We kick off our 2025 pub-visiting endeavours with a stop off at Doheny and Nesbitt – a rare venture into this part of Dublin city centre.
Although Doheny and Nesbitt is very much a classic Victorian pub, the building actually began life as a Georgian house, built around 1790. But both ends of Baggot Street became more commercial in the 19th century, especially after Upper Baggot Street was further developed, and from the 1840s onward, this has been a pub. While the management and ownership has changed over time, the interior décor has ‘paused’ (to good effect) somewhere around 1885 – lots of dark, carved wood, advertising mirrors, ornate wallpapers and ceiling tiles.
Its more recent history and reputation are linked to its location and resulting clientele; as it’s so close to Leinster House (for the overseas visitors, that’s where the government ‘happens,’ and yes, that Georgian garden to the front of it is, indeed, a car park), politicians and civil servants have had a habit of dropping in over the years, giving the pub the nickname of ‘the Doheny and Nesbitt’s School of Economics,’ but on an average day, you’re more likely to see a group of tourists and (retired) civil servants; there can be more than a bit of the Old Man Pub vibe about the place.
Some of that may also come from its beer selection; there’s the usual Guinness-and-macros lineup (plus Murphy’s), as well as two new taplines from Changing Times Brewery. I’ve debated whether or not this counts as a ‘craft’ or ‘independent’ offering, and since it seems to be replacing previous independent beer options in the pubs that have come together to serve Changing Times, rather than taking over another macro-beer tap…I’ll have to say the jury is still out. I did try the lager, and it was very much Not For Me – I would have preferred a Carlsberg clone to a Heineken one. But they do have a stout coming soon, and if they do begin to offer something a bit more compelling, I’m curious to see where it goes. For now, though, while it’s a beautiful pub with lovely service, it’s not the kind of place I personally stay for more than one drink, simply because the variety of beer options isn’t there for me. But if you’re looking for a Guinness or Murphy’s session, you are well-served in this part of town – and Doheny and Nesbitt makes a lovely backdrop if that’s what you’re after, and again, the staff are all top-notch.
But for us beer nerds, all roads lead to Underdog…I seem to always end up there after any visit to a city centre pub for just this reason, even though it’s not always the most convenient journey. But it’s always well worth the trip!
Where: 4-5 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2
Access from the city centre: 5-minute walk from Stephen’s Green
Food: There are breakfast/lunch/dinner and toasties menus
Sport: All the big sport options
TVs: Several throughout the building, including above the main bar
Music: Live trad & other tunes 7 nights a week
Family-friendliness: There is a kids’ menu with the usual goujons and similar options
Pub-crawl-ability: Medium-High – Toner’s, McGrattan's, Kennedy's, and O'Donoghue's are all very close, though I'd personally head further on up toward Cassidy’s, Bowes, The Oval or The Palace Bar
Local sites of note: Little Museum of Dublin, Huguenot Cemetery, St Stephen's Green, Merrion Square, Fitzwilliam Square, Royal Hibernian Academy, Oireachtas, National Library of Ireland, National Museum of Ireland (Archaeology and The Dead Zoo), National Gallery of Ireland…etc.
Haunted: A classic Victorian pub should have a good ghost story; perhaps a story-writing competition is needed
Other notes: An excellent whiskey selection
Socials: Instagram
