Whelan's

You can tell this place has history. Classic pub atmosphere, staff was nice and the gig I went to also organised in a separate section with bar and balcony looking down to the stage. Cool. Just can't digest the 4€/hr parking around there though omg.

Lovely people , crowd and band. Beautiful music, my 1 st time attending one of Emily’s concert…. Beautiful writing and hits so much that life has dealt us in the past few years. Emily’s wisdom along with her talant was simply a joy to watch 💚☘️💚

Attended Shane Marno gig and although the artist put on a brilliant gig, and the sound quality was very good, the venue itself was far too hot with no air-conditioning. The artist must have been unbearably hot. Drinks very also very dear.

Amazing place with concerts, I be been at The Jungle Giants concert and it was amazing. Band after concert stays in the bar and talk with people which is super unique!

During the Jungle Giants concert at this venue, I had an issue with a person who tried to move me from my spot just because I accidentally broke a glass while dancing. The security team’s conduct was impeccable — they stepped in quickly and professionally, provided full assistance, and even relocated me to an even better spot than my original one. My thanks to the staff and the venue for their efficient and effective response. Highly recommended for anyone who values a place where you can count on security to handle situations with care and professionalism.

went there with boyfriend, and had my first white haze IPA. tropical fruit flavour. ☺️ It says Jazz show started at 8.pm. But we have waited untill 8.45.....

Great time in the upstairs music space for the Trad Music fest. We saw SinSaol, a 10 man band who played for over 2 hours! Reasonable pints. A good sweaty time!!

🌍 Explore, Taste, and Travel with Us! DM us for travel tips and insights for any destination ❤️ Follow our adventures and food journeys on Insta: vibrant_wanderer_rhythm OMG just being there where the Galway girl was shot was something …, I don’t repeat watch but PS I Love You is something else So had to make a visit to this bar Service good , I wish I would have asked the names of the 2 really nice server girls , wishing them luck. Restaurant manager bit uptight . Failed to serve a prosecco with a freshly pop which was surprising. Anyway we were there for the venue and so the review is for the thrill. They do have performances for which tickets can be booked online . Enjoy Dublin

What an awesome concert venue! This place has a small bar as soon as you walk in and plenty of standing room on the first floor plus, a second floor balcony. There's screens so you can see the performances even from further away. To the right of the concert venue is another pub which connects through a small corridor. That bar seemed to go on forever with multiple rooms and different floors. They even had an outdoor smoking area which had a silent disco and I heard that they offer karaoke on some nights. The drinks were cheap and the bartenders were efficient. The sound was great during the entire concert. The audience in Dublin was a kind of energy I've never seen at a concert and if I were a musician, I'd totally want to play here. I highly recommend checking this place out if you're in Dublin and looking for live music!

Whelan's was an ok bar, I only cane here because my lady wanted to check it out because she saw it in a movie. Other than that it was basically a dive bar with just live music in the back.

Really busy bar where a lot of locals go. The movie "PS I Love You" was filmed here so we had to come. (So probably a mix of locals and tourists.) they have live music and a couple different bar areas here. Good drink specials. Only downside is it might be hard to get a drink if busy, my husband waited at the bar for about 20 minutes and no one helped him.

This is my second time visiting Dublin but my first time visiting Whelan's. Initially I would have said this bar is a top rated night-life bar with great music, but unfortunately I had a very negative experience with the staff toward the end of a Thursday night. I had gone to the bar with five other friends, and we sang and enjoyed the music. At some point four of these friends decided they wanted to get food across the street and so left the bar. Me and the final friend left to see them across but ultimately decided to head back into the bar. This was fine for me but my friend did not have an easy time. They said he was too drunk to come in, despite having just walked out less than two minutes prior, and us both only having had a few drinks for the night. After I had discussed this with him, another friend had mentioned that a bouncer came up to him in the bar and reprimanded him for not being Irish (a very Italian looking man). After some deliberation it seemed likely that this was the problem with the first friend, since he was also Italian-German. From this night it appeared to be a clear pattern of disrespect toward non-locals. Although I was not directly affected this left a sour taste - I would not recommend this bar to non-locals. Otherwise, come in for solid music and drinks.

Happened across Whelan's on the way back to my hotel after a long journey around town. Big draw was the perfect music pouring out onto the street from the opened windows. Walked in and kept there by the perfect music from this quartet (I'd put the video on here if Yelp had that option). I'll always stop in here on every Dublin visit.

