Mespil Hotel

You'd be forgiven for walking past this Ballsbridge spot, thinking it's just another anonymous hotel bar. But step inside and you'll find one of Dublin's few genuinely decent 24-hour drinking establishments that doesn't feel like a last resort. The space strikes that tricky balance between hotel polish and actual pub atmosphere, with locals mixing easily with guests who've discovered what many of us have known for years. The barmen know their way around a proper cocktail, and the kitchen doesn't phone it in just because it's 2am on a Tuesday. Whether you're finishing a night out or starting an early one, this is where you come when everywhere else has called time. The Grand Canal location means it's handy for both the city centre crowd and anyone living in Dublin 4 who fancies a civilised drink without the trek into town.