We begin our search for the Best Smithwick’s Experience in Dublin in the place that makes claim to be – and probably is – its oldest bar, The Brazen Head. The Brazen Head’s (perhaps apocryphal) story begins in 1198 when it claims to have been established and in the intervening 816 years it has claimed to have had everyone from Robin Hood (no, really) to James Joyce as a patron.
It’s unclear whether The Brazen Head truly is the oldest pub in Dublin, what’s more certain is that it’s the pub which has been claiming the title for the longest time, and in these matters maybe that’s all that counts. It’s certainly well installed on the tourist trail between the Book of Kells and the Guinness Storehouse, and has uncountable dollar bills signed and doodled on by visitors plastering all available space on the walls and parts of the ceiling, proving its credentials as a must-see for those seeking the Dublin experience.
And where better to enjoy a pint of Smithwick’s of a Monday than The Brazen Head’s cozy smallest room, looking so much like the inside of a pint of Smithwick’s itself? The bar hushedly bustling, there wasn’t immediately a table available for us, even on a Monday evening, as visitors mixed with locals having a quiet one after work, and tables nearest the fire being prime real estate not hurriedly surrendered in favour of stepping out into the cold. The bar does, however, horseshoe around a central courtyard with tables which will, no doubt, truly come into its own as the evenings begin to warm up.
Friendly staff took our food orders and pulled our pints of Smithwick’s while we waited at the bar, and then ushered us to a table as soon as one was free. A group of jovial Brazilians got to know the occupants of the table beside them, two guys at the corner of the bar were apparently discussing the finer points of trad jazz and two women in business attire were engaging in what can only be described as nattering over a shared dessert. Our order arrived promptly, spicy chicken wings and the most cherubicly plump fishcake to ever grace a plate. The food was scrummy, and cheerfully washed down by our Smithwick’s.
The Brazen Head might be a little out of the way for most people, but maybe that adds to its charm, making it a fantastic retreat from either the elements or the centre of town. Questionable claims to antiquity aside, The Brazen Head is an establishment that Dubliners and visitors should experience alike.
The Brazen Head
20 Lower Bridge Street, Dublin 8
t: 01 6779549
