Crown Liquor Saloon Tours

Belfast locals have been socializing in this National Trust-owned pub since 1826. Built by skilled Italian craftsmen who were brought over to help construct Catholic churches, the bar retains its sumptuous original interior, with stained glass windows, carved wood, patterned tiles, decorative panels, and mosaics all over.

Crown Liquor Saloon—aka Crown Bar is a functioning bar, where many city breakers pop in for a drink in between bouts of shopping and sightseeing in Northern Ireland’s capital. Inside, visitors find cozy snugs (small seating areas partitioned off for privacy) in which to eat and drink, and an open bar area. Crown Bar takes reservations for a limited number of snugs, while the rest are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The Crown Liquor Saloon is located on Great Victoria Street in central Belfast, across the road from the historic Europa Hotel, which is said to be the most bombed hotel in Europe. The nearest train station is Great Victoria Street. It is just a 2-minute walk from the bar.

The Crown Liquor Saloon is open every day. The Belfast bar is busiest after dark, with Fridays, Saturday nights, and also the run-up to Christmas proving to be especially lively. Visitors wanting to avoid the crowds and secure a cozy snug should go earlier in the day.

The interior of the Crown Liquor Saloon is nothing short of magnificent. Not only is it replete with ornate details and finishings, including marble, etchings, and wood carvings, but it also retains original features that hark back to a time long gone. Look out for the gunmetal plates that Victorian-era patrons once used for striking matches, as well as gas lamps overhead and a heated footrest under the red granite-topped bar.