Great thread.
Me and my scouser mate were doing some work in Belfast, early 2000s. Interesting area for the hotel, out in the suburbs, flags on kerbs. We went for a wander out of the Union Jack areas on the Sunday to find some folk music.
Ended up in a place that was banging, great Irish band. After the second round, everyone seemed very friendly and curious, kept asking us how we'd ended up there. By the third round we couldn't buy our own drinks, you'd be on your last couple of sips and a fresh Bulmers and Jamison chaser was handed to us by different people, or random people would jump in at the bar and pay. This went on all night.
People kept saying we had to meet the big man, so were escorted over to a table and had a chat for a few hours with the local Sinn Fein councillor, wish I could remember his name. It only kicked in what was happening when he mentioned Sinn Fein. Again ridiculously hospitable and nice older bloke, fascinated that we were from Boro and Liverpool. I asked if he'd been, he said, "No, I'm not allowed a passport anymore."
We ended up being guest judges for the singing rounds for the pub quiz and presented the prizes at the end as 'our guests of honour from England'
Brilliant day out and what an experience, have no doubt it could have gone very wrong.
Another vote for The Duke in Wood Green, north London, still the only place I've bought "two pints and two pills please" over the bar, hairy.