The Sugar Club

You'll find yourself in one of the city's more refined music venues, where the Georgian architecture of Leeson Street meets proper sound engineering. The upstairs hosts everything from jazz quartets to indie bands, while downstairs transforms into a sleek club space where DJs spin everything from house to hip-hop depending on the night. The crowd skews older than your typical Temple Bar punter – think early twenties to fortysomethings who appreciate both the acoustics and the fact you can actually have a conversation during the quieter sets. The bar staff know their cocktails, and while it's not cheap, you're paying for the experience of seeing acts in a room that actually cares about how they sound. Weekend nights get properly busy, so if you're after a more chilled experience, Thursday gigs are your friend.