O'Connell's Bar is an absolute must when in Galway! We popped in on a recommendation and it was easily one of the best recommendations we received while in Galway! O'Connell's Bar, which has been famous for years in its own right, rose to international prominence thanks to ole Ed Sheeran's "Galway Girl". It was pretty cool to see the spot where the video was filmed and it only added to the allure and story of the place! When you walk in off the street, you may just think it is a small cozy Irish pub and for the most part, you would be correct. However, go through the doors in the back and you are transported to a large, open-air beer garden featuring store fronts, stages, booths, heaters and more! While the inside is classic and uniquely Irish, the outdoor space is its own vibe! It honestly feels like two different spaces, but they also feel connected. All in all, easily the best beer garden in Galway! We grabbed a few pints at the inside bar and spent most of our time outside. It was a tad chilly, but they have self-controlled and regulated heaters over several of the seating alcoves, so we were comfortable an ended up hanging around for a few pints. Location is stellar, directly on Eyre Square, which is a main hub for Galway. Easy to wander in while walking around or popping off a bus, as the main bus stop of the area is directly across the street. Overall, we absolutely loved our time at O'Connell's Bar! read more

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I visited twice during my 3-day stay in Galway, O'Connell's is a must! This is your classic Irish bar with a bit nicer finish. Whether you want to watch a match on the tele or converse with your friends, you can do either here. I recommend the beer garden even if it's cold, because it's open air with plenty of heaters even my mother approved the temperature. And they have a nice bar out there with plenty of seating or standing room. Don't forget to grab a few slices of pizza down the alley from the beer garden. Cheers! read more

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Walked in for some dinner however it was crowded so ended up just getting drinks. The vibe is awesome like a local bar somewhere out in the country. They have many sections as well as an outside area with some pizza. Defiantly a good hang out area if you're looking for a bar. read more

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Great service excellent location very nice atmosphere. Going into the pub it has a very inviting feel to it.

Really great beer garden.! When you walk in off the square, it looks like a small place. However if you press ahead, you get to the large outdoor garden area in the back. What I liked: - There is cover in the garden area so you are hood rain or shine - good selection of craft beer along side the usual set of beer on tap in Ireland. - good service and security to clear tables and prevent smokers in the largest portion of the garden under a roof. read more

O'Connell's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Galway, G

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Fantastic environment and outstanding music and service. Love this pub. The best in Galway!

A must stop on the Galway Whiskey Trail. O'Connell's had the largest whiskey selection of all the whiskey bars I went to while in Galway. The bartender was incredibly knowledgeable on Irish whiskey and game me excellent recommendations. I had the Clonakilty Pelican finish whiskey. It was a lovely sipper. The bar is huge with plenty of spots to sit at the bar if you enjoy sitting at the bar. There was a lot of antique decor that was interesting to look at. The prices were also reasonable here. I paid around €8 for my whiskey which is a great price! I would come here again in a heartbeat. read more

O'Connell's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Galway, G

Such a fun environment in Galway! There's both an indoor and outdoor section with lively music and ample seating. Great way to spend a night out read more

This bar is deceptively big! There is a large beer garden in the back. We didn't try the food but we grabbed a quick drink here and it was great! read more

Love it. A great place to hang. Staff easy going and food....tasty. Great atmosphere. A must stop.

Stopped in about lunch time to get out of the cold. We ordered a tea, and a pint and wandered around the pub. This place is so much fun. When you first enter, it appears there is only one small room with 3 tables and the bar. Open the back door and exit to your right to enter their outdoor bar areas. Plural. What a great place to enjoy a pint in fine weather. To us HP fans, the whole place reminds us of Diagon Alley. Enter any door from this outdoor area and wander through the many small pub style rooms full to the brim with memorabilia. When we arrived it was mostly empty and we had a great time exploring. The staff were very friendly and easy going. You should note, the restrooms are entered from outdoor area so if it's cold outside, it's cold inside. They are modern and clean. I recommend stopping by to lift a pint, or get a cuppa, and enjoying this fun establishment. read more

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Cool bar with a great outdoor area. Definitely pop in for a pint...or a few. Good vibes

Came here with my tour group for a quick pint while vising Galway, that quick pint turned into many because of how great this place is. We hung out inside for most of our visit, had a table with bench and stools to sit on. Smaller bar area but very cozy. The galway hooker on draft was my favorite beer but the 1862 O'Connells pale ale was very tasty too! We sampled some different whiskeys outside in the beer garden. Beautiful area to just sit and chill. Everyone is so friendly and outgoing. We met lot's of locals that would just sit right down with us talk and drink! Our group loved spending time here. read more

