For bottomless draft beers, live music and hearty pub grub, there's nowhere we'd rather be than at these chilled-out, Irish hangouts.

McGettigan's

Get down with live entertainment acts spanning from acoustic bands to comedy showcases at this Clarke Quay bar. Far from being just another watering hole, McGettigan's is serious about serving decent Irish plates. The food menu's by in-house chef Derek Flynn and it offers classic dishes like beer-battered fish and chips, Irish stew, buffalo hot wings and more. Drinks range from cocktails to beers and spirits, and happy hours are from Mon-Fri (5-8pm) and Sun (3-10pm), with house drinks and selected spritis going at $10. 

Molly Roffrey's Irish Pub

This classy gastropub has more than just Irish classics—they have a small but varied selection of French, Mexican, Italian and Asian-inspired plates too. Try the hazelnut escargot, chicken quesadilla and soft shell chili crab on top of the usual fish and chips and Guinness pot pie. Happy hours are daily from 12-9pm, with deals on selected wines and spirits that starts at $8 (house pours). Otherwise, there's cocktails, bottled craft beers and ciders, and drafts from names like Konig Ludwig Weissbier, Strongbow Gold and Sol.

Molly Malone's 

Molly Malone's

Possibly the oldest Irish pub in Singapore, this nightlife veteran has been serving up nights of revelry since 1995. Located at Boat Quay, this is probably the closest you'll get to an Irish dive bar. What you'll find is an unpretentious and hearty menu of bar bites like pork crackling and Irish stew, all best had with reliable pints of Guinness, Heinekein, Tiger Beer and more. Happy hours are from Mon-Sat, 11am-8pm, with promotions like $5 jager minis. 

Muddy Murphy's

Located at TripleOne Somerset, Muddy Murphy's may sport a traditional Irish cottage theme but it's far from being a fuddy-duddy spot. Besides live bands and televised sporting events, it's also the place for brunch. The kitchen puts out a full Sunday roast daily, with slabs of hand-carved beef, creamy mash and Yorkshire pudding. But if you're there to unwind, then drinks range from the usual bottled Heineken, Corona and San Miguel Light beers, to Old and New World wines, sakes, spirits and cocktails. There are also regular promotions like a Sapporo bucket of 5 going for $20.16 nett. 

The Blarney

Apart from its Irish-inspired name, this bar and restaurant is probably the most modern of the lot. Tucked away at The Sail@Marina Bay, it houses a full bar and serves reliable Western fare like fish and chips, steaks and pizza amid sleek, contemporary surrounds. Drinks-wise, it offers happy hours from Mon-Fri from 4-9pm on housepours. 

Bam! Tapas-Sake Bar

Sample the unusual pairing of sake and Spanish tapas at this gastro bar, which features a menu that changes fortnightly depending on what’s available in the market. Besides small plates, the restaurant also offers omakase and set lunches (from $38), with items such as cold capellini with tobiko and bamboo clam, quail with peanut, celery and apple, and Spanish pork with organic mushrooms and ginger rice.

Bar Ippudo

Izy

Jinzakaya

This new, laid-back Japanese eatery by the Les Amis Group offers a varied menu of small plates, skewers, yakimono mains, salads, ramen and udon, on top of a respectable list of sakes, shochu and beers on tap. Food-wise, you'll find interesting selections such as the hiyashi chuka ramen ($12.80), with crab meat, salmon roe, shredded chicken and cold noodles; MBS 8 Wagyu namban ($15), spring onion wrapped with sliced Wagyu beef and kitsune natto ($3.50), fried tofu stuffed with fermented beans.

KOI Sushi + Izakaya

Neon Pigeon

Taking up residence at co-working space The Working Capitol, this modern izakaya sports a hip, grunge-inspired facade with grafitti murals, a sexy crowd and a trendy menu. You'll find sharing plates like chilled cucumber with crush chili peanuts and goma ($8) and smoked baby back ribs in sake barbecue sauce ($18). The restaurant also offers a list of craft sakes, wines, whiskys and liqueurs, special mention goes to their cocktails, craft beer and special in-house junmai daiginjo sake ($28). There are also regular parties and events happening there, like the popular Knife Fight series (which pits chefs in Singapore against each other in a Hell's Kitchen-like showdown), and guest appearances such as a bartending pop-up by Michito Kaneko (Winner of 2015 World Class Bartender's Competition).

