Davy Byrnes

You'll find this place tucked down Duke Street, where the ghosts of literary giants still seem to hover over pints of Guinness. James Joyce immortalised it in Ulysses, and the walls are lined with enough Joyce memorabilia to make any English Lit graduate weep into their beer. But don't let the tourist-magnet reputation fool you – this isn't some theme park version of an Irish pub. The food actually holds its own, with a menu that goes well beyond the usual pub grub. Their seafood chowder is properly thick and loaded with chunks of fish, while the Irish beef and Guinness stew does exactly what it says on the tin. Yes, you'll spot the odd tour group clutching copies of Ulysses, but locals still pop in for a decent pint and a chat, especially on weekday afternoons when the literary pilgrims have moved on.