Whether you are meeting up with a group of friends or looking forward to a night out with your significant other, the question of where to go and what to do can be a tricky one.
These days, the entertainment and leisure industry is a huge one, and there is no shortage of choice. Yet the pubs, clubs and restaurants can all start to look a little similar and formulaic.
Dublin is a city that is famed for its nightlife and Irish hospitality. But there is also nowhere better to be if you crave a night out that is truly out of the ordinary and will provide memories to last a lifetime.
Here are three quirky venues in the city that are like nowhere else on earth.
Bingo at The George
If you thought a night at the bingo was reserved for old ladies with blue rinses, prepare to have your preconceptions blown away.
The online age has brought new life to bingo Ireland and introduced it to a vibrant, younger audience. But if you want to play the game in the real world, there can be no better venue than Dublin’s most famous gay bar on a Sunday night.
Hosted by the most famous drag queen of them all, Bingo with Shirley Temple Bar has become a weekend institution that has been running since the late 90s.
It’s a unique mix of bingo and cabaret, and the fact that it’s still standing room only after more than 1,000 shows should tell you all you need to know. The George is on South Great Georges Street at the Dame Street end, and the show starts at 9:30PM every Sunday night.
Address: South Great George’s Street South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2, D02 R220, Ireland
Candlelit Cocktails at the VCC
Looking for something a little more sedate? The Vintage Cocktail Club is a speakeasy-style bar hidden away on Crown Alley in Templebar.
Finding the place is all part of the adventure – look for the black door with the VCC sticker above it.
Once inside, you are transported back in time, and the bizarre names of the house cocktails only add to the otherworldly experience of the place.
It’s the perfect spot for an intimate table for two – but if you are planning on visiting on a Friday or Saturday evening, book in advance to avoid disappointment.
Address: 15 Crown Alley, Temple Bar, Dublin, D02 E229, Ireland
Catch the bus at The Bernard Shaw
Dublin has plenty of excellent bars to choose from. But only one of them boasts movie nights, great homemade pizza and a big blue double-decker bus. The Bernard Shaw is quirkiness personified, and the perfect antidote to the chain bars that are taking over so many cities.
It might be a case of catching the bus while you can, however, as its future has been thrown into doubt by the local planning authority.
Residents have sought to have the beer garden, including the bus, permanently closed, while operator Bodytonic has vowed to resubmit plans in a bid to keep this unique venue in operation.
Address: 11-12 Richmond St South, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin 2, Ireland
