The bustle on Main Street, with "downtown" Gibraltar's densest concentration of shops, dies down when the shops close. After dark the scene migrates 1 block south of Main Street's western end to a parallel street known formally as Irish Town and informally as "Back Street."
Two of the best bars here are The Clipper, 78B Irish Town (tel. 350-797-91), and The Royal Oak, 59C Irish Town (tel. 350-717-08), both of which have decor dotted with engravings of clipper ships and memorabilia of the Royal Navy, foaming pints of beer, and shots of whiskey. Both serve English breakfasts throughout the day and evening, jacket potatoes stuffed in ways you'd expect from a neighborhood pub in the Midlands, sandwiches, and such main courses -- priced at £5 ($8.25) each -- as steak and kidney pie or beef Stroganoff.
Other recommended pubs are All's Well, Grand Casemates Square (tel. 350-729-87), known for its Bass beers and steak-and-ale pie; The Star Bar, Parliament Lane (tel. 350-759-24), said to be the oldest bar in Gib; and Lord Nelson Bar Brasserie, 10 Casemates Sq. (tel. 350-500-09), done up to represent Nelson's ship with a cloud-and-sky ceiling crossed with beams and containing a spacious terrace.
Gamblers can check out Ladbrokes Casino, 7 Europa Rd. (tel. 350-766-66; www.ladbrokescasino.com), which requires smart casual dress. Its cocktail bar is open daily from 7:30pm to 4am, and the gaming room is open from 9pm to 4am. Roulette, baccarat, craps, blackjack, boule, and chemin der fer are played here. A wide terrace overlooks the lights of the harbor.
