Dog Friendly Dublin: The ULTIMATE Guide

Woman sitting on a bronze chair sculpture in a Dublin park while holding a small white dog in her lap.

Is Dublin, Ireland dog friendly?

If you’re a dog parent who’s interested in visiting Dublin, Ireland, you might be wondering: Is Dublin dog friendly? Is it worth traveling there with my dog? Will there be enough dog friendly things to do in Dublin?

We’re Kim and Frank and we’ve traveled to Dublin six times in the last two years alone with our dog Robi. And we’re happy to say YES, please bring your pup to Dublin!

Dublin may be most famous as the capital of the Republic of Ireland – or maybe you know it as the home of Guinness beer and Irish whiskeys? But Dublin is quickly earning itself a reputation for being a dog-friendly travel destination. Personally, Dublin is one of our favorite cities to visit with our dog Robi and we’ve never run out of new things to do, see and eat. That’s why we keep coming back to Ireland’s capital with him!

Here is our ULTIMATE Dublin city guide for dog parents wanting to explore Dublin with their pups.

*Service dogs are always permitted to enter an establishment per Irish equality laws. This guide is meant to advise non-service dog owners, although service dog owners will find this guide useful too – just know the restrictions don’t apply to you.

A person in a cozy brown sweater sipping a vibrant green earl grey matcha latte in a cafe, with a small white dog wrapped in a blanket resting beside them on the bench.

Are dogs allowed in cafes?

Yes, it just depends on the cafe. While there are, of course, cafes in Dublin that do not allow dogs inside at all (with the exception of service dogs), there are so many that do wholeheartedly welcome dogs inside their establishment! And let’s be real: you might need a warm place to chill and get a latte with your pup while exploring since Ireland is known for being rainy, windy and chilly most of the year.

Here are some of our Dublin dog friendly cafe recs:

Two Pups Coffee (Liberties neighborhood)
Maneki Tea Talk (Temple Bar neighborhood)
Cloud Cafe (North Strand neighborhood)
Four Face Coffee (Rathmines neighborhood)
Little Bird Coffee and Yoga (Portobello neighborhood)

Want to brunch with your dog? Check out our thoroughly researched brunch guide of over 40 Dublin spots where dogs are allowed inside.

Now, if the weather is nice outside (or you just don’t mind sitting outside), check out the famous Irish chocolate café chain Butlers. They have multiple locations in Dublin and while dogs aren’t allowed inside, almost all of them have an outdoor seating area or at least an outdoor covered bench that can accommodate you and your pup.
Butlers Chocolate Cafés with outdoor seating:

The Butlers on Liffey Street or the Butlers in the Dublin Rathmines neighborhood definitely have outdoor seating.

TIP: Many Butlers Chocolate Cafés will also have a bowl of water out front for your dog. Butlers is great for people watching and they always have yummy seasonal drinks and delicious chocolates. You always get a free chocolate with every drink. Our favorite chocolate is the Honeycomb Crisp.

Small white dog sitting on a pub chair beside a table with a pint of Orchard Thieves cider at a dog-friendly bar in Dublin.

Are dogs allowed in pubs and bars?

We’ve generally found that Dublin’s pubs and bars are even more likely to allow dogs than Dublin’s cafés (although that is less likely to be the case in the busiest spots like the touristy Temple Bar neighborhood). It just depends on the pub or bar. Of course, service dogs are allowed in every pub and bar.

If you’re looking for suggestions for a dog-friendly place to grab a pint or try some classic fish and chips, we recommend:

Cat and Cage (Drumcondra neighborhood)
Humphrey’s Pub (Ranelagh neighborhood)
The Barbers Bar (Stoneybatter neighborhood), where they take a polaroid of every dog that patrons the bar and hang it up on their walls. Robi got a shot glass of treats and their Asian fusion food window serves up delicious plates too.

Woman holds a small white dog while reaching for a half corn-on-the-cob while the dog looks on. In front of them are mushroom tacos with colorful toppings on blue corn tortillas, along with a side of black beans and rice.

Are dogs allowed in restaurants?

Like with Dublin’s cafes and pubs/bars, it just depends on the restaurant. In general though, restaurants will be more strict than cafes and pubs/bars about whether they permit dogs due to higher concerns about contamination or customers with allergies. Many restaurants do not allow dogs (other than service dogs), however we’ve found a few restaurants that don’t just allow dogs, but welcome them.

