Whites Tavern, Belfast

Whites Tavern can be found in a courtyard accessed by alleyways. It claims to be the oldest pub in Belfast and certainly has a traditional feel to it with low beamed ceilings. I too noted the old banknotes stuck to the beams. Although, they're looking quite tatty these days. There was a decent size crowd in and service was quite efficient. With plenty of seating outside in the courtyard too, I'd imagine this place gets really busy at peak times. Guinness & their Smithwick's Red were the only two beers of note. The cider was Orchard Thieves. With the Irish-oriented music, this felt much like a typical Irish bar you would find in the Republic. It had a nice atmosphere. It was just a shame that the beer selection was limited.

Official site of Whites Tavern - www.whitestavernbelfast.com

Official site of Whites Tavern - www.whitestavernbelfast.com

Purportedly dating from 1630 Whites Tavern claims to be the oldest pub in Belfast. Located down an alley it is easily missed and I’d have not found it without the Pubs Galore app. The L-shaped interior is dimly lit with seating and an old fireplace to the left of the bar that faces a large wooden double sided gate on the front of the pub. Seating runs along this wall and then up the right hand side. The bar is very low, in fact there are a couple of chairs at the right edge where a couple were sat using the bar as a table. The back bar is exposed brick and old wooden beams run from front to back along the length of this pub that feels a bit like an old outhouse. Some of these beams are covered with old bank notes, most of which are dollars. I found the service to be very friendly and just before I left a couple of fiddlers set up at a table and started playing some Irish folk music. The Guinness was very good and I liked it in here so would pop back if in the area again.

Hidden away in an alleyway, this place claims to be Belfast's oldest pub but apparently it has moved premises at some stage (which explains why it doesn't look anything like as old as it should). Obviously very popular, though, but this makes getting served in the small bar quite tricky and then nowhere to sit down. No real ale either, so went for the anodyne Caledonia Smooth. On the plus side, there was a good atmosphere outside with some entertaining live music going on.

Although I'd been in here twice before some years ago, it took me a while to find it, as it's hidden away up an alley. It's worth tracking down though, as it claims to be Belfast's oldest pub, dating from 1630, and looks the part. Dark and atmospheric, it was very quiet on my most recent visit, possibly because it was a Monday night.

Called in here on a Bank Holiday Monday when it was also a holiday on the Tuesday. This meant that it was pretty busy and most people in here had been out all day, which made for a noisy, raucous, but friendly time. It has the feel of a cellar when you walk in. The bar is to the right and has a standard selection of Irish kegs. It's fairly spartan, but the old glass in the windows is worth a visit on their own. I had a pint of Guinness, which was fine and listened to the banter going on around us. Very amusing. It's a decent pub is this.