They’re not quite snugs, and they’re definitely not function rooms. We’ve come up with a collection of small rooms or areas in pubs that give you a bit more privacy than other spaces. They’re cosy little offshoots from the bar, walled off corners, and mezzanines that elevate you out of the way.
This list is for small areas for small groups of friends to cut themselves off from the rest of the establishment and to sit in some of the more unusual areas in Dublin pubs.
We were going to call this a list of secret hideaways, but I think we’d be bluffing that. They are, however, hard to find.
1. ‘The Snug’ in 57 The Headline
There’s a little area to the left of the ground floor bar that is available to book. They called it ‘the snug’. It fits around 8 people at a stretch and is fairly cut off from the rest of the pub.
2. ‘The James Joyce room’ in Mulligans Poolbeg street
Parts of Joyce’s ‘Dubliners’ is set here in Mulligans pub, so they decided to name the back room after him. It’s a excellent spot in a pub with plenty of history behind it that has barely changed in the last 200 years or so. The room itself has a large table spanning almost the length of the room, and a fireplace at the end. Although our photo makes it look like it would be a venue for a seance, it’s a great spot to get a group together.
3. ‘The Phil Lynott room’ in Bruxelles
They’ve recently redeveloped the rock bar downstairs in Bruxelles and they’ve added in a few new bits and bobs. When not try out the new Phil Lynott room, which actually goes under Harry street and near enough to below the statue of Phillo outside. It’s a very intimate affair in here with the low ceilings and close seating. It’s right beside the bar, so even when you need to come out for drinks, it doesn’t have to be for long. The room was unveiled by Phil’s mother , Philomena last year.
4. ‘The Michael Collins’ room in The Bank
We stumbled upon the Michael Collins room in the Bank one day for lunch. It’s so named because they have a bust of the big fella at the head of the table. It looks like a place to have a grand dining experience, and you can do just that in this pub that has an excellent reputation for food. This is a real dinner party room.
5. McGrattans snug
Ok, so this one is technically a snug because there’s a hatch into the bar, but it’s unlike any other snug we’ve seen in Dublin and it’s not quite the traditional archetype. You can probably fit 10 people in here, close the doors, and have plenty of craic. You don’t even have to leave to order drinks. It might be a good spot if you want to have a board or card game away from prying eyes or just have a few drinks.
6. JW Sweetmans
We’re working on getting a better photo.
There’s 2 areas that we can think of in Sweetmans that exist between floors in what we’d describe as a ‘mezzanine snug’. They’re quite small areas and they make you feel like you’ve been removed from the hustle and bustle of this at times very busy bar. The entrances are small, and you can see onto the staircase through bars, which only adds to the sense of intentional isolation.
7. Kehoes
Kehoes does have a snug, but we’re not talking about that. If you go past the stairs down to the toilets on the right you’ll come across a little mirrored room with a low ceiling. So low in fact that there’s a cushion on the way in to stop you banging your head. You could probably squeeze 6 in here to sit around the small table. This is a pb that can get busy, so get in here early if you want to save the area.
8. P Macs
Credit: http://www.frenchfoodieindublin.com/
The left hand side of P Macs as you walk in has a trail of completely cut-off booths. It can be hard to find an empty one, as you have to open the door to check if it’s occupied. There’s 3 or 4 of them, so plenty to go around. Inside you’ll find seating for 4 and a lamp. We mention the lamp because it’s generally a dimly lit environment.
9. Sin é
There’s a newish area in Sin é opposite the bar on the left that used to be a small kitchen. They’ve converted it into a little semi private area that overlooks the stage where the bands play and the revelers dance. It’s a cool little spot, especially if you want to feel like you’re watching a gig fro ma balcony.
10. O’Neills Pearse street
There’s a few nice booth areas in the fine, Victorian O’Neills on Pearse street. Get tucked away in here and you won’t notice the time flying by.