Some of our delicious recommendations are

Bonobo (Smithfield neighborhood)
Kodiak (Rathmines neighborhood)
Table 45 (by Merrion Square)

If you don’t mind sitting outside with your pup, you can always check out Yoi Izakaya (Ballsbridge neighborhood), which has a covered outdoor seating area (unheated) out front where they allow dogs. That’s where we sat with our dog Robi. And they have great lunch specials!

Afterwards, check out Murphy’s Ice Cream (Temple Bar neighborhood) They are super friendly to dogs and will even let your dog sample some flavors if you want.

Close-up of a vegan breakfast sandwich with baked beans on a speckled ceramic plate at a dog-friendly Dublin café, with an Asian woman smiling in the background while petting her small white dog seated beside her in a booth.

General Tips For Cafes, Restaurants, Pubs/Bars & Shops:

In general, the best way to find out ahead of time if an establishment is dog-friendly – if not already explicitly stated on their website – is to:

search their Google/ Tripadvisor reviews for “dog” or “pet”
check their social media accounts (usually Instagram) to see if they state it there or have pictures of dog patrons
If all else fails, call the establishment (this option is usually last for us because we are very millennial, but you can always call first)

Are dogs allowed in retail stores?

This is up to each individual business, but in our experience, dogs are often allowed in shops (especially in the city center). Some shops may only allow small dogs or will request that you carry your dog in your arms while inside the shop.

We usually check the door for signs indicating if dogs are or are not allowed and if there are none, we will just head inside and ask. If it turns out that he’s not allowed, we simply apologize and move on.

But many times, the shop owner has welcomed Robi with a smile, a pat on the back or even a treat. We will say though, Robi has what we call “small dog privilege.” That may not work with a large dog. Service dogs, however, are always permitted to enter.

Some cool shops to check out with your dog are:

Irish Design Shop (Temple Bar neighborhood)
Industry & Co (right next door to Irish Design Shop)
Om Diva (which is diagonal across the street from the above two shops). you’ll find Irish-made unique gifts, art and crafts all made by Irish designers. Kim got the coolest jeans here.

Not only that but Dublin has a number of cool flea markets and night markets you can visit with your dog if you’re there at the right time. There’s the Dublin Outdoor Flea Market on the last Sunday of every month and the Culture Night Market which happens once a year.

Check out all the Dublin activities you can do with your dog here.

How To Tell If An Establishment Is Dog Friendly In Person:

Let’s say you’re already out & about with your dog and spot somewhere you want to go in. You can:

Look for a sticker on the window that says whether animals are permitted.
Look for a bowl of water at the door (usually a good sign).
- However, we’ve also encountered a few places in Dublin that put out water for dogs but don’t allow them to enter, like the famous Irish chocolate café chain Butlers that we mentioned in the cafe section above.
Look for an outdoor seating area (also usually a good sign).
If all else fails, ask the staff if dogs are allowed. Many local or mom-and-pop establishments in Ireland make up their own rules (even if they have a “no dogs allowed” sticker) and the Irish are pretty easygoing. If they don’t allow dogs, they’ll just tell you no and you move on (and can check it out another day if your pup can chill in the hotel room).
- Many times, we’ve been welcomed in with Robi, especially once they see that he is well-behaved or small. Some cafes or restaurants might allow you to only sit in a certain area, like near the door, or their patio area in the back. Some will say your dog must stay on the floor.

Are dogs allowed in museums?

Unfortunately, most museums in Dublin only allow service dogs.

However, there are exceptions. For example, the National Leprechaun Museum (by the Ha’Penny bridge) of Ireland is dog-friendly. It’s super interactive and a perfect place to learn about Irish culture, folklore, and history with your furry best friend.

A little out of the city center (but easily accessible by bus) is the Pearse Museum at St. Enda’s Park (in Rathfarnham neighborhood. Once a school teaching the Irish language, it’s now one of the few Dublin museums that welcome dogs. You can learn about Irish writer and revolutionary Patrick Pearse who lived here, pioneered the Irish school and led the 1916 Rising for which he was executed.

