Five of the Best 'Snugs' in Dublin Pubs

A visit to a traditional Dublin pub is a quintessential experience when visiting the Irish capital and one that should be savoured. What makes the experience even more authentic is a pint in one of Dublin’s pub ‘snugs’ – small, private rooms that seat only a handful of people, often found at the front of the pub.

In years past, people used to pay a higher price for a beer in the snug. It was a favoured seating spot for patrons who preferred not to be seen in the public bar, including women, the parish priest, the local garda (policeman) and young lovers.

Snugs are extremely authentic to Ireland’s pubs, and often the most popular seat in the house on a Friday night. It wasn't surprising then that when the team at the Homestay.com HQ heard of our planned blog post, they were more than happy to test our the featured pubs on behalf of our reader, resulting in an impromptu afternoon photo shoot.

If you’re wondering where to go for a pint of Guinness and sample this feature of Irish culture then, here are our top picks of the best snugs in Dublin pubs.

1O’Neill’s 2 Suffolk St, Dublin 2

ONeills_Snug

Located just a minute’s walk from Dublin’s celebrated Molly Malone statue, O’Neill’s pub is worth a visit for many reasons other than it’s snug (which you should try and enjoy a drink in if there’s a seat available). There’s live music most nights of the week, it’s got a pleasant mix of tourists and locals, and it’s a great place to try a ‘carvery’ meal where you can try roast beef, turkey, pork or more accompanied with potatoes, vegetables and delicious gravy.

Staff are friendly too in this pub which is still run by the O’Neill family. Speaking to Michael O’Neill, he said

“The patrons of our charming snug here at O’Neill’s of Suffolk Street have changed significantly over the years. Ranging from a female only space, members of the clergy, a few celebrities looking for a quiet pint and playing host to the odd spontaneous trad session. Thankfully the snug has changed very little, with the stained glass catching the light in the afternoon and its own serving space from the bar, retaining its charm as the perfect spot for a quiet, intimate pint with those you wish to pass the time.”

2Kehoe’s 9 Sth Anne St, Dublin 2

Kehoes snug Photo courtesy of David Ramalho

Of all of Dublin’s city centre traditional pubs, Kehoe’s is probably the most authentic of the lot. Situated off Grafton Street, Ireland’s premier shopping strip, it has a character and style that oozes charm.

As you step inside and sip on your first, creamy pint of Guinness, you know what you are experiencing is truly authentic. If you’re lucky enough, you might even be enjoying it in the snug at the front of the pub. This small space makes it even more intimate.

3Doheny & Nesbitt’s 5 Lower Baggot St, Dublin 2

Doheny_and_Nesbitts Photo courtesy of David Ramalho

Another pub on Dublin’s busy Baggot Street, Doheny and Nesbitt’s is another of the city’s pubs that is dripping in history. Most of the pub’s original features, both inside and out, remain intact. Its distinct ‘Tea and Wine Merchant’ brass sign along with the sign at the front of the pub may seem familiar – they have appeared in many photos from Dublin. If it’s the snug you want to experience, like with many of the other pubs mentioned here, you’ll find it at the front of the pub.

4Toner’s 139 Lower Baggot St, Dublin 2

Toners_Snug

Found one of Dublin’s unintentional strips when it comes to nightlife, Toner’s is the pub of choice for many a Dubliner. The swinging doors that greet you as you encounter this pub not far from Grafton Street and the smoke-stained walls give it that unique Dublin pub feel. Immediately on the left as you walk in is its snug, one which has won the prestigious Powers Whiskey ‘Snug of the Year’ in the past. A real find in Dublin Town.

Speaking of how one Dubliner frequented the pub, Filippa Thornander of Toners said

“An eminent surgeon Oliver St. John Gogarty who lived nearby on Merrion Row, invited W.B. Yeats into Toners to see a real Irish Pub. Yeats, not being accustomed to drinking in an Irish Pub, joined Gogarty in the famous snug in Toner’s. He had a sherry and after finishing it he stood up and said ‘I will arise and go now’. It is said that at that moment he got the inspiration for the first stanza of “The Lake Isle of Innisfree.”

If the snug isn't to you liking then Toner's also has one of the nicest outdoors smoking terraces in the city.

5Searson’s 42 Upper Baggot St, Dublin 2

William-Searsons

Further down Baggot St, over the street’s humpback bridge is Searson’s, a pub that attracts large crowds on match days in the Aviva Stadium which is close by. Frequented on many an occasion by famed Irish writer Patrick Kavanagh in the past, it’s extremely popular with the professional crowd in the locale, including the Homestay crew.

Not only that but Searson's boasts a particularly well-stocked bar with over 90 Irish whiskeys. The snug in Searson's is as quaint as you’d expect it to be, although you may want to be in the thick of the action if there’s a game on.

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