15 Irish Pubs In Australia Worth Having A Pint In

There’s no place quite like an Irish pub to whet whistles with a hearty pint of Guinness and a full plate of rustic grub.

Spend a few hours in an Irish pub and you’ll consider purchasing a one-way flight to Dublin to immerse yourself in craic and traditional folk music for the rest of your life. Nobody hosts a pub night quite like the Irish, who have had thousands of years to perfect the experience.

Always cosy and always inviting, there’s an Irish pub in every major Australian city that’s worth a visit. Each beloved establishment promises a night of nourishing food, ice-cold drinks, traditional live music and endless banter.

Whether you go solo or with a group, you’ll leave with at least three more friends than you came with – that’s the Irish promise.

NSW | Vic | Qld | NT | SA | WA | Tas

1. The Mercantile Hotel, Sydney, NSW

In this day and age, where can patrons find $8 pints of Guinness during Happy Hour? The Mercantile Hotel , that’s where.

Operating for over 100 years, Sydney’s oldest Irish pub has stood the test of time for good reason: live music can be heard every other day, the Shamrock Pie remains a crowd favourite, winning over taste buds with its delightful beef and Guinness combination, and the atmosphere is nothing short of electric.

Please note: The Mercantile is currently closed for renovations.

the pub exterior of The Mercantile with colourful glowing lines moving fast in the background — Sydney’s oldest Irish pub has stood the test of time for good reason.

Address: 27 George St, Sydney, NSW

2. P.J. O’Brien’s, Sydney, NSW

For an evening of whimsy and wine, P.J. O’Brien’s is hard to top.

The wholly Irish experience at P.J.’s comes from its welcoming decor and a fully stocked bar with crisps, Irish whiskey and Kilkenny on tap.

Weekly entertainment caters to all walks of life, from The Simpsons trivia nights to screenings of the Rugby World Cup – just be prepared to shout at the top of your lungs every few minutes, as per tradition.

the light-filled interior of P.J.O’Brien’s Irish pub in Sydney — The vibrant atmosphere at P.J. O’Brien’s keeps regulars happy. (Image: William Watt)

Address: 57 King St, Sydney, NSW

3. The Last Jar, Melbourne, Vic

With a menu curated by Northern Ireland expat and Head Chef Jake Beazley, a night at The Last Jar will feel like you’ve been transported to Éire itself. Pair The Last Jar’s famous Irish Stew and homemade brown soda bread with a tall glass of Irish Champagne for a true Irish experience.

During the warmer seasons, pull up a seat in The Last Jar’s charming beer garden and soak up the sun while your soda bread soaks in the stew.

Address: 616 Elizabeth St, Melbourne, VIC

4. The Drunken Poet, Melbourne, Vic

Making the list of ‘The 10 best Irish pubs in the world (outside of Ireland) ’ is no easy feat, yet it’s one that The Drunken Poet can scream from the top of their Peel Street watering hole.

This timber-laden pub has it all: countless cocktails and beers, beautiful artwork lining the walls, and an atmosphere that offers a safe refuge from a cold winter’s eve.

Order a Bushmills Malt whiskey, whip out a pen and paper and see if The Drunken Poet inspires you.

a low-angle exterior view of The Drunken Poet — The Drunken Poet is undeniably one of the best Irish pubs in Melbourne.

Address: 65 Peel St, West Melbourne, VIC

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5. The Fifth Province, Melbourne, Vic

Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night tipples, The Fifth Province is a one-stop Irish-infused shop.

For a touch of competitive fun, head to the St Kilda-based venue on Wednesday night for weekly trivia, or clock off work early and get there after 3pm for five hours of $5 pints, wines and spirits as an end-of-week treat.

pouring tap beer into a glass at The Fifth Province — The Fifth Province is a one-stop Irish-infused shop. (Image: Griffin Simm)

Address: 3/60 Fitzroy St, St Kilda, VIC

6. Gilhooleys, Brisbane, Qld

An Irish-Australian feast awaits you at Gilhooleys, a Brisbane favourite since opening its doors 30-odd years ago.

Promising good old Irish hospitality and genuine laughs, Gilhooleys will quickly become a Sunday staple to unwind over a glass of vino and a weekend roast smothered in rich gravy. Alternatively, start the day early and devour an Irish breakfast complete with hashbrowns, grilled tomatoes, a mountain of baked beans, buttery toast, bacon and classic black pudding to round it out.

a look inside the Gilhooleys Irish pub in Brisbane — Gilhooleys has been a favourite Irish pub for three decades.

