Lucky's

You'll find this spot tucked along Meath Street, where The Liberties still feels properly local despite the creeping gentrification. The kind of place where you pop in for a quick one after work and suddenly it's last orders – not because you've lost track of time, but because the atmosphere just pulls you in. The food here isn't your typical pub grub either. They're doing proper plates that pair brilliantly with whatever you're drinking, whether that's a perfectly pulled pint or something from their decent selection of spirits. The crowd's a lovely mix of locals who've been coming for years and newcomers who've discovered what makes this stretch of Dublin 8 special. Open from 4pm most days, it's the sort of gaff that feels like a proper neighbourhood local.