Sumiya 

The Horse’s Mouth

Thanks to a big sign outside the shopping mall, this underground drinking den is no longer as hush-hush as it used to be, though parting the unmarked curtain in Uma Uma Ramen and heading down the dark steps still feels excitingly illicit. Although you’d expect too-cool-for-you barkeeps and impenetrable menus here, the mixologists are truly friendly, chatty and do their best to deliver a fun cocktail experience.

Uma Uma, Izakaya Bar & Restaurant

This ramen shop, yakitori joint and izakaya-in-one has a curated food menu with six different types of dry and soup ramen ($14-16), and a larger selection of yakitori, kushikatsu (breaded and fried skewers) and bar bites. Of course, no izakaya is complete without a decent drinks menu, and Uma Uma has an extensive variety ranging from spirits like rum, Bourbon and Scotch to sakes and signature and classic cocktails like Negroni ($18) and Aphrodisiac ($18).

Dempsey may be tucked away to some, but the dining enclave is always buzzing and full of great foodie options. Whether you're in the mood for some evening cocktails or a degustation dinner, here are your best options.

1. Chopsuey Cafe

Fancy some Sino-Anglo nosh? Chopsuey Cafe makes some pretty great, albeit toned down, renditions of our childhood favorites. From a smoky sweet & sour pork with pineapple compote, to DIY lettuce cups (San Choy Pau) with a cornucopia of pork, chicken, corn, mushroom, beansprouts and sugar snap peas in a rich, dark sauce. It also doesn't hurt that the colonial-looking space is decorated with plenty of vintage items that take us back to yesteryear.

2. The Disgruntled Chef

Blink and you'll miss this hidden restaurant. A staircase encased in greenery hides a hillside subterranean restaurant with lots of great food. Whether you fancy something small or big, they have conceptual but comforting food like seared scallops with crackling pork belly, carrot puree and picked daikon; steak tartare with quail eggs and truffled hash browns; as well as decadent brunch items like the Ultimate Beef Burger, with candied bacon, cheddar cheese and caramlised onions. 

3. Jones the Grocer

There's nothing more leisurely than a warehouse-like space with communal tables, gourmet groceries and a cheese room. We admit that the place may be better suited for lunches, but what they do have on their menu is pretty solid. Whether you opt for a duck confit salad or a rigatoni pasta, the food is light and easy. Don't miss their make-your-own cheese board or cold cut platter – you can even try samples from the cheese room and deli.

4. La Ventana

Michelin-starred Spanish chef Carles Gaig's Spanish tapas restaurant serves traditional Catalan dishes like Canelon, a cannelloni-style dish stuffed with foie gras, beef and pork in truffle cream; Carabinero paella in a dark brown sauce; crispy boneless suckling pig and pigeon cooked two-ways—confit and josper-grilled. Oh, and the airy space has lots of sangria.

5. Long Beach Seafood

Few can pass up Chinese and Singaporean-style seafood. This huge seafood restaurant serves up some of the island's best pepper and chilli crabs as well as other favorites like garlic razor clams, succulent steamed prawns and plenty of fish. For those who don't really like seafood, fret not —they’ve got other classics like roast chicken, fried rice and oodles of noodles, too.

6. Samy's Curry

Established by the late Mr M. Veerasamy in the '50s, this unpretentious and casual Indian eatery is pretty much an institution at Dempsey Hill for South Indian food lovers. Here, you'll be dining on signatures like masala curry chicken, fish cutlet and fish head curry, all on banana leaves. The affable wait staff circle the floors with buckets of sides and rice, so if you'd like a top up, just raise your hand and you'll have food heaped unceremoniously on your table. 

7. The Green Door

This garden-inspired bar not only has kooky cocktails but tons of light bites and weekend barbecues. It's a great place for afternoon drinks or weekend chill out sessions with its Alice In Wonderland-inspired decor and beautiful semi-alfresco space.

8. Open Farm Community

Chef Ryan Clift teams up with urban farmers Edible Gardens for this farm-to-table(ish) restaurant. The expansive 5,000 sq m space has its own herb and vegetable garden, as well as an airy dining room serving hearty and fresh pastas, salads and meat dishes. Don't skip the creamy rigatoni with local mushrooms, as well as the charred lamb rump with garden peas and mash. The place also encourages people to picnic in the garden while playing a game of lawn bowling or ping pong, too.

9. Portico Prime

An off-shoot of European, produce-driven restaurant Portico, the Dempsey outpost has a small and focused menu highlights like the Wagyu A4 ribcap and the pan-seared Pulau Ubin sea bass, that uses fresh barramundi farmed off the shores of Pulau Ubin. Other must-try mains here include the braised Wagyu beef cheek in mulled wine and chilled truffle-scented angel hair pasta. 

