Pub Grub

Most pubs serve food at lunchtime, many throughout the day and into the early evening. This is an inexpensive way to eat out, and the quality of the food is often quite good.

Davy Byrne's. James Joyce immortalized this pub in Ulysses. Nowadays it's more akin to a cocktail bar than a Dublin pub, but it's good for fresh and smoked salmon, salads, fresh oysters, and a hot daily special. 21 Duke St., Southside, Dublin, Co. Dublin, 2. 01/671-1298. www.davybyrnes.com/.

The Odeon. The converted main building of Harcourt Street's old railway station houses this large, modern bar. Both the lunch and dinner menus include fresh-grilled panini, beef-and-Guinness stew, chicken wings, and homemade sausages. Sunday brunch is served between noon and 5. 57 Harcourt St., Southside, Dublin, Co. Dublin, 2. 01/478-2088. www.odeon.ie/.

The South William. A lively pub with a huge glass front, it happens to serve gourmet pies that might be the best pub food in the known world. Try the bacon and cabbage. S. William St., Southside, Dublin, Co. Dublin, 2. 01/672-5946.

Stag's Head. The most beautiful pub in Dublin, period. Built in 1895, it's a Victorian-era mahogany masterpiece. Serving one of Dublin's best pub lunches, this place is a favorite among Trinity students. 1 Dame Ct., Southside, Dublin, Co. Dublin, 2. 01/679-3701. No credit cards.

Shebeen Chic. Everything you see inside Shebeen Chic is recycled from old buildings or bought at scrap auctions (including the corrugated-iron bar frontage) but the food at this uber-trendy bar is genuine new-Irish cuisine: try the braised oxtail cottage pie, courtesy of Seamus O'Connell, who learned his trade at the feet of master chef Kevin Thorton. 4 South Great George's St., Southside, Dublin, Co. Dublin, 2. 01/679-9667.