Pub etiquette - Ireland
 

Can someone please clue me in on Ireland pub etiquette? We leave in two weeks and I've read so many different things. Do we sit at the bar? How do we order food? Can my husband have a whiskey on the rocks? Do we tip? Do we have to buy everyone in the bar a round? I'm so confused.

Buy everyone a round of drinks, you'll make hundreds of friends!!
The usual thing to do is order food and drinks at the bar and then sit down and they will be brought over to you. If it's drinks only then you normally wait at the bar until they are poured (this may take awhile with a pint of stout) and then find yourself a seat. No need to tip unless you really want to. If you have appreciated the service buy the bar staff a drink, that's how it is usually done in Ireland. A decent Irish whiskey is taken neat or with a little water but if you want Bourbon then I'm sure they'll put the ice in for you.

Buy the bar staff a drink! We’ve never done this. If we’ve been staying at a self catering cottage and have visited the same pub a number of times over a week we’ve bought the landlord a drink. Or if one evening we’ve stayed at the pub for a few hours, had dinner, listened to the band, etc. we may have offered to buy the barman a drink. (Buying a drink, by the way, is in lieu of tipping.) I’d be interested to hear from others on this, maybe we’ve been insulting legions of bar staff across Ireland all these years.

If you’ve won the pools then by all means buy everyone a drink. Perhaps henneth used ‘staff’ as a gender neutral - singular - term and then I would agree with what s/he says.

We’ve sat at the bar or at tables, depending on how private we want to be. And some pubs are so small, it doesn’t really make much difference. Usually, the bar is the locals’/serious drinkers' zone. But if you’re eating you’ll probably want to sit at a table. I’d always wait for my pint at the bar tho’, even if you’re having dinner. Serving you at your table is not the thing it is in North America. In some pubs they may actually have a separate room where you’ll eat. You can sit in the pub to start on your pint and they’ll bring you to the separate room when the dinner’s ready.

Depending on where you are, be prepared for some curious glances from the regulars at the bar. Doesn’t mean they necessarily want to engage you in conversation or are being rude, they’re just looking you over.

If you’re not sure what to order ask the barman what’s good. You may take a bit of ribbing from those at the bar - most of which you probably won’t understand - but they’ll be helpful if you describe the kind of thing you like. Try and drink local stuff, not the watered down swill from home. Be adventurous.

And remember to bring your dirty glasses back to the bar before you leave, or when you re-order.

Have fun.

In my many trips to Ireland I have spent alot of time in Pubs. Mostly small village pubs as I tend to avoid the cities. When you first open your mouth they will know your a Yank so relax. I almost always go to the bar to order food and most times they will then bring it to your table. Drinks are also ordered at the bar and yes a good pint takes awhile so be prepared for it. Ice is available and you won't be given the gate for asking for it and cold beer is available all over in cans or bottles although it won't be as cold as you expect. I agree that you should at least try stout and cider and the local lagers are excellent. I do tip in restaurants but I have nevered tipped in the Pubs. If the pub is crowded and you are sitting at a table it is not unusual for others to sit down at the table with you. We have met some great people when this happens. If there is music on get there early.

When u go into the bar walk slow - all conversation will hush - go up to the bar, say 'whiskey bar-tender', he(probably she) will slide u 2 glasses and a bottle across the bar - Irish pubs are brilliant for craic, fun and laughter, etiquette gets left outside.

We'll definitely be drinking Guinness. My husband likes a good scotch or whiskey on the rocks every once in awhile and I read somewhere on the rocks was a no-no in the pubs.

I also read something about buying rounds for everyone, which I thought was odd. Your advice about buy the bartender a drink seems more like it.

Good tips. Keep them coming. It's good to hear from folks who actually been there.

Many Pubs have a 'Bar food' menu. You can order at the bar and either eat it at the bar or at a table.

I almost never tip at Pubs in Ireland.

A dear friend of mine who passed away last year (Paddy Liston from west Limerick) used to order a whiskey with a glass of Guiness 'back.' He confided in me that {Publican} Ed Lynch didn't charge him for the Guinness. I don't know if this is a special case or is customary.

Sit at a table. It's customary for the Gentleman to go to the bar and order the drinks. A few Pubs will bring your drinks to the table; most smaller ones will not.

If there's a Carvery lunch it's everyone for him/herself at the 'Table d'hote.'

I've never seen anyone buy drinks for everyone at the bar

Of course when I said buy the bar staff a drink if you have appreciated the service, I had in my head the image of an unspoilt little pub in Killarney, wooden benches, nice open fire, with two people serving behind the bar at the most.
I wasn't thinking of a large 'fun pub' with 10 bar staff and 50 customers all clambering to the bar at once. I had in my head my ideal Irish pub, one that may not even exist!! Still it won't stop me searching next time I'm over there.

LOL henneth, unspoilt little pub in Killarney??? Now, if you go to Malin Head in the north or Allihies on ROK...