10. PS. Cafe

This Dempsey Hill institution has close proximity to the rainforest, with long timber walkways, huge flower arrangements and floor-to-ceiling windows. Great for brunches, lunches, suppers and everything in between, the easy and breezy space is a favorite hangout for any Dempsey-goer. Although everyone has their favorites, classics like their Green Goddess pesto penne, PS. burger and truffle fries never go out of style. They've also got a pretty neat list of cocktails like their basil & lemon mint mojito, sangrias and extensive wine list.

11. Red Dot Brewhouse

This large structure perched on a hill is part of Singapore's growing microbrewery scene. Admittedly, they're better with bar snacks and light bites than full-on meals, but the place is pretty and weekend atmosphere buzzing. No one can go wrong with chicken wings, pork belly, fries and a pint of beer, but their grilled sausage platter is pretty legit, too. For heartier meals, they have pastas, pizzas and burgers that go well with brews like the lime wheat, weizen, and kolsch.

12. Roadhouse

An all-American diner and restaurant, Roadhouse serve up grub like Mac 'N' Cheese, bacon marinated burgers and crispy Cajun shrimp sandwiches. The Simple Brie-vine Burger is something pretty special with a josper-grilled wagyu patty, grilled poached pear, brie cheese, rocket and sundried tomatoes. 

13. The White Rabbit

Destination dining spot for those special occasions, this converted church is now home to a modern French fine dining restaurant. Once you stop admiring the stained glass windows, white-washed space and tiled floors, the food should grab your attention. Think wagyu beef carpaccio with truffle cream sauce, balsamic pearls and shaved parmesan; a savoury-sweet foie gras duet with apple and cherry compote; an Alaskan king crab and pork broth tagliette; or a 36-hour Brandt short ribs. For those who like cocktails, meander over to The Rabbit Hole to try their 18 different types of gin and tonic.

There are lots of zi char places, but there are a few that make us drool. From one at a Marine Parade condo (we're not kidding) to a couple at Tiong Bahru, here are the best ones we'd take our moms to.

Diamond Kitchen

Started by young entrepreneurs Lambert Chen and Josh Chou, Diamond Kitchen is a hidden gem that's located unexpectedly in a Marine Parade condo. Chef de cuisine Kevin Lau whips up seafood and zi char signatures like Champagne pork ribs, prawn paste chicken, superior stock clam bee hoon and gan xiang crab. Desserts include stuff like yam paste and bird's nest.

#01-22/23 Laguna Park, 5000F Marine Parade Rd., 6448-0629. 

Long Ji Zi Char

Started by the folks from the famous Golden Spoon eatery, also in Tiong Bahru, it takes just a quick glance at the dinner menu to discover the specialty here: giant platters of crab bee hoon in a shallow pool of creamy broth. Also amazing is the delicately steamed grouper with ginger and the salted yolk pork ribs. The place is a magnet for big groups, but do call ahead and book if you have a posse in tow.

Kok Sen Restaurant

It’s super handy having an amazing, unassuming, fluorescent-lit zi char place right in the middle of trendy Keong Saik—but late-night revellers should be aware that it closes at 11:30pm. Still, it’s great to end a weeknight with Kok Sen’s signature claypot yong tau fu, with homemade pastes, and prawn paste chicken.

30 Keong Saik Rd., 6223-2005. 

New Ubin Seafood

It started life decades ago on Pulau Ubin and refashioned itself after moving to the mainland. Located in a nondescript corner of Sin Ming Industrial Estate, this no-frills, traditional seafood joint serves up an assortment of seafood dishes, like salted yolk crab and their signature hokkien mee. They’ve gotten increasingly fancier, serving nice wines, ribeye and foie gras, but we stick to the seafood basics. Remember to book well ahead, and order 24 hours in advance if you want something special.

#01-174 Block 27 Sin Ming Industrial Estate Sector A, 6466-9558. 

Por Kee Eating House

There are several strong zichar contenders in Tiong Bahru, but Por Kee Eating House's an institution. The low-ceilinged indoor dining room is always packed, as are the outdoor tables, the service is inconsistent, but the food is outstanding. Get the Champagne pork ribs, the fresh black pepper crab (they’ll bring you a live one to choose first, of course) and the butter prawns.

#01-02 69 Seng Poh Ln., 6221-0582.