O'Neills

Yes, it's part of a chain, but this popular Irish theme bar attracts a large crowd with its welcoming atmosphere and reasonably priced drinks.

The Venue
Situated directly opposite Newcastle's Central Station, O'Neills is one of the easiest pubs to find in a city full of bars. There are lovely old wooden floors throughout, and there's a smaller seating area left of the entrance as well as high wooden stools dotted about. Tables at the front have good views of the station and are a great people-watching spot. A little dimly lit towards the back, it’s still fairly cosy and, as you'd expect from an Irish bar, the green and cream walls have plenty of Irish-themed pictures and a sign in Gaelic offering ‘a thousand greetings’.

The People
Other than its popularity with train commutters, the bar also sees a lot of student drinkers. It's also popular with sports fans as it shows not only football matches but rugby as well. It's also the bar of choice for expat Celtic supporters whenever one of the Scottish league games is on Sky.

A blend of students and rowdy Scots in the heart of Newcastle’s nightlife can seem like a daunting combination, but the atmosphere is always friendly and the staff help ease any tension with their sheer attentiveness and the ability – as you would expect in an Irish bar - to pour a Guinness. It features live music every Friday, with a band taking to the stage from about 9.30pm. It seems fairly popular and the type of act can vary from local acts to covers bands.

The Food
It's standard pub grub with an Irish twist, but not enough to make it leap beyond anything out of the ordinary. Having said that, the chips are tasty and well-cut, and the portions are generally quite decent and certainly good value. Best recommendations are the ’taste of Ireland’ meals at £3.50, including hash dishes and Irish Stew. By far better value than anything that can be bought inside the station, and enjoyed in a much warmer climate to the open-air platforms. It's definitely the cosiness of the bar that creates the traditional homemade feel of the food, rather than the food itself, but it makes for good dining on a budget.

The Drink
Needless to say, it wouldn't be an Irish bar if Guinness wasn't available, in regular, extra cold or even the new experimental red form. Bulmer's original cider is on tap, and for beers there's Tetley's, Amstel, Heineken, Fosters, Budvar, Caffrey's, Grolsch, Carling and Stella Artois. Their bottled range and wine selection are fairly reasonable. There are also plenty of spirits, not surprisingly centering around a good selection of whiskies.

The Last Word
A great place to visit any time of day or week, but be prepared for a busy time at the weekends or when matches are on. At these times it's possibly best to avoid O'Neills, especially if you're a Rangers fan.

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