Hogans Bar

So it’s true this isn’t the fanciest pub in Dublin. But it does have character. If you want a nice chill place for a bit of fun on a Friday or Saturday night, you can’t go wrong here. To clarify, by chill I don’t mean it’s quite, just that hogan’s has no pose about it. You go here, you just want to have a few drinks and dance the night away. You won’t find pretentious posers here. You won’t get into any fights. Just some good old Irish craic.
The DJ’s put on some good tunes here. Not the boom boom house music noone actually enjoys dancing to, but the fun stuff, a mix of old and new, the ones that’ll have you jumping up and down and belting out in song at the same time. Before you know it it’ll be 3am and time to go home and you’re left wondering where the time has gone. You’ve had some fun and the hours have just flown by, that’s hogan’s for you. So if you’re looking for a fun place in town, not a bad spot really.

It’s just ok… Nothing more, nothing less… With so many bar options around, this place just doesn’t sing to me. I’ve bene here on 2 occasions and it’s always been a bit flat. It is a spacious bar but yes, atmosphere lacked on both visits and from the outside, it has that cosy bar feel to it but inside, it doesn’t deliver.
I think another reviewer nailed it, you think it’s a cosy seat in the corner and you sit down only to find it’s uncomfortable and doesn’t inspire you to hang around too long.
I won’t say never though with some many more great options around, it might not be any time soon.

Is it Hip or is it Square?
The question I ask myself every time I drink at Hogans, pass it or see the event listings they have coming up.
It does a lot of things right but in a wrong way.
There’s outdoor seating which looks heavenly but then you sit down and realize that the benches are disjointed, uncomfortable and cold.
The views aren’t exactly great, looking one way you’ll see the «vibrant hub» of Fade Street’s few shops and pubs. Looking the other way, you’ll see a loud, dirty, aloof pedestrian packed section of George’s street and if you happen to catch their eyes, will look back at you with scorn.
On the inside, Hogans is a cramped and difficult place to get a drink order in. You’ll be blasted by heat and immediately in the company of old Dublin men talking up their womanizing past whilst eyeing the room for any frisky women who’re celebrating something innocuous like a friend’s newborn or a 31^st birthday.
Sometimes there will be something genuinely exciting or impressive on here, like a live podcast of Second Captains but for the most part it’s generic insufferable tat like MASS with Power FM or the Dublin Zoo Disco Tunes Night.

It’s kind of hard to form a fully-​rounded opinion if you’ve only been to a place once or twice, but the vibe i got from Hogan’s is that for all it’s trendy décor, well-​dressed clientele and the buzz that gathers on Fade St just to the side of the pub, the place is very wallpaper-​ish.
To be fair, Trendy spots round Dublin City Centre are a dime a dozen, so it’s hard to stand out, and there are no overly aggressive bouncers at the door. But there is no real buzz when you get inside, and there aren’t enough seats. The one thing that struck me when i was there the other night was how sweaty and hot it got. And i’m not talking about the dance spot downstairs… i mean by the seating area near the main entrance. which was under two massive fans which were conveniently never turned on (now, i do have an axe to grind in general about how cheap Dublin proprietors are in the area of air-​con, so Hogan’s is not the only culprit)…and it gets too crowded.
Nevertheless, it’s probably worth checking out once. To be honest, I just found that the place was so utterly «meh» that i’m finding it hard to work up any really strong emotional response! It’s like if you were only spending the weekend in Dublin, and you only had one night… choosing to go to Hogans is like going to a massive ice-​cream emporium and saying, «vanilla, please :)»

This pub is a great place that seems to fit all kinds of people, really mixed crowd with all different styles and different ages, great atmosphere and really relaxed, they also serve a great pint of guinnes

Great place in the week nights to have a drink & still be able to hear your friends. Chill vibe & 3 bars a decent amount of space. Music was chill r&b.

Hogans is one of the few bars from my student days that I’ll still return to comfortably. It’s a bar that nestles the awkward patch between twentysomething and thirtysomething quite comfortably.
If Against The Grain is too hipster for you and The Palace is to fogeyish, then you’ll fit right in here.
Perfect for a cheeky afternoon pint and great for dancing all night. How many pubs can say that?

