Best St Patrick's Day bars

Grab your giant green hats and shamrock T-shirts, it's St Patrick's Day on Tuesday. London has adopted the feast day as its second biggest knees-up after New Year's Eve, so even if you're not Irish, you can still enjoy the craic. This year, since Ireland is on course for the grand slam in the Six Nations Rugby, and playing tomorrow, publicans are making it a four-day extravaganza.

Many are hosting live bands and Irish dancers and serving up traditional foods like fried cabbage with bacon, Irish stew and mussels — with plenty of the black stuff to wash it down, of course.

Head for the pubs on the route of the St Patrick's Day parade in the West End on Sunday, or check out the bars in the heart of London's Irish communities. Either way, it'll be grand.

Waxy O'Connor's
14-16 Rupert Street, W1, 020 7287 0255
With its four bars on six levels, and a sprawling preserved beech tree inside its stone walls, Waxy's is the place to be for those looking for the kitsch "Irish experience". You'll definitely find it in the throng of the St Patrick's Day parade. The celebrations include free T-shirts, hats and rugby shirts, live music from The Reels on Saturday, and live rugby matches on its big screens. A traditional Irish music session kicks off from 1pm on Tuesday, accompanied by a St Patrick's day menu of ­traditional Irish stew or bacon with cabbage.
Open until midnight on Saturday and Sunday, and 1am on Tuesday. Pint of Guinness, £3.40; shot of Jameson, £3.30

The Corrib Rest
76-80 Salusbury Road, NW6, 020 7625 9585
The Irish community of County Kilburn is dwindling but those that are left still congregate at The Corrib Rest in nearby Queen's Park. The knick-knacks and wooden panelling lining the walls make it homely rather than naff. Live bands will be playing on St Patrick's Day alongside traditional Irish dancers and the party atmosphere is visceral. Come here for the definitive London Irish experience.
Open until 2am (on St Patrick's Day only). Pint of Guinness, £2.90; shot of Jameson, £2.90 (£2.60 before 6pm)

The Toucan
19 Carlisle Street, W1, 020 7437 4123
This cosy little after-work Soho haunt, whose Toucan theme is taken from the classic imagery of the Thirties Guinness advertising campaign, is heaving on any given weeknight — so imagine the ­craziness on St Paddy's Day. The pub will be open on Sunday for the parade and is hosting live bands. It's a bit rough around the edges and very dark and dingy, but you can find decadence in the form of a pint of the famous Black Velvet (Guinness laced with champagne, £9) or a selection of rare Irish whiskeys.
Open until 11pm. Pint of Guinness, £3.60;
shot of Jameson, £2.50

The Cow
89 Westbourne Park Road, W2, 020 7221 0021
Trendy Westbourne Grove dwellers flock to this Conran-owned gastropub all year round. But on St Paddy's Day, they suddenly discover their Irish heritage and the bar is even more throbbing than usual. The chunky tables are moved aside to make way for a six-piece Irish band and dancing until 1am. Irish specials appear on the menu, including dishes with mussels, bacon and cabbage.
Open until 1am. Pint of Guinness, £3.60; shot of Jameson, £2.50

Filthy McNasty's Whiskey Café
68 Amwell Street, EC1, 020 7837 6067
This rock'n'roll pub formerly owned by The Pogues was where Pete Doherty used to live and work before he hit the big time. More a haunt for tortured artists than a "theme" bar, the murkily lit Islington establishment with its battered wooden tables hosted The Libertines' first live gig. St Patrick's Day is the busiest night of the year, with live music until the early hours. Go for the hard-to-find whiskeys (Bunnahabhain, £3, Highland Park, £4) and super-strength shooters (Baileys and butterscotch schnapps, two for £5). Just don't expect leprechaun hats and lucky charms.
Open until 1am. Pint of Guinness, £3.20; shot of Jameson, £2.50

The Water Poet
9-11 Folgate Street, E1, 020 7426 0495
An Irish-owned gastropub in Bishopsgate, The Water Poet pulls in the punters with its hearty Irish fare, alternative comedy and pool tables. The venue is a good place to enjoy the festivities in a laid-back style. If the sun is shining you can sit in the beer garden, otherwise relax in one of the leather armchairs and enjoy the special St Paddy's Day menu of beef, Guinness and oyster pie, home-made soda bread and Dublin Bay prawns.
Open until 11pm. Pint of Guinness, £3.50; shot of Jameson, £3.20