The 5 best pubs to watch rugby in Dublin

Dublin has no shortage of places showing the rugby, but a matchday pub needs more than a telly in the corner. This guide is for anyone heading out for a few pints and the game – whether you have a ticket for the Aviva or you’re watching Ireland, Leinster or the Six Nations from the bar. Going to the game? Our Aviva Stadium matchday guide covers getting there and where to drink nearby. Watching the GAA instead? See the 5 best pubs for watching Gaelic in Dublin.

How we ranked Dublin’s rugby pubs

This list is about watching the match in the pub. Every pub is scored out of 5 in four categories, for a total out of 20. Ties go to the pub with the better matchday atmosphere.

• 01Rugby heritageIs it a genuine rugby pub – history, memorabilia, a rugby crowd – or a sports bar that happens to show the game?
• 02Matchday atmosphereHow busy and lively it gets when Ireland or Leinster are on. A 5 means packed and loud.
• 03FoodFrom a full kitchen serving breakfast to dinner (5) down to drinks only (1).
• 04Screens and viewingBig screens, sound and how many seats actually have a view of the match.
• +Also listed, not scoredThe vibe – traditional and packed, or modern and polished – because neither is better; it depends on the day you want. And walking time to the Aviva, for anyone with a ticket who wants a pint before the game.

The 5 best pubs to watch rugby in Dublin

Want to see where they are? You’ll find our map at the bottom of the page.

1

Searsons

42–44 Upper Baggot Street, Dublin 4

19out of 20

Best all-rounderVibe: big, buzzing, traditionalBeer garden with screensWalk to the Aviva: 15–20 min

Searsons calls itself the place to be on match days, and it backs that up. Ireland and Leinster games go out on big screens with surround sound, the room is big enough that most seats have a view, and there are more screens in the heated beer garden out the back. The kitchen does breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the whiskey list runs to around 150 bottles.

The only point it drops is on heritage, and only because the next pub on this list is one of the most historic in the city. Arrive early on international days – it fills fast, indoors and out.

• 4Heritage
• 5Atmosphere
• 5Food
• 5Screens

2

Doheny & Nesbitt

5 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2

17out of 20

Best traditional atmosphereVibe: traditional, packed, loudOpens earlyWalk to the Aviva: 25–30 min

One of Dublin’s best-preserved Victorian pubs, with snugs, carved wood and rugby flags hanging above the bar. On match days it’s always packed with a knowledgeable crowd roaring on Ireland and Leinster – and Munster, when it suits. It opens in the morning, which helps when the southern hemisphere games kick off early.

There’s a full menu from breakfast to dinner. The old layout of snugs and partitions means not every corner has a clear view of a screen, which is where it drops most of its points. Get in early and pick your spot.

• 5Heritage
• 5Atmosphere
• 4Food
• 3Screens

3

The Bridge 1859

13 Ballsbridge Terrace, Dublin 4

17out of 20

Best for foodVibe: modern gastropub, cosyTakes table bookingsWalk to the Aviva: about 12 min

A rugby pub with a difference: its directors include former Ireland players Jamie Heaslip, Rob Kearney, Dave Kearney and Seán O’Brien. It opened in Ballsbridge in 2014 and shows the games across several screens.

Food is the big draw. It’s a proper gastropub with full lunch and dinner menus, so it suits a group making a full afternoon of it. It takes table bookings, which are worth chasing for a big match. It ties with Doheny & Nesbitt on 17 but ranks third because the atmosphere is a notch calmer.

• 4Heritage
• 4Atmosphere
• 5Food
• 4Screens

4

The Bath

26 Bath Avenue, Dublin 4

16out of 20

Best for a young, lively crowdVibe: modern, young, livelyCourtyard terraceWalk to the Aviva: about 9 min

The Bath fills with a young, rugby-mad crowd on match days. Large screens carry the big games, there’s a big outdoor terrace, and the food is wood-fired pizza from Base plus a weekend brunch. When Ireland play at home you can hear the Aviva crowd from the courtyard.

It’s a much younger pub than the Baggot Street institutions, so it scores lower on heritage. And if you do have a ticket, nowhere on this list is closer to the stadium.

• 3Heritage
• 5Atmosphere
• 4Food
• 4Screens

5

The Swan Bar

58 York Street (corner of Aungier Street), Dublin 2

13out of 20

Best for rugby historyVibe: Victorian local, regularsDrinks onlyWalk to the Aviva: about 40 min

No pub in Dublin has a stronger rugby story. The Swan has been in the Lynch family since 1937, and Seán Lynch – capped 17 times for Ireland and one of the 1971 Lions who beat the All Blacks – pulled pints here between matches. His framed jerseys and memorabilia are on the walls, and his son Ronan runs it today.

It’s a traditional, drinks-only pub, so eat beforehand – that’s what costs it in our scoring. Go for the history, a regular crowd who know their rugby, and one of the city’s finest Victorian bars.

• 5Heritage
• 4Atmosphere
• 1Food
• 3Screens

Walking time is for reference only and isn’t part of the score. Doheny & Nesbitt and The Bridge 1859 tie on 17; Doheny’s ranks higher on atmosphere.

Honourable mentions

• Ryan’s Beggars Bush115 Haddington Road, D4 · ~12 min to the AvivaRun by the Ryan family since 1913 and a matchday regular for generations of Lansdowne Road fans. Bar food, a heated outdoor area and its own Jack Ryan whiskey.
• The Sin BinThe Mont Hotel, Merrion Street Lower, D2The modern pick: a sleek hotel sports bar by Merrion Square with four screens and a projector, cocktails, and a dinner menu from 5pm.
• The Old Stand37 Exchequer Street, D2Named after a stand at the old Lansdowne Road ground. A traditional city-centre pub with honest pub food, ideal if you’re watching in town.

Four tips for a rugby day out in Dublin

• 01Get there earlyFor Ireland games, the popular pubs fill hours before kick-off. Aim to be in at least two hours early.
• 02Book if you canSome pubs take table bookings for food. Ring ahead rather than relying on walk-ins for a big match.
• 03Leave the carIf you’re going to the game, roads around the Aviva close on matchdays. Walk, or take the DART to Lansdowne Road – our Aviva matchday guide has the details.
• 04Pace yourselfIt’s a long day. Eat, drink water between rounds and know when to call it.

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Map of the best rugby pubs in Dublin

Numbers match our ranking; H = honourable mention. The Aviva Stadium is marked in green.