I avoided Hogan’s when I lived on Dublin. I just couldn’t stand the crowd, all trendy and that, not my scene.
Nowadays, when I’m home, we pop in for an afternoon pint every now and then and I actually quite enjoy it.
It’s a big place, a bit ‘bigger on the inside’ than it looks. The décor is fairly old man pub, bit maybe more minimalist. There’s odd spotlights that probably make sense on a Saturday night, and another bar in the back that might even be staffed sometimes.
During the day, it’s quiet and relaxed. You’ll see people in for a pint while they read their book, and a few chatting groups around. Daytime has more of a café feel for sure.
As the evening progresses the place becomes slowly more packed, until eventually you’re pushing past the crowds to the bar. That’s usually when I’d leave, but I have on decent authority that it’s an ok place at nice — just may not be my kind of place.

I quite liked this place. Outside can be deceptively busy on a summers evening, & would in general put me right off going inside, but inside the bar it was spacious & laid out quite well. The bar, although always busy, was never overwhelmingly busy so that it might put you off waiting for a drink. Downstairs there was some pretty funky music playing & a dancefloor that wasn’t overcrowded & had plenty of movers & shakers to get you in the mood to dance.
It has all the makings of a really trendy night spot, cool décor, cooler music but absolutely nothing pretentious about the place. Why only 3 stars then? not enough seats & a huge open space in the middle of the floor that defo could have done with another table or 2!

I used to go to Hogans a lot– it was my friends default meeting place. Time passed and loads of new places opened. I hadn’t been here in a good whole. It was bank holiday Sunday and six of us were looking to go for drinks. It was busy enough– no free seats — although we were the only ones with no seats.
There were plenty of staff on and we were served quickly both times. They have the usual selection of beers on tap. The staff can be either very chirpy or grumpy depending. I’ve always found it to be so.
It’s always busy here and they had a dj playing. There was loads of space to stand and chat.
I like hogans and it’s a great spot for a pint.

Hogan’s ist eine einfache, volle Lokals Bar mit guten einheimischen und ausgewählten internationalen Bieren. Das Smithwicks sollte man probieren. Wir sind hier eher zufällig reingeraten als wir Schutz vor einem ach so typischen Schauer suchten und die ganze Nacht geblieben. Oben klassischer Pub und unten Bar mit großer Tanzfläche ist das auch gar kein Problem.

Been there. To start a evening. After a christmas party. Stopped by between two bars. Had a break there during a photo walk. I don“t know how many times I’ve been there (my credit card bill would know), but if you are looking for a straight forward bar, this is your place.

Been here a few times and had both good and bad experiences, but I guess that’s to be said about all bars. Some nights bring in the creepers and some nights you can hang out and enjoy the music and atmosphere with a few good friends. It’s pretty quick and easy to get a drink and they have a nice selection of beers on tap and in bottles. Although the outdoor area is quite small at least they have one in case you want to enjoy a bit of fresh air or the outdoors on a nice day.
The bar has a second lower level which is more dance club like, dark with flashing lights. Kinda nice depending on what kind of group you want to go out with or if you want to leave the lads upstairs to fend for themselves.

This is a nice large spot for a few beers with friends; but, head here midweek when it’s not ‘happening’ and it’s a wee bit eery… Minimal décor and larger unfilled spaces leave it wanting. But, hey, they have Bud Light and it’s clean; so, it’s what you make it actually!
Stop by after a bite to eat and bring a few peeps with you to warm the place up if it’s an off night.
Cheers!

I usually avoid these type of places like the plague but as far as «trendy» pubs go this is one of the more bearable ones. The clientele are a little older and wiser which cuts down on irritating handbags at dawn scenarios. To quote one of my friends on the night I felt «at least three shades too white» for the music. There was a brief half hour or so where they played some pretty cool funk and disco stuff that allowed us all to act like we had rhythm but it soon gave way to Snoop Dogg and other such insufferable things.
The bar was rammed most of the night and the place was a little too crowded otherwise. The drinks were fairly standard Dublin city prices too.
Not a bad night by any stretch but this just isn’t my type of place. Others might enjoy it a lot more than me.

