Fantastic- exactly what one hopes for when they step into an Irish pub! We enjoyed it here so much we ate here two times during our stay in Dublin. Sandra our waitress was so friendly and attentive. When we came back the 2nd time she remembered us and the drinks we had ordered previously! A Guinness and Smithwicks Red Ale. Honestly she made us feel so welcome and comfortable, like we were in our local home pub. (THANK YOU SANDRA). The first visit I had the cottage pie and the 2nd visit the fish & chips. All the food was spot on, the cottage pie was like a warm hug - the meat is all grinned so it goes down smooth. The fish & chips was BEST ever - crispy, large and perfectly fried. For an elevated taste, I recommend using the vinegar. My travel partner had the Irish Stew first visit and Guinness stew second. I tasted both and they were delicious. We also tried a Harp beer - it's lighter like a Stella - so fresh, in my pics you can see the incredible head that formed on top. Dessert we ordered on the 2nd night - Banoffi pie - something different and good to try. (I posted pics of all the food and drinks mentioned) The music on both nights was a solo guitar player - on Sunday night the guy was so good, he seriously should be on The Voice or one of the Got Talent shows - he sung all types of songs and accepted requests. The guitarist the 2nd night was good too. They have adequate seating, with additional seating upstairs. If you're in Dublin and looking for that quintessential Irish pub experience, pass all the other pubs and go directly here - Lovely atmosphere, so cozy, warm and welcoming- even with a whole city to try out, we chose here twice!! I wanna go back tonight- unfortunately I'm 10hrs by plane - next time, but for now I'll just have revisit in my memories, with the aid of my pics and videos.... read more

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Great quick stop in. Wonderful place. Good Friday afternoon buzz in the place. Noisy but tolerable. Service was very good. We did not eat food. Had beers for our happy hour. read more

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Our family had a nice meal at this establishment during our visit to Ireland. My favorites were the Irish Stew and a pint of Guinness (of course!) and we enjoyed live music from our table on the upper floor. There is a lot of history packed into this bar, and we were graciously allowed to explore and take photos - so glad we stopped by. read more

Merchant's Arch Bar - Winding staircase - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

Okay, in a city full of pubs and restaurants, for me, the Merchant's Arch is a standout. The combination of location, ambiance, food and drink make it a perfect stop for me. I come here at least once on every visit to Dublin, even if only for a pint of Guinness, but the food is wonderful as well. And I usually have a shot or 2 or Whiskey as well! The Seafood Chowder is excellent, but the Soda Bread is incredible! I have had many times off the menu over the years, and have not had a bad choice- from Fish & Chips to Bangers and Mash, all good. There is always a great musician playing, and for me, I have always had good attentive service, even the owner comes by to check-in. Yes, there are many pubs and restaurants to visit in Dublin, but this is always a solid choice! Sláinte! read more

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Such a fun place! The interior is beautiful, and the atmosphere was lively with live music playing the whole time. The staff were super friendly and welcoming. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was for a pub. I had the fish and chips, which was crispy, flavorful, and a generous portion. For dessert, the banoffee pie was delicious, and the whiskey sour was one of the best I've ever had. Highly recommend for a great night out! read more

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This was our first dining experience when we arrived in Dublin, and it was also our final breakfast before departing. It sits across the Ha'penny Bridge at the beginning of Temple Bar area. It's a rather old restaurant filled with charming decor. We initially sat at the back under the spiral staircase which is a great spot to sip your pint, and eventually moved up to the restaurant for dinner where we had a front row seat to the live music. Service was amazing for a place so happening in a very touristy area. Our pints were cold and delicious. I had the cottage pie and my husband had the bangers and mash. The food was incredible. When we returned on our final day for breakfast we were seated at the same table so it felt really special (we were on our honeymoon!). He ordered the full Irish breakfast and I ordered the mini (I'm not here for blood sausage tyvm). It was amazing again. Finished our trip with some Irish coffees and hit the road. This is a must stop if you're staying in Dublin city center! read more