O'Connell's is a quintessential Irish pub. Is it a must-visit pub? Eh, probably not, but it is pretty cool nonetheless. Stop in for a cider if you're in the Eyre Square area! Prices are fair and service is prompt. You will need to hail the bartender for your check though. The set-up confused me a bit but it was easy to find seats at the bar. I asked if they had any fruity or sour beers at first and was presented an IPA sample (sigh, noooo) but quickly changed my mind and ordered a Bulmer's. If you don't want a Guinness, a Bulmer's will be your best bet here. read more

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Awesome pub! It gets packed with locals/tourists on Friday nights. Had a couple Pints from here. They also have a pizza restaurant located inside. Pizza is delicious!! Places an order and it was done literally within 3-5MIN!! Check this place out for sure (: lovely atmosphere. read more

O'Connell's Bar - Pizza from Dough bros inside pub!! - Pubs Near Me - Galway, G

We drank at a lot of pubs in Galway during our stay there. A lot. Isn't that what you're supposed to do in Ireland? We embraced it wholeheartedly. And of all the regular pubs, O'Connell's was our favorite. We kept going back. Sure there are other good places and we loved those as well. Places with live Irish folk music, contemporary music, weird crowds, larger beer selections. We appreciated all that. But for a chill place to go have a pint and get that real pub feel without all that distraction, O'Connell's takes the cake. First of all the atmosphere is instantly welcoming, the bar friendly, the bartenders a pure joy, the stools comfy, the beer cold with quite a good selection. We particularly enjoyed the 1862 drafts brewed for O'Connell's. Delightful! There are multiple rooms beyond the front bar if you wander through. There's even an outdoor enclosed courtyard with an additional bar. If you're ever in Galway, stop in and have a pint. You'll even make a new friend or two. read more

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This pub is absolutely charming! When you go inside it looks just like any little pub, but if you go through the garden door to the back you find a beer garden with tucked away alcoves, tables, storefront decorations, and a pizza oven. read more

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Great spot for day drinking. Service was great as well. Classic Irish bar with a great outdoor set up. read more

O'Connell's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Galway, G

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Oh O'Connell's! My friends and I had an amazing time at O'Connells in Galway when visiting a few days before St. Patrick's Day. During our visit, we were told that the bar was recently revamped with the outside patio. You walk in through what looks like a normal, smallish, Irish pub and go out the back to find a whole patio bar! Theres an additional bar outside in the back with plenty of seating AND a DJ booth inside of a bus, neatly slid into the corner. This place is lively and fun, filled kind people and good times. It's no wonder Ed Sheeran filmed his music video for "Galway Girl" here. You could say we freaked out when the music video was released a few weeks after our trip and we came to learn that our favorite bar in Ireland was featured in Ed's newest video! I highly recommend checking out this fun spot. Enjoy yourself a whiskey ginger or a pint of Guinness. read more

O'Connell's Bar - The gate in front of the patio of O'Connell's, makes for a great photo spot! - Pubs Near Me - Galway, G

A lovely pub with a mixed crowd. Old men in suits laughing conspiratorially in short seats lining the wall? Check. Phenomenal pint of Guinness? Check. Prime location for people-watching over Eyre Square? Check. Spacious beer garden and relaxed atmosphere? Check. O'Connell's is in a heavily trafficked area, but manages to maintain a relaxed local feel with a mix of lazy day regulars and smartly dressed after-work business drinkers. Mostly locals here and none of the stag and hen stuff that crowds places in other parts of town. Just a good pint, a good laugh, and time well-spent in a young vibrant city. read more

O'Connell's Bar - The night's never complete without a hooker - Pubs Near Me - Galway, G

A great little pub, with a back patio that is basically Diagon Alley. Great gin and tonics, an okay beer selection, and Dough Bros pizza. What more could you need on a warm summer evening? Place was packed but we eventually snagged a seat. They had to boot us out of line when they were too backed up, but the pizza was well worth the wait. We tried several different pies - all were great. read more

The favourite place of many locals in Galway city - it's full of locals and has a unique charm. If there wouldn't be a bar you could think you are in someone's house, ok the huge beer garden kinda leads you to think it's a pub.. Good mix of people, many locals and a relaxed atmosphere - the beer is yum! If you don't like Guinness try out Joker IPA - delish! read more