I honestly came here just because if PS I Love You and it wasn't far from where we were staying. This was the last place we visited/drank at before we headed back to the States. Didn't get to hear any live music but I can't wait to get back to Dublin and come back here.

landed in Ireland and found out where the cool kids are... follow the music to Whelan's! Pub music right inside then we danced our arses off upstairs w a DJ & made some new friends, great location, people everywhere. Tourist who? I can dig the entire block all night long. Of course, Drink drink drink. then burgers across the way. DUBLIN ROCKS.

Whelan's was a great night out in Dublin! Temple district is expensive and quite touristy, so this quieter area was a fun place to meet locals and have a good time. There are great drink deals like 3 beers for £10. There is normally live music until later then DJ music begins playing. The live artists are very good and quite a few people performed here before becoming famous, like Ed Sheeran and Adele!

If you ever want to sit in a dark pub at 2pm listening to Ride the Lightening on repeat, this is the place to be. But then, that's not what Whelans is all about. As a live music venue, Whelans is an institution. It's respected as a right of passage among the cities emerging new artists and established acts alike. You get some amazing gigs in this place. It's jammed tight on Friday and Saturday nights, however, with a particularly messy crowd. The mess is for two reasons. Firstly, there's nowhere to put your drink or sit down so people tend to drink a lot faster. Secondly, this is where half of Dublin ends up if they get turned away from another door. It's not dangerous though, the bouncers are draconian so any problems get fixed before they happen. Still, the messy and overcrowded nights can really bring you down. A word of advise. Don't agree to meet people here because you'll never find them, it's a loud, sweaty, labyrinth packed so tight that moving around simply isn't fun. Arrive together, it's the only way to survive. All in all though, the place has serious character and is capable of being either the best or worst pub you've ever been in. A gamble of a night out.

My partner and I had our wedding celebration in the Parlour, Whelan's last Friday night. From beginning to the end in arranging this event we received on point service and communication with the management team there. We had the best night ever and the guests were loving the venue, .I would definitely use this venue for a party again and recommend it if considering a small to medium size venue for a party.

It's Whelans. I never had a bad night in here nor seen a bad gig. I perfected the 'hold-up-dress-with-left-hand-pushing-door-closed-with-right-hand-whilst-crouching-down-handbag-between-chin-and-chest' in their bathrooms but hey, that move came in handy many times on my travels. It's Whelans and I love it!

Whelan's is a stalwart of the Dublin music scene, bringing us bands who may not be at the top of their fame but whose fans think they are, or up-and-comers getting a medium-sized break. As a venue, it offers an old-school feel (think indie disco rather than dressing up in a uniform and doing shots). Okay, so the space can be tight, but you can still touch the stage - try doing that in the new O2 arena. Granted, if you're short, you may spend the night straining for glimpses of the bassist through someone's armpit, but at least you will be only metres away from the bar. And, when band leaves the stage, the party isn't over - the pub at the front and the venue bar stay open until 2am, while DJs attempt to get people going to GaGa or swaying to the Smiths. Insider tip: if you are looking for a late drink, arrive before 11pm or you will have to pay a €10 cover charge.

Was at a gig here in the small upstairs room. . It held about 120 people I'd guess. Because it is small and very nicely appointed (very much like myself when you think about it), it makes for lovely cosy gigs where you can just sit back and enjoy. There is a likewise small bar beside the room and while it is not particularly well stocked with palatable beers, it is convenient. The smoking area in Whelans is a joy, it almost feels like it is indoors, really very civilised!

We saw a show here and the venue was so cool! It was much smaller than venues for bigger bands than you see in the US which made it that much cooler. I'd recommend seeing any show here- it was a great experience!

I'm new to Dublin, but enjoy going to gigs in the United States. I saw Father John Misty was playing here, and decided to go with a friend. I wasn't sure what to expect but the experience, compared to most gig experiences in the states was phenomenal. It was an intimate place. No one was rowdy, all had a good time. The show did start a little late, so arriving about 20 minutes after the doors opened was enough time to get a drink and a relatively good spot up front without waiting. About 45 minutes after doors opened it did start to get packed, however I never felt my space was invaded, which is rare back home. So kudos to that! The list of gigs that go on there is quality. I definitely recommend Whelans for a gig to a music lover in Dublin.