For some reason while on our trip to Ireland I wanted to try a lot of their fish and chips. I went to another restaurant right before this and their fish was gross so I decided to come here. I asked the waiter how their fish and chips were she said she didn't eat fish but hasn't ever heard anything bad about them so I was a bit skeptical. Once they came out looked Lois great but inside wasn't cooked all the way. Oh it could of been great! We didn't say anything either to the waiter we just ate around it. The mashed peas were good and the chips were like everywhere else I had. read more

Eevee, Steven, and Tom - Thank you for making two American blokes feel so at home during our visit. All the recommendations and help you gave us was so appreciated. Wish the fun never ended! Until next time. Sláinte! -Brindan and Alex read more

I've been here every time I've come since my first time in Ireland in 2016... I feel like I'm home every time I come here read more

Merchant's Arch Bar - View from upstairs - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

Poor service, understaffed Ignoring the customers Had to get my own water at the bar. read more

UPDATED: Turns out Martin wasn't even the Bar Manager. There was a small language barrier with a server when we were tying to express allergies. The server was gem, the problem became the BAR MANAGER Martin for 5:20pm May 11th, 2025. That man was rude from start to finish. The poor server didn't deserve a talking too. We were having trouble explain what we ment by citrus to the server, so we decided to help her out, by ordering directly to the bar after we mistakenly received a drink with citrus in it for the person with an allergy. Unfortunately, for everyone involved, we got the disaster of a bar manager. If I say I would like a drink recommendation for someone with a citrus ALLERGY and you respond with the best bet being water because all Irish beer is made with citrus. The order was for cider and wine. He never offered any alternatives... like a gin, or a coffee based drink. Instead I had to remind him that these existed. His follow up and attitude was even worse. We also wanted to make sure the citrus were accurately told to kitchen staff. Because after his attitude, we did not trust he would think it worth his time not to kill one of us. He also tried to gaslight us when my friend went down to speak with him to make sure not killing them was a priority of his. Instead he insisted on trying to make us feel little and like we never voiced our concerns to the server (which we did and she confirmed). He almost lost 4 customers but we decided the poor server did not deserve that. Sadly we should have left the food was lack luster. The pasta had no spinach as it said and it was blander than a sunday cracker. There was no seasonings on the seasonal vegetables, the beef & guiness though the sauce was good the beef was burnt and the topping over cooked. Just all around a disappointment. Beautiful building, atmosphere fantastic, band very lovely, the food meh but hot, and the service sub par. The Server tried, the kitchen lied, and the bar manager needs a lesson on human interaction and tonal control. Definitely wont be back. read more

Our team hosted an event for approximately 150 people here at the Merchant's Arch, and it was an incredible time! The staff exceeded all expectations, with perfectly time food and beverage services throughout the evening. The hired musicians were a perfect choice by the management, and the night couldn't have gone better! The Merchant's Arch is an absolute gem, and we were so glad to be able to host our event there. Sláinte! read more

Walking into this place just transforms you into another time. I liked how they had the holiday decorations up. It give it a holiday cheer vibe. I was a little confused there was no one to greet me or acknowledge me so I had to approach the bartender who told me to find a comfortable place to sit. The place had a live musician singing all sorts of cover songs and Irish tunes and the listening patrons seemed to enjoy it. I ordered food and a beer and listen to the music. It was a little frustrating to have to wave down my waitress every time I needed something. Overall, the food was ok. The ambiance was very nice. The customer experience wasn't the best. Perhaps it was an off day, but do hope if you stop by here that your experience is better. Njoy! read more

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The location and ambience of this place can't be beat! The live entertainment was soooo good (I wish I could remember his name!) and the spiral staircase and plane hanging from the ceiling are dramatic and fun! We were able to get a table without issue around 5pm, and it is a great place for groups. The service was good... as for the food, it depended on what you got. The Bangers and Mash were a letdown, as was the seafood chowder, which had hardly any chunks of seafood as I had at other places. It really didn't seem to be worth the expensive cost. The steak sandwich, however, was delicious, as was the toasted ham and cheese. The bar in the basement seemed like a super fun place to hangout with live music. read more

Great bar, food, entertainment, and location. This spot became my home base while vacationing in Dublin. Shout out to Mr. Frank bartender for introducing me to Baby Guinness! read more

