114) The Lotts of Lower Liffey Street, D1
Makes the boast that it is the 'smallest pub in Dublin' – though the Dawson Lounge would certainly give it a run for its money. The boast is further undermined by the labyrinthine restaurant attached to the back, of a markedly gastritis inclination. The swanky ‘café bar’ that’s attached along the side adds even more insult to injury.
Before we became aware of these salient points, we were decidedly impressed with this so-called miniature pub having a mere total of three tables and a few bar-stools dotted around the bar - it seemed to be living up to its claim. On the eve we made our entry it was in the depths of a freezing winter, and we were fortunate and relieved to find a pair of stools free at the bar next to an open and roaring log fire, which was a delight. Stephens, whose joy at finding the smallest pub in Dublin, quickly turned to sorrow after discovering the little walkway at the back of the ‘pub’ which leads into the massive restaurant and café bar. This small little snug makes for a comfortable room with plenty of charm, but after the Wizard of Oz has been revealed from behind the curtain, one cannot ignore, or help but feel forever cheated.
The so-called ‘smallest bar in Dublin’ is in fact connected to a massive swanky ballroom affair
An entertaining painted exterior features a star-studded lineup of grotesque caricatures, including Daniel Day Lewis, Bono, Sinead O'Connor, George Bernard Shaw, Phil Lynott, Oscar Wilde, Pierce Brosnan, James Joyce, Colm Meaney, George Best, Cillian Murphy and a gratuitously imported Barack Obama, painted on to coincide with his 2011 state visit and to make him feel more at home. Also, a series of slogans are written on the exterior such as: ‘great things come in small packages,’ and ‘the truth comes out when the drink goes in!’ In light of the fraudulent claim it makes of itself, the slogan should instead read: ‘the truth comes out when you walk in!’
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