When you’re done exploring the museum, you can explore the almost 50 acres of St. Enda’s park with your dog, which has many paths, runs along the river and has a waterfall.

We’ve also found that many museums have public gardens and occasionally an outdoor exhibit that can be explored with a dog. One such option is the Irish Museum of Modern Art where you can walk the grounds with your pup and see the beautiful garden.

Are dogs allowed in parks?

Dublin’s parks are very dog-friendly. Most will have signs or areas saying whether or not they require dogs to be on-leash. There are also off-leash designated areas. Here are some of our faves:

Be aware that most parks in Dublin are fenced in, so you may have to walk to a specific entrance/exit point to access the park.

In larger parks, there will be certain areas where dogs are not allowed to be in. For example, St. Stephen’s Green doesn’t allow dogs in the playground area, lake or fountain. And they must be leashed (or “on a lead” as they say here) in the flower bed areas.

Robi loved exploring Phoenix Park, which is a particularly popular spot for dog owners as it’s a huge park (1,752 acres) with lots of wide open space. It’s twice as big as New York’s Central Park!

As you walk throughout the city, you’re rarely more than a 5-10 minute walk from some sort of public park or green space for your pup to socialize and sniff to their heart’s content. And with the amount of rainfall that Ireland gets, all the parks are green and gorgeous.

Are dogs allowed in grocery stores?

Unfortunately, none of the major grocery store chains (like Tesco, SuperValu, Aldi, Spar, Dunnes) allow pets. Most smaller grocery stores also prohibit pets from entering. Of course, none of this applies to service animals, who are always allowed.

Many supermarkets will have hooks outside the door meant for attaching your dog’s leash if you’re comfortable leaving your dog alone while you run in to shop.

While that may seem like a crazy or unsafe idea, especially if it’s not common practice where you live, it’s actually quite common and safe here in many cities in Europe to leave your dog outside while going into grocery stores (weather-permitting, of course). But, you know your dog and your own personal comfort level best and whether your dog can handle being left alone for a bit while other people and dogs may pass them. .

We’ve personally done it a few times with Robi in Dublin (and we did it a ton in Spain), but usually not right in the city center where there’s a ton of street and foot traffic. Rather, we’ll do it when we’re shopping a little further out of the center – like when we stayed in the Rathmines neighborhood.

And lastly, smaller markets or open air and outdoor markets may allow dogs. We always look up the specific market online to see their policy and check the reviews on Google Maps to see if dogs have been allowed. When it’s not clear, we’ve also called ahead of time.

Are dogs allowed in indoor malls?

Dublin malls are almost never dog-friendly (except for service dogs). However, there is one exception: the Dundrum Town Centre. This very dog-friendly mall in Dublin happily welcomes pups inside.

Dogs must be on their leash (or “lead” as they say in Ireland) and you can’t take the escalators with them. Also, be aware that not every store inside the Dundrum Town Centre allows dogs. You can check the most up to date list of stores here.

The rest of Dublin’s malls (listed below) unfortunately do not allow any pets inside (except service animals):

If you find that dogs are indeed now allowed to any of the above malls, please let us know so we can correct it and help out other pup parents!

Are dogs allowed in taxis/ Uber/ Lyft?

In Ireland, Lyft doesn’t exist and most Dubliners don’t use Uber. The rideshare app that almost all Dubliners exclusively use is FREENOW. Every FREENOW car is actually a taxi. We suggest you download the FREENOW app https://www.free-now.com/uk/ride/download-app/ ahead of your trip.

While service dogs are allowed in taxis in Dublin, in all other cases it’s up to the driver’s discretion. It’s best to check with the driver beforehand or when booking in the Free Now app on your phone, to include a note.

We’ve personally never been turned away from taking a FREENOW taxi with Robi (always in his carrier). In fact, a tip we have when sightseeing with your dog is to always carry a dog carrier or dog backpack. You never know when the rain may hit or your day of sightseeing ended up further than you expected and there are no timely public transportation options or the bus stop is too far away, so you may have to use the FREENOW app and taxi back to your hotel with your pup.

Are dogs allowed on public transportation?

Trains & trams

DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) trains and commuter trains

Dogs are permitted on DART if they are properly restrained, meaning they’re in their carrier or they’re leashed and muzzled.