Had to reply to this one....headed to Ireland for my 8th trip in late April...my mom lives there but will be coming back to the states with us to live here again (God help us!).
I wanted to say that if you want to see some of the "old Ireland", some of what Ireland looked liked years ago (I first started going in 1970) you must get away from the usual spots.
Now, please do not get upset. Ireland is still Ireland-beautiful, quaint, very green, friendly, all of that and more!! I love Ireland-cannot get enough of it actually. But, I would recommend trying some of the areas that are not touristy to enter a pub with one or two people at the bar. Go off the beaten path to Co. Roscommon (where my mother lives) for example. Go to one of the many small towns and go to a pub there.
There is more to Ireland then Dublin, Galway, Dingle and Cork! (I love all those places too though-I've been going to Dingle before most Americans had heard of it).
It really is more like I remember from 1970...but, we all evolve don't we? And, Ireland is no different.
Shadow

"Many Pubs have a 'Bar food' menu"

What exactly would be on a 'bar food' menu? What is Irish pub food?

much like pub grub in the US. A stew with beef or lamb and at times a shot of stout. Fish and chips is usually on. Its a good idea to ask what kind of fish. Cod or Plaice (flounder) is usual but I have run into Mackeral which can be a bit strong. Everyplace will have a soup, usually a creamed vegetable and around the coast every place has a fish chowder and everyplace will make it differently. Please try the muscles. They are grown all over the south and west coast and are the best anywhere. The rest is the usual fare, toasted cheese Etc. Stay away from hamburgers they will be cooked to death. In a good restaraunt try the Lamb and smoked salmon.

I wonder where they harvest the muscles. Oh, wait! I know. Mussel Beach.

You got me on that one, brain not yet in gear.

Do not tip in pubs. Ever.

There's no "usually" about it. Tipping and pubs simply do not mix. It's a fithy foreign habit: leave it at home.

There's nothing at all wrong with asking for ice with your whiskey.

But, since ice kills the flavour of decent Irish (whereas killing the flavour of most brands of Scotch improves them), and it's insane drinking any other kind of whiskey or whisky, adding ice is as great an act of vandalism as putting margarine on a slice of soda bread. It's ill-mannered to mock the Irish compromise: puttiong ice in your whiskey but in small enough quantities that it won't destroy the drink.

Buying a round for strangers is spectacularly crass. There is only one significant difference between Irish pub etiquette and British (laid out fully at www.sirc.org/publik/pub.html): drinking non-alcoholic drinks in Irish pubs (including a cup of tea, a pint glass of tapwater, or Lucozade - which was widely promoted in the 1950s as a temperance drink, is still often in bars, and has a HUGE calorie count) is not at all odd in Ireland.

We found the Irish pubs to be extremely friendly. If itis a small pub and not busy the barkeep may join you at your table for some conversation. They enjoy hearing about events in the US and usually have lots of questions. We love Ireland because the Irish seem to really welcome Americans--at least that has been our experience.

yale: 'drinks for the bar'? could you post here the pubs you will be visiting and i'm sure lots of us will be there :)

re: tipping. of course give a tip if you have had table service (ie: staff have left a drink or food ordered to your table). i live here and i can assure you that ALL staff appreciate a euro or two, just to say thanks. it is not really expected but appreciated nonetheless.

in bars we would say something like 'take one yourself' to the bar person serving us (but only once or twice during a night out and only if the person was very pleasant). what will happen if they accept is that they will just take the price of a pint from your change. just courtesy. this would apply in smaller pubs. in the cities, i would only do it if i were staying in the hotel of the bar in which we were drinking. huge pubs in the cities would not really have any tipping code. BUT remember - it could cut the edge the next time you order.

as for ice in your scotch/irish whiskey - just ask for what you want and they will serve it. lots of people have scotch on the rocks. no problem whatsoever.

as far as going into bars, just grab a table and sit down and one of you go and order the drinks. if they serve food and the menu is not on the table, simply ask at the bar for the menu.

if you are staying in a small village, sometimes it is nice to grab a stool by the bar to get chatting to the barman/woman and so learn more about the area (irish people love to chat - note the length of this reply :)).

just relax and enjoy your holiday - we are well used to lots of visitors from all over the world and so whatever you want to do - do it! (well, except perhaps legging it without paying for your drinks :))

you can get hints on tipping, etc. on my site: www.welovedonegal.com

have a brilliant stay in ireland!

We will be two 'older'women traveling in Ireland in Sept. What do you suggest, if I don't particularly enjoy beer or hard liquor. I do love Baileys, though, is that ok for the pubs. This forum is great for tips, thanks to all who contribute.

Try the hard cider. It's sweet, not bitter like beer. I'm not a beer drinker, but I learned to drink cider in London. Last I knew, you could order it (and beer) by either the half pint or the pint, so you can just get a half pint if you want to try some first. Or, depending on where you live, you might be able to find it in your local grocery or liquor store. I have also had tea in a pub before.

This information is so helpful to those of us who have not been to Ireland! We will be there is several weeks with some teenage boys. (age 16) Do kids this age go to pubs, esp. for the music etc.? Thanks!