Here in Seattle it's 6PM on a Saturday evening so there's no better time for me to finally put a personal FAQ answer on the record: No, Irish bars in the US are *not* that similar to actual pubs in Ireland. Let me cover just some of the ways!
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Second, when you talk in to an Irish bar you often have to be seated, and there's those plastic-y laminated menus. That basically never happens in Ireland. You just find a table. If there's a food menu at all, it's around lunch time, not the evening.
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A actual Irish pub lunch menu will have things like "Goujons" on them, which are basically chicken tenders, and it definitely won't have "Irish Nachos".
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In an Irish pub, there generally won't be any chairs, it'll be stools. Short stools around tables, high stools at the bar. There'll also be bench style seating along the walls. There won't be any booths.
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You order drinks at the bar in an Irish pub, not at the table, and expect to be there a while. You're expected to order in rounds, for your whole table, and when you order you pay. There are no tabs. Guinness (mandatory in every order) will take at least two to three minutes.
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That's because there are two pours. Pour one fills the glass to between 2/3rds and 3/4s, and then it *sits*. If you walk in to an Irish pub and there is no small queue of mostly-poured pints just sitting there behind or on the bar ... leave immediately.
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Pour two finishes the pint, then you get it, and the rest of your order, and you leave ... so that the next punter can get their order in, mostly using eye signals and nods to the bar person.
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In an Irish pub you can ask for a red lemonade shandy and they will know what that means. In an Irish bar they will wonder if you are crazy.
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When you get back to your table, you enjoy your drinks with your friends. Going to an Irish pub is group work. IMPORTANT: Conversation is had at a level where you can hear each other clearly, but not be clearly overheard, except for occasional uproarious laughter.
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Other differences: Irish pubs are often carpeted, rarely seen in the US. Nostalgic knick-knacks are less common, though not rare. Parking lots are vanishingly rare. No such thing as strip malls either.
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A really stark difference is that drink-driving is much much more taboo in Irish culture, where DUIs are not seen as misdemeanors (either socially, or legally). The hours are quite different too. Things tend to close earlier in Ireland than most US cities.
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Irish pubs tend to be less spacious too, people are really packed in in a way you'd never see in the US. But it's good! O.k. since I'm going to abuse this tweet thread to refer people to in the future, here's my list of pubs worth going to if you visit Ireland ...
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Hughes' on Chancery lane, behind the four courts, Dublin. Best session music in the city too. Friday night is best.
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Gravedigger's in Glasnevin, also Dublin, especially on a cold winter's night.
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Bowes' on Fleet St. Dublin. Don't venture any more into Temple Bar than this.
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Ryan's on Parkgate St., Dublin, before you go up for a meal at FXBs.
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End of conversation
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