D Two

You'll find this place straddling that sweet spot between serious cocktail bar and weekend party destination on one of Dublin's busiest nightlife strips. During the week, it's a proper spot for after-work drinks with colleagues or a pre-dinner cocktail that won't leave your wallet crying - the bartenders know their way around a shaker and the atmosphere stays civilised enough for actual conversation. Come Friday and Saturday though, and you're in for a completely different experience. The music gets louder, the crowd gets younger, and those 3am closing times start making perfect sense. It's not trying to be the most sophisticated cocktail den in Dublin 2, but it delivers exactly what Harcourt Street punters want: decent drinks, reliable craic, and the kind of energy that keeps you there longer than you planned.