Lavery&#x27;s

Well, being as my last several reviews have been either Haikus, Songs or poems I figured I would do…read moreanother one while here enjoying various places around Belfast, Ireland. Here's an Irish folksong-style review of Fibber Magees: Oh, Fibber Magees, a pub so grand, In Belfast town, it takes a stand. With friendly staff and patrons too, It's the place to be, that much is true. For traditional Irish music, you can't beat, The sessions they hold, you'll stomp your feet. And on a Monday night, you'll hear with glee, The Buckmad Bhoys, a sight to see. They mix the old with the new, you see, From fiddle tunes to heavy metal, it's a spree. And their fiddle player, oh what a treat, Oh you know, He'll have you tapping your feet. So come on down to Fibber Magees, And raise a pint, with friends and glee. For a great night out, with music and cheer, It's the place to be, it's crystal clear.

We came in here when we were heading somewhere else and to our surprise and luck some live music…read morewas getting started. This was very fun. The place is nice but the crowd definitely made the experience less than stellar. Obviously when it's crowded you lack personal space but some people were just so oblivious and downright shoving. Everyone is here for a good time but we can still be polite.

Great folk band!

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The Tap House

3.8(6 reviews)

0.1 mi

I'm gonna take the opportunity to give a little bit of praise to a great bar that has an…read moreunfortunate connection to a terrible night club, known as scratch. I'm talking about the Tap House. The Tap House is a tiny little bar which is decorated is tonnes of kitch little pictures, pop art and football memorabilia. The bar provides a relaxed atmosphere which to enjoy a drink in interesting and comfortable surroundings. The pool table is almost vintage compared to the usual pool tables in pubs. It has leather pockets and stands on awesomely carved legs (maybe I like this table a little to much). There's no charge, all there is to do is hope its free and enjoy a game. In terms of cost, a pint is around £3.10 which is reasonable for Belfast (sadly!) and food is served until 8pm. The Tap House proudly sports a Taste of Ulster plague on its walls so you can be confident the food is locally sourced.

A really top-notch bar with great prices, a pool table and always a good atmosphere to go and chill…read moreout and catch up with friends. As other reviewers have mentioned, this bar is unfortunately associated with Scratch Nightclub, but this place couldn't be further from it. It has a lovely look and I love the decorations and the entire vibe of the place. The prices are excellent if you are going in for a bite to eat and a pint as you get a free drink with any main meal served. Its such good value you will wonder if they have under charged you but it really is that good. The pool table is a good addition as it allows a bit of banter and gets the conversation going, as does the dartboard. Not many people know about this place, despite its brilliant location just off Botanic Avenue, so there is always a seat and a nice, laid back atmosphere.

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Red Devil Bar

4.0(2 reviews)

1.1 mi

The Red Devil was our second stop on our West Belfast pub tour. After having a couple of pints in…read morethe Beehive, we made our way over to the Red Devil. We stepped inside and new right away that we were in a "local" pub. The regulars were all talking to each other and everything grew quiet as soon as we stepped in. The silence, however, was short lived. As soon as we ordered a couple of pints, the bartenders and a couple of gents at the bar were chatting our ears off. Guinness seems to get cheaper the farther away you move from the City Centre and the Red Devil was no exception. I don't recall if they have a full bar available, but there is an off license run by the bar right next door. It was one of those types of places where you walk into the off license and it turns out to be the bartender that you were just talking to a few seconds before.

If your soft, I'd say tread lightly. If you're a loyalist I'd tell you to start running now…read more Politics aside, this is one of the most genuine bars in Catholic West Belfast. It's a Celtic and Man U pub, but it's even more local than that. The local football club Willowbank "The Bank" consider this home. And the Cliftonville FC is also strongly supported. The clientele are tough 'Salt of the Earth' Catholics who will warm your heart or beat you to a pulp depending on your behavior. I guess the highest praise I can give the Red Devil is if I'm ever in Belfast this is where I'm going. Great down to Earth people.

