Northern Ireland (Antrim)
Belfast has had a rough century and its pubs quietly held everything together. The Crown Liquor Saloon is a National-Trust-owned Victorian gin palace with private snugs and gas lamps still lit. The Duke of York is a whiskey-focused arts pub in the Cathedral Quarter. Stout in Belfast is universally Guinness — the Cork stouts don't cross the border.
Written by Séamus O'Byrne · Aug 23, 2026Updated August 23, 2026
Click any pin for the editorial, address + our Guinness score. Zoom in to see the walking distance between rounds — most of these are within a 4-minute walk.
#1 — historic
70 Upper Church Ln, Belfast
10
/10 Guinness
Best for: Triangle-shaped bar with literary murals + a Yeats portrait
Occupies a triangular Flatiron-style Victorian building. Interior covered in murals of Beckett, Joyce, Yeats, C.S. Lewis. Small, intimate, no music — just talk. Guinness pour is exemplary.
Est. 1861 — pouring pints for 165 years
#2 — historic
46 Great Victoria St, Belfast
9
/10 Guinness
Best for: Victorian gin palace — owned by the National Trust since 1978
The most protected pub in the UK. Ten original wooden snugs still in use, gas lamps still lit, tile mosaic floor by Italian craftsmen brought over specifically. Book a snug in advance; the walk-in queue on weekends is real.
Est. 1826 — pouring pints for 200 years
#3 — historic
30-32 Bank St, Belfast
9
/10 Guinness
Best for: Belfast's oldest pub — a United Irishmen meeting place in 1798
White-limewashed vaulted cellars, low ceilings, an atmosphere three centuries old. Wolfe Tone plotted here. The Guinness is faultless. Sunday afternoon trad session (3pm) is the quiet highlight.
Est. 1720 — pouring pints for 306 years
#4 — trad music
51 Donegall St, Belfast
9
/10 Guinness
Best for: Belfast's arts + literary pub — trad-music six nights a week
Named after the Ulster poet John Hewitt. Owned by the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre — profits fund community programmes. Live music every night except Sunday, quality Guinness pours.
#5 — historic
7-11 Commercial Ct, Belfast
8
/10 Guinness
Best for: Cathedral Quarter's most decorated whiskey bar
Down a narrow alley in the Cathedral Quarter. 400+ Irish whiskeys behind the bar. Live trad Wednesday-Sunday from 8pm. Mural-covered exterior; famous photo spot.
#6 — historic
1-4 Winecellar Entry, Belfast
8
/10 Guinness
Best for: One of Belfast's oldest pub sites — trad + Sunday roast
Building dates from 1630 — Belfast's oldest continuously licensed pub site. Down a medieval Entry alley (they're all named 'Entry' here). Trad music Friday-Sunday. Sunday carvery from 12pm.
Est. 1630 — pouring pints for 396 years
Solo or backpacking — hostels in Belfast start well below hotel rates and are still the fastest way to meet other travellers.
Hostels & private rooms in Belfast
Solo-friendlyHostelworld is the largest inventory — most properties list private twin rooms alongside dorms, so it works for couples + solo travellers alike. Free cancellation on flexible rates, verified reviews from people who actually stayed.
Browse Belfast hostelsSkip the taxi rank and lock in your fare before you land.
Pre-book a fixed-price transfer
Our pickDriver waits at arrivals with your name, tracks your flight, and the price you see is the price you pay. English-speaking, fixed price. No surge, no haggling at 2am.
Check transfer pricesRenting a car instead? Compare rentals with free cancellation.Bittles Bar (70 Upper Church Ln, Belfast). Triangle-shaped bar with literary murals + a Yeats portrait. Our Guinness quality score: 10/10.
4 pubs on this list run trad-music sessions: The Duke of York, Kelly's Cellars, White's Tavern, The John Hewitt. Most sessions start between 6pm and 9:30pm and are free to attend — buy a pint, listen.
White's Tavern, established 1630. Building dates from 1630 — Belfast's oldest continuously licensed pub site.
Belfast International (BFS). Book fixed-price transfers before you land; the taxi queues at Irish airports can double your fare if it's a rugby weekend.
Weeknights (Tuesday to Thursday) — locals outnumber visitors, sessions are unforced, and you'll get a stool. Weekends fill fast from 8pm; St Patrick's Day + Guinness-brand event weeks are for tourists only.
6 — hand-picked from a longer shortlist. Every pub here has been visited; the Guinness scores are our own, published dated so you can hold us to them.