Address: Albert St & Charlotte St, Brisbane City, QLD

7. Finn McCool’s, Brisbane, Qld

The pub so nice they opened it twice; in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, to be exact.

A not-so-hidden gem in Fortitude Valley, Finn McCool’s has been serving up pints and feeding home-cooked meals to merry patrons for over eight years. Round up a crew for $1 chicken wings every Thursday or end the week on a high note and relish in live music every Sunday afternoon.

the tap beer counter with a selection of spirits on display at Finn McCool's — Savour a core range of beers and whiskeys at Finn McCool’s.

Address: 295 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley, QLD

8. Shenannigans, Darwin, NT

There are no missing Shenannigans during a saunter down Darwin City’s main strip. The boisterous bar has been a locals’ favourite for decades, seeing a revolving door of locals and tourists arrive to catch a match on the big screen and people-watch on the terrace.

Take a break from the powerful Darwin sun and cool down with a cheap-as-chips pint as NRL fans infectiously chant in the background.

Address: 1/69 Mitchell St, Darwin City, NT

9. Fiddler’s Green, Darwin, NT

For a balmy evening, venture to Fiddler’s Green at the Darwin Waterfront for delightful views and a laid-back dining experience.

Tuck into fresh chilli mud crab while being serenaded by a local band at this indoor-outdoor hybrid Irish pub, perfect for a quiet catch-up with friends or a hazy session trading stories and drinking refreshing mojitos. There’s nothing Irish about a mojito but occasionally life calls for one.

Lamb shank, potato and a guinness at Fiddlers Green. — Head to Fiddler’s Green on a balmy evening.

Address: 19 Kitchener Dr, Darwin City, NT

10. Mick O’Shea’s Hotel, Adelaide, SA

Make a pitstop at Mick O’Shea’s Hotel en route to McLaren Vale and you might miss the winery portion of the trip altogether. Spend hours relaxing in the lush beer garden, chow down on the seasonal menu or simply nurse a pint while listening to the buzzing conversations around you.

If you spend far longer at Mick O’Shea’s Hotel than anticipated, it doubles as accommodation too, so get a good night’s rest in one of its comfy rooms and resume the planned road trip to the winery region the next day.

Address: Main S Rd, Hackham, SA

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11. Brecknock Hotel, Adelaide, SA

The heritage-listed Brecknock Hotel has been operating in some form for over 150 years, and this tiny slice of heaven certainly delivers on its Irish inspiration.

Featuring open fireplaces to warm souls and an expansive menu offering a range of Irish delicacies, no time is wasted if it’s spent in this historic, cosy pub.

Address: 401 King William St, Adelaide, SA

12. Fibber McGee’s, Perth, WA

Fairy lights and a delightful dry-aged steak is all a pub needs to please the masses, and Fibber McGee’s has both in droves.

Pair your medium-rare steak with thick-cut chips and a divine mushroom sauce while sipping on black gold to get as close to heaven as humanly possible. As the night progresses, nurse a tipple of Irish whiskey and listen intently to the bartender’s amusing anecdotes and tall tales.

the Fibber McGee's sign at the entrance of the pub — Fibber McGee’s has been a go-to Irish pub and steakhouse since 1998.

Address: 711 Newcastle St, Leederville, WA

13. Paddy Malone’s, Perth, WA

Journey to the centre of Joondalup and discover the much-adored Paddy Malone’s . In keeping with traditional Irish pubs, expect a game or match blasting from the screens as punters eagerly follow along.

The Irish-inspired menu is not to be overlooked either, as Paddy Malone’s fish and chips are as fresh as they come.

a close-up shot of food on a plate with beer on the table at Paddy Malone's, Perth — Pair your beer with traditional Irish food at Paddy Malone’s.

Address: 13/115 Grand Blvd, Joondalup, WA

14. New Sydney Hotel, Hobart, Tas

Fitted with Irish memorabilia that will take most of the night to look at, New Sydney Hotel is the epitome of a pub that oozes authenticity.