Whelan's is another great Dublin live venue. With Gigs galore all year round. Its quite a small venue so don't expect to see any massive acts playing there. Its a great place to find new bands/acts to see without breaking the bank. I've been to several gigs at whelan's, my favourite being new years eve 2010 when I saw "And So I Watch You From Afar" which was a brilliant night out. I've given Whelan's 4 stars due to the toilets and bar being a bit below standard. However the ambience and history of the place ( how many films has it been in? ) make up for anything like that. Check out the website to see whose on!

Whelan's is covers a lot of bases in terms of what you want in a drinking establishment. It has a really nice bar with a kind of olde worlde feel, all wooden interiors and an open fire in winter. You can't go too far wrong with the carvery there at lunchtime. And in the back, they have a really good live music venue, which becomes a dancefloor when there is no bands playing. Whelan's play really good music, none of this Rihanna shite. Nice smoking area upstairs, too. Rock music, no dress code, reasonably priced gargle. Happy out.

There was a free gig in Whelan's tonight, a swing jazz set. Cool!! I got the impression that they have these lounge type Sunday nights regularly. However as we had consumed two cocktails earlier and had a fine meal that included lots of carbs, we both ended slipping into food comas and left before the music started). We enjoyed two drinks, mine was a perfectly adequate Pinot Grigio. My partners pint of cider served it's purpose fine. We enjoyed the background music too... a nice mix that included some Green Day. I also learned on this visit that a scene or two had been filmed here for PS I Love You. My advice is not to mention this to the bar staff... a European couple asked about it today and the barman explained that Whelan's do not promote this. The toilets here always let me down... I don't mind the graffiti on the walls... the hand dryers are great. But the smell, my god... a star lost for that.

I came here with some friends while visiting from Utah and we decided we should see some live music. This was a great venue for some great shows. When we arrived to see David Clement play we were informed by the girl at the ticket booth off from the alleyway that they could only print two more tickets. But when the Manager arrived at 8 PM we discovered that we could buy more tickets. I'm not sure what the communication issue was between them but it was a little stressful, considering we had four people, so I wish they would've been able to figure that out sooner. Anyway, the show was good. It was held upstairs. Because we got there early we were able to sit at a bench along the far wall and had a perfect view of the stage. The sound was pretty decent. The next night we came back to the club to see highasakite play. This show was held downstairs and had a much larger capacity and a more sophisticated stage set up. The band played incredibly well, the sound was excellent, the lighting was great, and the venue was not too crowded. We had an excellent time. I'll remember this club for sure next time I am in Dublin.

Whelan's has been knocking around for twenty years now but its age isn't beginning to show in the least. In fact, since its recent face-lift, it just looks younger. I enjoy a night out in Whelan's, I do. Whether catching a gig, dancing to some top choons or having an auld chat at the bar, it's a bit of craic and a chance to get funky. Whelan's hosts a really good mix of acts, up and coming, Dublin favourites and credible established songsters including Jeff Buckley, Nick Cave, Christy Moore, The Frames and Arctic Monkeys. The bar/pub extends over two floors and is teeming of a weekend night. The DJs tend to steer clear of bubble gum rubbish so you can have a boogie without offending your ears though your body may well take offense to the jam-packed dance floor. The vibe is very indie cool and if you don't spot at least 10 pairs of cons then you're in the wrong place.

Whelan's is a really great bar and music venue and I have always had a really good time here. The bar is a great place to grab a drink any day of the week. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are pretty chill, everyone is just relaxing and having a good time at the bar. Wednesday through Saturday though, it gets really crowded and lively until the wee hours of the morning. On Friday and Saturday nights you have to pay a cover after a certain point, around 11 or 11:30. That's kind of a bummer, especially because said cover is 10 euros! For a standard dance night at a bar, kind of a rip off. But it's fun and the crowd is sure to be rowdy and raring to go. The clientele tend to be young and pretty friendly here. There is a good mix of the hip, the sporty and the dorky. One of my favorite things about this place is that people pretty much just shake their groove things wherever they feel like doing so, and not limit the boogie to the dance floor. The music venue hosts some of the best, lesser-known bands to come through Dublin. It's not terribly large, so it can't put up big names that require tons of space. The smaller setting creates a much more intimate setting to see a show and the sound's really great too. One thing to be wary of is that they ID people regularly, or at least they ID me regularly. The first time I didn't bring my ID and the bouncer let me in anyway, but just be aware that if you're not a small, blonde girl they might not be so lenient.

