McNeill's Pub

Such a good scene! There were still tourists around here but the vibes were fantastic. The duo we saw performed some of their own songs and also some trad music, with no mic or electronics. The section they were sitting in they called the "listening zone" and anyone who was talking was told to go sit at the bar or back room, in a joking but serious way. They were amazing performers! They knew how to work the crowd in a very tiny space! Get there between 8-830 to get a seat, there are some pub tours that end the night there so they fill the space. It was a grand time! Bring cash for tips! It's worth it.

This place came highly recommended by my Irish guide as a real Irish Pub with traditional live music. The place channel old world charm. It is not overly crowded and the toilet is clean. The music starts at 930pm.

Glorious! The bar does not serve food, but they serve Guinness up cold and poured right. Their is music every night and most nights it squeezing room only as the musicians are incredible and local. The music played here is called "sessions". If you want a true Irish Pub, live music experience and can even make you cry with the feeling behind it; this is the place. The local musicians are real and you can feel their love of the music.

I was drawn in by the ROCK sign, curiously hanging above the sex shop next door. Inside, I discovered two musicians belting out Irish folk songs - a welcome change from every other pub where some-guy-and-a-guitar is doing barely passable covers of pop songs of various vintages. McNeill's easily had the best music I've seen in Dublin. I didn't want to leave. Pro-tip: try the Baby Guinness. It's Kahlua topped with Baileys. It really is baby - I had 3 of them and felt fine the next day - but it's delicious. As an ode to my time in San Francisco, I got mine with a side of sparkling water. The bubbles complement the cream nicely!

Hidden gem! It’s small, but has lots of charm. We wandered into the back and found a couple of musicians practicing and enjoyed a lovely private concert while enjoying a mid-day Guinness or two.

If you want a low key bar that features live traditional Irish music almost every night, head to McNeil’s!! Beamish on tap, as well. Not a common thing in Dublin.

What a gem of a traditional Irish pub ! Live music every night, friendly & welcoming locals. The owner is a lovely bloke who’s very easy to talk to with a great sense of humour. The draft beers/ales are tip top and well kept. Good selection of soft drinks and spirits behind the bar with a nice choice of snacks. A must visit if you’re in Dublin. You won’t be disappointed. We will be visiting again. Thanks for your hospitality.

As authentic as it gets for an Irish pub, but it comes at a cost being in the city centre. I was refused service for showing up wearing tracksuit pants. I chose the pants since we spent the day walking several kilometers around the city. There is a small sign to the right as you walk in which indicates the dress code, but it's easy to miss and I didn't see it. The pub was lively and was full of locals. I didn't spot any tourists at all. This seemed like the perfect spot, and it is unquestionably a good pub. I'm leaving this rating not because I was refused service, but because I wasn't refused service kindly. After visiting several pubs in Dublin before this one without issue, it's fair to assume that I would be welcome in similar attire as previous times. The bartender wasn't kind when refusing to serve me, and so instead of leaving with the desire to change to some conforming clothing and returning, I left with the feeling that I wasn't welcome at all. It's clear that this pub wants to maintain its etiquette and flair as being an authentic, local-serving pub. If you're a tourist and want to enjoy a pint here, I would encourage you to come dressed in modest, smart-casual clothing at a minimum and don't come in a large group. You'll definitely enjoy your time there.

This place has reopened after being closed for many decades, according to the old crowd there. The owner has done a brilliant job decorating. It looks like a traditional pub but doesn't smell like toilets and vomit-beery carpets. Actually, it still kind of smells like paint! I lived a few doors up so I ended up there many times. The barman's super friendly, smartly dressed. The place is warm (perhaps a bit too warm sometimes!) and friendly. It's quite small so it's mostly for the quiet nights! They have live music and food (pub food...)

You love pubs. You love trad. You're a star at drinking pints. You're short a tin whistle. There's hope yet. In addition to a classic and beautifully maintained pub, J. McNeills also runs a music centre on the second floor for repairs, sales and sheet music. Once you've got the arsenal of instruments and songs down, take part (or just sit back, pint in hand) in one of the City Centre's most prolific sessions. Check the board outside for an idea of the music on for the evening -the taste is eclectic and bluegrass is favoured.

McNeils is a tiny wee pub on Capel Street and it's usually overlooked because there is nothing loud about it and well, it's next door to a sex shop. But it's well worth going to for a pint- or a few. They have open sessions on Thursdays, so if you like traditional Irish music or even play an instrument, you can drop by and join in the session. Apart from the trad sessions McNeils is a pretty nice, relaxed, comfortable standard Irish pub. A good place to enjoy a quiet pint and a chat, with professional barmen and a bunch of welcoming regulars. If you can though, try and make it here for the sessions.