This quaint inn is one of the cosiest pubs in Australia and touts the best Guinness in Hobart, but if clear spirits are more to your liking, New Sydney Hotel’s selection of gins is second to none. Outside in the garden, beer barrels have been converted into seats, giving the entire space a unique and oh-so-cute aesthetic.

the interior of New Sydney Hotel fitted with Irish memorabilia — New Sydney Hotel is one of Australia’s cosiest pubs.

Address: 87 Bathurst St, Hobart, TAS

15. Irish Murphy’s, Hobart, Tas

Irish Murphy’s might have every other pub in Australia beat. The building dates back to 1812, yet there’s no sign of ageing just by looking at it.

Expect a flawlessly renovated restaurant and pub in the stunning precinct of Salamanca Place, a must-visit whenever you’re in Hobart.

the building exterior of Irish Murphy’s, Hobart, Tas — The Irish Murphy’s building dates back to 1812.

Perch on the seats out front and watch hordes of people scouring the weekly Saturday markets for a bargain or finish your pint and join them in the hunt.

the vintage interior of Irish Murphy’s, Hobart, Tas — The pub’s interior has had a refurb. (Image: Sammy Jones)

Address: 21 Salamanca Pl, Hobart, TAS

For more places to add to your Australian pub crawl, head here.

Video credit: Visit Victoria/Tourism Australia

The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

There are no kangaroos back in Chicago: they’re all here in the Grampians/Gariwerd . In the heart of the Grampians National Park’s main gateway town, Halls Gap, pods of eastern greys are eating grass beside my parked rental car beneath the stars. Next morning, when I see the backyard of my rented villa on the edge of town for the first time, there are kangaroos feeding beside a slow-moving creek, lined with river red gums.

Five hundred metres up the road, 50 or so of them are eating by the side of the road in a paddock. I pull over to watch and spot three emus. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos fly overhead towards the tall green mountains just beyond town.

‘Kee-ow, keee-oww’… their calls fuse with the maniacal cackle of a kookaburra (or 10). Gawd, how I’ve missed the sound of them. Far above, a wedge-tailed eagle watches, and there you go: the ‘great birds of Australia’ trifecta, all half a kay from the town limits.

Exchanging city chaos for country calm

kangaroos near Halls Gap, Grampians National Park — The park is renowned for its significant diversity of native fauna species. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

I’ve come to the Grampians to disconnect, but the bush offers a connection of its own. This isn’t just any bush, mind you. The Grampians National Park is iconic for many reasons, mostly for its striking sandstone mountains – five ridges run north to south, with abrupt, orange slopes which tumble right into Halls Gap – and for the fact there’s 20,000 years of traditional rock art. Across these mountains there are more than 200 recorded sites to see, created by the Djab Wurrung, Jardwadjali and Gunditjmara peoples. It’s just like our outback… but three hours from Melbourne.

I’ve come here for a chance at renewal after the chaos of my life in America’s third-largest city, Chicago, where I live for now, at the whim of a relative’s cancer journey. Flying into Melbourne’s airport, it only takes an hour’s drive to feel far away from any concept of suburbia. When I arrive in Halls Gap two hours later, the restaurant I’m eating at clears out entirely by 7:45pm; Chicago already feels a lifetime ago.

The trails and treasures of the Grampians

sunrise at Grampians National Park /Gariwerd — Grampians National Park /Gariwerd covers almost 2000 square kilometres. (Image: Ben Savage)

Though the national park covers almost 2000 square kilometres, its best-known landmarks are remarkably easy to access. From my carpark here, among the cockatoos and kangaroos on the fringe of Halls Gap, it only takes 60 seconds’ driving time before I’m winding my way up a steep road through rainforest, deep into the mountains.

Then it’s five minutes more to a carpark that serves as a trailhead for a hike to one of the park’s best vantage points, The Pinnacles . I walk for an hour or so, reacquainting myself with the smells and the sounds of the Aussie bush, before I reach it: a sheer cliff’s edge lookout 500 metres up above Halls Gap.

walking through a cave, Hollow Mountain — Overlooking the vast Grampians landscape from Hollow Mountain. (Image: Robert Blackburn)

There are hikes and there are lookouts and waterfalls all across this part of the park near town. Some are a short stroll from a carpark; others involve long, arduous hikes through forest. The longest is the Grampians Peaks Trail , Victoria’s newest and longest iconic walk, which runs 160 kilometres – the entire length of Grampians National Park.

