This was my last local pub before leaving Ireland and it was perfect fitting for me at least. It's located in the Hill street Valley and it was decked up with everything. Staff are great & friendly. The beers are great too. Love that everything beer got it own pint/cup with the brewery name. The vibe here so lively and you just want to drinks more...at 11:30am, why not!!! I'm on vacation. read more

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Final stop of our food tour, this was to have a drink and relax after walking a lot across this part of Belfast. The Dark Horse is a classy sort of drinking establishment, a bit dressy and a bit fancy. It was a welcome experience as part of Belfast's spectrum of watering holes. Warm welcome from the staff who were setting up for the afternoon. A Bushmills for my friend (when in Northern Ireland, you drink Northern Ireland whiskey!) and a glass of their own Belfast Belle in a proper pint glass. With the warm decoration, polished copper, art on the walls, comfortable seats throughout. The restrooms are outside and you'll get to experience the wonderful courtyard. In the afternoon, quiet and peaceful. In the evening later when I walked past, folks having a wonderful time. [Round number review 1900 of 2024 - 877 in United Kingdom - 22922 overall] read more

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We had such a fun time here! On our brief visit to Belfast, we explored some of the nightlife and this place is a real treat. Similar to a few bars we visited, there were multiple generations of patrons here and a local told us this is a sign of a good Irish bar. The live music inside gave the place a lively vibe and their courtyard patio area is a great area as well, whether you just want some fresh air or additional seating, but you at least must get a look at the art out there. Personally, I enjoyed Trump and Putin depicted as two of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. read more

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Stopped in for a drink with a group, just to get a look see of the place. You could fill up your phone memory with photos inside AND out on the back patio! And to top it off, I got to try a new (to me) cider which was AWESOME! read more

The Dark Horse - Cider! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Belfast, BFS

For the artwork alone, the place is a must-see if you are coming to Belfast. This quirky little spot is situated in the Cathedral Quarter in the heart of this pulsating city. It was an experience to discuss the cultural significance of this varied art that touches on so many aspects of life (past and present) in Northern Ireland. They have a Game of Thrones Door that for some reason I seemed to miss. They were not serving food when we were there. Having said that, they pull a nice pint of Guinness and make a decent white wine spritzer. The staff is friendly and the place is decorated lovely and it's well kept. Nonetheless, the art is evocative, entertaining, and the unmistakable star of the show. read more

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Part 1892 of our bar crawl extravaganza, and a much needed pitstop to say the least. Not sure if they have this pretty often, but their craft beer selection was on point. As a New York office type, I've pretty much surveyed all of that city's craft beer offerings. Other than the drink selection, this was probably more of the laidback options of our drunken journey read more

I came here to get a picture of the Game of thrones door. They were pretty open to us just coming in and taking a picture and leaving which was nice of them. We ended up staying for some tea and one of their bars which I was happy to have stayed for because it was exceptionally good. I cant really speak much to the rest of the food but the people behind the bar and staff where very friendly. read more

In Belfast for vacation, a local recommended this bar. Because of Stuart and the other gentleman behind the bar this was by far the best experience we had in Ireland. Thank you again Stuart! read more

Another reviewer called it 'cosy and unassuming' and this just about sums up The Dark Horse. There's a certain charm to The Dark Horse that is hard to put your finger on. Nestled down the cobbled streets of the Cathedral Quarter and opposite The Duke of York The Dark Horse is a lovely place to show off to Belfast visitors. I visited last week with a friend from England and he was impressed. He loved the traditional feel of the place and he also loved the smooth, perfectly poured pint if Guinness he was served. We actually went to The Dark Horse for a spot of late lunch but unfortunately they had sold out of Soup and stew - the very two things my pal was after. This isn't a criticism at all, I actually think it's a good thing. The menu was small and specialised but from what I have heard the food is excellent. The bar maid who served us was just lovely, she wished my friend a nice visit and engaged in a bit of banter with us both - she was a perfect example of Belfast hospitality. read more

