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    The Hercules Bar

    3.6 (16 reviews)
    InexpensiveIrish Pub

    The Hercules Bar Photos

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    Sunday roast dinner

    Delicious Sunday dinner with nice people. The portions are huge, I couldn't make it to dessert even though I had originally thought I would eat both courses.

    Magz G.

    The Hercules Bar is one of those old traditional pubs that attracts the drinkers and gamblers of Belfast, not that this is a bad thing. The clientele are local and regulars and the good pints probably has a lot to do with it. I prefer coming in here for food rather than a night out as the homely food is really quite nice. Offering roasts and stews galore you're sure to get your daily quota of spuds in here! That being said, the staff are great bar staff, so waiting does take second place, but that doesn't really put me off. One thing I will point out is that the Bar has a rep of bieng quite rough t night, attracting the not so nice members of the public, which is why I opt for the food option, however, as Ive never ventured here at night I can neither confirm nor deny there rumours!

    Conor K.

    The Hercules Bar has been around a long time. It's not somewhere I would usually go for a night out at all. Anytime I've been into the bar, it's usually just the locals watching the racing and making their bets in the bookies right next door. But I do come here with friends for some food whenever we're in town. It's dead in the centre of town so it's convenient for grub! The food itself is really quite nice, it's just your usual pub grub, which in Belfast means I always get my RDA of stew! The Sausage and Mash is also really, really nice. The service is a bit on the rubbish side but it is a pub, so waiting service isn't really on the agenda of the staff, and for the price you can't really complain. We have stayed in a wee bit longer for a few post meal drinks, when an traditional Irish music band came on and provided a good wee bit of entertainment and kept us going to the bar.

    A friend of mine once confided that he found this bar "terrifying". Not quite sure why as I find it pretty laidback though I've never hung about late into the night or anything like that. Mostly I find it perfect for that lazy afternoon eating and drinking...actually to clarify I've never eaten there but the food always looks and smells delicious. Nothing really out of the ordinary pub-wise, all the usual suspects are on draught and in the fridges plus the bar staff are usually really polite if a bit on the reserved side. If you're getting bored of your downtown local(s) then throw away your pre-conceptions about the Hercules and give it a try. Pros: Nice bar, good pints. Cons: Has a rep for being somewhat feisty at night.

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    2 months ago

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    9 years ago

    Interesting atmosphere, not crowded, switched from a football game replay to a broadcast of US horse racing. Hmmmm.

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    Review Highlights - The Hercules Bar

    Didn't get a chance to partake of the grub, but suspect it's phenomenal as well!

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Holohans Pantry - Chicken boxty

    Holohans Pantry

    4.6(24 reviews)
    0.9 miQueen Quarter
    ££

    Second visit and just as nice as the first. Food is…read moreexcellent. Boxty is best. Desert delicious. Service friendly and quick.

    Closing time listed as 9:00pm, actually 7:00pm on a Sunday. Maybe you should update your hours?…read moreGirl walked in right behind me with the same problem, she was also turned away. The guy with blue eyes behind the bar asked how long I was in town for, hoping that I would come back after being turned away... NO THANK YOU . Excellent service for my first hour in Ireland . Update 04-28-2026: wow, I can't believe how both the business and employee (Pearse Duffy) both responded. Completely unprofessional, Dishonest, and Disrespectful treatment of a traveler who just wanted a warm meal. Whatever you're talking about having "all orders 2 hrs before posted time" isn't working because the tall Asian woman in the white sweater walked in and out, just after I did. So I'm not the only one who is being mislead and dismissed for your ignorance and arrogance. You clearly need to make your hours more obvious, change how you display them, or do something else, because I am not the only person having this problem. What you're current doing regarding your hours, or handling of negative reviews is not working! I posted this review to help both this business and any future potential customers from making the same mistake that I did. The correct response would be : I'm so sorry that happened to you, will change it right away. But to call me obnoxious for pointing out a valid criticism? Bizarre behavior from an established restaurant. As for Pearse Duffy, the disgruntled employee who turned me away after laughing at me, noted that it is his 2nd week working in the harassing Facebook message that he sent me, and it shows... The correct response would have been; I'll tell my manager right now to update the hours on Google so that this doesn't happen again. I'm so sorry, what can I do to make this right? Not laughing at me, stalking me, and sending me a harassing message on my Facebook profile. If he contacts me again, I will be submitting all of this information to the local authorities, and filing a police report. This is not how you handle an upset customer, as either a business or an employee. This is exactly how you ruin your reputation and get fired. Stalking an upset customer and then sending them a harassing message over an honest review is grounds for immediate dismissal in any industry. This is a terrible look for your employee, your management, and your business. This is no way to handle a business or a customer, I hope someone who knows how to sees this updated review.

    Photos
    Holohans Pantry - The bar

    The bar

    Holohans Pantry - 4.10.25 sticky toffee pudding is so bomb

    4.10.25 sticky toffee pudding is so bomb

    Holohans Pantry - Outside of restaurant

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    Outside of restaurant

    The Crown Liquor Saloon

    The Crown Liquor Saloon

    3.8(214 reviews)
    0.3 miCity 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

    Photos
    The Crown Liquor Saloon - Wooden Dragon

    Wooden Dragon

    The Crown Liquor Saloon
    The Crown Liquor Saloon - Margarita

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    Margarita

    The Hercules Bar - irish_pubs - Updated May 2026

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