This might look like a pub when your walking by and it is a pub but deep in the depths of this bar is one of the best music venues in Dublin! It is a really intimae space with a stage and if i were a musician this is the place that i would want to play all my gigs! it a bit of a pain though cause you have to pay a tenner in if you are just going in to have a few drinks which is so annoying when you could go to loads of other pubs and have the same pint and not pay in. there is always a good crowd in here, and i mean that in both senses, there is a good size and the people in the crowd are good people. i love the smoking area here, its upstairs buts its kind of nestled in between the walls of he buildings around it, its like an out door room almost, like an insidey outsidey kind of place, its always packed though, uncomortably packed! the inside of the bar is left as you imagine it probably was years ago which i love! im almost positive that this place was used in the filming of PS i love you but they really mess with the name and they call it waylens instead of whelans!

Following the steps of the movie PS I love you I could not forget this bar to relive the magic on my visit I happen to come across a live performance by a local group something I'm not accustomed to in the states it was very interesting to enjoy a local scenery

Ah, Whelan's. What great nights I've spent here. If you're remotely interested in what the Irish music scene has on offer, this is your place. Almost every Indie/Alternative/Rock act that is either a household name or and up and coming has made a stopover here. The Frames, Kate Nash, Lisa Hannigan, Republic of Loose, Mumford & Sons just to name a few - the wall's are plastered with gig pictures. Shows are on two stages almost every night, there's a beer garden/smoking area and they serve ice cold Jägermeister (not a standard in Dublin). On the weekends the main stage area turns into a club come 11 PM and the craig gets mighty. The bouncers may get a bit nervous once the evening wears on, but that's the only disadvantage of Whelans that I can think of. One of my favourite places in Ireland. Maybe even in the world.

Ah Whelans... I have been to Whelans pretty regularly since I was about 18 years old - I absolutely love it. They've expanded it lots over the years (the smoking area used to be ground floor adjacent to the main bar, if I remember correctly!) So it's now got... I'm going to guess four bars? Plus the private one or whatever upstairs. There's a lovely intimate stage in the main bit where they hold most of their gigs, plus a smaller area upstairs that bands can also play where the light a fire in winter time. Whelans is one of my favourite spots for going out dancing. It's like the opposite to the likes of Coppers et al (Although the dj has on occasion been known to slip in a bit of 5ive now and then) The music is mostly of the NME variety. Expect to hear Common People, a bit of Nirvana and some Blur, pretty much every weekend. They charge in usually a tenner after 11pm on weekends, but if you're out for the night it's generally worth it as they don't tend to close up until after 3ish! In terms of music - it's a fantastic venue for a gig. I'm always delighted when a band I want to see chooses Whelans to play in, it's just a great size & shape.

Grab a pint, lift your soul! This place have live music, you can sing and dance and eat and drink more in a traditional irish pub!

I stopped in Whelans to check out a beer and burger event, hoping to also catch some live music. After all, when you Google "best live music in Dublin", Whelans pops up as one of the main venues. It also pops up when you type in "traditional Irish music." Although it was early when I arrived--around 6:45 pm, the only music there was the radio, playing rather old American hits. But, I got my beer (they were out of the free burgers) and hung out for awhile. There was going to be live music later in the evening, but it wasn't a line up of traditional music, so I finished my beer and left. Bottom line: Standard bar. Fine for going out, but not for that uniquely Irish experience.

As Dublin's celebrated Whelan's celebrates 20 years of hosting some of the best acts - Jeff Buckley to name but one - to come to the city, it has opened a new venue...above the old one. If you thought the usual venue was intimate, Whelan's Upstairs even has a fireplace and red walls creating a warm fuzzy glow that would seem the wet dream of any weepy singer-songwriter. However, the new venue's choice of acts has taken a different route, its late night gigs with the best of Ireland's own providing the perfect alternative for those who love a good night out but just aren't that into clubbing. Small enough that after 30 minutes you feel you know every face in the crowd, and big enough to still not care, Whelan's Upstairs makes a great night out.

It's pretty shocking that last night was my first time in this haunt. It disgusted my friend a lot but then again she is the live music queen. It's not like I went out of my way not to go but it just never happened. I had no idea it was so big in there with several music venues. We were in a smaller room. There is something so endearing about the fact that they are actively allowing the paint from the ceiling to rip, botched walls, open fires, traditional bars. It's like your granny's parlour that has not been cleaned in years yet now, like last night an electronic band from London were screaming on stage - 3 hours entertainment for €5, not too shabby! The bigger acts are on the main stage downstairs. Smoking area is great - I don't smoke though. Love the pub downstairs and I have decided that it will be my new Sunday afternoon pints spot during the winter. What I did not like... Some of the loos did not have toilet seats - that's mean and it hurts, please fix. The glass collector girl was rather forceful. She tossed me and others left and right to get to the glasses. Might be acceptable if we were lecherously drunk but I was sober. Counter that with another member of staff that said those very simple and effective words, "Excuse me." And you know what I kindly stepped out his way. When your one shoved me I stood solid so that she had to walk around me.