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The Parlour

3.5(22 reviews)

0.4 mi•Queen Quarter

I really like The Parlour. I've only ever visited during early evening and lunch time, so can't…read morevouch for its credentials as a night time spot. However, there's a tranquil vibe to this place, the staff are amiable and I just feel right at home here. I've also only ever visited outside the main student times, so I don't view it as a student bar at all - which it probably is. The decor is pleasant with super comfy sofas, armchairs and huge sturdy wooden dinning tables. Food is perfectly good pub grub - burgers, wings, pizzas etc (the goats cheese pizza is especially delicious - and amusingly named 'Pure Class' on the menu - only in Belfast haha!). Prices are low, drink is good and there's a superb, sun-trap of a beer garden out back. All in all, a prime spot to relax with friends and enjoy a reasonably priced, informal and easy-going few hours. Love it!

My first trip to the Parlour was way back before I ever made it to University. Coming from a small…read moretown, any pub in the bright lights of Belfast shone brighter than anything I had ever seen before. It is only three years after which I feel my judgement on what is good and what is bad in Belfast can actually hold some resonace. The Parlour is quite literally a stone's throw from the front of Queen's University, one of the most prestigious universities this side of the continent. Obviously with Queen's, and in turn the Student Union opposite, you are more than likely going to bump into a student or two. Chances are they will be very friendly. The loutish students tend to go elsewhere. Upon entering the Parlour, you will notice how clean and spacious it is. Pubs tend to ram in as many people as possible, yet the Parlour has a more relaxed atmosphere. The tunes are pumping, but not at the sort of level where your ears bleed and the only way to speak to anyone is through a series of dangerous hand gestures. I have been in many places where drinks have taken a tumble because people cannot understand my erratic gestures. Thankfully, for both me and my friends, The Parlour poses no such difficulty. Upstairs usually hosts themed club-esque nights where most of the scantally clad clientele would go. It is free in which is a massive benefit to anybody and the music varies throughout the week so there is guaranteed to be at least one night where you bring your dancing shoes. A recent introduction has been the smoking area/lounge area out the back, complete with bbq, picnic benches and mini beach. The Parlour, unlike many other pubs I have stepped into, makes actually nice food!! Fancy that?! The food is far from the microwavable, cheap rubbish you would usually associate with pubs. Here, the food is tasty, reasonably cheap, and made infront of you in a huge stone pizza oven. The menu specialises in the £5 meal and portions tend to be well stacked but from personal experience, you cannot beat a pizza. The Parlour has offers on a variety of drinks, from wines, cocktails, beers, etc. Something for everyone, whether you are a student after a "hard" day's work, or a 9-5 person who has actually earned a drink! The Parlour in that respect has something for everyone. No matter what you go in the door for, you are likely to enjoy it and recommend it to your friends.

From website

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The Crown Liquor Saloon

3.8(215 reviews)

0.4 mi•City Centre

On our last day in Belfast, I said I need to experience dining in or have a drink at The Crown Bar…read more I was lucky enough to get a reservation at the dining room upstairs. The ground floor bar area was packed and busy! It was a good vibes. We sat and had dinner in a quiet setting upstairs. We enjoyed our food and drinks. My margarita was delicious. The lamb irish stew was yummy, finished it. It was a great experience!

I wanted a place where I could try multiple classic traditional Irish dishes, and I found this…read moreplace - a very popular spot! During the time I visited, it wasn't very packed so I was seated swiftly. The kind staff accommodated my request to get a corner table. The vibe can be describe is a classic. I really enjoyed all the dark stained wood furniture - gave it such an "old Irish saloon" vibe...maybe because it is haha. I did not have much time to spend in Belfast, so I tried to taste as many traditional dishes as possible with being just one person. With that being said, I ordered a few of their notable dishes - Crown Bar Irish Stew, Steak & Ale Pie, and to finish it off, the Sticky Toffee Pudding served with both the custard and ice cream (really thankful the server offered to give me two toppings, and they were both delicious). All the dishes were great, and are definitely hearty. The stew as well as the pie filling had a rich roux - nice, thick and flavorful. I will say, the pie pastry was not as flaky as I would have liked it; kind of too thick. Overall, it was a great taste of Ireland

Wooden Dragon

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Margarita

Molly's Yard

4.3(41 reviews)

0.2 mi

•£££

Great vegetarian options. I loved the fried halloumi. There was a vegan chowder option but they…read moreaccidentally gave me the fish one the side of bread was very good and they gave me the chowder to go as an apology. The fries were really good and the restaurant was beautiful.