Local activities operator Absolute Outdoors shows me glimpses of the trail. The company’s owner, Adrian Manikas, says it’s the best walk he’s done in Australia. He says he’s worked in national parks across the world, but this was the one he wanted to bring his children up in.

“There’s something about the Grampians,” he says, as he leads me up a path to where there’s wooden platforms for tents, beside a hut looking straight out across western Victoria from a kilometre up in the sky (these are part of the guided hiking options for the trail). “There are things out here that you won’t see anywhere else in Australia.” Last summer, 80 per cent of the park was damaged by bushfire, but Manikas shows me its regrowth, and tells me of the manic effort put in by volunteers from town – with firefighters from all over Australia – to help save Halls Gap.

wildflowers in Grampians National Park — Spot wildflowers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

We drive back down to Halls Gap at dusk to abseil down a mountain under the stars, a few minutes’ walk off the main road into town. We have headlamps, but a full moon is enough to light my way down. It takes blind faith to walk backwards down a mountain into a black void, though the upside is I can’t see the extent of my descent.

Grampians National Park at sunset. (Image: Wine Australian)

The stargazing is ruined by the moon, of course, but you should see how its glow lights up the orange of the sandstone, like in a theme park. When I’m done, I stand on a rocky plateau drinking hot chocolate and listening to the Aussie animals who prefer nighttime. I can see the streets of Halls Gap off in the distance on this Friday night. The restaurants may stay open until 8pm tonight.

What else is on offer in The Grampians?

a boat travelling along the Wimmera River inDimboola — Travelling along the Wimmera River in Dimboola. (Image: Chris McConville)

You’ll find all sorts of adventures out here – from rock climbing to canoeing to hiking – but there’s more to the Grampians than a couple of thousand square kilometres of trees and mountains. Halls Gap may be known to most people, but what of Pomonal, and Dimboola, and Horsham? Here in the shadow of those big sandstone mountains there are towns and communities most of us don’t know to visit.

And who knew that the Grampians is home to Victoria’s most underrated wine region ? My disconnection this morning comes not in a forest, but in the tasting rooms and winery restaurants of the district. Like Pomonal Estate, barely 10 minutes’ drive east of Halls Gap, where UK-born chef Dean Sibthorp prepares a locally caught barramundi with lentil, pumpkin and finger lime in a restaurant beside the vines at the base of the Grampians. Husband-and-wife team Pep and Adam Atchison tell me stories as they pour their prize wines (shiraz is the hero in these parts).

dining at Pomonal Estate — Dine in a restaurant beside vines at Pomonal Estate. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Three minutes’ drive back down the road, long-time mates Hadyn Black and Darcy Naunton run an eclectic cellar door out of a corrugated iron shed, near downtown Pomonal. The Christmas before last, half the houses in Pomonal burnt down in a bushfire, but these locals are a resilient lot.

The fires also didn’t stop the construction of the first art centre in Australia dedicated to environmental art in a nature-based precinct a little further down the road (that’s Wama – the National Centre for Environmental Arts), which opened in July. And some of the world’s oldest and rarest grape vines have survived 160 years at Best’s Wines, outside the heritage town of Great Western. There’s plantings here from the year 1868, and there’s wines stored in century-old barrels within 150-year-old tunnels beneath the tasting room. On the other side of town, Seppelt Wines’ roots go back to 1865. They’re both only a 30-minute drive from Halls Gap.

Salingers of Great Western — Great Western is a charming heritage town. (Image: Griffin Simm)

There’s more to explore yet; I drive through tiny historic towns that barely make the map. Still part of the Grampians, they’re as pretty as the mountains behind them: full of late 19th-century/early 20th-century post offices, government offices and bank buildings, converted now to all manner of bric-a-brac stores and cafes.

The Imaginarium is one, in quirky Dimboola, where I sleep in the manager’s residence of an old National Australia Bank after a gourmet dinner at the local golf club, run by noted chef and teacher, Cat Clarke – a pioneer of modern Indigenous Australian cooking. Just south, I spend an entire afternoon at a winery, Norton Estate Wines, set on rolling calico-coloured hills that make me think of Tuscany, chit-chatting with owners Chris and Sam Spence.

