International Bar

The International Bar. Cozy and entertaining.

Irish pubs are famous around the world. So, of course when you go to Ireland, you have to try many different ones.

Tonight I went to the International Bar. This was not my first time at the pub. I found the pub through some research I was doing about a month ago. I wanted to try some new pubs and suggested to my friends that we check out the International Bar. Our first experience wasn't the best. The bar tender harassed my friends and I by saying some very inappropriate things. This really impressed one of my friends for some reason, but the rest of us were offended. Needless to say, after that encounter, I really didn't frequent the pub. But my friend was hanging out there, so I joined her to spend some time before she left the country to go back home to America.

The International Bar is located on Wicklow Street, off of Grafton Street. The pub has been there for two hundred years. It is mentioned in James Joyce's "Ulysses" and the Irish Socialist Brigade held their meetings here before the Civil War in 1937.

The pub is also the meeting point for the 1916 Rising Tour. This tour takes people around Dublin and talks about the Rising of 1916 and how the Irish got their independence.

But history is not only was draws people to the pub. Every Wednesday, the pub hosts the Comedy Cellar, which started in 1988. The show draws famous comedians from around Ireland and Europe. There is a small fee to pay, but it seems to be worth it since the shows are usually in full attendance.

The pub has two floors. You enter on the ground floor. There is one bar counter to serve the floor. The bar takes up the whole wall and on the opposite wall is seating. The room is very small and there is not much seating or any standing room, for that matter. There are some chairs outside, but again, not many. On the right of the bar, there is a stairwell to go upstairs and that is where the comedy shows takes place.

On the left of the bar are stairs that lead to the bottom floor. Again, there is only one bar down there to service the room. You can give a dollar, in any currency, and you will be able to pour your own pint. They will then take your dollar and put it on the wall behind the counter. There is an interesting collection. Downstairs there is more setting. On select nights, different activities take place down there.

The whole pub has that traditional Irish pub feeling. Wood dominates all floors and there are unique decorations that will keep your eyes entertained. The lighting is good and the whole atmosphere as a cozy feel.

It seems that there is a mix group of people that visit the pub. There you can meet people from all over the world, or run into some locals. There always seems to be a group of regulars at the pub.

Of course you can get your pint of Guinness there, but you can also get food. The pub has a great Irish stew and toasted sandwiches. My favorite is the ham and cheese toastie.

To be honest, the International Bar is not my favorite place and I would not go out of my way to go there. My main issue is that there is not much room in the place. If you don't get there early enough, you will not find a seat and there is no standing room. Wherever you stand, you will be in the way. I don't like that.

But it is always crowded and between comedy shows, tours and special events, there is always something going on and something will be able to draw you in.

Visit their website at www.international-bar.com

And visit www.1916rising.com for more information about the tour.