Temple Bar – The Best Pub In Ireland

Temple Bar in Dublin consistently ranks as the best pub in the city, and perhaps in all of Ireland. It is famous, alright, and a must-visit especially among tourists.

Pub life in Ireland might as well be synonymous with a gurgling pint after pint of either the dark stuff or craft beer, but what sets Temple Bar apart is that it is home to the largest collection of rare whiskey in the country.

This historic pub also houses the area’s only fully-licensed beer garden, which is just one of the many reasons why Temple Bar is often regarded as the best in Dublin.

Temple Bar – The Best Pub In Ireland

Temple Bar, Image by Christine Rogador

This pub is easily confused with the Temple Bar area, where it is located. It is a square situated on the south bank of the River Liffey with a maze of streets and narrow laneways. It is the city’s hotspot for the best bars, trendy clubs, cozy cafes, award-winning restaurants, and even galleries.

The intriguing history of Temple Bar is, of course, intertwined with its namesake location. 

The story dates back to 1599, when a renowned teacher and philosopher Sir William Temple,  built his residence (including the gardens) right on the newly reclaimed land around what is now known as the Temple Bar area.

Eventually, his son Sir John Temple worked to develop what is now the Temple Bar pub after a ‘sea wall’ was constructed in 1656 to contain the Liffey river.

This area was known as Temple’s Barr (a ‘Barr’ refers to a raised estuary sandbank used for walking on).

At the start of the 18th century, a new customs house was constructed and soon followed by taverns, theatres, warehouses, and even brothels filled the area. 

However, the boom in the construction of these establishments did not even last for a century, as the Customs House moved to a location across the Liffey in 1791. This resulted in Temple Bar falling into disrepair and eventually became a slum area until the mid-20th century.

The Temple Bar Pub was built around this period but eventually survived through most of the challenges the area has suffered. 

In the 1980s, a state transport company CIE bought property here with plans to construct a massive bus depot.

However, the empty spots in the area were let out at a very low price. This resulted in a number of art spaces, fringe boutiques, and alternative eateries being built all over the area eventually making this part of Dublin some sort of a bohemian square.

This led to the state being involved starting in 1991 when they set up a non-profit company to supervise the succeeding development of Temple Bar. 

Today, the Temple Bar area is a popular culture hub, and the Temple Bar Pub is known as a haven for great drinks, pub grub, and traditional Irish music.

It also boasts of 450 bottles of rare and interesting whiskeys gathered over the decades from all over the world and is considered as the best collection in Ireland. 

Temple Bar, Image by Christine Rogador

With its roster of talented musicians, Temple Bar Pub has also been awarded as Traditional Irish Music Pub of the Year from 2002 to 2012 for many years. Its daily live music sessions are a must for anyone visiting Dublin

One simply must not pass a chance to experience not just the area but ‘the’ Temple Bar, and this res building is quite unmissable.

The quirky interiors and crazy yet fun vibe are distinctly Irish, you simply cannot resist braving the daily crowd for a punt or a unique whiskey blend. 

Opening Hours

Monday 10:30 am–1:30 am
Tuesday 10:30 am–1:30 am
Wednesday 10:30 am–1:30 am
Thursday 10 am–2:30 am
Friday 10 am–2:30 am
Saturday 10 am–2:30 am
Sunday 11:30 am–1 am

Contact Information

Address: 47-48, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 N725, Ireland

Phone: +353 1 672 5286

Temple Bar Tours 

Temple Bar is quite popular so there are many tours that go to this place. Below are some of our recommended tours to Temple Bar and some of the best pubs in Dublin. 

To book this one-of-a-kind activity, click here.

Christine Rogador

Hi, I’m Christine – a full-time traveler and career woman. Although I’m from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 60 countries for the past 12 years. I also lived in 4 continents – from the Caribbean, South East Asia, Africa and now in Europe. But despite living in several countries, my love for Ireland remains the same. A country that had been a part of my life since I was 14 because of my love for Irish music and bands. Ireland Travel Guides was born because of this passion and hopefully, in some little ways, this website will be able to help you on your next trip to Ireland.