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Afternoon Dublin Mountain Pub Tour(small group pub crawl max 15)
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From €69 per person
If you want to see what a proper Irish local pub actually looks and feels like - away from the Temple Bar crowds - this afternoon tour into the Dublin Mountains is the one. You’ll visit three rural pubs over five hours, with the scenic drive between them as much a part of the afternoon as the pints.
Groups are capped at 15, which keeps things genuinely relaxed. You get to sit with locals, work through a solid selection of craft beers and traditional Irish drinks, and catch live traditional Irish music along the way. This is not a manufactured experience. These are pubs that exist for the people who live nearby, and you’re being taken to them by someone who knows them well.
The centrepiece is Johnnie Fox’s Pub - originally a farmhouse, and one of the most characterful pubs you’ll find anywhere in Ireland. It’s known for its eclectic traditional decor and its live music, and it’s been drawing people up into the mountains for a long time. The afternoon starts at a cosy foothills local to warm up, and ends at a pub with spectacular views over Dublin Bay.
Food is available at Johnnie Fox’s and you can pay for it separately if you want it.
Meeting point: City Hall Building, at the bottom of Castle Street off Lord Edward Street, Dublin city centre.
If you want food at Johnnie Fox’s, plan ahead. Food is available at the pub and you pay for it on the day, but knowing what you want before you get there helps - the stop is 90 minutes, which is enough time to eat well and still enjoy the music and the atmosphere. It’s worth not filling up at the first pub if you want a proper meal at Johnnie Fox’s.
The drive into the mountains is genuinely part of the experience. The road up from Dublin city climbs quickly, and within about 20 minutes you’re looking back at the city and bay spread out below you. Keep your eyes on the views rather than your phone on the way up - the landscape changes fast, and the light on the mountains can be remarkable on a clear afternoon.
Johnnie Fox’s gets busy, particularly at weekends. Your small group of 15 is arriving into a pub that also has its own walk-in trade, so it won’t be a private experience. That’s part of what makes it work - you’re in a real, busy Irish pub, not a staged one. The live music tends to be in full swing by the time you arrive, and the room has the kind of hum that’s hard to replicate.
The final pub stop has the best views of the whole afternoon. It’s at higher elevation than the city, and on a clear day you can see Dublin Bay and the coastline from Howth all the way south. It’s worth stepping outside at some point during your time there, even if it’s cold, to take in the panorama.
City Hall is easy to find but busy on weekdays. The meeting point is at the City Hall Building on Castle Street, off Lord Edward Street, close to Dublin Castle. If you’re coming by bus, the stop is well-served. If you’re walking from Temple Bar, it’s about a five-minute walk across the Liffey. Arrive a few minutes early - the group is small and the guide tends to leave on time.