Waterford’s pub scene is one of the most underrated in Ireland. The city has genuine depth across every register — Victorian spirit grocers that have barely changed since the 1890s, craft beer bars with twelve taps and a serious attitude toward what goes on them, cocktail bars with rooftops worth queuing for, and neighbourhood locals that have been serving the same streets for over a century. This is our guide to all nineteen of them: the full spread, from the most historic to the most contemporary, with links to the full write-up for each.
The Historic Ones
Henry Downes on Thomas Street is the oldest bar in this list and arguably the most significant in Waterford’s pub heritage. Established in 1759 — before the United States existed — it remains in the same family and still bottles its own whiskey blend, Henry Downes No. 9, for sale at the bar. The building is large, cavernous and unhurried. It is the kind of pub that makes you feel the weight of time in a very specific way.
J. & K. Walsh on Great George’s Street is Waterford’s last Victorian spirit grocer, operating from a building that hasn’t meaningfully changed since 1899. The original signage, original fittings, original everything — this is preservation by default, which is the best kind. Order a pint of stout and sit in the room and understand what the word “pub” actually means when it’s done right.
Thomas Maher Bar has been on O’Connell Street since 1886, making it one of Waterford’s longest-serving licensed premises. The whiskey selection is one of the most serious on the street, the room has the particular weight of a building that has been doing the same thing in the same place for close to 140 years, and the welcome is uncomplicated and genuine.
Phil Grimes on Patrick Street is one of very few pubs in Ireland still serving cask-conditioned ale — a practice that has disappeared almost everywhere else due to economics and effort. The open fires are lit from October to March. The snugs are exactly what snugs should be. It is not a pub that makes a noise about any of this, which is why finding it feels like a reward.
The Classic Waterford Pubs
The Gingerman sits at the end of Arundel Lane — the narrow pedestrianised passage off Broad Street that runs through the old Norman quarter of the city. The pub doesn’t look designed and that’s the point: it’s just very good at being a pub, with a whiskey selection that reflects genuine knowledge and a bar staff that know the difference. One of the most satisfying afternoon pubs in the south-east.
Geoff’s Café Bar is the beating heart of John Street. Part pub, part café, part community space — Geoff’s is the kind of venue that becomes part of a city’s identity rather than just its hospitality offering. Strong coffee in the morning, reliable pints through the afternoon, and the particular energy of a room that has been used and loved for a long time. Waterford would be a lesser place without it.
The Tap Room in Ballybricken is the neighbourhood local that Ballybricken deserves: family-owned, properly run, and rooted in one of Waterford’s most historically significant squares. Ballybricken pubs have a different quality from the city centre bars — they serve communities rather than circuits — and The Tap Room exemplifies that at its best.
The Grattan Bar at the corner of Bridge Street is family-run by Melisa and Martha with genuine care. The river view, the live music room, and the kitchen that takes food seriously make this one of the most complete pubs in Waterford. The Sunday carvery draws a loyal local crowd and the music programme is booked with real attention to quality.
The Three Shippes on William Street is Waterford’s rugby pub, done properly. The screens are well positioned, the atmosphere on a match day is the real thing, and the Sunday carvery is a city institution. If you’re in Waterford for a Munster match or a Six Nations Saturday, this is where you want to be.
Rooftops and Late Nights
The Reg on The Mall is built against the 900-year-old City Wall — the only pub in Ireland that can make that claim — and operates across five distinct bar areas including a rooftop with views over the River Suir. The oysters are the best bar food in Waterford. If you are only going to one pub on this list, make it a difficult choice, but The Reg should be near the top of the consideration.
itty bittys on Bank Lane is Waterford’s best cocktail bar, tucked into a narrow lane opposite the Theatre Royal with a rooftop terrace that gets the afternoon sun and fills fast on warm evenings. The cocktail menu is more considered than most in the city, the resident DJs pitch the room correctly, and the booking line (051 347303) is worth calling before you go on a summer evening.
kazbar at 57 John Street runs three floors, a heated rooftop garden, and live music seven nights a week. It is the most consistently busy late-night venue in Waterford’s city centre and has been for years. Ground-floor food service runs until 6pm daily. The upper floors are for the night. Opening until 2am most nights.
Craft Beer and Serious Drinks
Tully’s Bar at 37 O’Connell Street has twelve or more draught taps and the selection to justify them. Waterford’s own Metalman Brewing and Dungarvan Brewing Company feature consistently. Live music runs on a regular programme. One of the most complete bars on O’Connell Street and a reliable first stop for anyone who takes beer seriously.
Davy Mac’s on John’s Avenue was the South East’s first dedicated gin bar and remains the best. Over a hundred gins on the list, staff who know the range properly, and the tonic selection to match. Blackwater Distillery and Jackford Gin feature prominently and correctly. The gin flight is the right way to spend an unhurried Wednesday evening.
Bodega on John Street is Waterford’s best wine bar and a multiple award-winner for good reason. The Mediterranean wine list is one of the most carefully assembled in the south-east, the tapas-style food menu rotates with the seasons, and the room has the warmth of a place where people come to stay rather than to pass through. Book ahead for Friday and Saturday.
Eat and Drink
La Fontana in the Viking Triangle is Waterford’s most reliable Italian restaurant and a pub list entry that earns its place: the bar is warm and well-stocked, the pasta is made in-house, and the wood-fired pizza is properly blistered. The hospitality is genuinely Italian in its generosity. Booking recommended for evenings.
Burzza on John Street does Neapolitan pizza with the rigour it deserves: 48-hour fermented dough, San Marzano tomatoes, a wood-fired oven running at the correct temperature. The ‘nduja and honey pizza is the signature. The beer list is short and well-chosen. It is a focused operation that does what it does extremely well.
The Woodman Bar is for nights when you want a packed room, a microphone, and a crowd that has collectively decided to abandon any pretence of self-consciousness. The karaoke nights are serious business in Waterford — well-run, well-attended and brilliantly good fun. The darts setup is taken equally seriously. Not every night needs to be sophisticated.
And finally, Murphy’s Fish and Chips on John Street — technically a chipper rather than a bar, but a Waterford institution so deeply embedded in the city’s night-out culture that any list of the city’s best places to eat and drink after 9pm would be incomplete without it. Cod and chips, large, salt and vinegar. The queue on a Friday is the queue for a reason.
Nineteen bars, one city. Waterford’s pub culture is deep, varied and genuinely underrated by anyone who hasn’t spent time in it. Click through to any of the individual entries above for the full write-up, address, opening hours and what to order.