One block north of the hockey hall of fame, you can find another hallowed hall; the Irish Embassy. This upscale pub has been one the premier Irish institutions in the city, quietly attracting CEO types for post work drinks for a while now. So, when a neighbouring space became available, the benevolent owners moved quickly to add a lounge addition to the Embassy, applying it with high-end Irish characteristic visual and thematic accouterments.

The Dublin Lounge takes over the space that was an art gallery and bank, aiming to be one of the more opulent Irish lounges you’ll find in these parts. With the help of Irish pub design firm Gemmel Griffin Dunbar, the classic Victorian space has been properly restored.

It is blatantly apparent, upon entry of the lounge, that the place is all about wood. Owner Gavin Quinn had grown tired of seeing pubs built in the city that used plywood and particle board, and wanted to ensure that the woodwork would be second to none. The bar and the walls are all built with Brazilian mahogany imported from Dublin - even the carpenters themselves were brought in from Dublin to fine-tune the design.

The cocktail bar itself is an impressive piece of work, complete with a hand-carved clock and is appropriately stocked with the best whiskeys from around the world. The lounge is about 1,400 sq. ft. with most of the space filled with wood high tops and stools. Walls are adorned with photos and maps of old Ireland as well as gold leaf mirrors. Antique chandeliers hang from the ceilings and etched glass windows line the back wall. The lounge also contains a snug.

Has Irish bar-eria always been this obnoxiously hipsterish? Ugh, don’t answer that—especially since this Irish mood master will prompt many other similarly probing questions. Like, for example, what's a snug?