McSwiggin’s: House of Stout opened on 15 July 2026 at 25 Fenwick Street, restoring life to Castle Moat House, a grand Grade II listed former Victorian banking hall at the corner of Lower Castle Street. The opening established an authentic, two-storey Irish public house in the heart of Liverpool’s commercial district, celebrating the city's historic maritime links with Ireland through well-kept stout, Irish whiskey, and live traditional folk music.
What McSwiggin’s does
The pub operates as a traditional, hospitality-led Irish drinking house. The restoration preserved the building’s 19th-century architectural grandeur: soaring ceilings, polished dark mahogany wood panelling, fluted stone pillars, brass footrails, and comfortable leather drinking snugs. Unfolding over two floors, the venue accommodates midday lunch crowds from nearby legal and financial offices, post-work pints, and lively weekend gatherings with late-night trading until 2:00am.
The stout cellar and Irish whiskey library
As the name indicates, stout is treated with dedicated cellar discipline:
- Draught Irish Stouts: Perfectly poured pints of cold draught Guinness, Murphy's, and Beamish served through precision-chilled lines with proper two-part pours and thick, creamy heads.
- Draught Beers: Crisp continental lagers, traditional bitters, Irish red ales, and rotating local craft pale ales.
- The Whiskey Wall: A curated collection of Irish whiskeys, including single pot still expressions such as Redbreast 12 and 15, Green Spot, Yellow Spot, Teeling Small Batch, Bushmills single malts, and rare independent bottlings.
- Traditional Irish Coffee: Freshly pulled espresso stirred with brown sugar and Irish whiskey, crowned with a cool layer of hand-whipped double cream.
Two floors: The banking hall and mezzanine lounge
The layout provides two distinct social settings:
- The Ground Floor Public Bar: Centred around a commanding mahogany bar counter with tall barstools, etched glass partition screens, and intimate booth snugs for groups.
- The First Floor Mezzanine: Reached via a curved stone staircase, this upper parlour features deep leather Chesterfield armchairs, decorative marble fireplaces, and views down into the lively ground-floor room.
Live music and sports programming
Music and sport form the backbone of the pub’s entertainment. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoon, the pub hosts live acoustic sets and traditional Irish folk sessions featuring local and visiting musicians playing fiddles, guitars, and bodhráns.
Discreetly positioned high-definition screens broadcast live sport throughout the week, with dedicated coverage of Premier League football, Six Nations rugby tournaments, and Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) football and hurling championships.
Prices and practical details
Drink pricing reflects competitive city-centre pub standards (checked September 2026):
- Pints of draught Irish stout: £4.90 to £5.60
- Pints of premium lager and craft ale: £5.00 to £6.00
- Measures of premium Irish whiskey: £4.50 to £9.50
- Traditional freshly made Irish coffee: £6.50 to £8.00
- Traditional bar snacks (crisps, nuts, scratchings): £1.50 to £2.50
Seating across both floors is entirely walk-in with no table bookings required. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcomed on the ground floor. Both contactless cards and cash are accepted.
Around Fenwick Street and the Commercial Quarter
Fenwick Street runs parallel to Castle Street, connecting Water Street with Brunswick Street. The pub is seconds away from Liverpool Town Hall, the Royal Liver Building, and the Mersey waterfront at Pier Head.
To explore more of the business district, read our City Centre guide and our guide to where to eat in Liverpool by area.
