So, you’ve just landed in Dublin and you know a good night out is virtually guaranteed, but how do you ensure a great night out in Dublin?! Are you looking for a pub with live music? Are you looking for character-filled traditional Dublin pubs, trendy bars, or vibrant clubs? Are you looking for authentic local pubs or a nice mix of tourists and locals?” Now, you’re totally confused, right? All you really know is you want it all!
Luckily, we preempted this way back in 2001 and organised what is now the longest running pub crawl in Europe (if not the world), so that you can visit the best pubs for live music in Dublin, as well as the best traditional Dublin pubs, the authentic local-loved bars, tick the Temple Bar quarter off your list, and end up in the best nightclub in Dublin.
Joining our
pub crawl in Dublin might be the best choice you make on your trip - but if you've never been on a pub crawl, or 'bar crawl' as our cousins may call it, before, then there's a few things you ought to know first.
What is a pub crawl?
A pub crawl (or bar crawl) is when a group of people go together to several different pubs in one day/evening/night, availing of some free beverages, discounts, and enjoying the entertainment and character of each venue. This is usually done on foot. The implication, however, is that you'll eventually end up doing a drunken crawl on hands and knees. This is, of course, an exaggeration and we, naturally, look after you so you'll always remain upright!
What’s included on a pub crawl in Dublin?
On our Dublin pub crawl, you get free Guinness, free shots, discounts on drinks, free entry to all venues including VIP nightclub entry (saving up to €20 on entrance fees alone), party games, live music, lovely local guides, and a lifetime of memories...probably.
You get a free glass of Guinness at the first bar, where we meet up. There are also some exclusive drink specials and discounts for you here, and similar drinks deals in each of the bars we visit throughout the night too, across a range of drinks including draught beers, bottled beers, local craft beers, spirits, mixers, wines, shots, and cocktails.
You'll also get four free shots, one in each pub we visit after the meeting point bar. The free shots will be different in each pub, but typically are vodka, Irish cream liqueur, whiskey shots, as well as weaker shots if you're not a 'spirits' person.
You can read more about what's included on our Dublin bar crawl below in the itinerary section.
Why Should I join a pub crawl in Dublin?
There are several damn good reasons to join a pub crawl in Dublin, the main advantages and benefits to a night out with us include meeting new cool people, having an authentic local experience with the locals, leaving the difficult stuff to us, and saving a small fortune.
Pub crawls are great for meeting others
Perhaps the biggest advantage of joining a pub crawl, particularly for any solo travelers, is being in a group. It’s great for meeting other travelers and having a ready-made gang of drinking-buddies to party with in a new city. These new-found friends might be staying in same place as you, might be visiting the same sights as you, have similar plans for the rest of their trip, and so on; you might form strong friendships that will last the night, or forever! You might even meet your future partner; we've already had two couples get married who originally met on the pub crawl in Dublin. Fills our little hearts with joy!
A Dublin bar crawl is ideal for mingling with locals
Joining the bar crawl in Dublin will also mean being guided around the city by us local guides, so you'll immediately be mixing with fun locals and getting to know the best parts of the city with us. And, of course, the bars and venues we've carefully selected to make the route for the best pub crawl in Dublin consist of local favorites too - we go where fun-loving locals go out at night in Dublin, so you'll be sure to encounter that famous Irish wit and charm on the pub crawl.
Pub Crawl in Dublin to save lots of money!
The pub crawl is without doubt the best way to experience a perfect cross-section of Dublin’s nightlife without spending a fortune. A night out in Dublin isn't cheap, particularly in the Temple Bar area which is more expensive for drinks in certain 'tourist-centric' pubs. While we visit Temple Bar as part of the crawl so you can get a taste of the area, we avoid the tourist traps - instead visiting a couple of the best pubs in the temple bar district, where we get excellent exclusive drink specials and discounts for you, as well as free shots.
On top of free drinks and shots and exclusive drink deals, where you really save big is on entry to what many consider their favorite pub in Dublin, with free shots and drink specials included of course, as well as free VIP entry to the best, most famous/infamous nightclub in Dublin (we’ll tell you more about that below).