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Had a quick dinner here. Traditional Irish lamb stew is cooked well, lamb tender and savory, generous portion of potatoes and carrots, not too overwhelming spices and salt. Great live music as well. Lighting of the music stage could be a bit uncomfortable for some though. Wish they had ditched the nightclub-style neons for more ambient lighting. 4 stars. read more

Merchant's Arch Bar - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

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I may update this review later, but at this point our party of four have been waiting an hour and 15 minutes for our food. Our waitress hasn't even checked in with us in an hour. TERRIBLE service!!! read more

So fun to wander in here on our first night in Dublin. Live music was rocking the house. Several gentlemen helped our party of 5 find a table and our service was friendly and impeccable. We hit the draft beers and ciders Pretty thoroughly. Most of the group had soup. I had cottage pie and I totally loved it! Excellent first night in Dublin!! read more

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Everything about Merchants Arch was perfect. The minute you walk in it is a cool and quaint Irish pub vibe. Small high top tables seat you right in front of the live music and the bar. The food is absolutely incredible. The fresh cod fish and chips were amazing. The service was perfect, never waited for a drink or an order. So friendly and kind, but I have found that is just Ireland! read more

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If you are looking for a place to stop for a quick bite here is the place. My group went here for lunch and most of the group enjoyed their food. I got the burger and me personally did not like it. I passed it along and my whole group tried a bit and none of us liked it. It was a very grainy burger and not very pleasant. Everyone had a good time but the food was mid at best. Now I will say the service was quite good. Now they did spill a beer on our table but was very apologetic and covered that beer and 2 other ones too. The lady serving us we very nice and pleasant, she was always smiling and very pretty. The location is great, a easy walk from most of the city and is very easy to get to. Now I will say it is not very spacious in there but other than that it was pleasant. read more

Merchant's Arch Bar - The Guinness's in the bar - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

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First, the live music was top damn notch, followed with several proper pours of Guinness! Worth a stop! read more

Merchant's Arch Bar - Merchants Arch bar - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

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Right on the River Lifey. Dinner is served up stairs ( A LOT OF STAIRS WITH NO LIFT). There is a nice view of the river and live music. We had the steak sandwich and burger. They were both ok. Dessert was less than ok. Service was also just barely ok. read more

Great food, atmosphere is wonderful Service was outstanding We really enjoyed our dinner read more

Cozy and charming bar located in the Temple Bar district. We decided to pop in here because they have live music everyday. It was crowded but luckily we found two seats at the bar right next to the musicians. The service of the bartenders was superb. They were friendly and quick, even though, the bar was packed. They served a traditional Irish pub grub, however, we decided not to eat and just enjoy some pints of beers. The energy of the crowd and the ambience was amazing, especially during the live musical acts. I mean, I was enjoying myself and it was one of the best nights I've had in Dublin. 5 stars. read more

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There are a ton of bars in Dublin and many of them in the Temple Bar district. This is a particularly fun place to hang out, especially if you're not a local. There's music every single night; often a combination of traditional Irish music and pop/rock music. There's an upstairs "balcony" which is usually less crowded than the main floor but it can get a little warm up there. There's a large selection of whiskeys -- good ones -- and of course plenty of beer choices. I'm not sure you can call this a traditional Irish pub but it's on my list to keep coming back to. read more

Merchant's Arch Bar - Live music - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

We really enjoyed our dinner at The Merchant's Arch. Brian was our server and we had a fun time with him. On a very busy night, they were able to squeeze us in without a reservation. The food was good, the atmosphere was fun and entertaining, and our service was great. read more

Great live music!! My sister got the fish and chips and I got a pie, that was like shepards pie. Everything was fantastic!

With all the bars to choose from in Temple Bar area, my wife and I stumbled (not literally) into this one. Boy am I glad we did. It was still fairly early in the night, and there was a large crowd gathered listening to the live music. We hung out by the side door as there was no room to sit at this time. A lovely waitress approached us and offered to bring us a drink while we waited. In the meantime a couple spots at the bar opened up which we snagged rather quickly. We spent the next several hours there, listening and singing along enthusiastically to the amazing music from both musicians. The drinks were kept full all the while. We had an amazing experience here, and I will be recommending it to everyone I know that will be travelling to Dublin in the future. read more

Wandering the streets of Dublin, I very cautiously decided to wander into here- fully expecting an overpriced tourist trap. I was very pleasantly surprised. Good food. Nice people. Good music. read more

We were walking by and the music by musician Jimmy Coup drew us in. Great music. Great service. Really fun pub.

