Note on currency: pub and bar listings change more than general destination content - none of the specific venues below were independently re-verified as currently operating this pass.
Historic City Centre Pubs
The Crown Liquor Saloon (Great Victoria Street) - a Victorian-era pub with ornate tiles, etched glass, and private snug booths, owned by the National Trust. Kelly’s Cellars, established 1720, one of Belfast’s oldest pubs, known for traditional music sessions. White’s Tavern, licensed since 1630 and often cited as Belfast’s oldest pub, known for live music and seafood.
Cathedral Quarter
The Cathedral Quarter is Belfast’s dense concentration of traditional and live-music pubs, commonly including The Dirty Onion, The Duke of York (walls covered in Belfast memorabilia), and The Sunflower (recognisable by its caged entrance, a remnant of the Troubles era, now known for its beer garden and pizza).
Live Music Venues
Robinsons (housing Fibber Magees), John Hewitt (named after the poet, in the Cathedral Quarter), and The Points Bar are commonly cited as regular live-traditional-music venues.
Rooftop and Outdoor
The Perch (in a converted Victorian warehouse), Filthy McNasty’s Secret Garden, and The Treehouse Belfast (Upper Arthur Street) are examples of Belfast’s rooftop and beer-garden scene.
Craft Beer and Whiskey
Bittles Bar (a distinctive flatiron-shaped building dating to the 1860s, originally “The Shakespeare”), Lavery’s (family-owned since 1876), and The Woodworkers (a brewpub) represent Belfast’s craft beer and whiskey-focused pubs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the oldest pub in Belfast? White’s Tavern, in Winecellar Entry, with a tavern licence dating to 1630.
What’s the classic Belfast pub drink? A pint of Guinness, widely associated with the city’s traditional pub culture.