The Dark Horse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Tonight saw the launch of Franciscan Well canned craft beer. The beers are brewed in Cork and the venue for the launch was The Dark Horse in the Cathedral Quarter. On arrival we were handed a can of Rebel Red (a red ale) which was rather palatable. The Friar Weisse or wheat beer was also nice and not too bitter. Didn't get to taste the Irish Pale Ale, although my mates said it was good!! The cans are colour coded (red, blue and green respectively). There were prizes to be one for the funniest tweets, also a fine spread of finger foods laid on by The Dark Horse and all the while there was a live band keeping us entertained!! Big thanks to Michael and Ciara from Duffy Rafferty, to The Dark Horse-where,for the Game of Thrones fans, is the 10th carved door and lastly Franciscan Well!! read more

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The Dark horse is the sober, less fun little brother of the Duke Of York, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have anything to offer. We popped in here for lunch on a work day with a couple of friends who hadn't been in before, and they were overwhelming impressed. It is cosy in an old fashioned way, and while the menu isn't extensive, our toasted sandwiches were delicious. The service wasn't the fastest which is a little stressful if you have to get back before boss notices, but we'll definitely be back when we have more time. And maybe head over to the boozy brother for afters... read more

The Dark Horse - No dark surprises in The Dark Horse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Belfast, BFS

The Dark Horse, really is a dark horse in that it doesn't look like much from the outside, but on the inside, it's great! I love the way Belfast has so many quirky independent little businesses and this place is definitely another cool one to add to the list. It's an unassuming place just across from The Duke of York, down the alley. You know the one! I've walked past this place loads of times and just assumed it was a pub but it is actually a coffee house. And it's a really soothing one at that. It's got heaps of old fashioned charm and a real chilled out atmosphere. The kinda place you could read the paper in from start to finish in peace, lovely! Not like most of the chainstore coffee shops where you struggle to hear your own thoughts over the music and screaming children. Have a time out here, I recommend it. read more

A strange little place that certainly must be seen to be believed, The Dark Horse mixes my two greatest passions in life, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and sitting in a bar. The Dark Horse is essentially imitating its bigger brother The Duke of York, which is just across a little cobbled street from it, but instead of selling pints of the black stuff, it sells coffee. A great place to spend an hour or two in the comfort of a bar, without running the risk of getting a little too drunk to find your way home. Its relaxed atmosphere and dark wood panelling differs so much from the status quo coffee shops that exist now in the city, which always seem to be in too much of a rush. Instead The Dark Horse is at a much slower pace and feels like it is from a different time. Come to this place and you won't be rushed anywhere, except maybe into the Duke of York if you are looking some alcohol at the end of the evening. read more

The Dark Horse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Belfast, BFS

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After hearing a description from a friend I was intrigued to visit and check the place out for myself. As he described it was "a dark room over from the Duke" and that's what I found. Even on a sunny afternoon it was quite a surreal experience, maybe we've all gotten so used to bright shiny coffee shops but this was unlike any I've ever been to. Through the gloom I made out quite a large room with a very striking vintage style bar down the back end. I settled in a leather backed chair and it dawned on me that the place looked like some kind've 'gentleman's club' from years gone by. There was no alcohol only coffee and teas plus a smallish selection of sandwiches and salads. I opted for the "Belfast Brew" tea which was really good and slowly began to warm to the place. I think the most misleading thing is that the places so resembles a bar that it seems weird not to have alcohol served on the premises. Having said that my friend told me you could bring drinks in from over the road but I'm not sure how accurate that theory is/was. In retrospect it was a pretty nice cup of tea and nice to have a calm, quiet environment to drink it in. If you can't hack the Starbucks/Costa chaos then this is the place to get a decent hot drink and chat in peace. Pros: Good drinks, unusual décor. Cons: Quite dark interior. read more

The Dark Horse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Belfast, BFS

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Cosy and unassuming. Doesnt wow from the outside and really the decor inside is old fashioned ( on purpose) we only stopped here for a coffee and and a slice of Almond cake. We could not fault. The cake was tasty, coffee hot and staff friendly. Only thing was i had to ask for a cake fork - of which i got a normal fork - i think they thought i was stuck up haha! ( well the cake was difficult to eat and it was between the two of us) Worth a visit :) read more

