Best Bars in Belfast - Northern Ireland - Belfast Cocktails

Visiting a new city or country is not just about hitting those historical places and walking through its old streets, but it is also about the nightlife that one will enjoy and be part of. We have been out to visit some of the best bars in Belfast in which you could have a drink during the day as well.

Being in a city that you have never been to before is different because at this point you will realize that you are choosing a bar haphazardly, spotting one out there and heading directly out to it. Since we are Belfast-people and know more about the places and streets that make this city, we decided to visit some of the bars which we have heard about them being the best out there and headed out to check.

Our first stop - and recommendation - is the Bootleggers which is considered in the heart of Belfast City Centre and Cathedral Quarter. This place is considered a nod to the 1920's days of prohibition in USA when the alcohol was outlawed there. The barman at the Bootleggers showed us two different cocktails which are prepared there and which are: America F*** Yea and Pear with Me. We have gone through the instructions about the ingredients that should be used but we believe no one will ever be the same as the Bootleggers in preparing these cocktails.

The next stop in this trip of exploring the best bars in Belfast was at The Spaniard which is also located in the Cathedral Quarter in Skipper Street (   • Dark and Stormy Cocktail at The Spani...  ). There are usually different stories related to the old places in any city around the world and in the case of The Spaniard in Belfast, one of these stories say that it is given that name because Spanish sailors used to come to this place - but who knows. In this bar, Michelle did not just see how the drink is prepared, which was called Dark and Stormy cocktail, but she also got the chance to prepare one all by herself - and drink it at the end - which is why we should trust her opinion with our eyes closed; easy to prepare and tasty to drink.

The third place to go and check is the Kelly's Cellars; Kelly's Cellars is a traditional Irish pub that is famous for serving Guinness. If you think that pouring wine inside the glass is just how you do it at home then you are wrong because there is actually a technique for that and this technique is followed at the Kelly's Cellars - which might be one reason why they are famous for that - one really gets to know much when visiting those bars!

The next best bar in Belfast is Muriel's Cafe Bar which is an amazing place for specialty gins (   • Elderflower Martini with Brockman's T...  ). Inside this bar we got the chance to see the barman - barwoman in this case - preparing two different cocktails which are also considered famous in this place and which are Brockman & Elderflower Martini as well as the Espresso Martini - we were amazed by how quick and easy they are prepared and how at the end they bring some different taste - you will definitely love it!

Our trip to explore those best bars in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is not over yet because there are still other ones which we visited out there and which have tried their special drinks as well, such as The Duke of York which is also found in the Cathedral Quarter. The Duke of York is mainly known for its whiskies, with the largest selection of whiskies in all of Ireland. This place has a whiskey shop around the corner and we tried the whiskey known as "A Friend of Hand"; Michelle tried it neat but there are other ways that people might prefer to drink it into - and you will find a secret behind those whiskies as well.

Before going out for this trip and before discovering the best bars in Belfast, we didn't know that there are actually lots of choices out there, but we are glad about the results. The Harp Bar was another place which we have been to and where we also got the chance to see how they pour the perfect Guinness which the barman believe that it goes through four different steps: choosing the right glass, pouring the Guinness while the glass is at 45 degrees, wait for the glass until the Guinness is all in the same color, and finally top it until the Guinness is one mm top of the glass, finally one will have to wait until it is all black before drinking it; that's what they call the perfect Guinness.

The Dirty Union is the next bar on this long list and which is located in Belfast's oldest building (   • Dirty Onion Pub; One of Belfast's Old...  ). The Dirty Onion is amazing and different because it has a big outdoor garden, a bar, and a restaurant, so all your needs are there.

The last stop in this trip was The Perch rooftop bar - which is one of the few in Belfast - which is famous for its specialty cocktails; we have tried their Espresso Martini.

We have to say that we are spoiled here in Belfast when it comes to bars!

The best locations around Ireland / Northern Ireland and further afield. A travel blog/vlog of the hidden treasures that are on our doorstep.