Being here takes me back two decades, when I lived here for a time. It had all seemed as foreign as if I’d driven to another planet back then (from Sydney/Warrane), but there seemed something inherently and immediately good about this place, like I’d lived here before.

And it’s the Australian small-town familiarity of the Grampians that offers me connection back to my own country. Even in the better-known Halls Gap, Liz from Kerrie’s Creations knows I like my lattes with soy milk and one sugar. And while I never do get the name of the lady at the local Ampol station, I sure know a lot about her life.

Kookaburras on a tree — Kookaburras are one of some 230 bird species. (Image: Darren Donlen)

You can be a local here in a day; how good is that? In Chicago, I don’t even know who my neighbour is. Though each day at dusk – when the kangaroos gather outside my villa, and the kookaburras and the black cockatoos shout out loud before settling in to sleep – I prefer the quieter connection I get out there in the bush, beneath these orange mountains.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Sleep beside the wildlife on the edge of Halls Gap at Serenity .

Playing there

abseiling down Hollow Mountain — Hollow Mountain is a popular abseiling site.

Go abseiling under the stars or join a guided hike with Absolute Outdoors . Visit Wama , Australia’s first environmental art centre. Check out Dimboola’s eccentric Imaginarium .

Eating there

steak, naan bread and beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap serves a great steak on naan bread.

Eat world-class cuisine at Pomonal Estate . Dine and stay at much-revered icon Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld. The ‘steak on naan’ at Halls Gap brewhouse Paper Scissors Rock , can’t be beat.

Dunkeld Arboretum in Grampians National Park — The serene Dunkeld Arboretum.

For Halls Gap’s best breakfasts head to Livefast Cafe . Sip local wines at Great Western’s historic wineries, Best’s Wines , Seppelt Wines and Norton Estate Wines .

two glasses of beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Sink a cold one at Paper Scissors Rock.

15 Irish pubs in Australia worth having a pint in

There’s no place quite like an Irish pub to whet whistles with a hearty pint of Guinness and a full plate of rustic grub.

1. The Mercantile Hotel, Sydney, NSW

2. P.J. O’Brien’s, Sydney, NSW

3. The Last Jar, Melbourne, Vic

4. The Drunken Poet, Melbourne, Vic

5. The Fifth Province, Melbourne, Vic

6. Gilhooleys, Brisbane, Qld

7. Finn McCool’s, Brisbane, Qld

8. Shenannigans, Darwin, NT

9. Fiddler’s Green, Darwin, NT

10. Mick O’Shea’s Hotel, Adelaide, SA

11. Brecknock Hotel, Adelaide, SA

12. Fibber McGee’s, Perth, WA

13. Paddy Malone’s, Perth, WA

14. New Sydney Hotel, Hobart, Tas

15. Irish Murphy’s, Hobart, Tas

For more places to add to your Australian pub crawl, head here.

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This scenic Victorian region is the perfect antidote to city life

The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

Exchanging city chaos for country calm

The trails and treasures of the Grampians

What else is on offer in The Grampians?

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Playing there

Eating there

There’s no place quite like an Irish pub to whet whistles with a hearty pint of Guinness and a full plate of rustic grub.

1. The Mercantile Hotel, Sydney, NSW

2. P.J. O’Brien’s, Sydney, NSW

3. The Last Jar, Melbourne, Vic

4. The Drunken Poet, Melbourne, Vic

AI Prompt

5. The Fifth Province, Melbourne, Vic

6. Gilhooleys, Brisbane, Qld

7. Finn McCool’s, Brisbane, Qld

8. Shenannigans, Darwin, NT

9. Fiddler’s Green, Darwin, NT

10. Mick O’Shea’s Hotel, Adelaide, SA

11. Brecknock Hotel, Adelaide, SA

12. Fibber McGee’s, Perth, WA

13. Paddy Malone’s, Perth, WA

14. New Sydney Hotel, Hobart, Tas

15. Irish Murphy’s, Hobart, Tas

For more places to add to your Australian pub crawl, head here.

This app can predict flight delays up to 25 hours in advance

Why you shouldn’t bother looking for a pink moon tonight

Australia’s most delayed flight routes revealed

Affordable Easter getaways in every state to beat soaring fuel costs

The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

Exchanging city chaos for country calm

The trails and treasures of the Grampians

What else is on offer in The Grampians?

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Playing there

Eating there