Also, the fun and savings isn't confined to just one night. With us, you can come again on our Dublin pub crawl for free, as many times as you like, if you keep your wristband on. Currently, the record is 17 nights...
in a row! (Steven, if you're reading, we hope your eyesight has come back and you're planning a trip back across the sea to us).
How many pubs are on the Pub Crawl in Dublin?
We usually visit six venues each night. This includes the first bar we meet at (the Mercantile bar, 28 Dame Street) and the nightclub we end up at (Copper Face Jacks). We usually spend about fifty minutes to an hour in each pub, with the exception of our second bar which is a 30 minute quick stop to get the party started, and you can stay in the club for as long as they keep you! Here's a quick rundown of timings and some info about each individual place we go on the pub crawl.
8 p.m. - 9 p.m.
The bar crawl starts at 8 p.m. and stays in the first bar for one hour. During this time you will meet your guides for the evening, they will sign you up and give you your wristband. This wristband will get you into pubs as well as get you exclusive drink offers throughout the night. It is in this bar that you get your free glass of Guinness and begin to mingle with your fellow crawlers.
If you don't fancy the free Guinness, you can opt for a free shot instead - but we highly recommend giving the Guinness a go. You're in Dublin after-all, the home of our world famous brew, so sampling our black gold really is a must. We know it might not be to everyone's liking, but trust us - it's an acquired taste that grows on you. We say "Guinness is a bit like sex, the first time might not be the greatest experience, but keep at it and it soon becomes one of the best things in the world!"
9 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
At 9 p.m. you will move to your next venue. Before each pub, your guides will explain what the exclusive pub crawl drinks deals are on offer in the next pub, and any other key info you might need to know.
As you enter into each bar you will receive a free shot. In this second bar there will also be drinking games available such as flip cup and beer pong as well as a special price on pitchers of beer. This second bar is a short 30 minute stop before moving onto venue number three. All bars after this will be approximately one hour each.
9:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Between 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., you will be brought to two more pubs in the Temple Bar area, both of these will have some great live music. One is home to some incredible live traditional music in Dublin, and the other is a mix of well known sing along songs as well as traditional. Upon entering each of these bars, you collect your free shot from the guide.
11:30 p.m. - 1 a.m.
We then head towards the Camden street area and onto one of Dublin’s most famous live music pubs. Everybody from Hozier, Jeff Buckley and Nick Cave have played in Whelans. Ed Sheeran even claims it was Whelan’s, where it all started for him. There is fun in Whelan’s every night of the week, from silent discos to some of the best live music acts in Ireland today. On a Sunday there is also an amazing blues night. And, we're the only pub crawl in Dublin allowed in! Skip the line, free entry, free shots and drink specials here too, dear crawlers.
1 a.m.
Finally, at 1 a.m. the pub crawl gets to Copper Face Jacks, or “Coppers”, to the locals. This is probably the most well known club in all of Ireland, an institution in Dublin city and is both famous and notorious in equal measure. You might even 'get yer hole’... google that if you need to...
Live Music on our Dublin Pub Crawl
Dublin is famous for its music scene, whether that be traditional or contemporary. Again, this pub crawl will steer you in the right direction for some of the best live music in the city in all varieties. Seven nights a week there is a huge range of Irish Trad on display on the pub crawl, ranging from traditional Irish Folk music to Irish Rebel songs and also traditional Jigs, Reels and Hornpipes. And, of course, we definitely encourage dancing.
Whelan’s is an Institution in Dublin city, and has been since 1989. Some of the biggest names in music have been through here and continue to pass through today - we even had Arcade Fire play a secret free gig on the crawl before, among other big names too. This bar can have up to four stages of music in any one night. However, if you're still just looking to dance to some classic tunes, there is a live DJ 6 out of 7 nights too.
There you have it, dear potential pub crawler. We hope this info has helped you get familiar with what to expect on a pub crawl in Dublin with us. If you have any questions we didn't answer here, just let us know on Facebook or Instagram @generationpubcrawl and we'll be happy to answer you. To book your spot on the Dublin pub crawl, or indeed in any of our cities, you can do so
here.
Whether you're a seasoned Pub Crawl veteran or about to pop your Pub Crawl cherry, do it with someone who loves you! And we love you dearly x
All information correct as of December 2019. See GenerationPubCrawl.com for more info.
