The Foggy Dew
The Foggy Dew occupies the corner of Fownes Street Upper and Cecilia Street in Temple Bar. The pub runs a dual identity: daytime sports bar with multiple screens and a food menu, transitioning to a rock and alternative music venue after dark. The interior is darker and more stripped back than the traditional pubs nearby, with exposed walls, band posters, and a sound system that handles live music and DJ sets. Capacity is around 150. The bar stocks a solid range of craft beers alongside the standard offerings. Named after the famous Irish rebel song, the pub attracts a crowd that skews younger and more local than most Temple Bar venues, partly because of its music policy and partly because it doesn't market itself as a tourist destination.
What to Expect
A pub that feels grittier than its surroundings. Dark walls, band posters, screens showing sports during the day. After dark, the lighting drops further and the music gets louder.
Grittier and louder than the trad-focused pubs nearby. Rock bar energy with a younger crowd.
Rock, indie, and alternative. DJ sets on weekends. Occasional live bands.
Casual. This is not a dress-up venue. Jeans and a t-shirt fit right in.
Sports fans during the day, rock and indie music fans at night, visitors wanting a less touristy Temple Bar option
Cards and contactless accepted. Cash also works.
Price Range
Pint EUR 7-8, craft beer EUR 7.50-9, cocktails EUR 12-15, pub food EUR 11-18
Pint ~$7.50/~7 EUR, cocktails ~$13/~12.50 EUR
Hours
10:30-23:30 Mon-Thu, 10:30-02:30 Fri-Sat, 12:30-23:00 Sun
Insider Tip
Come during a Six Nations rugby match for genuine atmosphere with a mostly local crowd. Weekend DJ sets lean toward rock and indie, which keeps the tourist density lower than neighboring pubs.
Full Review
The Foggy Dew is what happens when a Temple Bar pub decides not to chase the tourist dollar with trad music and shamrock decor. The interior is deliberately rough around the edges, the music leans toward rock and indie rather than fiddles and tin whistles, and the crowd reflects that choice.
During the day, it functions as a sports bar. Multiple screens show rugby, football, GAA, and whatever else is on. The food menu covers the basics competently. But the pub comes into its own after dark, when the DJ sets start and the atmosphere shifts from watching sport to something with more edge.
The crowd is noticeably different from the pub across the street. Fewer selfie sticks, more people who chose this place specifically because of what it plays and how it feels. That said, it's still Temple Bar, and weekend nights bring the inevitable tourist overflow. The difference is that they tend to be the tourists who were looking for something other than "Danny Boy" on repeat.
Pricing is marginally better than the pubs directly on Temple Bar Street. A pint runs EUR 7-8, which is still steep by Dublin standards but a euro or two less than what the Temple Bar Pub charges. The craft beer selection gives you reason to pay the premium, with Irish craft options that rotate regularly.
The Neighborhood
On the corner of Fownes Street Upper, just steps from the main Temple Bar Street. The Auld Dubliner and Temple Bar Pub are within a one-minute walk. Dame Street and its bus routes are 100 meters south.
Getting There
Corner of Fownes Street Upper and Cecilia Street in Temple Bar. Accessible from Dame Street to the south or through the Temple Bar pedestrian streets from the north.
Address
1 Fownes Street Upper
Other Venues in Temple Bar
The Temple Bar Pub
Dublin's most photographed pub with its iconic red facade. Two floors of live traditional and rock music every night, a huge whiskey collection, and standing-room-only crowds on weekends.
The Porterhouse Central
Multi-level craft brewery and bar spread across several floors. Brews its own stout, ales, and lagers on site, with live music on the ground floor most evenings.
The Auld Dubliner
Traditional pub with a large upstairs venue hosting live bands and DJs. The ground floor keeps a classic pub feel, while the upper level gets louder and more energetic after 10 PM.
Button Factory
Mid-sized music venue and nightclub hosting live acts, DJ nights, and club events. Capacity of around 800 across two levels, with a reputation for booking quality indie and electronic acts.
Vintage Cocktail Club
Speakeasy-style cocktail bar hidden behind an unmarked door on Crown Alley. Dim lighting, creative cocktails, and a dress code that keeps the atmosphere more refined than the surrounding pub chaos.