Since 1999
The Irish Bar: 26 years beside Viseu Cathedral
A place where good drinks, good music and the best company come together. Inspired by the comfort of Irish pubs and the energy of modern nights out, it is more than a bar: it is a place to enjoy, celebrate and feel at home.
26
years open
400+
references
50+
gins
3 min
from the Cathedral
Our story
We opened on 14 August 1999
Back then, Viseu's historic centre was different: many closed doors and few reasons to climb the hill after dinner. Opening an Irish pub next to the Cathedral, on a square named after a painter, was not an obvious idea.
[Two or three sentences about who opened the bar and why Irish. This is the part only you can tell.]
Twenty-odd years later, still on the same square
Whole generations of Viseu have passed through this bar. Those who arrived in their twenties now bring their children to the terrace. We are one of the oldest bars in the city and, probably, one of the few where a customer from two decades ago still recognises the spot where they used to sit.
The place is still the same: flags, posters and wooden tables. What has grown is the menu — from a good beer selection we now have more than four hundred references, with signature cocktails and a gin collection that no longer fits on a single shelf.
The dates that mark the year
There are nights that have repeated for more than two decades and are no longer quite ours — they belong to the city.
- 17 March
-
St. Patrick's Day
The day of the year when half of Viseu passes through here. Shamrocks, Guinness and a full house from late afternoon.
- 14 August
-
The bar's anniversary
We celebrate every year on the same date we opened, in the middle of the São Mateus Fair.
- October
-
Oktoberfest
A week dedicated to German beers, with mugs of just the right size.
- 31 October
-
Halloween
Decorations done right and one of the busiest nights of the year.
- 31 December
-
New Year's Eve
The last drink of the year and the first of the next, at the same bar.
The next anniversary — the 27.º — is on 14 August 2026.
An Irish bar gave birth to a guest house
Over the years, many people have asked us at the bar where they could stay nearby. Some had come for the São Mateus Fair, others were passing through on their way to Serra da Estrela, and others had wandered in out of curiosity and stayed until late.
Celtic Lodge is the answer to that question. Six Irish-inspired suites on Calçada Viriato, a few minutes from here, with the same owners and the same idea of hospitality. The suites are named after the drinks we've always served: Whiskey, Vodka, Guinness, Gin, Leprechaun and The Irish Lodge.
Guests who stay with us receive a voucher for 2 cocktails de boas-vindas, to use here at the bar.
What you will find today
Guinness on draught, the way it should be. Classic and signature cocktails. A gin collection with more than fifty labels, from Portuguese to Japanese. Irish, Scottish and American whiskies. Belgian, German and Portuguese beers. And toasted sandwiches, snails and coffee for those passing through mid-afternoon.
Opening hours
- Monday to Friday
- [09:00 – 02:00]
- Saturday
- [13:00 – 02:00]
- Sunday
- [13:00 – 02:00]
Where we are
Largo Pintor Gata, 7/8
3500-136 Viseu
In the historic centre, next to the Cathedral
232 488 156 · theirishbarviseu@gmail.com
Parking in the historic centre is limited. See where to park
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