I don't really understand the point of this place. To call someone a dark horse means they have a talent or skill that they have kept hidden. I'm hoping that this place does have a talent and that it is just so well hidden I am yet to find it. This looks like a rather grand pub with a great big brass bar lining the back walls and a massive floor space with great seating and yet, it only serves coffee. There may be one redeeming feature - it is open late and the bouncer informed me that you can buy your drinks in The Duke of York and bring them into The Dark Horse to sit and drink them - ? How do they make money from this? And, he also said only certain drinks - bottles of a foreign beer (can't remember which because I don't drink it) and quarter bottles of wine? Bizarre - even late at night it seems to be empty! Can anyone help with this mystery? Is the dark horse a real dark horse or am I just not getting it? read more

The Dark Horse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Belfast, BFS

The Dark Horse's dark wood panelling makes it a bit gloomy, and it's general aura reminds me of a bar in a hotel, but I'd say it would be cosy in the wintertime. We sat down to lunch in here and were not overly impressed with the menu. The sandwich choices were unbelievably basic, like something your mum would have made you to take to school for lunch when you were seven. Fillings ranged from cheese and coleslaw, cheese and ham, cheese and tomato - you get the picture. Priced at about £375, this did not hold much attraction for us hungry lunchers. Luckily the service was so poor that we waited about 15 minutes for a waitress to come near us, giving us ample opportunity to escape. So, while we didn't actually get the opportunity to have the Dark Horse's food pass our lips and so cannot comment on that element, the impression made was not great. read more

The Dark Horse is well, a dark horse when it comes to coffee shops. It's not the usual funky, uber hip, sharp lines and big couches approach to enjoying a coffee. Instead the Dark Horse has pretty much made a pub for coffee. This, to me is the greatest idea of all time. The environment gives you the feel of being in a pub, which is a lot more relaxing to me personally. It creates a fantastic atmosphere for chilling out with friends when you don't want to drink. Decorated very much like a traditional Irish pub there's a lot of interesting clutter and wooden panelling surrounds the bar. On top of this the coffee is fantastic and you won't have a sore head the next day. read more

Went in to have a look at the murals in the courtyard and opened the door for someone with 2 drinks in his hands when a cheeky blonde woman from behind the bar came over and shut the door in front of us and said it was for paying customers only! We left then came back to order drinks at the bar but she just ignored us and we got awkward looks from the rest of the bar staff too until someone finally served us! read more

This place reminded me of Phoenix nights. It has a strange olde world but brand new decor and a ropey pub singer that sounds like that depressing man who sings round the back of boots. Drinks were served in plastic glasses, there was a massive queue for the one toilet and there was a brawl between two girls while we were there. Maybe I just caught it on a bad night but it didn't seem a patch on the other bars in the area and I certainly won't be rushing back to try it out again :/ read more

If your sick of Starbucks and other pretentious coffee houses with their big mugs and expensive prices then The Dark Horse is a must for you. Its really different from anything else in the city and offers so much more! It can only be described as a pub which sells coffee instead of beer! But even that doesn't do it justice. The dark wood and old traditional pub decor gives a it a real warm cosy ambiance and its the kind of place where you cold sit all day just relaxing and enjoying cup after cup of coffee. Its the pub atmosphere, without the drawbacks- ie. being so comfortable in a place and staying for just one more until you find yourself stumbling to the nearest chippie! It's open late over the weekend where you have the option to buy a drink n the duke and dander over here to enjoy it thus avoiding the huge crowd and lack of seats at the Duke. I really love this place and as its a sister of the Duke of York it gets a real thumbs up from me! read more

The Dark Horse - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Belfast, BFS

Wonderful Belfast Pride breakfast at Dark Horse today. Huge support from staff and a brilliant atmosphere!!! Great start to the day :)

I've been wanting to call in to this café/coffee shop/pub for so long, but most of the time I'm propping up the bar at the Duke which is adjacent to the property. Well, thankfully I recently got the chance to fulfill my wish and nipped in to The Dark Horse during Belfast's Culture Night where local street photographer Moochin Photoman (a.k.a. John Baucher) was taking Through the Viewfinder portraits in aid of Unite Against Hate. If you were one of the subjects, you can go to The Dark Horse on 15th October where the images will be will be printed and displayed and you'll be able to pick up your photo! Yay! As far as The Dark Horse goes, it certainly was that. I was intrigued by the charm and layout of the premises. It seems to be a pub but it doesn't sell alcohol, instead offering a range of coffees and small bites (sandwiches etc) I can't wait to go back and pick up my photo and sample some more of their delicious coffee. read more