The Dirty Onion is one of Belfast's most well-established bars and it has earned that status by being consistently good. The courtyard is large and lively, the whiskey selection is serious, and the live music on Friday and Saturday nights makes the whole thing feel like more than just a bar. The building itself is one of the oldest in Belfast, the bones of it show, which helps.
Upstairs is the Yardbird, a separate fried chicken restaurant worth knowing about if you end up hungry. The two work well together as an evening plan without much forward planning required.
On a summer evening the courtyard fills up fast. On a winter night inside is just as good, the atmosphere holds regardless of the weather. One of those places where everyone who lives in Belfast has been, multiple times, for different reasons.