What a great pub for Friday night. The DJ played some excellent tunes later on in the evening til late at night. And they poured a great pint!

Hogan’s has been like a second home to me and my friends since moving to Dublin from Waterford all those many years ago. Hogan’s seemed like the obvious choice to use, given it’s similarity to Geoff’s in Waterford, so it’s been our «local» since day one. The staff over the years ranged from being friendly, to the odd asshole, to hipsters hippies and hobos. Well recommended for a night out, if you can get in the door. Food not an option, apart from the odd pretzel girl passing through. They have a good range of beers (had some Paulaner there last night, sweeet) and prices are as per most city centre pubs.
This is probably the only pub review I’ll ever do on Unilocal,because I don’t seem to go anywhere else bar Hogan’s on a night out…

Dublin, as you know, is packed to the rafters with pubs and bars, we Irish like it that way and now the only way we can give directions is by referencing several drinking holes while doing so (turn left at slatterys, go straight past O’Neills and take the third right after Stags)
But there is only a handful of these places I would class as proper Dublin pubs, and Hogans, although not of the Long Hall, or Stags Head league, is not at all bad. Catch it on a good night and it can be great, catch it on a bad/​quiet night and it can feel a bit soulless.

Hogans its like a good old friend to me, whom I met during my first week in Dublin back in 2008. At the beginning I spent many nights and afternoon over there, like with all new friends you have so much to tell and get to know each other. I knew I liked the week days more cos it’s less busy and you can enjoy your pint near the window and day dream a bit or relax after a busy workday. Then you have the time of a relationship you seen each other too often and take one for granted or just need some time for yourself…
So I stop going there for a bit but as with all good friends you kinda get back together now and then. So even after 4 years I get my odd afternoon pint at Hogans and remember all the good nights, Pints of Bulmers and people I met and I am pretty sure many more will follow as I know I can count on my old friend !

Hogan’s makes absolutely no sense to me. this is largely due to my lack of spatial awareness and crap eyesight but I find going in here a rather disorientating experience.
Y’see Hogan’s looks like a normal sizeed bar at the front, but is hugely deceptive in that it stretchec around the block of neighbouring apartments in a big concrete-​building hug kinda thing. It gives the pub way mopre space, The Button Factory is one of my favourite venues in Dublin. I’ve been to many a great gig here, with fantastic sound quality and I’ve great memories of having a pint with Against Me! here.
Aside from the gig end, The Button Factory also does some of Dublin’s best club nights on weekends. Transmission on Saturdays is a great indie/​electro night, and
the late Tetric night was absolutely bangin, before it died a premature death.
Definitely worth a go if you want to go on a mad one. but also makes it very easy to get lost in.
I’ve had many a messy night here and although it ca ssometimes be jammed or half-​dead, it’s quite a good spot to begin a night on the town

I really like Hogans because, and this may take some explaining, it’s really easy to use. What I mean by that is that this pub operates completely without hassle. The furniture is of the really simple, no frills, «place ass here» school and I think that has an effect on everyones mood. It’s a good old school style that encourages conversation, a very positive feature in any pub.
Plus they sell Spaten, a mark of class.

Hogan’s ist ein sehr netter Pub im Herzen Dublins, stilistisch irgendwo zwischen hip und studentisch, unter der Woche vorwiegend von Letzteren bevölkert, am Wochenende auch darüber hinaus. Besonders dann kann’s sehr voll werden, aber das macht vielleicht auch ein wenig den Reiz aus — sehen und gesehen werden eben.
Für die Innenausstattung hat viel grobes Holz hergehalten, ohne dass der Laden gleich rustikal wirkt. Eher hat man den Eindruck, sich in einer alternativen Lounge zu befinden.
Die Getränkeauswahl ist reichlich, bietet aber keine großen Überraschungen für einen Pub in Dublin. Biere, Draught, Whiskeys aller Sorten, aber auch ein paar Weine sind hier zu finden, darunter aber nichts Besonderes.
Wer es ein wenig schicker mag, sollte sich die in derselben Straße befindliche Market Bar ansehen.