This review is specifically for Bourke's (inside Whelan's). When I was there it was quiet night in a small part of Whelan's, there was maybe 10 people in the bar. I ordered a Bulleit old fashioned neat and was made fun of by the bartender. He asked me if I "even knew" what I was ordering and told me that "this is Ireland and we only serve Irish whiskey". When I told the bartender that I did indeed know what I was ordering, and he could make it with whatever whiskey he preferred (since I'm not very familiar with the whiskey they had), he continued to make fun of me while he made my drink. It was so awkward and rude that a bystander even mentioned that they didn't think I would come back since he was so rude. Not a great first impression. Needless to say, I finished my drink and went to a different bar. You could get much better service for a better price many places in Dublin

Over the years I've seen John Mayer, Jason Mraz and Jonathan Rice in Whelan's Bar - its pretty amazing since the place is so small. I think the John Mayer gig cost me 7euro back in 2002! Its a great spot for hanging out and I love the statue at the end of the bar, the amount of times I've said 'excuse me' to it is beyond ridiculous at this stage. Its just the perfect old man pose at a bar :0) I've eaten in Whelan's a few times for lunch and if you can get a table and chair that doesn't need a beer mat to prop it up, you are doing well. Drinks are no more expensive than anywhere else in the city and you are always assured of good music but maybe not a seat. Unfortunately, I had my jacket stolen from there last weekend, they really need a cloak room - thank god I had my iPhone on me at the time.

Have been to Whelan's on a night where live music was being played and on a night where the music was not live. Both nights, overall, had a great vibe,,,but honestly, this spot is not to be outdone when it comes to live music. Saw former busker Ryan Sheridan here and was amazed. If you're local, come for the music. If you're from out of town come for the music...and spot where scenes from PS I Love you were filmed. ;)

Whelans does some things really well, however, as far as pubs and venues go it wouldn't be high up my list. There are two areas for live music. A small intimate space upstairs, however it is an L shaped room which is far from ideal for the audience. There is a larger space downstairs but is still is small enough to remain fairly intimate. As far as sound goes, I'm not that impressed with the sounds quality, especially in the small upstairs venue. The bar is fairly typical Dublin bar, however where it comes into it's own is on lazy weekday evenings when random performers setup and play in the front window. I have accidentally stumbled upon some great and quirky muscians while rambling down Wexford/Camden street, for me this is what Whelans does best.

Irish people doing to Irish jig. Irish person playing the Irish tin whistle. When in Rome... screw Rome, I'll take a pint and some good humor in Dublin any day. Join the party, have a few and forget they you may have work the next day. Don't forget to pickup some fish and chips as you stumble your way home.

If you are bored of going to the typical pubs in city centre maybe you should walk a little bit and find this pub in Candem street. It is a great place to drink and dance with your friends without the crow of the pubs in the centre.

As a live musical venue, this place is great, a nice intimate space... however as a nightclub? It is waaaaay too packed. In fact, it is surprising that so many people are allowed into one space. Drinking any liquid more than 5 feet from the bar becomes an extreme sport. Plus, the last time I was in there, my coat was stolen and the staff were quite unhelpful. Edit - I went back to see if they had my coat. They did not unfortunately, but the staff were great. Guess it was just too busy on the Sat.

Whlean's is good craic when you're not bothered going to a usual clubs. The crowd is more artsy and alternative and definately discriminate against all things mainstream. You will not find orange girls marching around in arseskimmer dresses. It's always really packed, everywhere! The dancefloor is fun for a while but when you have no idea what most of the music is it gets old. Great for seeing live acts though.

Whelans is a mandatory stop for anyone who's into music in Dublin. Either for that band you really want to see live or just a casual walk-in to see what they have going that night, you'll probably have a good time listening to some interesting music and, maybe, even end up broadening up a bit your musical horizons. Downstairs/through the back door is where most gigs go down, there's a big room with a stage, some seating on one of the sides, a counter and toilets. From that room you have a door leading to the more normal pub area, that you can access from their main entrance, which looks more traditional and quaint. Upstairs you have another smaller stage and a more intimate concert room. It gets very crowded everywhere - with a good mix of people - and the beer choice is a bit limited, but then again, Whelans selling point is not the drinks they serve, is the music they showcase.

