong crowd in total, makes you feel like you've gone upstairs into a well kept secret that only the privileged few know about and you are rewarded by being entertained by some seriously talented peeps in return. I've no doubt this will now become part of at least a semi-regular routine for me, and just another reason why I feel blessed to live in this fair city of Dublin with it's hidden underbelly of art & music and talent that even a lot of the bigger cities worldwide just can't rival!

I went there last tuesday and the session was soooo great! The room is quite small but was totally…read morefull and I've had the chance to seat just in front of the stage. Artists were litterally one meter beyond me! What a great experience to listen and watch talented singers and musicians just for 6€ and during 2 hours! I think this place will become my future tuesday nights' spot!

Located below the Lower Deck, Bello Bar is definitely one of the best Music Venues I have been in…read moreDublin. This warm and cosy place is ideal for either vibrant gigs or low key intimate performances. The Bar in partnership with Donkey Jaw Productions, is bringing the best Bands from Dublin and all around Ireland on Sundays, starting at 8pm. A friend of mine recommended this venue to me, and after checking it out on Facebook I learned that is the newest Music Venue in Town. So if you love live music from Soul, Funk to Blues or Latin, you just have to keep an eye on their facebook page to find out what is going on every Sunday Night...

This place is a revelation to me. I remember going to this venue once before for a small time gig;…read morea friend of a friends band was playing. But the space had since closed down, which was a shame. Now reopened since 2013 as a Jazz music venue, we paid 8 EUR after making the descent and entered a placer cooler than a hipsters bicycle. The bar and initial lounge was laid out well, which some funky décor and candles on tables. Next was the stage area, which was down a few steps, where there are more tables adorned with candles. Keep going to the left you are met with The Sitting Room, an area which is just that, a comfy sitting room. Back at the bar we spy craft beers - hurrah! I first go for a brewdog Punk IPA, but then switch to their 5am Saint. Both lovely beers. Due to the fabulous recent weather, the audience was slow to fill and as a result the music started a lot later than envisaged by the promoters. But when it did get started, my gosh was it a cracking set. The band was called Mages Takotak, French I believe. They were excellent. I'm no jazz expert, but we all really enjoyed the show. Alas by the time the second band had started, I had to go... it was a school night after all and as much as I would have loved to have stayed, I just couldn't Highly recommended and I definitely will be back.

Excellent bar…read more Dark.... divey... bluesy... rocky... not really sure. But I really like it. The decor is a mish mash of traditional Irish pub stuff (sign posts and car reg plates) to Rock Bar (Thin Lizzy posters) to Dive Bar (darkly lit with fairy lights). They had a mixed selection of mainstream and micro brewery beer. No craft cider though. But they have toasties! The look and smell delicious. Full after an earlier meal, we didn't order any in this occasion. But next time... Staff were great, served with a welcoming smile. There was plenty of banter between one batman and the regulars. I'll definitely be back, if only for the funny graffiti in the ladies.

Situated opposite the ultra-hip Dice Bar, Frank Ryan's is an antidote to the more "look-at-me"…read moreexcesses of its neighbour. As if to bear this out, it is very popular with local residents, with one of the key attractions being the pool table at the rear. Reminiscent of the idealised student haunt, Frank Ryan's seems to exist in permanent twilight, presided over by the amiable Tadhg and his better half. The ideal place to while away a Saturday afternoon - and sure once you're there, tyou might as well stay for the evening as well.

Exactly what you expect. Comfortable no-nonsence bar with great service and better drinks.read more

Thomas House is a nice little punk pub that is a 15 minutes walk outside of city centre & away from…read morethe Crazy ass tourists. It reminded me of a place I used to go to in Bellflower called Midway. The only difference is they have good punk music. The beer was excellent and I must quote them on this, "no sissy drinks like an apple martini." I will forever be grateful to this pub as I discovered St. Bernardus. Only the best beer in the world and it's made by Monks. Something about the rich flavors in it made for a climatic experience. As I drank that pint, I tasted all it had to offer. It's dark with a full, ivory-colored head. It was amazing, try it and don't hesitate to go to a punk bar in Dublin, Ireland when you get a chance. Cheers!

What a great little find. Not on the super touristy road, but a delight nonetheless-the-less. We…read morewaited a bit to be seated, but otherwise it was a quick service. I recommend reviewing the menu before arrival. The Beef Stew was absolutely the start dish. Great flavors, textures, and temp. A herbal delightful dish with some veggies and great mashed potatoes. The fish and chips were good, the batter light on flavor but still fresh. && the house white wine was wonderful. They do have a courtyard for drinks if that is more your fancy. If in the area, stop by this place is great!

The Fish & Chips was a good item to get. The Seafood Chowder was on the salty side. The wings, beef…read morestew, and caesar salad were decent compared to what we tried at other pubs. Everything went well with a pint of Beamish ale. Had to visit the proclaimed oldest pub in Ireland and it didn't feel too touristy. The pub is bigger than it seemed from the outside, with a courtyard where most visitors were, a dining hall, and a pub area where we sat since there was no wait. Note didn't finish everything ordered, so go on an empty stomach unlike us.

The Globe is one of those pubs that's good but nobodies favorite. It can be jammers or vacant,…read moreamazing or disastrous and company varies just as much as anywhere else. However, I had an amazing few pints there last night. From both barmen. So I'll be going back for that alone. I also saw Catherine Lynch. I also didn't care.

they have great deals on the night, which is brilliant. The…read morebar is cosy and the customers are the general 18-40 age. With live music etc. Good spot to pull in tourists and also great live music nights even though the stage is small.

One of my favorite memories happened at the Leeson Lounge. I can't say that I was entirely sober…read morefor the event because the more we played, the more Guinness I was offered. I'd recommend this place for one of the freshest pints in Dublin, and some of the best live music money can buy, but absolutely free. How can you beat that.

Packed full on match days, the Leeson Lounge is a great Dublin pub. It's right next door to…read moreO'Brien's (I often confuse them) and they both share a similar gang. The Leeson Lounge definitely has a bit of a younger crew and it's a great spot on a Friday. They do food at lunchtime too and have been known to be quite laid back about bringing your own food from the pizza place across the road! Good pints and good banter.

I was hoping for an Irish pub experience and totally got it from The Stag's Head. Even the name…read morefulfilled expectations! The decor is exactly what I imagined, complete with stained glass and a real stag's head. Ordered the fish and chips, which were crisp on the outside with a flavorful batter, and tender fish on the inside. It also came with a nice little pea salad, with mushy peas and whole peas together with the greens. I definitely need to make this! Also got the Irish Cottage Pie and it was very tasty - rich in flavor but lighter than I expected, in a good way. Shared a pint of Guiness (just missed splitting the G - lol) and finished with an Irish coffee, which hit the spot. This is definitely a great place to go for a quiet pint or for a fun night of food and friends.

Great Irish pub! Lots of character and friendly servers…read more Come here if you want to good Irish pub experience. Recommended by a local and some college students - so you know it's good. We got their fish & chips and Irish Cottage Pie. Both were very good and filling. Fish was nicely breaded and fried. Good flavor in their batter. Cottage pie was full of flavor but not overly rich. Great atmosphere and food/drinks. Lots of pubs to choose from in Dublin - Stag's Head is worthy of a visit.