The Porterhouse
The main thing about the Porterhouse (on Parliament St, there are other ones in Phibsborough and Nassau St) is that the beer is good but the place is bad. The oyster stout is delicious, but the bar is crowded and overpriced and lacking in any real character. The Braon Blasta is very strong and tasty (and, incidentally, very cleverly named – An Braon Blásta means “the tasty drop” in Irish, but the stuff itself does act as a fairly effective brain-blaster) but the atmosphere is noisy without being fun and the general feeling is impersonal and a little bit exploitative. Go for a pint and then leave. (The newer Nassau St branch is less unpleasant, and has more of the feel of a pub.)