Super cool bar that you'll barely see from the outside. We were just walking by to get to the bridge and heard some live music. We walked in and found out what a gem this place is. From the main bar downstairs, to the winding staircase and bar upstairs, it's a cool space. The live music and large drink selection will convince anyone to stay. Add this one to a pub crawl. read more

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Fun place...very good music and my first Guinness in Ireland. Enjoyed the pub experience.

Was very skeptical since it's temple bar area, but I liked the food. Started off with a pint of Guinness of course and my girlfriend wired the Guinness and beef pie while I had the bangers and mash. Both were really good. Bangers and mash was surprisingly a huge portion size, I had trouble finishing the food myself. But the gravy is on point and the sautéed onions pair really well with the dish. Averaged around 15/16 euros per dish and a pint was 6.20 a euro. Would recommend. Serving staff could have been nicer and more friendly. There's so many places nearby it's hard to go wrong if you are visiting Ireland. read more

Merchant's Arch Bar - Bangers and Mash. Dish is deep so it's a larger portion size than you expect. - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

Great atmosphere. The inside has a lot of character and a warm feeling about it. Which makes the Irish whiskey taste better. We sat upstairs over the main bar so we could hear all the great live bands playing. The waitresses did not delay any of our orders even though they had to carry the drinks up the stairs. The food was brought up by those mini elevators. We had to send the seafood chowder back because it was way too salty. With no problems the waitress took it off our bill. The Irish stew was a bit under seasoned but I corrected that with a few dashes of table salt. The creamy fettuccini with salmon was great. Very nice bar/restaurant and great service I will be back for sure! read more

Wonderful experience overall. The servers were all working as a team and very attentive. The burger/bacon sandwich hit the spot and I had the green side salad which was very refreshing. Of course the live music and the overall atmosphere of a Irish pub quickly made this a favorite place to visit. I shall return on my next visit fir sure. read more

Merchant's Arch Bar - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

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One of our favorite places in Dublin. Great food, music and drinks. Beautiful architecture as well. read more

Great Live music! Sat upstairs where service was outstanding! Had the Chicken Caesar salad which was flavorful! The Calamari was legit and not Sysco number 6. The apple crumb dessert was excellent. Recommend this place to anyone who wants live music and great food! read more

On the hunt for a great Irish stew, I thought I'd give Merchant's Arch Bar a try. The live music inside was super loud, even from the street, so we chose to sit on the second floor in the back where the volume was slightly more bearable. The performer for the night was one woman singing and playing a guitar and a foot bass pedal, and she was really good. Most of the songs we recognized from the US. I ordered the Traditional Irish Stew (€15.95) made with lamb, potato, carrot, celery, leeks and herbs, and served with homemade bread. The wife ordered the Beef and Guinness Casserole (€16.45) made with beef slow-cooked in Guinness and served with green beans and mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, my stew fell below expectations. It did not taste like it had been cooked long enough to really bring out the flavors, and the celery in particular was undercooked. The consistency was liquid like soup, not like a thick stew. The lamb at least was ok and not dry. The wife's casserole was much better; the beef and Guinness combination was flavorful. The green beans were not cooked enough for our liking, and the mashed potatoes tasted plain and unseasoned. Service was a miss. Our waitress only paid attention to us when we flagged her down. The hostess also pointed us upstairs without actually seating or giving us menus, which was especially weird because we saw her seat another couple (and hand them menus) at a table near ours. This place seems like it'd be great for hanging out, getting a drink and listening to live music. For food, not so much. read more

This was hands-down my favorite spot to hang out in Dublin. The atmosphere is really nice. There's a second floor that looks down on the first like a theater and there's only a lack of standing room on the busiest nights. They have live music EVERY day after 1pm. Not just one act either. If you walk in after 1pm you'll find someone onstage or setting up. During my few visits the music was excellent. You're just a few steps from the main parts of Temple Bar but feel a world away. read more

Beautiful spot for a quick beer or bite! The live musician was so talented and friendly! As a tourist, it felt like this was a genuine spot. Definitely recommend! read more