O’Connell St. Irish Pub / Sports Bar

Sol (El Centro), Madrid –

Owned and operated by the same guy who runs Dubliners right next door, O’Connell St. is essentially a carbon-copy of its neighbor, touting a pot-o’-gold-worthy cluster of budget-friendly booze and a regular crowd of raucous expats.

Anyone who hit Dubliners first will have a bit of déjà vu once they pop the few steps down to this single room pub, as much of the same Irish bric-a-brac covers the blue- and mustard-colored walls and, frankly, many of the same people traverse between the two venues in their own mini-version of a pub crawl.

Key differences of this slightly larger space include two separate bars and several TVs as opposed to one large projection screen, so rowdy sports-lovers have a few more options when it comes to catching a game – though the broadcasts usually all center around a mix of soccer, rugby, American football, and basketball.

Most nights see the place full of Irish expats, other wayward travelers looking to get sauced, and young Madrileños well into a night of bar-hopping, with many patrons dancing it up to the pop soundtrack or the live bands that are sometimes brought in.

The menu at O’Connell St. won’t win any Michelin awards, but anyone in need of a hearty Irish breakfast can pop in during the day, while folks who ventured too far down the Jäger bomb highway can quell their ravaged stomachs with cheese-lathered nachos and other greasy grub.