Reilly's Irish Tavern
Reilly's Irish Tavern is an expat-owned pub on La Calzada that brings the Irish bar formula to colonial Granada. The interior follows the template: dark wood, a long bar, Guinness signs, and sports on the televisions. The space is narrow and deep, holding about 50-60 people when full. A small outdoor seating area faces the street. The bar stocks imported beers that are harder to find elsewhere in Granada, along with the standard Nicaraguan domestics and a basic cocktail menu. What sets Reilly's apart from the other La Calzada bars is its role as a community hub for Granada's English-speaking expat population. Weekly pub quiz nights, live music on occasional evenings, and a kitchen serving comfort food (fish and chips, burgers, shepherd's pie) draw a regular crowd that treats the place like a neighborhood local. The owner is involved in the expat community and the bar functions as an informal information exchange for new arrivals. If you need advice on anything from visa questions to reliable taxis, someone at the bar can probably help.
What to Expect
You walk into what feels like an Irish pub transplanted to the tropics. The air conditioning works, which is a relief from Granada's heat. Sports play on the TVs. The bar has a handful of regulars who look like they've been there since lunch. It's comfortable, familiar, and deliberately un-Nicaraguan.
Pub-comfortable and expat-social. Feels like a neighborhood local that happens to be in Central America.
Classic rock, pub standards, and whatever sport is playing on the TVs. Live music on occasional special nights.
Casual. Anything goes. This is a pub, not a club.
English-speaking travelers looking for a comfortable base, expat social connections, and pub food.
Cash and cards accepted. USD and cordobas both work. The card machine occasionally has issues, so carry cash.
Price Range
Beer NIO 50-90, cocktails NIO 100-160, food NIO 150-300, pub quiz free
Beer ~$1.40-2.50/~1.30-2.30 EUR, cocktails ~$2.70-4.30/~2.50-4 EUR, food ~$4-8/~3.70-7.50 EUR
Hours
Daily from 11 AM to midnight
Insider Tip
The weekly pub quiz (usually Wednesday or Thursday; check the chalkboard for the current schedule) is the best social event on La Calzada for meeting long-term residents. The fish and chips are decent. Ask the bartender for off-menu cocktail specials.
Full Review
Reilly's fills the Irish-pub-abroad role that exists in tourist towns worldwide, and it does it competently. The space is air-conditioned, which alone makes it stand out on La Calzada where most venues rely on fans or open air. The bar is well-stocked by Nicaraguan standards, with a couple of imported beers on draft alongside the standard Tona and Victoria. Guinness is available but expensive relative to the local options.
The food menu covers pub classics. Fish and chips arrive in decent portions with proper chips rather than fries. The burgers are thick and cooked to order. The shepherd's pie is comfort food that hits right if you've been traveling through Central America for weeks and want something familiar. Prices are moderate for La Calzada, slightly above the cheapest options but justified by the air conditioning and the quality.
The pub quiz is the venue's signature event. Held weekly, usually midweek, it pulls in 20-30 people including long-term expats, hostel workers, and travelers passing through. Teams form on the spot, and the questions cover general knowledge with a few Central America-specific rounds. It's the most reliable social event on La Calzada for meeting people who live in Granada rather than just passing through.
Daytime, Reilly's functions as a sports bar. English Premier League, NFL, and other major sporting events are shown on the televisions. The bar opens at 11 AM and has a steady trickle of expats throughout the afternoon. This is where the foreign community shares news, arranges outings, and generally keeps connected. If you're new to Granada and want to tap into the English-speaking network, spending an afternoon at the bar is the fastest way.
The Neighborhood
Reilly's is on La Calzada between Nectar and El Tercer Ojo, in the most active section of the street. Parque Central is a one-minute walk west. Hostels, restaurants, and other bars are all within a short stroll. The street outside gets busy on weekend evenings with vendors and foot traffic.
Getting There
Walk east from Parque Central on La Calzada for about two blocks. Reilly's is on the right side, marked by the Irish pub signage. Any tuk-tuk driver knows the location. From the bus terminal, a tuk-tuk costs NIO 30-40.
Address
Calle La Calzada, Granada
Other Venues in Calle La Calzada
El Club
Granada's main dance club on La Calzada, drawing a mixed crowd of tourists and locals with reggaeton, Latin pop, and electronic sets running until 2 AM on weekends.
Nectar
Popular La Calzada bar with a rooftop terrace, craft cocktails, and a social atmosphere that pulls in backpackers and expats throughout the week.
Cafe de los Suenos
Relaxed bar and cafe with outdoor seating on La Calzada, live acoustic music on weekends, and a menu of local and international cocktails.
El Tercer Ojo
Eclectic bar-restaurant with a bohemian atmosphere, international menu, and a candlelit courtyard setting that attracts a slightly older, more settled crowd.