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While the mood for celebrations might be more muted this year, there’s no doubt that the boozers around Soho will be packed to the rafters with people in green face paint, downing pints in honour of Ireland’s patron saint. Stop skulking around rainbows hoping to find that pot of gold, and join in the festivities! Here are Hong Kong’s Irish pubs that will have you in the mood for a night of good craic. Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit!
McSorley’s took a strong sense of Celtic pride and Irish hospitality, and threw in a dash of Hong Kong personality, to create a modern Irish pub that is a firm favourite within the city’s expat crowd. They have paired their ale house concept with Indian food, which is a stroke of genius as there’s obviously little else better after some heavy drinking than a good curry and a fresh batch of samosas!
Their location in Elements mall is more of a grill restaurant with an extended food menu, while the Discovery Bay branch is a chill location with outside seating, buffet-style spreads, and a Spoons-like vibe from the UK. The SoHo McSorley’s is the most authentic pub experience out of all their locations, and is the watering hole of choice for many a sports fan.
Guinness is of course a given here, but specially for St Patrick’s Day, McSorley’s will let you level up your pint by topping it up with a shot of Bushmills whiskey for only $10 extra! If you don’t want to get sloshed, McSorley’s has also got your back with the Lyre’s selection, which claims to be the world’s most comprehensive range of alcohol-free spirits and liqueurs. Sláinte!
McSorley’s Soho, 46 Staunton Street, SoHo, Central | (+852) 2385 5515
McSorley’s Discovery Bay, G11A–1, D’Deck, Discovery Bay | (+852) 2987 8280
McSorley’s Brewhouse & Grill, R001, Civic Square, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2736 4888
For Irish authenticity in Hong Kong, there’s not much better than Delaney’s. This classic boozer has been around for about 20 years, and is so ubiquitous in the pint and bitters circles it’s sometimes simply referred to as “The Irish Pub”.
In the Emerald Isles, eating traditionally plays second fiddle to drinking, but as Hong Kong is such a gastro-centric city, Delaney’s also pays good attention to their grub. They import organic Irish Hereford beef, Irish artisan farmhouse cheeses, Irish organic salmon, seasonal fresh Irish oysters, as well as tea and crisps from Ireland. We’ve always found their Beef & Guinness Pot Pie ($166) top notch. Of course, they’ve also got a wide range of draught beers, ales, and Irish whiskeys.
This year, they’re kicking off St Patrick’s Day early at the Wanchai location, with a special Irish-themed lunch menu starting from $98, and happy hour lasting until 9pm. They will also be pulling Hop House 13 lager from St James Gate Brewery exclusively on tap for a limited period, along with a selection of craft lagers, ciders, and ales from O’Hara’s. The pub will be expanded to include a temporary bar in the lobby of The Wharney Guang Dong, and tables out in the street. The staff from the Pokfulam branch will all be manning the Wanchai event, so don’t head over to Cyberport on March 17!
Delaney’s Wanchai, Basement, The Wharney Guang Dong Hotel, 57–73 Lockhart Road, Wanchai | (+852) 2861 1935
Delaney’s Kowloon, Basement, Mary Building, 71–77 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2301 3980
Delaney’s Pokfulam, Shop 314, The Arcade, 100 Cyberport Road, Pokfulam | (+852) 2677 1126
Rebranded from Rúla Búla (which incidentally was taken from the Gaelic expression “rí rá agus ruaille buaille”, meaning uproar, bedlam, and good fun!), Rula Live still remains LKF’s friendly Irish bar. Aside from the expected live sports games on big screens, the pub also provides live entertainment such as comedy shows and live bands performing in house.
Tonight, there will of course be a St Patrick’s Day special featuring The Naggin Eejits, which starts at 7pm. What’s more, Guinness pints will be going for just $60 until March 21. It’s all free entrance, so what are you waiting for?
Rula Live, G/F, Grand Progress Building, 58–62 D’Aguilar Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Central | (+852) 6031 2116
While not exactly your friendly neighbourhood Irish pub, we feel The Chinnery deserves a mention because of how historic it is. Named after 19th century British painter George Chinnery, this cosy spot has been tucked away in the Mandarin Oriental since the hotel’s opening in 1963.
Originally a gentlemen’s club, The Chinnery’s decor has remained unchanged through the decades, featuring deep upholstered armchairs, green leather banquettes, and a lot of warm wood panelling. Aside from their menu of classic British favourites, they are also home to one of the world’s largest collections of single malt whiskies, and serve their chilled draft beer in silver tankards. If you’d prefer to toast St Paddy’s within laid-back surroundings that will take you back in time, and without some drunk bloke slapping you in the face with a giant inflatable shamrock, then The Chinnery is your best bet.
In honour of St Patrick’s, they will be serving exclusive dishes like Irish Stew and Whiskey Cake. Head to the Captain’s Bar after for a pint of Guinness to round off the celebrations.
The Chinnery, 1/F, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, 5 Connaught Road Central, Central | (+852) 2825 4009
Catharina has recently returned to her hometown of Hong Kong after spending her formative years in Singapore and the UK. She enjoys scouring the city for under-the-radar things to do, see, and eat, and is committed to finding the perfect foundation that will withstand Hong Kong’s heat. She is also an aspiring polyglot, a firm advocate for feminist and LGBTQIA+ issues, and a huge lover of animals. You can find her belting out show-tunes in karaoke, or in bookstores adding new tomes to her ever-growing collection.
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