Great spot for small, intimate gigs. It was really a great night but there was not A/C so after 20 minutes people started boiling, it was ridiculously hot but other than that it was awesome, really. Great smoking/beer garden area with lots of air. I would like to go back here sometime for another gig.

25 years old this year - an institution for live music - up and coming bands/singer-songwriters - a venue that has kept its old charm yet moved with the times. I'm yet to meet someone who doesn't like this place or hasn't at least one experience from a crazy night here - perhaps I meet like minded people ;)

Whelan's is what it is...for better or worse, this place is where the Irish singer-songwriter was born. Playing a gig here is looked on as being a sign that you may actually 'make it' (whatever that means), but the resultant crowd does tend to be a bit scene-y, with the 'in' crowd attempting to hobnob with the up-and-coming. As a place for a night out, don't come here expecting to hear Britney or Christina...no matter how much you love them, you'll be wasting your time. If, on the other hand, Rage tickle your fancy (ooh, that's not the right description of RATM at all...they don't really seem the tickling type!), then you may want to check this spot out. Their dancefloor tends to be so packed on weekends that its more a case of moving your body as much as physically possible while remaining firmly rooted to the spot, rather than any real dancing. In fairness though, that's just how a lot of people dance, so for those without Shakira's hips, it's a perfect place to hide your flaws... A wee bit of a trek up to Wicklow Street means that getting home can be a pain, as you are faced with the choice of often extortionate taxi rates or the uninviting toddle back down into the centre for a Nitelink...but you can do a lot worse in Dublin than checking this place out. Just be sure to see what upcoming gigs are on first...

This is an institution for live music in Dublin (25 years now). Has a few different areas and stages. Defo recommend catching a gig here, because they always have quality musi

Great great great venue for live music and a great atmosphere. Definitely a place I visit every time I am in Dublin as you will always be assured to have great 'Craic agus ceol' !

Whelans was one of my fav pubs, I lived around the corner for a year and went on most Friday. Lots of hipters here, so if that's your thing, you'll love it. The whole pub and dance floor gets atsolutely insanely rammed with people at the weekend, so if you can't handle pushing your way through a crowd then you will do better off avoiding this place. It's a bit crap paying a tenner to get in, but it's always a good time. Toilets can get pretty filthy with long, long queues as the night progresses. It's a nice venue to check out a small gig - it gets packed but not as bad as the usual nights.

There's only music playing on one side of the main bar which confused me. There's a concert room next door separated by a wall partition. Luckily, we got into the concert area and watched a live performance which set the perfect mood for the night. Plenty of seating and quiet place more for conversation. I have yet to watch "P.S. I Love You" since it was filmed here.

This became a daily visit almost every day; I pretty much fell in love with it when I walked in and they had a picture of Lisa Kudrow as one of their visitors. Drinks are always served cold+fast here, and it is a pretty relaxed and welcoming environment to locals and travelers alike. Cool crowd, there's also a dim lit area to the left with some tables/booths if you feel like conversing. There's also an upstairs open area as well, for those who are craving a cigarette with their drink. My favorite part is that they have some GREAT live music acts that really put on a great show (and they also have some good DJ's afterwards as well)

Nice place to have a few jars, whiskies or what have you on an off night, and the smoking deck upstairs is good as well. On the other hand it can get beyond crowded when the bands are on, so be warned, it is what it is, plan accordingly. I myself probably wouldn't go if I knew it was going to be crowded unless I really liked the band that was playing.

Great music, lively atmosphere, and a host to many gigs is what makes Whelans such a delightful place to find yourself for a night out on the weekend. If you can find a place to rest your drink, count yourself lucky as this place gets packed very quickly. Even if you're squished in the queue for drinks you can find a way to wiggle to the tunes! Once you get to the smoking area, you get a view of the whole of Whelans and it's cool when you see the stage and the seats from an aerial view. Although it costs a tenner to get in, the drinks are fairly decent in price for town. The people here are what makes this place so special and gives it the eccentric character it holds.

Went here for a gig last Saturday. The band were excellent. Great age mix and vibe. We then moved downstairs to meet some friends. Great spot for a live session and a few laughs with a group. Worth a drink or two or three...