O'Connell's Bar - Feels like home :) - Pubs Near Me - Galway, G

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We had a great time! Live music and a lot of seating. The band went on around 10. Please note they don't serve food here! Eat somewhere first and then come for the live music late night. read more

O'Connell's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Galway, G

Cute little bar across the street from our hotel. Very friendly staff and great beers on tap. I was told they have the best Guinness on tap. It was pretty amazing! Diarmuid our bartender was very friendly and gave us tips on places to visit the next day. I would recommend this bar. read more

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Coolest vibe in a bar I've experienced in the British isles/UK. The miniature town setup in the back was so comfortable and interesting. Dough Boys pizza shack in the back offered good pizza for a cheap beer snack. Inside as traditional pub atmosphere with the dark wood and sharp dressed bartender. Highly recommend. read more

The staff here went above and beyond. Even with a packed bar they were so friendly and welcoming. Chris was awesome we'll definitely be back. read more

Excellent excellent excellent bar in Galway. It was packed but we managed to find a seat at the bar. They have a ton of beer options and they let us try a few samples of things. Highly recommend. read more

Lovely bar! Bartender gave us lots of history on the place as well as some tips around Dingle. read more

O'Connell's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Galway, G

My local on the Eastside(less than a mile from my local on the Westside, mind). It's a surprisingly big boozer for one with so many aul lads, you could play football in either smoking area without bothering anyone. It gets a mixed crowd depending on the night, but there's a mural to their most consistent customers out back; some aul flat-cap with a pint of black. I didn't make that up. Like all pubs of good standing and character, it has a horrifically inefficient lay out. A warren of cubby holes, secret passages, old cookers(still not making it up) and confusing signposting. Brilliant. The Guinness? It's good. Close to the best. But not quite orgasmic, the way really offensively* good Guinness is. And the hot whiskey's lovely, especially on these cold winter nights. So, there ye have it. Eyre Square without the glare. *to God, like, when he knows he couldn't pull a better one himself.(probably making that up) read more

Great bar with beer garden, even though it was a Friday evening and the place was crowded the bartenders were quick and efficient. Place was clean, my wife and I are just over 50 and felt very comfortable, my drinking children would have also loved the place. There was no live music while we were there, we left about 10:30 PM. read more

Lovely quintessential Irish Pub. Went in for one drink and enjoyed chatting up with the locals.

Love this Pub, thanks to my friend Emer's reference. Best Guinness around.... Yes, better than Guinness warehouse. Good prices and plenty of people. Type of crowds vary, but crowds always. Good patios and friendly people, especially as the nights carry on. Good for groups, or alone as I often travel, friends are just a pint away. Central in location and good times to be had. read more

I loved this pub. It was my first time in Galway and pub was close to our hotel. Staff was friendly and drinks were great! Great environment. Can't wait to go back. read more

Love the back patio and cool art work. Cheap beer and best Guinness in town! Lot's of older men here which I wouldn't expect being right on Eyre Square, but super friendly still! read more

Yep, totally solid and decently quiet pub. Nicely reserved crowd, and far preferable to the more packed and loud pubs around the square. Nothing fancy going on here, which is exactly what you want sometimes. (Or most of the time, if you're me.) read more

Strange layout but in a good way the staff are friendly the service is great sometimes being from Dublin Galway people and Galway is strange but i was treated nicely and will return soon hopefully read more

Great pint and great atmosphere, the staff is very friendly and one of the best pints of Guinness I had while in town.

A great pub to have a pint in, the staff are friendly and helpful and it has a real chilled out vibe in it. In all the years I have been drinking in it I have never heard a raised voice in anger, and believe me I was in the pub game, that is rare. They have an excellent beer garden out the back which can cater for large crowds as well as bands. Bar b Qs in the summer, beers and tunes in the heart of Galway.....sure where else would ye go. read more

Being at O'Connells is like the waking version of being in bed. It's warm and cosy and you don't want to leave. This is absolutely my favourite bar in Galway since I moved here last year. The staff are very friendly and courteous particularly Brian who always has a chat and greets everyone who comes in like an old friend. Best bar in Galway. read more

Incredibly rude and disingenuous staff/service. Will NEVER return, I would rather spend my cold hard caysh elsewhere.