Luas trams

Dogs in an appropriate carrying case are allowed on the Luas tram (only guide dogs are allowed on a leash).

Intercity trains

Intercity trains only allow dogs to travel in the nonpassenger carriage unless the dog is in a carrying case small enough to sit at your feet in your train seat.

Public Buses

Dogs are allowed on Dublin’s public buses, although the final decision is up to the driver. Additionally there is (technically) a 10 euro fee for bringing a dog on the bus. That said, our small dog (9 pounds) has traveled with us on all forms of Dublin public transportation in his carrying case or backpack and we’ve never paid an additional fee.

However, your mileage may vary, as we have had varying degrees of enthusiasm or reluctance to allow him from different drivers. If it’s possible to board without revealing that you have a pet, that may be to your advantage.

Are dogs allowed in private transportation?

Private Buses: Dublin Aircoach & Dublin Express

Dogs are not allowed (except for service dogs) on these private buses. In fact, we had bought two Dublin Express tickets right outside the airport to get from the airport to our hotel. A few minutes later, the employee saw us walking our dog (she hadn’t seen him previously) and she informed us that we can’t ride the bus and immediately refunded us our money. The only option to go to the city center with your dog from the airport is to take a taxi (through the FREENOW app) or a public Dublin bus (buy a TFI LEAP card).

If you really need to take the Dublin Aircoach or Dublin Express for some reason, you can’t do so with your pet unfortunately. Or if your pet is small enough to be hidden, quiet and happens to be in their carrier and out of sight…

Rental Cars

Yes, dogs are allowed in rental cars in Dublin! Before returning the car, make sure to clean it well so it’s free of dog hairs to avoid extra cleaning fees (a lint roller is your best friend). Many of Ireland’s tourist attractions, like the Cliffs of Moher and the Wild Atlantic Way, are not easily accessible by public transportation, so a popular option to sightsee Ireland is to land in and explore Dublin first, then rent a car in Dublin to drive out and explore the rest of Ireland.

A small white chihuahua mix in a blue harness sits on a hotel's luggage trolley.

Are dogs allowed in hotels?

There are many hotels in Dublin that accommodate dogs, at varying price points for every type of budget. Be aware that you may have to pay an extra pet fee upon check-in that wasn’t already included in the price when you booked. You can always contact the hotel first to check if there is a pet fee and how much it is.

For our recommendations, check out this article on dog-friendly hotels in Dublin for every price point, or just book our favorite place to stay in Dublin, the Travelodge Rathmines.

Man pushing a luggage cart stacked with coats, suitcases, and a dog in a carrier near an elevator inside Dublin Airport.

Are dogs allowed in airplanes?

Yes, unlike the United Kingdom, dogs are indeed allowed to fly in and out of Dublin – and the Republic of Ireland in general.

This is not to be confused with Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK and does not allow dogs to fly in or out of the country in the cabin of commercial flights.

Of course, it also depends on the airline you want to travel on. For instance, pets can fly in the cabin on Vueling, but not with RyanAir.

We’ve flown to and from Dublin with our dog Robi on a few different airlines without any issues or complications. Just be sure to get to the airport earlier than you would if you were traveling alone.

Allow at least an hour extra for any dog-related tasks that may come up and confirm all the requirements for travel with the airline and a veterinarian to make sure you don’t run into any problems on your travel day.

Sometimes, it’s no issue and sometimes, we’ve been given the runaround at the airport and were so happy we gave ourselves an extra hour just for dog paperwork/processes.

Small white dog sitting on a cobblestone plaza in a Dublin park with a group of people standing behind it during an outdoor dog‑friendly walking tour.

Robi rates Dublin’s dog friendliness

Robi rates Dublin 4 out of 5 paws for dog friendliness.

It earns high marks for its dog-friendly attitude, particularly in outdoor spaces like parks, pub gardens, and restaurant terraces. While there are restrictions in some indoor establishments like shops and museums, he found the overall experience of exploring Dublin to be friendly and welcoming.

Whether you’re a local or a visitor, it’s easy to enjoy Dublin with your furry companion. From leisurely walks in parks to socializing in pubs, Dublin provides numerous opportunities to experience the city’s vibrant atmosphere with your best friend.