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The Dawson Lounge
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10:00 - 23:30
Fri-Sat 10:00 - 0:30
Sun 12:30 - 23:00
- Parking Garages:
- Street
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
€
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
16 reviews for The Dawson Lounge
16 reviews in English
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Review from Cristin L.
Dublin
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
A Dublin institution, the Dawson Lounge.
I've been infrequently frequenting this place since I moved to Dublin and its never lost it's charm.
The guy who used to own it was behind the bar this night, Ron Black. The Thomas Reid group bought the bar back in the day and Ron was employed to run it. Good move. I don't know if they still own it now though. (They bought his name too, but thats another story.) Ron is a gem. My brother made the point of saying hello to Ron and while Ron probably didn't remember my brother, he went out of his way to make conversation. Nice guy.
Regarding the Dawson and its amount of space, I find this lends to people going in here and only staying for two rounds. So while at one point the place is jammers, after about 30 mins it empties out again and you pounce on the available seats. This night when I arrive there are five free stools at the counter... FIVE!! I only need three - woo hoo! But then after 30 mins a group descends on the place and its jam packed. But this is what I like about the place.
The ladies is funny too, the low ceiling requires padding on it so when you stand up after doing your business, you wont give yourself concussion.
Everybody living in Dublin needs to experience the Dawson Lounge at least once...Listed in: Dublin Pubs
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Review from Clarice W.
19/1/2011
The Dawson Lounge was definitely a surprise for me. As soon as you walk in and grab a pint, you turn around to find a seat. Literally. This is the smallest pub in Dublin but never once have I felt that I was crowded in this nook pub.
I loved taking out-of-towner's to this pub just for the novelty, a pint and the token picture in front of the red door so they could go home and tell everyone they went to the smallest pub in Dublin.
I feel a bit weird about this pub. Just because if you are having a conversation with someone I feel like everyone in the pub can overhear you. So this would be a place for me to frequent alone and with a book. Also, there is only one bathroom and it says MEN. Now I'm sure women can use it too, but I've never seen one! With everyone watching everyone's move I don't think I'd have the cahones to use it! -
Review from Annie L.
29/7/2010
Maybe my concept of space is different to the majority of people, blame it on driving a tiny car, growing up in the box room and for some reason always getting the smallest room in any house share - I'm normal size by the by.
I just was expecting smaller, I sucked in my gut as we descended the steep stairs in expectation of pushing my body against random strangers in a shared perverse need to drink booze in a tiny space.
That said the Guinness was good, the bartender was good craic. I was the only person with an Irish accent down there. Don't get too tipsy as you might break your neck on the stairs. A fabulous spot for a bomb shelter should I ever need one.Listed in: Local Dublin Flavours!, Dublin Local Flavour
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Review from Joshua R.
5/8/2010
A cozy place for a pint, with a bartender who was happy to chat or leave me alone with a book. While down there I did observe several Brits who come in who seemed to be regulars-they were chatting with the bartender about mutual friends and were on a first name basis.
I'm part caveman, so having an underground, dim place to hide in a corner and plot my next move is actually quite nice.
Bottome line: Does size matter? It seemed to go down fine... -
Review from Bryan B.
9/6/2009 3 photos
"Probably the smallest pub on the door" is what the sign outside says and it's not far from the truth. This is definitely a place you could easily miss since the entire establishment is in the basement but it's definitely worth stopping in if you get a chance. The location is killer and I'm adding the Dawson Lounge to my list of must see pubs in the Grafton St. area.
I can imagine this place getting too crowded that you'd decide to leave without ordering a drink but my friends are I were able to find a table on a Tuesday night pretty easily. Their selection of drinks is good and the novelty of being in such a small pub is entertaining.Listed in: Night Out in Dublin's City…
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Review from Matt L.
27/8/2010
Cool place to check out once or twice. Feels like you're heading down stairs to your buddy's basement for a few beers. ha ha Its the kinda place you want to have a pint with a friend before heading out.
Fun to check out. -
Review from Katie-Ann M.
Dublin
15/11/2009
The smallest pub in Dublin if not Ireland, this charming watering hole is no bigger than your bedroom, but what it lacks in size it self-assuredly makes up for in charisma.
Nobody is sat at any given point more than two yards from the bar. Despite a lot of people playing on the novelty value of the bar and henceforth seeing it more as an exposition than actual business I have revisited now coming up to five or six times as I perceive it to be a truly decent pub where you can unwind in a unique milieu.
Other than some generic Irish relics adorning the wall, nothing else indicates that you may be located exclusively in Dublin. Once you have clambered up the stairs and reach the pub you feel like you have truly fled the hullabaloo that the streets of Dublin proffer.
With no windows, no doors directly out onto the street, it's like a dressed-up bunker with a bar, in the nicest possible way. As the pub is so teeny it is almost inevitable that you will end up talking to the table next to you.
If you are more predisposed to wanting to keep it private between you and your own party then that is achievable for sure but if you are prone to socializing and talking to other punters then this puts forward a candid opportunity to do so. -
Review from Hiro S.
