The best beer gardens in Belfast
If you find yourself cutting across to NI for a break, and are treated to some Irish sun, you're going to need a beer garden. Don't worry, we've got you covered!
Skiddle Staff
Date published: 27th Jul 2022
The Irish know how to drink, which also means that when the sun is out, there are plenty of beer gardens and rooftop gardens for you to get involved and sink some stouts and catch some rays. So if you're a local or find yourself on the bustling streets of Belfast, we want to let you in on all the best places to enjoy some local beer, and soak up the Irish sun (when you find it.)
From the backyards of boozers over a hundred years old to sprawling riverside pubs, quaint alleyways, to entire street takeovers, Belfast has something for everyone. So have a scroll down and check out all the best beer gardens in Belfast!
Image: Laverys on Facebook
When: 12pm - 12am Monday to Thursday, 12pm - 1am Friday and Saturday, 2pm - 12am Sundays
Where: 12-18 Bradbury Pl, Belfast BT7 1RS
Known as the oldest family-run pub in the whole city, Laverys is something of a marvel, one that blends its old charm with modern refurbishments to make it one of the best sinking holes in Belfast, especially when that suns out. Its modern beer garden is the best place for you and your mates to take the piss out of each other until last orders, and with over 20 screens around the place, it's also one of the best places to watch the Rugby.
If you stick around on Saturday, you can also watch the venue transform into a 1200-capacity nightclub, and it's a right old party until the early hours, make sure not to miss it.
Find tickets for events at Lavery's - here
Image: Filthy McNastys on Facebook
When: 1pm - 1am Monday to Saturday, 2pm - 12am Sundays
Where: 45 Dublin Rd, Belfast BT2 7HD
Despite what the name might suggest, Filthy McNastys actually has a very high food hygiene rating, and coincidentally, is also one of the finest bars in Belfast. Its aesthetic screams cool and quirky, with mannequin lamps, neon draped signs, vintage vinyl and candles dotted around its walls, no one will ever say it's boring. Its alleyway beer garden also serves up a top night and when the bevs are flying around the atmosphere out there is electric. Even more so with you there. With authentic pizza and local musicians providing the live tunes every night, you'll just want to keep coming back.
Find tickets for events at Filthy McNasty's - here
Image: The Sunflower on Facebook
When: 12pm - 12am Monday to Wednesday, 12pm - 1am Thursday to Saturday, 1pm - 12am Sundays
Where: 65 Union St, Belfast BT1 2JG
Whilst it may have a security gate on the front door (things weren't always so civil here if you weren't aware), The Sunflower is a haven for Belfast punters to come and sip on the finest of locally brewed and distilled alcohol. Whilst the front and interior transport you back to the Belfast of the 80s, what treats you when you step out back is a modern, and cosy beer garden, with colourful walls and a vintage aesthetic.
Local live musicians play in candlelit corners, pizza bubbles away in the woodfire ovens, and laughs with Irish twang burst out of the beer garden, it's an absolute vibe and should be ona+ any list of the best beer gardens in Belfast.
Find tickets for events at The Sunflower - here
Image: Kellys Cellar on Facebook
When: 11:30am - 12am Monday to Wednesday,
Where: 30-32 Bank St, Belfast BT1 1HL
This old worker's pub has been serving up stout to the people of Belfast since the 1700s and it won't be stopping anytime soon. So if you and your pals are looking for what the craic is, then Kellys has got to be on your radar. Whilst the laid-back interior is the perfect place to capture old Irish charm, their huge covered street beer garden will be providing you with sun-soaked stories to piece together with your mates the following morning; a must-visit when looking for the best beer gardens in Belfast.
Find tickets for events at Kellys Cellar - here
Image: Cutters Wharf on Facebook
When: Opening times vary, check their website for details
Where: Lockview Rd, Belfast BT9 5FJ
Who doesn't love a good river-side vista to take in whilst having a beer or three? We can't think of anyone, and we don't think you'll be able to resist either. Cutters Wharf, perched on the bank of the River Lagan, is one of the best beer gardens in Belfast, and for good reason. Its sprawling beer garden wraps around the water's edge, and the bar provides a whole host of delicious wines and craft beers, alongside some proper tasty pub grub. With heaters and plenty of covers, it's the perfect place to chill outdoors with a bev no matter the season, and one you should be adding to your list.
Find tickets for events at Cutters Wharf - here
The Dirty Onion
Image: The Dirty Onion on Facebook
When: 12pm - 11pm Every day
Where: 3 Hill St, Belfast BT1 2LA
From one of the oldest buildings in the entirety of Belfast to one of its coolest bars. The owners of The Dirty Onion have transformed the 300-year-old former warehouse into an old-school boozy paradise with one of the city's largest beer gardens. You and your pals will be able to drink the night away here whilst sampling some incredible Scottish whiskey, craft beers, and also some mean rotisserie chicken from the onsite restaurant 'Yardbird.' The beer garden is always buzzing, and with free live music every night, it's a true Irish treat.
The Boneyard
Image: The Boneyard on Facebook
When: 12:30pm - 12am Tuesday to Sunday, closed Mondays
Where: 29 Bedford St, Belfast BT2 7EJ
With picnic tables spilling out the sides, and entertainment aplenty, the wonderfully quirky The Boneyard by Pug Uglys is a must-have on any list of the best beer gardens in Belfast. The outdoor-only space has an incredible, constantly changing range of drinks, from pints to local spirits and seasonal cocktails. There are also some top events held here, most notably the Pug Ugly Comedy Club, where you can see some of the best on the Belfast circuit alongside some of its latest comedic talents. There's no better outdoor space in the city to spend drinking the night away.
When: Opening times vary, check their website for details
Where: 23-27 Malone Rd, Belfast BT9 6RU
The Botanic Inn is an absolute staple of the Belfast nightclub scene. Affectionately known as 'The Bot' this establishment has been serving up cold ones for punters since before the first world war, and with its new Boho beer garden (found between the iconic Botanic Inn & the Wellington Park Hotel), you can enjoy all it has to offer whilst basking in the Irish sun. With a generous selection of seating and individually themed huts, fitted with their own projector screens, games consoles and electronic charger ports, The Botanic Inns Boho Garden offers an incredible blend of fun to meet every occasion.
Find tickets for events at The Botanic Inn - here
The Thirsty Goat
Image: The Thirsty Goat on Facebook
When: 12pm - 1am Monday to Saturday, 12pm - 12am Sunday
Where: 1 Hill St, Belfast BT1 2LA
With a drinking goat in a glass case in the middle of the room, and a handy retractable roof, The Thirsty Goat certainly is unique. But quirkiness is what people are after nowadays, and the Thirsty Goat has the facilities to back it up. A wonderful range of craft beers ready for you to sink, a range of local live music to dance like an idiot to after one too many, and then a range of traditional Irish meals from stews to baked goods to soak it all up with. What are you waiting for?
The Duke of York
When: 11:30am - 11pm Monday to Wednesday, 12pm - 1am Thursday to Saturday, 12pm - 9pm Sundays
Where: 7-11 Commercial Ct, Belfast BT1 2NB
Now finally, this one isn't really a beer garden per se, but it may as well be. The famous Duke of York in Belfast, a pub that has been bombed and rebuilt, is a place you cannot miss on your visit. It's always rowdy, especially during the weekend when (as seen above) the neon-umbrella-covered street gets taken over by drinkers pouring out the pub door, and the whole pathway is no longer usable. It makes for some of the best atmospheres in the whole city; it cannot be understated how much fun it is when like this. So get yourself down and let the streets be your beer garden for once!
Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.
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