The Best Irish Pubs in Sydney, Australia

This pub is suitably set a stone’s throw away from Sydney’s busy Central Business District (CBD) but also far enough from the bustle of Surry Hills. Finding the perfect balance of Irish style without going over the top (a tendency for Gaelic bars abroad), The Porterhouse is rustic and wholesome, charming and characterful, with the odd nod to Guinness iconography. On that note, they do pour one of the best pints of Guinness in town, and offer amazing prices on food as well as drinks.

The Porterhouse, 233 Riley Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia. +61 (02) 9211 4454

This classic Irish bar is clad with all the typical things you’d expect from a pub in the ‘Emerald Isle’ (a common nickname for Ireland): it has wooden furnishings throughout, pub grub served from morning until night, perfectly poured pints of Guinness and Kilkenny, and fun and laughter seven nights a week. Despite the name, Maloney’s Hotel is merely a pub, not a hotel, so don’t plan on staying here for the night if you get carried away with all the craic (Irish slang for fun) to be had here!

Maloney’s Hotel, 81 Goulburn Street, Sydney, Australia. +61 (02) 9211 2992

Located in Enfield, a suburb West of Sydney’s CBD, is PJ Gallagher’s. This Irish pub chain has quite a few impressive locations across Sydney, but when it comes to top-notch Irish fare in a casual and cool setting, look no further than the Enfield location. Not only do they stream all major sporting events, their traditional menu also boasts 2-for-1 meals every single day of the week. There’s also a weekday happy hour and weekly events such as poker and trivia nights.

P.J. Gallagher’s Irish Pub, Coronation Parade, Enfield, Sydney, Australia. +61 (02) 9747 8196

This bar in Surry Hills is a cooler and curated attempt at ye olde Irish pub. A cross between trendy and traditional, The Wild Rover draws an eclectic crowd on a nightly basis. The bar also has Whiskey Co-Op, an exclusive club for whisky fanatics featuring weekly meets and talks from key game changers, distillers and brand ambassadors, as well as offering endless tastings. Each member is issued a ‘Whiskey Passport’ that tracks each member’s journey through the whisky offering at The Wild Rover. Once a ‘passport’ is complete, members are invited to enjoy the ‘Reserve Selection’ made up of rare batches of whisky at heavily discounted prices.

The Wild Rover, Campbell Street, Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia. +61 (02) 9280 2235

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Set at the foothills of Blue Mountains National Park is O’Donoghue’s, an on-trend, grungy Irish bar that packs a punch. With nightly entertainment, live music from local up-and-coming bands, and a mighty menu featuring Irish and European bistro-style fare, this venue has it all. Best time to drop by is over the weekend when O’Donoghue’s is in full swing – this is not only one of the coolest bars to hit up when visiting the nearby Blue Mountains but it’s also a staple for locals with a bit of style.

O’Donoghues, 99 Great Western Highway, Emu Plains, New South Wales, Australia. +61 (02) 4735 5509

Scruffy Murphy’s is one of Sydney’s prime Irish bars. Set in the heart of Sydney’s CBD, Scruffy Murphy’s attracts a footfall of locals and visitors from all over the world on a daily basis. Cool, young and downright fun, this bar may be a tad bit more on the twee side, but saying that, it works. There are nightly events, entertainment and every live sporting event in the book. Top all that off with a hearty Irish bistro menu and great beers on tap, and we got a winner!

Scruffy Murphy’s, 43-49 Goulburn Street, Sydney, Australia. +61 (02) 9211 2002