11/6/2009
I love this place!
It's got such a character. This is the place I always meet up with my local Irish friends. When I got there for the first time, I saw two Dawson Lounges and I was confused, then I remembered my friend said..."The original one which you have to take stairs to go down..."
Because of the size, it gets so crowded on weekend evenings, but it just gives more local/fun atmosphere.
We usually meet up here, go to another pub or three, then find somewhere to eat...that's my routine... :) -
Review from Cathal C.
Dublin
27/7/2009 1 photo
The Dawson Lounge purports to be the smallest pub in Dublin and do you know what, they could well be right. I would associate Dawson Street more with bookshops than licenced premises, but I was in the area and a thirst was upon me, I'd quite probably slake it in the Dawson Lounge.
Because of it's small size, Dawson Lounge is not big enough to contain both the Irish and non-native drinking classes, so it's novelty factor and oodles of charm ensure that the place is mainly patronised by tourists. You'd almost wonder how a place that small would be able to tun a profit, but with it's anecdotability, the place is guarunteed to be always almost full of tourists who want to be able to tell the story of drinking in the smallest pub in Dublin. What they should do is hire some old codger in a tweed cap to sit at the end of the bar and utter the occasional piece of native wit. Then they'd be able to charge into the place, and flog t-shirts. -
Review from Mark F.
Dublin
10/2/2011
This place was death on legs back in the bad old smoking days with no ventilation and low ceiling but nowadays it is just cosy. It almost forces people to interact. Can be a pain getting to the bar for a pint if there are more than one or two people propping it up and it is a bit disconcerting standing in the toilets with people walking on the opaque glass tiles above you. Speaking of which there is a women's toilet, a bit further to the back than the men's.
For the great mix of older Dub (this place) and Celtic Tiger (Cafe en Sein) this street provides the right spot.
It is a great pub for a tourist experience and also for locals. -
Review from Rónán C.
Dublin
28/7/2009 1 photo
Not as big a tourist trap as you'd think, given it's novelty and proximity to Grafton. I'd actually go so far as to say it strikes a nice balance between tourists and natives, four of each can fit in before you start breaking any fire safety regulations.
And it really is a nice pub, with excellent Guinness. However, the new(ish) barman put a shamrock swirl in my stout the last day. I was hurt and offended, not least because I'd been having a full blown debate as gaeilge immediately prior to the offence.
Still, I suppose he's only young. And maybe he was just practicing for the invasion that is June. -
Review from Jo M.
11/7/2009
Adorable basement bar that is definitely worth a visit, and worth showing off to any non-Irish who happen to swing by Dublin town.
The bartender is a lovely old guy who's always up for a chat, no matter who you are, where you're from or where you're going. The Guinness flows well here (not that I'm an expert or anything) and it's a lovely place to retreat from inclement weather for a pint or two. Just don't come here to spill raunchy secrets about the torrid affair you're having with your boss - the whole pub is the size of someone's living room and your 'private' conversation WILL be heard by everyone in the bar.
Listen out for the poor bugger who's locked himself in the bathroom - you'll hear him every few minutes, but the bartender never seems to get too concerned. That's because he knows what you don't... -
Review from Tim T.
29/11/2010
Great pub at the South end of Dawson St. by SSG. It's easy to miss if you're not looking for it. It's size is it's charm, but the place delivers. A very nice place to grab a pint and sit and chill with friends or just be one on one with someone. My only complaint would be the music. The barkeep just played some crap dance/pop stuff which didn't do a lot for the mood or my thought of his musical opinions.
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Review from Brónagh M.
Dublin
5/2/2010 1 photo
baby humble, little, mini, miniature, petite, pint-sized,pocket-sized, small-scale, teeny, undersized, wee, ...... thats the dawson lounge, smallest pub!
i like going in here for one drink. after shopping , after work, after an event. just one drink.
i have always found a seat in here too, for such a small space with limited seating its amazing that i have never had a drink standing up.
I wonder what the capacity is? some day i will bring a huge munch of friends in here and see how many i can fit in, kind of like the how many grannys can you fit in a mini kind of thing! -
Review from Lowell H.
19/9/2009
Small, friendly pub. It's so small you have no choice but to talk to others. They even serve sandwiches. Close to St. Stephens Green and the Archological museum.
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Review from Karina C.
Dublin
22/12/2009
This is the smallest pub in Dublin and it's so teeny tiny that a mate of mine once joked that they should serve the pints in test tubes! I love going in here and sitting on one of the few stools at the bar. You get up to go to the loo and it's merely a stone's throw away! Makes a nice change from being in the likes on Cafe en Seine, where the toilets are a million miles from the front door. OK, I'm exaggerating, but you know what I mean - it's a bit of a trek.
The last time I was in The Dawson Lounge was for a pre-dinner drink before my friend's hen party. We had a delicious G&T before we went on our merry way to Bang on Merrion Row and the girls who were from out of Dublin loved the place. It's one of those bars that's good for a quick tipple or a whole night on the batter!