Ah lads this place will be my downfall with the €3.50 pints of the black stuff as in one of these for lunch is more nutritious than a coffee, according to me of course. But why the update so soon? Pop in there on a Friday evening after work and you will see tech heads on their smart phones drinking their Guinness shoulder to shoulder with the regular hardworking punter with their rough hands. Interesting isn't it? The need for people whos' lives are all about technology to go somewhere that is the bastion of old Ireland (bar the flat screens for the horse racing). Somewhere where no one gives a damn about your status update, somewhere where you actually have to engage in the art of conversation and the art of sitting fidget-less if your companion goes to the loo... Embrace the quiet time and put that damn phone away.

My husband and I randomly chose this pub and ended up having such a blast!! The environment is so homey and everyone is so friendly! We loved everything from the moment we walked in. The guiness was just mind-blowing!! And the musicians left us speechless. If you want to see Dublin itself from as close as you can, definitely go here!!

A friend told me to come here to check out local live music. We were here on a Thursday which is a casual session night and we weren't disappointed. Small room, musicians tucked away beside the bar and reasonable drinks. We only stayed for the one as we were on our way home but great time and will be back. Plus on leaving it looked like it had turned into a lock in, which always adds a frisson of excitement.

Very good pint of Guinness so suits Irish and tourists alike! Nice spot and has Trad music on a lot of the time. Only downside was one barman working so was under pressure,leading to slightly dodgy service but tried his best to keep the Guinness pulling! Been there a few times and would go back no questions asked.

Spent St. Patrick's day afternoon here with friends. Someone in our group knew about it and we thought Wed'd chance getting a seat. What a wee gem. Great atmosphere,trad in the corner, fire on, great Guiness. We had such a great afternoon here.

A Traditional Irish pub in all senses, one of the most important things about it is what it means for Ireland, before being a pub it was a nice music shop and it ramains as a nice music shop on the upstairs part with a side door entry. While a music shop it had some of the most important and well known musicians as staff so this place is a piece of very valuable jewlery. It was a fantastic move to convert it into a Pub and the music is exellent, there is always beautiful Trad music, if you love reels, jigs, polkas, flings, mazurkas, hornpipes, highlands, slow airs and good quality Irish music played by the very best performers of the country then don't miss it. Mc Neils will have the kettle pluged in and the fire on and of course a delicious pint waiting for you.

Now this is what you call a hidden gem! Mc Neil's has not really been discovered yet by many dubliners or tourists! It has its regulars and then is has its little passers by. The Atmosphere here is so chilled with a good session every fri and sat. There is no set place for the musicians they just grab a seat where they can and play away Into the early hours. This pub is cramped in between to adult shops On Capel street but it definitely isn't like it's neighbouring haunts. It's perfect for a date night or just afew friends who want a good chin wag and cold wet beer!!

Cool little boozer on Capel St. It's tiny so can be hard to get a seat. If you manage to nab the seating area down the back on the way to the smoking area for a match, it's excellent. Decent pints of Guinness...had worse, had better. I walked past it many times intrigued by the display of instruments in the window and was happy with what I discovered when I paid my first visit. I love the Capel St area for pubs and eateries and this is a pretty nice option.

Have walked by this place so many times and not sure why I've never been in there. So one Saturday I met a friend and went to the cinema and afterwards we wanted a pint but it was Saturday night and just wanted somewhere quiet. Around Capel Street we could only think of the usual spots which we knew were gonna be noisey and packed so walking by here we saw that it was pretty quiet. Perfect, Guinness was really good, staff friendly and live trad music upstairs if we felt like it. We sat at the bar for our one pint but ended up staying for a few hours because it was so relaxed. I'll defo be back

A proper little boozer, this. Docking it a star for being a tad narrow, which makes it a bit of a chore to negotiate on a busy night but that's being a touch harsh, I know. Looks and feels like a pub and the barman are dead on. Tasty pints on top of all that and you're on a winner.

Best pint of Guinness I've had in Dublin'bar staff are extremely helpful and toilets are spotless music is out of this world.

Good place with a mix of local boozers and passing through tourists. A bit short on Tv's but I have been to good some sessions here and there is a better variety on taps than you would find in most places. No cash machine but there is one in the Eurospar over the road or at the AIB a couple blocks north. Give the Stewart the barman grief and ask where in England he is from.

Really impressed by this place. It has great traditional music sessions and is a really cosy pub. The barmen are really friendly and even take orders from your table. The crowd is good too, a nice mix of old and young. Highly reccomended!

A nice wee oasis on Capel Street. Nothing fancy schmancy but a great place to have a quiet chat in the afternoon. In the evenings the pub hosts a live trad session in the old style so I understand can be busy. You have been warned

This is a great pub for a midweek pint with two open fires, sound barmen and a great pint of Guinness. Yes it's a bit narrow but I'd call it cosy.

Great pub, only opened about two years. The trad sessions are great but different. Wed night is a bit serious, Saturday night is a bit more random. Great blokes behind the bar. It is EUR4.60 for a pint of Guinness, cheaper for Beamish, and while that is probably a steeper than usual price nowadays it is still alright.

Capel Street has some great old pubs and McNeil's is a good example of this. Feck Temple Bar, if a visitor wants to experience a proper pubby atmosphere, walk ten minutes to McNeil's.