Lovely calm vibe, and fantastic food! Staff was friendly and very accommodating when we arrived…read morebefore our reservation.

Burger

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Upstairs

Royal Bar

3.5(4 reviews)

0.1 mi•City Centre

Bad barread more

Wow! That's all I have to say! Early morning beers, friendly staff, incredible people watching...read more

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This explains some of it

Rose & Crown

3.3(4 reviews)

0.5 mi

This is one of the pubs we would often frequent as students as the pints are good and the…read moreatmosphere really cool and chilled out. It also helped that we could literally roll out the door and away home to Rugby Avenue! Happy Days! There's always plenty of craic here in the evenings and the bar is great at weekends too. I love it for a bit of daytime pintage and it's often full of students just hanging out between classes of at the end of the day! Great wee pub!

Situated on the prominent Ormeau Road, you would think that the Rose And Crown pub could not be…read moreoverlooked, but you would be wrong. Unfortunately for the Rose and Crown it is positioned right beside the ever popular Hatfield Bar. This I am sure is a relief to the locals who frequent the pub but maybe not so much for the takings of the Rose and Crown in comparison with their rivals next door. Yet, this pub has much to offer those who fancy either a quiet drink by themselves or with a group. Positives come in the fact that you won't have to queue for a drink and when you do get it you won't have to worry about someone bumping into your pint and spilling any precious drop! As well as this, the pub's location means that when it's kicking out time, there are a range of eateries waiting for your custom, how tempting!

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Empire Music Hall

4.2(48 reviews)

0.1 mi

We saw a local band, Now the 90s in September 2023. The venue opened at 8:30pm, and the band went…read moreon at 10:30pm. The venue is not too small but intimate, no bad vantage points for seeing a show. A little too crowded for my preference though. While waiting for the band, they played some 90s hits, you know - Britney Spears, NSYNC, blink-182, etc. There were a few songs that us Americans didn't recognize (clearly very British) but we had a great time and danced along. It got really crowded before the band went on (sold out show)! And once the band did go on, we didn't know any of the first 3 songs... But eventually recognized some global pop songs.

Solid spot for some pints and music. Nothing crazy either way but the aesthetic pushes it to four…read morestars. Service was quick before it got busy and the pint came from a can so I can't speak to the quality. Haven't had the food.

Interior

Quiet afternoon pinting

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The Botanic Inn

3.3(40 reviews)

0.6 mi•Queen Quarter

I used to go here all the time, but now I avoid this place due to concerns about management and…read moreownership decisions. A widely reported case involving a manager included allegations of inappropriate comments toward a 16-year-old; while he was cleared of certain charges, a judge still criticized his behavior in court. That alone is enough to make me uncomfortable supporting this business. I won't be returning.

Am I getting old or does the current generation of students have lower expectation of a pub/night…read moreclub. Hmm, I suspect that questions answers itself. Shame on me for even asking. I am the wrong side of 30 after all. OK, 40. God knows how but a few weeks ago I ended up upstairs in the Bot after a few gins to many with dinner in the Barking Dog. It seemed like a top idea to dance like an complete $%^& among the 17 and 18 year olds. I should have known better when I heard the guy taking money at the door talking about his A level choices. So we parted with our £5 each just to get in. The cheek of it. For this we were rewarded with cheesy music, sticky floors and nowhere to sit. Did it put us off? Heck no. We had a total blast and managed to blank out the pitying looks from the people who were young enough to be there. We paid over the odds for unchilled wine, downed it as if it was the finest chablis and danced out little eldery socks off. Fantastic. The Bot is unsophisticated, unpretentious and a great place to really let your hair down. I believe there may have been a DJ, out couldn't swear to it in court. What I do know for sure is that we had a great time with a jovial crowd, no hint of trouble whatsoever. The large bar had the full range of beer, cider, alcopops and cocktails and despite the crowds, service was quick. We were finally kicked out about 1.30am which means the bar closed at 1.00am. Then it was on to the Kremlin. But that's a whole other review.....