It’s St Patrick’s Day on 17th March which means, Irish or not, it’s time to put on some green and drink Guinness galore. Classic Irish bars are all over London, but we’ve put together only the best places you should head to in London to celebrate Paddy’s Day in style. Line your stomach with a hearty Irish stew, kick off the night with a Guinness and then get your Irish jig on to live music with an Irish whiskey in hand. We've also included our two ultimate top picks in the city for the biggest St Patrick’s Day parties in London…
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TOP PICKS: THE FLYING HORSE
We cannot think of anywhere better to celebrate St Paddy's day than The Flying Horse Pub in the centre of bustling Liverpool Street. The festivities will be kicking off early on Saturday 14th up until the big day on Tuesday 17th, so come down and enjoy the longest Irish festivities in London. The bar will be rammed with locals, bankers and tourists coming together for a pint of Guinness and a great time. The Flying Horse hosts some of the best live music in London every week, but for St Paddy’s celebrations we are sure it’ll be even better than ever.
Cheers to the Emerald Isle whilst the kitchen serves Irish food and dishes out amazing deals on Jameson whiskey, Guinness and Baby Guinness shots!
THE HERCULES PILLARS
18 Great Queen St, London WC2B 5DG
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day at the Hercules Pillars in Holborn on Tuesday 17th March, smack bang in the heart of London. The traditional British pub will be hosting a full day of festivities and international rugby including some amazing St Paddy’s drinks deals. Tuck in to a hearty Irish lunch before spending the night with a bunch of awesome locals, tourists, Irish expats and plenty of pints of Guinness. All day, the bar will be offering amazing deals on Jameson, Guinness and Baby Guinness shots! The cosy pub is a local favourite in the centre of the city, just a short stroll from Covent Garden.
THE AULD SHILLELAGH
105 Stoke Newington Church St, N16 0UD
With the best Guinness in North London and a selection of whisky to get your jig on all night long, it’s no wonder this Stoke Newington local is one of London’s favourite Irish pubs. The Auld Shillelagh has boasted its truly lively, Irish atmosphere for over 25 years, and is the kind of place to head to for a boozy night with friendly locals dancing to classic Irish songs. It might look small from the outside but the narrow hall goes on and on, ending with a spacious beer garden that’s the place to go when the sun comes out. Expect live music, a sea of green, and probably a sore head the morning after at a St Patrick’s Day party at the Auld Shillelagh.
TOP PICKS: BELUSHI’S
Various locations around London
Belushi’s bars across London are going all out for St Patrick’s Day this year and you are in for a treat whether you’re in London Bridge, Hammersmith, Greenwich, Camden or Shepherd’s Bush. Expect insane drinks deals with an Irish twist for four whole days from Saturday 14th until Tuesday 17th March, including £2.50 pints of Guinness and deals on Jameson whiskey cocktails. One of our favourite things about Belushi’s is the live music, and on Tuesday 17th they’ll have one of the best live Irish bands in London playing on their stages across the city. They’ll even have DJ’s playing sets until late! Find these shamrockin’ bars dotted all around London as a night at Belushi’s is a night you won’t forget (if you’ve not had too many whiskies that is...).
ST CHRISTOPHER'S PUB
121 Borough High St, London SE1 1NP
Celebrate St Paddy's Day at St Christopher’s Inn Pub in London Bridge. Head to the modern gastro pub for a full day of festivities, Irish food and some awesome drinks deals. With the sound of Irish music, the smell of delicious Irish pub grub and deals like £3 Baby Guinness from 13th to 17th March, it's the perfect spot to celebrate. Expect the pub to be buzzing on Tuesday 17th with live Irish music playing from 8pm. Caught a sweat from jigging a little too hard? Take your pint out and have a breather in the outdoor terrace.
WAXY O’CONNOR’S
14-16 Rupert Street, W1D 6DD
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day “the waxy way” at this 6 story maze of over-the-top Irish fun. Get there quick enough to nab a table and warm up with a whisky before the real Irish session begins later on, live music and all. If you’re not a fan of beer, their wine and cocktail options are limitless. This, along with its cool, modern decor make this joint hugely popular amongst central London’s visitors. It’s an absolute must for at least a pit stop pint between seeing the sights.
THE PORTERHOUSE
21-22 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NA
Split over 12 different floors, don’t be worried about being cramped in this Covent Garden brewery, even for St Paddy’s Day. The Porterhouse doesn’t just claim to have Irish roots, it actually hand crafts its beer and ales in Dublin and has a solid selection on offer, too. This is a truly Irish pub serving delicious Irish food and fantastic live music in the evenings. It even has a basement music club which will be buzzing on the 17th. What more could you want?
THE FALTERING FULLBACK
Finsbury Park
Get in the Irish spirit and head to Finsbury Park’s best-loved bar for some St Paddy’s Day action this year. The Faltering Fullback is a great option for awesome live music, so dance to your heart’s content, enjoy a Guinness or two and make friends at the bar with friendly local folk. Even if dancing isn’t your thing, there are plenty of little nooks and crannies to cosy up in with your mates and soak up the awesome atmosphere that’ll be sure to kick off on March 17th. Fingers crossed the weather will hold up, as their beer garden will be a great place to hang out and day drink for St Patrick’s Day.
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